If you can note the following and anything else you want to add, I'd appreciate it!
-year
-city you lived in
-type of school you taught for (public, private)
-your experience
Hi Curtis, I don't have experience teaching in China, but hopefully someone can chime in. Here's a blog post about teaching in China that will hopefully help you: https://www.teachaway.com/2014/10/23/5-things-learn-teaching-in-china
I have taught in China for many years (10) both in the Public school system as well as Private. As with most developing places, experience can vary widely (and wildly). Research is key before selecting a position and a school. I would also strongly suggest learning Chinese before you go if you do not already. This is key in communicating and solving issues that arise with the administrative staff as well as other colleagues. Culture is HUGE, regardless, and knowing the culture is very important before taking a job in the PRC.
Hi, I've taught at ABIE in Daqing, China. I can't recommend anyone to go there. It was an awful time for me. It's very difficult to live there. They're not open minded at all. Schools policy how to deal with foreign teachers was not adequate at all. They were expecting me to be like local teachers and to say 'yes' to everything. Even things which were not acceptable. They were not fair, not reliable, not trustable. They would keep salaries as they pleased. I must say I couldn't comply with the communist regime. I felt it at every level of school life and outside in private life. I met only extremely depressed people forcing themselves to finish their contracts. For me, money is not everything. First of all, everything else has to be fine, then I can enjoy my job and the money I earn. A black colleague of mine had tough time. She had arrived there spending a hell of money, but faced problems because parents didn't want to have black teacher. She heard Chinese don't like black people. Even the school was aware of this they brought her but were not fair afterwards. She faced too many trouble, which she didn't deserve. She lost too much money and on top faced the problem of going to jail if not being able to pay fine. Because the school dismissed her and she didn't have money to go back on time. No business should bring foreigners and leave them without any help like this. And I heard now that they were again not telling the foreign teachers truthful information about the new corronavirus problem. I heard if they would react in time many foreign teachers wouldn't sit stuck in China in danger now. I don't trust them. They play around with things as they please. I speak only for myself: best is to keep away of China. It's not our world, not our conditions. Better to gain experience somewhere else. Other Asian countries and cultures are so good to foreigners. Again, this is what I've seen and it's my personal opinion. Everybody has to decide for themselves.