anyone know anything about titicaca travel?

[hcfc1]

daughter is hoping to work in china teaching english and has come across titicaca travel based in birmingham england but I am slightly sceptical as i can't find much out about them

they are offering 10 month placements

anyone heard of them

thanks a lot

[gato]

The name sounds fishy.

[chrix]

It's a lake in South America, it reminds me of a song we had to sing in school, called the geographical fugue:

[buanryoh]

If they're asking you for a certain amount of money - say over a couple hundred pounds - then it's a probably a scam. There is a high demand over here for English teachers, so you should never need to pay more than the administrative costs of applying, etc.

Not really sure how you find an English teaching job, if you're not in China. I guess that's where the agency comes in, but you still shouldn't expect to pay too much for their services.

[liuzhou]

I saw the movie. It was filth!

But seriously, travel companies do not recruit teachers. Schools, colleges and universities do directly. If anyone asks for one penny, back off.

Schools pay you (or your daughter).

And make sure they can supply the documentation for a Z-visa BEFORE arriving in China., Otherwise, it is almost always a scam.

[hcfc1]

Thanks a lot for the replies

We'll treat it very carefully and investigate further

[g1izmo]

Hey,

They have an office in birmingham (according to the contact details), so to put your mind at rest you could visit them in person.

As I understand it you do not have to pay anything to them until you arrive in China and meet up with one of their representatives on the ground. Although they ask for a 200 accomodation arrangement fee, which seems a lil fishy...

They receive money from schools to whom they supply successful teaching applicants, ideally you should get them to send you a contract before you leave for China. First and foremost you need to apply successfully with the usual C.V., x2 pictures, letter of intent etc.

For what its worth, I think theyre legit, basically because what they offer does not seem too far fetched (i.e. teaching positions; 10-12 month contract minimum, 4000-8000 yuan/m). I phoned them (UK number) and the person answering did not speak english, I cant speak fluent chinese so instead of struggling to get my point across I said Id send them an email. The responded quickly and professionally in perfect english.

The fact that they offer many other services and have a fully functioning chinese site adds to their believability.Tread carefully though esp. with regard to the accomodation fee and how they ask you to pay.

[anonymoose]

I suggest arranging a job directly with a school. There are many reliable schools (usually the larger chains) which advertise on the web, and usually have their own website. I used to work for Aston English. From my experience, this company is reliable. However, you should search for other companies also, as they might offer better pay, and have jobs in other locations around China.

You can use an agent if you wish, but frankly, even if you don't have to pay anything for the service, with one more layer of communication, there is much more chance for things to go wrong.

[hcfc1]

Thanks a lot, and gizmo, yes I am looking at getting to the office in birmingham (actually getting my other daughter to as she lives there)

[joneeboy72]

Hi,

You don't need to worry about Titicaca. It is a perfectly reliable company and is well known by the UK Chinese community, as well as by others. Titicaca's office is right in the cantre of Birmingham.It is more than a simple 'travel agent', as you could find out if you read the Chinese version of their website, and has an office in Beijing too.I am British, and from Coventry, which is around 20 miles from Birmingham. My wife is Chinese and our daughter recently finished here MSc at Nottingham University.We are all here in China at present, and our flights were arranged by Titicaca.They not only got us cheaper flights on KLM than we could find anywhere else, but we always get 30Kg checked baggage for even the cheapest economy seats, and they can get us some flights that are not normally available for budget passengers, such as those with the shortest connections..

However, one warning. Titicaca mainly deals with the Chinese community, and especially with the big UK Chinese student community.If you deal with them, make sure that they get your name EXACTLY right.That means, for example, if you have more than one forename in your passport, make sure to tell them so that they leave a space between them and don't just string them together as is done in Mandarin!

As far as teaching English is concerned, China is now recruiting many Chinese overseas educated teachers and paying them well.Foreigners who are not well qualified can no longer expect to easily get a job in China with decent pay. The Chinese government is rapidly increasing the salaries of teachers.

