Teaching in Shijiazhuang

[yulee]

Hi everyone. I will be graduating highschool this summer and on a whim decided that I should move to China for the summer. I have been offered a job as an English teacher at a private school in Shijiazhuang a few days ago and have since been busily selling all my electronic posessions to afford the outrageous plane tickets. I have some questions. First of all, is anyone at all familiar with Shijiazhuang, what kind of a city is this, (the information I have found on the internet has been limited) are tourists and white people common in that area or will I be stared and pointed at? Also, how would I go about pronouncing this name?

Another thing, upon settling in my on-campus dormitory I will be looking to meet Chinese guys and have a good time. Now, I have read on here that white men are the center of attention here amongst Chinese women and enjoy a "rockstar status", is this the same for us women or do the men regard us as independent, unwomanly and otherwise repulsive? I must know! Any information and insight into teaching English in China would be much appreciated.

[Pravit]

My university actually has a teaching English program in Shijiazhuang and I know a few former participants, but I don't have their e-mails...as for the name, it's three syllables: shi(pronounced "sure") - jia - zhuang. I attached a recording of me saying it, although my pronunciation may differ from the way locals call it.

It's rather refreshing to see some western women willing to consider Chinese guys. I think many Chinese guys find western women especially attractive. Because of the language barrier and the perceived unapproachability of foreign women, though, you might have to take the initiative sometimes. You should definitely not worry about being "unwomanly" or "repulsive", though!

On the other hand, if you don't mind me asking, how'd you find this job? Most of the teaching English positions I was looking at required at least a college degree...

sjz_repeated.wav

[yulee]

Pravit,

Thanks very much for the reply, and the recording. I think I can actually pronounce it now.

how'd you find this job? Most of the teaching English positions I was looking at required at least a college degree...

I have actually found several places online which offer to find you a job with just a highschool diploma. The one I used was www.teachinchina.biz, it isnt very expensive compared to some of the other ones and after I sent them the whitest, blondest picture of myself I could produce it didn't take them long to find me a job. The impression I got was that as long as you are young and look like a typical American they'll take you, and the fact that I don't have a college degree probobally makes them think that they can abuse me a little more.

[currahee]

Hi yulee, Welcome to Shijiazhuang, I am a native of this city .it is pronounced like SH-JIA-JUANG, not zang or zan. there's some foreigners working and studying here, many of them from africa, whites are not often seen here though it's just a 3-hour drive from Beijing. People here are very friendly towards foreigners no matter where you are from , of coz you'll be stared at occassionally since they are curious but no bodys gonna point at you.

most people ( I say most, means 99%) just dont speak english at all or not be fully capable to communicate with you. however, it's a really interesting ( sometimes weird) place to live and explore, just as the rest of this country. as for the "rockstar status", I have no idea where that's from, I haven't met many 外国人 since I came back from Canada, but Im sure you will be a star drawing enough attention of men around you in the college given by your age.