African English teachers in China

[gwr71]

politics is a different matter.

[imron]

4 hours ago, gwr71 said:

I have dealt with Chinese Agents in China for rich Chinese who want St Kitts and Nevis passports.  

So what you're saying is, you have no idea what reality is like on the ground in China for English speakers from countries other than the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

 

I know you're trying to be helpful, but you're speaking from a position of ignorance.  You are correct that if you have a rich and powerful person who can help then many problems will go away, however that likely doesn't apply to the majority of native English speakers outside the 'big 6' who are looking for teaching work in China.

 

Regardless of what the political situation is like between two countries and how well they are getting along, it doesn't affect the prejudices of the hiring manager at a school in some city in China, whose decisions are also informed by the prejudices of the parents of the students.

[gwr71]

Dear Imron,

Note that the person who asked for help already heard that it was more suited for White persons.  Would you and all the others who seem to share your view gave her different advise if she was a white woman from Zimbabwe? I believe it would have.  You would have encouraged her as she is white.  

What you are saying because she is black she should just forget it even before she can have a chance to make an application.  

From your view as a White person it may seem sound but to me as a non-white educated/Professional person in the Caribbean it is not acceptable.  

She wanted to know if there was any way she could achieve her goal.  I am suggesting another way.  It is not the conventional way as you and others have pointed out that as she is black she has no chance.  That is why the political way may work.  She deserves a chance to find out for herself.  

As for the employers in China, please rest assured if the Government would allow her a z visa the employers will fall in line with the Party Recommendations.  This is a reality for China. Everyone must follow the party Rules/Recommendations.  If the Government wants to recommend her to any potential employer in China as a favour for the Zimbabwe government bet your life she will be employed.

That is the reality of Politics all over the world including the UK and US.  

It does not mean that she will get a z visa but in this way she will have  chance to find out.  It is her dream and we have no right to crush it but to encourage her any way we can and to inform her also that it may not work and ( as pointed out by others in this forum) to have a back up plan.

 

 

 

[dtcamero]

i'm imagining this scenario of a woman in zimbabwe with a strong connection to top government officials, who in a move of brilliant social networking is able to land her dream job in china, which is being an english teacher 

if your guanxi is so good that you can get government officials to quid-pro-quo for you (which sounds legally grey) then you should aim for a job that at least pays a living wage.

my liang jiao.

[889]

"As for the employers in China, please rest assured if the Government would allow her a z visa the employers will fall in line with the Party Recommendations.  This is a reality for China. Everyone must follow the party Rules/Recommendations."

 

That I suppose is what the Party wants everyone to believe. But it's not the reality on the ground. As others have suggested, you seem more in touch with China as a theoretical concept.

 

There is in fact a long tradition in China of the central government professing its strength all the while its directives are being ignored in the far provinces.

 

Centuries on, and 山高皇帝远 still retains its relevancy when trying to understand China.

 

 

[imron]

3 hours ago, gwr71 said:

Would you and all the others who seem to share your view gave her different advise if she was a white woman from Zimbabwe?

My advice would have been not that much different.  It will still be more difficult for a white Zimbabwean to find an English teaching job that it would be for someone from the US, the UK, Canada or the other handful of countries China prefers native teachers from.

 

But, yes, the situation would be different if the OP was white.  This is not a reflection of my personal views, but rather a reflection of the general prejudice against non-white English teachers in China.  Stating this does not mean I like or agree with such things or that I find it acceptable, it is simply stating the reality of the situation.

 

3 hours ago, gwr71 said:

What you are saying because she is black she should just forget it even before she can have a chance to make an application.

I didn't say that at all.  I would still encourage the OP to try, just to be aware that it will be difficult, she will face numerous rejections because of her nationality and her race, plus as Roddy mentioned, her current lack of teaching experience, and she may need to look towards non-traditional methods of finding work - either through private schools or in more remote cities.

 

3 hours ago, gwr71 said:

From your view as a White person

My view on this has nothing to do with me being white, and everything to do with having spent a number of years in the Chinese education system as a teacher and foreign teacher coordinator.  Whether you or I like it or not, it will be objectively more difficult for the OP to find work teaching in China.

[roddy]

I'd just like it noted that I've refrained from posting a number of sarcastic and unhelpful posts. 

[dtcamero]

49 minutes ago, gwr71 said:

White people are by nature liars and hypocrite, thieves and racist.

first of all, this comment is inherently racist, and doesn't help you or your argument.

 

second, people here are trying to explain how the chinese racism is the problem here for the OP to get a job as an english teacher in china.

people on this forum (who are of many different races actually) would love for her to get whatever job she wants...

but she has to be realistic because china is a super racist place and that is a big obstacle.

pointing that out doesn't make someone racist, a supporter of racism, or a supporter of any particular race over others.

many people here have lived in china for years and have worked in the chinese educational system for years, and know what they are talking about.

 

seeing that you are a newcomer to this forum, who does not live in china and is without the same level of knowledge of how china works... I would advise you to read more and post less until you have a similar level of experience.

 

also you catch more flies with honey.

[陳德聰]

And I believe we are now officially done here.