[hcfc1]

thanks for that johneeboy

for reasons unrelated to the travel company she is now looking at waiting a year, she;ll be well qualified anyway, but a year down the line she'll have more experience too

good to know that titicaca may be worth contacting again when she does want to (she still wants to work in china eventually)

thanks again

[roddy]

If you can't see actual reports of people using them for teaching placements (I'm sure they're very good at arranging plane tickets) then I'd stay away. Same goes for any other agency. I'd be particularly wary of this one due to the GBP200 accommodation arrangement fee - there's really no reason for you to be paying anything, bar your flight ticket up front.

[joneeboy72]

Why don't you stop bad-mouthing organisations you know nothing about.I have already posted that Titicaca is a perfectly reliable organisation.If you don't believe it, that is up to you. In fact their advertisement relate to finding posts for CHINESE, and its biggest cuastomers are Chinese students in this country.The bulk of their website is in Chinese, so you obviously can't read it.

Titicaca is what is called a consolidator. That means it is a wholesaler and has to place a ghuge amount of money in an insurance fund.

The deposit for accommodation is for arranging a rental in China.IF NEEDED!l Try getting a rental anywhere in the world without putting down a deposit. They are merely listing serviecs they can provide IF WANTED! There is no compulsion to get them. They arranged my daughters accommodation in Nottingham for 15 months while she did her Masters degree, and a great place it was too.All girls,safe, clean, well equipped,big rooms, nicely furnished,walking disance and a bargain price. Chinese owner.Had to pay £200 deposit, and got it back at the end, no problem.

I an going to Titicaca in Birmingham on Thursday, because they do coach tours for Chinese speakers, throughout the UK and Europe too. Like many industrious Chinese, they have their fingers in a lot of little pies. I have never heard anyone complaining about them, but plenty that they have pleased, so unless you have some evidence to the contrary, kindly PIPE DOWN!

[roddy]

That was hardly bad-mouthing, and I'd say the same about absolutely any other teaching placement agency. And indeed, have done so more than once. Nor am I the only one who finds the accommodation fee (not deposit) dubious.

You're welcome to point them towards this topic when you visit, and they're welcome to join in.

[jbradfor]

Wow. Something tells me joneeboy72 is a bit more than a customer.....

I my mind, I would ignore his opinions about titicaca. Based on his response, to me the odds are pretty good he has some interest in the company. I'm sure he will respond that he's just a happy customer, etc, but, personally, I no longer believe him.

Just my 2 cents....

[hcfc1]

wow

oh well at least I started a healthy debate!

the only things I would point out jonnee is that the advert on their website isn't for chinese nationals, it actually says you have to be from UK, Ireland, America, Canada, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand. Also their English website is actually very good

I can't comment on their Chinese one though

you have used them for quite a few different things by the sounds of it Flights for your family to china, Flights for your daughter to nottingham from china, Accommodation in nottingham, coach tours around england? (now you're back from being in china last week)

they sound like they work for you, I was just surprised when I started looking I couldn't find anyone mentioning using their teaching placement service successfully, but then again neither did I find anyone who'd been ripped off by them either, perhaps its something they've only just started doing?

cheers anyway

[cherrypie]

I actually have experience working with Titicaca, and I can say it was not a good one. I had planned everything out months in advance to go work in China and a few days after Titicaca received my payment of 200 pounds they sent me an e-mail saying things were not going to work out. After weeks of stress trying to figure everything out I decided to leave Titicaca company and go it alone. Titicaca then refused to give me my reimbursement back even though they were the ones who screwed things up.

I would say to NEVER go with a company that will charge you. You said your daughter was trying to find a job, for a job, they should always pay YOU, not the other way around.

After weeks of stress they put on me, Titicaca did not hold up to their side of the contract. Not only that, but it was difficult to talk with them because their English was very poor. Maybe it was because their English was bad that they also did not answer all of my questions.

I am not even sure they are a real company anymore.