Bei Jing Gong Zuo

Working in Beijing has definitely been one of the more unique experiences I've yet to come across - true enough I had my Shanghai adventures some time more over a year ago which offered similiar experiences and stories, but this city here really is the heart of China.

And with being the heart of China means being at the heart of Chinese business. And boy oh boy, is Chinese business one to not forget. When I first arrived in the city by train I had no job, no apartment, no prospects and it was the dead cold of Winter. I knew I had to get things in gear and focus to build myself a life here with my love and my amicable working skills. Teaching ESL seemed ideal - and maybe in the future I would learn Chinese on the side, proper Chinese (well this is said of Beijing talk, but to be honest it sounds like they are speaking normal Chinese with their cheeks stuffed full of rocks). So I knew that I had to find a great, high paying ESL job.

Now my former experience living in Shanghai was that I had a great ESL job provided for me which paid for my accomodations working with a successful business run by a westerner - a South African, actually - and this worked out well for me. My income per month was 8000 RMB and I only had to pay for my maid (sweet!) and my utility bills. I was hoping on finding something similar this time.

And so my internet searching adventures began. I sent out at least a dozen applications, and received a lot of replies. One offering 5000 per month and no apartment, another offering 7000 per month with a tiny dorm apartment included. Then I saw it, in big flashing font before my eyes - 10,000 RMB 40 hours per week in the north west side of the city. I sent the email with my CV a resume, hoping it was a done deal.

But no, ohhhh no. Not quite so much. It turned out the job was posted online by a job agency, and the character running this job agency was as shady as anyone I'd ever met. She got me the job, but then began to add all sorts of stipulations - if I did this I would lose 100 RMB from my pay, if I was so many minutes late I would lose 500 RMB. And then she tried to change the contract around altogether ... how about instead of having a flat 10,000 RMB per month, she offered me so much money per class? Um... how about no?

And when one doesn't accept these 'generous' offers, of course the Chinese agent acts hurt and wronged. But we both know the only thing not changing is that I would be sacrificing about 2000 RMB for no reason if I accepted her sneaky evil offer. Does she think I'm some sort of moron?

So now I currently work at Beijing Foreign Language University (Bei Jing Wai Guo Yu Da Xue) as an English teacher and I've found myself quickly regretting it. The work itself is fine, exactly what I expected. What I don't like is the Chinese business practice of the school's appointed manageress to deal with me, and my own hired job agent.
But there is light on the horizon... Oh yes, things are possibly looking up. My contract with this school and it's rotten manageress ends by the first month of Summer, and that will coincide with the time I fire my agent, give her the can as they say, and arrange my own employment. Sometimes in life one has to get it together and realize they are smart, prepared, and resourceful enough to do these things on their own without the help of an insidious third party only out to make a few kuai off of your every action.

So make no mistake, living in China can be a wonderful experience full of great friends, memories, and one can even make a healthy amount of money. But there's monetary predators out there - and the means of Chinese business at least when dealing with foreigners tends to be focused on gaining money and therefore 'face'. It's up to you whether that face of theirs is gained at your expense or not.