Clarification & Reflection

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I'm realizing with the comments I received from people on my last entry that I have left out some pertinent information. On a certain level, it's a disservice to the Chinese people. A few of you have made comments along the lines of, "Wow, I wish I could get my groceries for so cheap!"

Remember, the food prices might seem low to you, but the average Chinese teacher's monthly salary for a a college grad is still only about US$500, unless they have tenure--which gets you a higher salary. Tenure is really hard to get.
I'm not quite sure about other occupations, but I've been told that Y3500 (or US$500) is the starting wage, roughly. If you dont' have a degree, it's much less. Imagine having a dual income household living on $1000 a month or less (only the very top have degrees, about 2%!)(MISSING). That's two parents, a child, and often grandparents. They have to use that money to pay rent, buy food, clothes, utilities, etc. So it's all relative.
Yes, I do realize that certain occupations and seniority pay more, but I'm just talking about the average Chinese person. Also, if you are in The Party, there are a variety of perks, but since I'm not talking about Party members, I'll save that for a later time.

To get the American equivilant of teaching tenure, teachers must study for months to take a test. They don't know when the test is--that's just the way it works here. Then, they take the test. The test, from what I've gathered by watching Carrie study for it, covers all subjects, reading, writing, math, history, Chinese, probably English. About 2000 take the test, I think. If they pass the test (most don't), then the 500 or so who do pass it are interviewed. Then they award "tenure" to about 200. Here it's called permanency. As a teacher, it guarantees you a job that you can't get fired from. Otherwise you are on a contract for about 8-9 months, and you can be fired at any time, and they don't need to have a list of legal reasons like they do in the US.
Also, when you are awarded your permanency, they tell you where you will go teach. You don't apply for jobs or pick a school. There's one teacher at my school who passed his exam about a year ago and was reassigned to a school in another district. He didn't think the school was good enough for his daughter (who would study where he taught), so he declined the job, the security, and the pay, just so she could keep studying at my school.
And if you move from another province, like Carrie did, you have to take the test again (like she did). It doesn't transfer. And if you pass the test, but not the interview, the process starts all over, but I think you have to wait about 9 months to take the test again.

Think of it this way: of all the students in school here, only 2%!w(MISSING)ill go to college. And that's not the ones who can afford it, that's the best and the brightest. Imagine telling someone with straight A's in advanced classes that they didn't get in. So the people in my school were all in that top 2%!a(MISSING)nd still make less than you or I do, and they work from 7:15am until 6pm and sometimes come in on weekends or stay until 7pm. This is considered the normal life of a teacher.


I've been reading a lot of this woman's blog. She was in my program 2 years ago and it's interesting to see how her experiences are like mine and different than mine. It's also interesting to watch how her attitudes change at time progresses. Check it out:
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/amandainshenzhen/

I've been glossing over some of her interesting travels in favor of her day to day life. I dont' think I ever really romanticized China, partially due to the rude slap of my missing luggage. It's hard to be enamoured when you're stressing about being dressed and having toothpaste. Plus, in many ways, Nanshan is very modern, so there are times I don't feel like I've left the US. I'm learning to get around, and starting to manage, and some things are becoming second nature. I no longer stress about ordering buns or noodles at Jusco, or how to tell someone I'm a vegetarian. Mind you, the vocab stops there, for the most part, but it's a start. The only time I "hate" it here is when I'm frustrated by my illiteracy and the language barrier. But that's my fault, not China's.

I have managed to avoid getting homesick for the most part. Partially because home is where the heart is, and mine is here. I still email with people a bit, and people do write to me after they read my blog (which I use in lieu of email for the obvious reasons). But then there are those moments, like realizing that one good friend is due with her first child this Saturday and I'll miss it, and another good friend just got engaged, and I'll probably miss that too. I'm missing important things in the lives of the people I care most about.
But at the same time, I need to live my life for me and do the things I want and need to do for me. Living watching others' happiness is wonderful, but it's not the same as creating your own.

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Comments

[Jo]

Amen Sista!
"I need to live my life for me and do the things I want and need to do for me. Living watching others' happiness is wonderful, but it's not the same as creating your own." Couldn't have said it better...Love you!

[Now much more students can enter into colleges.]

Now much more students can enter into colleges. About from 1998, Chinese gov expanded the higher education. About 25% (more than 50% high school) students can enter into colleges. The amount of urban area is higher and rural area is lower.

[Hello]

just 2%???
Only 2% got accepted by a college? is it a typo or does the school just suck? ;) What i learned is that the national average is way above 50%, and over 80% in more develped areas like the coastal provinces....

[sunketing]

Response to "now much more students can enter into colleges"
Thanks for correcting me. I have a number of very bright students and it was upsetting think that they might not get the opportunity to continue their education because of such a high benchmark. I'm glad to know that more of them will be able to persue their goals and hopefully be more financially secure.

[sunketing]

Response to "just 2%???"
My info may have been off, but yours is much further off. I don't think 50% of Americans get into college, much less students in a country with 4x the population. My school doesn't suck. I realize you were kidding, but in reality, my school is highly recognized and we've had to add 2 extra year 7 classes to accomodate all the extra students we're accepting.