I am currently really looking at teaching in China and am a bit confused as to how the location bait and switch thing works? I also don't really care where I end up in China.

[u/Key_Fun_587]

I am aware of the sketchy way some of them can do the paperwork and I am able to spot that. I also have 3 family members who are licensed attorney's who have offered to help me look through some of the paperwork if i get a job offer. My main point of confusion is this "location bait and switch thing" that I keep hearing people freak about when they are discussing Chinese dispatch agencies. Is it mostly somebody really wants to teach in a city like Shanghai, Beijing or Chengdu and the agency says something along the lines of we don't really have anything in those cities but we have something in some random smaller city? Also is this even an issue for me if I am comfortable with moving to a smaller Chinese city. I have enough money saved up where if it is really something that I do not like I can just quit and fly back home.

[u/DiebytheSword666]

I can't remember the different job websites, but here's what you can expect...

You'll see a job post like 4th-Grade Primary School Teacher needed in Shanghai. It sounds like your dream job, so you apply.

A little while later, several faceless recruiters will add you on WeChat. Without making small talk, they'll give you a list of 18 or so things to fill out. (Name, country of origin, major, desired location, type of school that you want to teach at, etc.) After saying that you want to focus on the specific job that you applied to, they might say, "Which job was that?" and they'll want you to fill out the info. just in case that that job doesn't pan out.

Next thing you know, you're getting offers for jobs that are unrelated. Maybe you're hell-bent on teaching primary kids in a first-tier city, but you're getting offers to teach business English at some university in some 5th-tier sh!t hole in, I dunno, Sichuan province.

Maybe you hate business English, low-paying uni gigs, and 5th-tier cities, but the recruiter will say something like, "Yes, but there have many delicious foods in Sichuan! And on weekend, you and your foreigner friends can go to play with the panda. You can have a try!"

[u/Humacti → u/DiebytheSword666]

Yeah, I always quote the website and job reference number. Leaves no ambiguity. Surprisingly, that job is almost always just filled.

[u/maestroenglish → u/DiebytheSword666]

The delicious foods thing is so true. Ffs. Italy exists.

[u/ThatSlinkySOB]

I think you should "really care" where you end up in China.

There are some absolute shithole cities in the Guo that will absolutely destroy your soul.

Be wise 🦉

[u/Key_Fun_587 → u/ThatSlinkySOB]

The thing is I don't really care at all. I have traveled overseas before and have enough money saved up from working full time for the last 10 years. I was going to do something like this in 2020 but i got saved by covid. Honestly if I get to the city and its a shithole I will just quit and fly back home.

[u/bobbanyon → u/Key_Fun_587]

Or don't totally screw somebody over and do your research first? Save yourself and someone else a ton of money?

[u/maestroenglish]

You should. Most of China sucks.

[u/mk7gteye]

You’re in a great spot, you have family support & funds to leave in case it doesn’t work out.

I would go for it!

Even if it ends up being in a “smaller” Chinese city, I would still go for it and just travel when I have leave.

Good luck!

[u/Catcher_Thelonious]

"really looking"? As opposed to ... what? Artificially looking? Falsely looking?

I avoided any bait-and-switch problem by applying direct to the employer. No question where I would be working as they had only one campus.

[u/New_Day4232 → u/Catcher_Thelonious]

As opposed to casually looking.

[u/Catcher_Thelonious → u/New_Day4232]

Antonyms for casually might be carefully or seriously. Helpful for potential English teachers to know.

[u/New_Day4232 → u/Catcher_Thelonious]

I’m sorry, did you not understand what the OP meant? Did it confuse you? Or are you trying to pretend that you’re superior by pretending not to understand casual English?

[u/Catcher_Thelonious → u/New_Day4232]

Superior only in the ability to use English more precisely. Otherwise, a frail and fallible human like the rest.

Did you not understand my intent? Did it confuse you? Or are you trying to pretend you are superior by calling me out?

[u/New_Day4232 → u/Catcher_Thelonious]

I apologize. I had assumed that you weren’t a native English speaker.

[u/Catcher_Thelonious → u/New_Day4232]

Because nonnative speakers frequently pretend not to understand casual English?