Reading the board regularly is an excellent way to obtain the knowledge we require to prevent ourselves being taken for a ride here!

Yep, that's what it's all about...or at least should be.

There certainly ARE corrupt employers in China...actually a lot more of them than the honest kind. That's part of my argument against using recruiters...it's tough enough already- why add another layer of completely unnecessary probable sleaze?

And, I'm always alarmed at how many people completely misunderstand the nature of constructs like SAFEA. SAFEA exists TO PROTECT THE SCHOOLS FROM US, not the other way around, and anyone expecting to turn to them for recourse or justice is going to be bitterly disappointed. A SAFEA contract is just another contract like any other, to be enforced or ignored as is convenient for the school.