Guys... I want to warn you about working or even talking to the school ZHONGSHEN RING A BELL in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province.

It sounds wonderful and brilliant when you're having the interviews or being sent photos of the school, but it's not.
The school actually only has 3 classrooms, it's tiny! The staffroom is basically like another classroom and kids are always running in and out, screaming, throwing toys all over the place. Trying to actually get any work done? No chance.

The so called director actually has to run everything passed his bosses in Chengdu, in the umbrella company. Or so he says. That could be just another lie he tells to avoid doing anything stated in your contract, like PAYING YOU?!?!

After 5 weeks of working there, I had had enough. I was stressed, not sleeping due to awful neighbours and finding teaching 3 year olds REALLY challenging. I tried my best every day, but I just wasn't happy in the job or the city. It's that simple. I was unhappy.

My contract states I can resign and work my 30 days notice. I wrote a resignation letter and my boss 'okay'ed this IN WRITING. He then immediately suspended me from all of my classes and his wife deleted me from all of my teaching groups.

He told me I could take a weeks holiday and go home to visit my family, but that I should take all of my belongings with me and hand back my apartment keys. So I did. Within 48 hours I was on a plane home.

When I arrived home he asked me if I was coming back, even though I'd resigned, and when I said no the man changed.
I received abusive emails, threats, belittling comments and even worse, NO PAYMENT.
I was accused of vandalising my apartment, deliberately breaking the aircon (yeah right, it was 28oC over there) and more.

I found out that he also employed staff illegally (staff who had over-stayed their visas, staff with fake documents), and created sexual harassment accusations against male members of staff he simply didn't like.

They will try to lure you in with the promise of high salaries, promotions opportunities, training, support, nice apartments, etc etc.
You receive NOTHING that they promise you. You do not receive training. You are asked to take FCE or Cambridge exams, but receive no formal teacher training or support. The apartment I was put in was absolutely filthy, definitely didn't meet the requirements stated in the contract and I had to go out and buy cleaning products after a 42 hour journey and clean the place top-to-bottom.

The strange thing was, I was continuously praised for giving good lessons, or improving on previous lessons, or making good impressions, etc etc.
I received gifts on a weekly basis. I was always being invited for dinner or lunch or other events.

But as soon as I left I was told I had ruined the name of the company, I was going to be taken to court, I was a terrible teacher, 'everyone agrees that you cannot teach' - despite only two people watching me teach. Emails were CC'd to the director's friends or family, people who had no impact on the company or myself. It became personal.

Every email I sent out was Dear Mr... Regards... and completely professional and every response I received was hi claire / cheers / bye ... and was sent within minutes of my original email going out... The responses were not thought out and were always full of insults. It sounds ridiculous, but I do have all of these emails saved.

It's been 8 weeks out and I haven't received a single penny, and I know that I wont.

All I can say is, don't be as stupid as I was. Don't fall for the fake promises and the lure of the good salary because you won't see it.
You'll be insulted, put down, you won't get your days off (I was called into work on every single one of my days off for one reason or another.)

ZHONG SHEN RING A BELL. LIANYUNGANG. JIANGSU PROVINCE.
AVOID. It will ruin your experience and there are so many great schools out there where people will treat you properly!!!