My advice...don't go with a placement agency. I don't trust them. Too many bad experiences & horror stories from Chinese recruiting companies. You can find tons of jobs on your own. I have tons of websites where you can look for a job & also my school is looking for teachers too.

We do have a fee for breaking the contract, but if you are an honest person & it isn't working for you my boss would try to help you, & if it still didn't work in the end, then go.

Right now we are looking for someone to work sept - december & then if they like it & decide to stay, the school would sign a new contrat next term. If you are interested, let me know. If not, good luck. THere are TONS of jobs right now.

> Hi-I'm a 32-year-old American professional looking to "change my
> life" and try teaching English in China. I have been offered a
> 1-year contract at an Elementary School in Dongguan(Guangdong
> Province). It sounds like a dream. It sounds...too good to be true. I
> am really new to this world and you all sound pretty experienced and
> as though you've had time to formulate some opinions on the life of
> an ESL teacher in Asia.
> I'm kind of starting to get "fishy" vibes about the company
> that is offering me the contract. They have a website (in Chinese, so
> I can't open it-or read it if I could)but cannot be found by doing an
> English-language internet search of their name (New Asia
> International Educational Consultancy, Ltd.). I also can not seem to
> find the school they run, Westlake Elementary School, anywhere on the
> internet. Their "American contact" appears to be a
> residential address in San Ramon, CA.
> Has anybody out there dealt with them. Are they reputable,
> above-board, professional, etc? I just feel a need to be a little
> more certain before I sign any contracts.
> Thanks a bunch,
> Cirene

Cirene,

My school is looking for a teacher now if you are intersted. No breach fee!

e-mail me if you would like details.

DoS

> Thank you for repyling to my message. I have actually done google
> searches on both the U.S. and Canada google sites, and it turned up
> nothing. They did ask for a copy of my college diploma. You say if
> they do not end up their end of the bargain, I can leave immediately.
> Is that relatively easy to do? My mother has a friend who did this
> and wanted to leave early, but was given a very hard time (of course,
> this was twenty years ago) by school officials. I'm a little worried
> because New Asia levies a "fine" of $1000 if they do not
> accept your reasons for breaking the contract early.
> I'm still doing some background research here.
> Cirene

You wrote "New Asia levies a "fine" of $1000 if they do not accept your reasons for breaking the contract early." I don't like this at all. Why don't you find other employers to negotiate with? There are hundreds of Chinese schools looking for teachers.

Cascadia

> Thank you for repyling to my message. I have actually done google
> searches on both the U.S. and Canada google sites, and it turned up
> nothing. They did ask for a copy of my college diploma. You say if
> they do not end up their end of the bargain, I can leave immediately.
> Is that relatively easy to do? My mother has a friend who did this
> and wanted to leave early, but was given a very hard time (of course,
> this was twenty years ago) by school officials. I'm a little worried
> because New Asia levies a "fine" of $1000 if they do not
> accept your reasons for breaking the contract early.
> I'm still doing some background research here.
> Cirene

> Hi-I'm a 32-year-old American professional looking to "change my
> life" and try teaching English in China. I have been offered a
> 1-year contract at an Elementary School in Dongguan(Guangdong
> Province). It sounds like a dream. It sounds...too good to be true. I
> am really new to this world and you all sound pretty experienced and
> as though you've had time to formulate some opinions on the life of
> an ESL teacher in Asia.
> I'm kind of starting to get "fishy" vibes about the company
> that is offering me the contract. They have a website (in Chinese, so
> I can't open it-or read it if I could)but cannot be found by doing an
> English-language internet search of their name (New Asia
> International Educational Consultancy, Ltd.). I also can not seem to
> find the school they run, Westlake Elementary School, anywhere on the
> internet. Their "American contact" appears to be a
> residential address in San Ramon, CA.
> Has anybody out there dealt with them. Are they reputable,
> above-board, professional, etc? I just feel a need to be a little
> more certain before I sign any contracts.
> Thanks a bunch,
> Cirene

Cirene, I have never heard of them, but then, there are thousands of schools in China.
Definately Google them ( www.google.ca ), and you will come up with any information on them, good or bad. Contact their american contact, and find out what the deal is, and why the contact is in the States.
What kind of questions are they asking, and are they asking you to sign a contract in advance? Do they want you to send them any documents, or originals of something?

If you do decide to go for it, then great. However, keep in mind that once you get there, if they do not hold up their end of the bargain, you can leave, and leave immediately. Once you are in China, people will be throwing jobs at you. Check out the local foreign hangouts, and you'll have a new job within 24 hours. There's always a back up plan.

Good luck,
Da Yan Jing