There are increasing opportunities to work or study in China.
Most foreign workers are employed as English teachers, and most
universities and many private colleges now have a few foreign
teachers. Most other foreigners residing in China are students.
Schemes to find teachers are run from Chinese embassies
abroad - write to them for details. If you're already in China,
approach the universities themselves. Salaries are about ¥1500 a
month, more than a Chinese worker earns, but not enough to allow
you to put any aside. The pay is bolstered by on-campus
accommodation - a room in a foreigners' dormitory, usually without
a phone. Contracts are generally for one year.
The main reason to teach is to experience the culture at a
deeper level than as a tourist. However, some teachers in small
towns and rural areas find that the local authorities place
restrictions on interaction - for example, you may not be allowed
to entertain a local in your room. You don't need any
qualifications beyond an ability to speak English, but if you have
teaching experience you may be classified as a foreign expert,
which means a bigger salary and perhaps even a room with a carpet.
Teachers have a workload of between ten and twenty hours a week - a
lot more than their Chinese counterparts have to do. In the
classroom, you should avoid talking about religion or politics as
this can get you into trouble. Most teachers find their students
keen, hard-working, curious and obedient, and report that it was
the contact with them that made the experience worthwhile.
Universities welcome Western students for the extra
revenue they bring. Courses cost about US$3500 a year, or US$1000 a
semester. Accommodation costs around US$10 a day. Most courses are
in the Chinese language, but it's possible to study just about
anything. Be aware, however, that if you want to study acupuncture,
martial arts or Chinese medicine, courses run in the West are often
better. Write to the embassy for a list of universities, then
contact the colleges themselves, but it's best not to sign up for a
course until you've visited the campus and be wary of paying up
front.
China's opening presents a wealth of business
opportunities , usually in joint-venture operations where the
Chinese have a controlling interest. However, anyone wanting to do
business in China is advised to do some thorough research. The
difficulties are formidable - red tape and corrupt and shady
business practices abound. Remember that the Chinese do business on
the basis of mutual trust and personal connection and pay much less
attention to contractual terms or legislation. If you're looking
for a job, it's best to turn up in Beijing and Shanghai and trawl
around offices - an ability to speak Chinese is usually expected.
Even foreign firms in China use the Chinese system of guanxi
(connections) more than they would at home, and getting to know the
right people is even more important here. If you want to write to
companies, find out the name of the personnel manager - a letter
without a name at the top won't get opened.
Except in Shanghai and Hong Kong, foreigners are technically
allowed to reside only in certain areas. Housing prices in
such places are expensive, usually at least US$2000 a month.
Increasingly, many foreigners live with locals and in Chinese
neighbourhoods, though it's not strictly legal. Officially, you're
the guest of the landlord, and it can be worth registering with the
PSB as such.