Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
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Thursday, July 9, 2015
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
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Friday, June 26, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Monday, June 15, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Feudalism With Chinese Characteristics
Since 2005 I have worked in China as an English teacher. I graduated
from a decent university and earned my B.A. in Modern American
Literature. As the years went by I learned like many foreigners in this
field that a Liberal Arts degree does not provide a promising future if
one did not get his degree in Education. This is exacerbated in China
where the teacher is considered a dancing bear, and to pile even more on
top I am black. I don’t need to explain right?
For these past years I have been going nowhere fast. For example
let’s take the average university in Shanghai that as of 2013 still only
offers around 6-8000 Yuan a month; not enough for the average foreigner
coming from one of the top 5 English speaking countries. These schools
like to diversify rather frequently. You will hardly ever see a Chinese
university with the same foreign teacher 3 years in a row. In this
aspect your fate is totally in the hands of students and the
administration. This is a good way to cut cost because the school never
really has to extend your raise beyond 2-3 years. So the next year you
try another school and your salary basically starts from the beginning.
Private schools almost strictly work off a teacher’s outer appearance. Many of these schools have grueling schedules with no hope for future advancement. Anyone who has worked at Disney English, New Oriental, or English First knows what I am talking about. If I were to come back every 3 years I would be hard pressed to recognize any foreign faces every 3 years.
To cut it short I knew the writing on the wall my third year here, and by the time I hit Shanghai I was determined to change my career path. The teaching experience offered me the ability to be able to present anything at any time with confidence. I wasn’t making enough money teaching to get a Master’s degree; but I felt teaching offered me a stepping stone to other careers.
For example I am a decent writer. I have been writing since I was 10 years old. Half of my experience in China has been as a writing teacher. For six years I had been biding my time waiting for the perfect opportunity to jump. It finally came at my current employment.
This job combined my experience as an orator and my skills as a writer. My job title was basically language localization and communication specialist. I felt that I deserved this title due to my experience. The employer and I clicked perfectly because it was something I wanted to do and my colleagues saw the passion and commitment I took in my work. In addition; because this was the IT field, I was learning how to be a technical writer. If I ever was to move back to America I would have experience that was worth something under my belt.
Everything was falling into place until it came time to extend my working visa. I went through all the procedures and had my ducks in a row, and then came what every foreigner working in China fears; my visa request was rejected.
The reason you may ask? On my resume I had no IT working experience; even though the job required no previous IT working experience. My job consisted of receiving dozens of emails a day to be proof read and corrected so that they could be published on an online message board. Basically I was proofreading the IT help desk. My other duties included giving lectures on soft skills. I had experience in both of these fields because…
These people were outsourced Chinese IT professionals who did not have a healthy command of written English. These professionals were also newly hired university graduates and admitted that none had any strong IT experience in the past. They basically searched the internet for parts of answers and received instructions on how to answer properly. I taught them how to put these ideas together and make them work in a coherent sentence and manner.
When my employer implored further they were told by 1500 Mingsheng lu…
“Why can’t you get a local Chinese to do this job?”
How can one justify such a stupid question with a logical answer?
I mean what right does anybody have to tell me that I can’t work in an IT company because I don’t have an IT degree? Add to the fact that the company and people I have instructed are happy with what I have contributed to them. To me, this is ludicrous. It’s feudalism with Chinese characteristics.
Who writes these rules?
My employer fought for me but with to no avail. So now I am basically up shit’s creek without a paddle, because if I work on an “L” visa it’s illegal.
So it’s either the “L” visa, go home, or go back to stating my case with racist private schools and universities.
I have already tasted the honey of minor success.
I’m going home.
This is one reason why China will stay in a developing state, because I bet if I was Li Tian….and my parents were government officials this definitely would not be a problem. 1500 Mingsheng Lu should marinate on that.
I keep hearing about a Chinese dream. I am an American that dreamed that he was an American working in China for a Chinese company that outsourced to America; attempting to realize the American dream through China; but woke up and realized that he is an American in China, and not Chinese, but American.
There are other worlds better than this.
For these past years I have been going nowhere fast. For example
let’s take the average university in Shanghai that as of 2013 still only
offers around 6-8000 Yuan a month; not enough for the average foreigner
coming from one of the top 5 English speaking countries. These schools
like to diversify rather frequently. You will hardly ever see a Chinese
university with the same foreign teacher 3 years in a row. In this
aspect your fate is totally in the hands of students and the
administration. This is a good way to cut cost because the school never
really has to extend your raise beyond 2-3 years. So the next year you
try another school and your salary basically starts from the beginning.Private schools almost strictly work off a teacher’s outer appearance. Many of these schools have grueling schedules with no hope for future advancement. Anyone who has worked at Disney English, New Oriental, or English First knows what I am talking about. If I were to come back every 3 years I would be hard pressed to recognize any foreign faces every 3 years.
To cut it short I knew the writing on the wall my third year here, and by the time I hit Shanghai I was determined to change my career path. The teaching experience offered me the ability to be able to present anything at any time with confidence. I wasn’t making enough money teaching to get a Master’s degree; but I felt teaching offered me a stepping stone to other careers.
For example I am a decent writer. I have been writing since I was 10 years old. Half of my experience in China has been as a writing teacher. For six years I had been biding my time waiting for the perfect opportunity to jump. It finally came at my current employment.
This job combined my experience as an orator and my skills as a writer. My job title was basically language localization and communication specialist. I felt that I deserved this title due to my experience. The employer and I clicked perfectly because it was something I wanted to do and my colleagues saw the passion and commitment I took in my work. In addition; because this was the IT field, I was learning how to be a technical writer. If I ever was to move back to America I would have experience that was worth something under my belt.
Everything was falling into place until it came time to extend my working visa. I went through all the procedures and had my ducks in a row, and then came what every foreigner working in China fears; my visa request was rejected.
The reason you may ask? On my resume I had no IT working experience; even though the job required no previous IT working experience. My job consisted of receiving dozens of emails a day to be proof read and corrected so that they could be published on an online message board. Basically I was proofreading the IT help desk. My other duties included giving lectures on soft skills. I had experience in both of these fields because…
- I have been an oral and writing English teacher for 8 years
- I am quite handy with the computer and am very familiar with the product.
- Basically I was teaching Western etiquette to Chinese along the lines of “the customer is always right”
- Overseeing PPT presentations was easy because of my experience
These people were outsourced Chinese IT professionals who did not have a healthy command of written English. These professionals were also newly hired university graduates and admitted that none had any strong IT experience in the past. They basically searched the internet for parts of answers and received instructions on how to answer properly. I taught them how to put these ideas together and make them work in a coherent sentence and manner.
When my employer implored further they were told by 1500 Mingsheng lu…
“Why can’t you get a local Chinese to do this job?”
How can one justify such a stupid question with a logical answer?
I mean what right does anybody have to tell me that I can’t work in an IT company because I don’t have an IT degree? Add to the fact that the company and people I have instructed are happy with what I have contributed to them. To me, this is ludicrous. It’s feudalism with Chinese characteristics.
Who writes these rules?
My employer fought for me but with to no avail. So now I am basically up shit’s creek without a paddle, because if I work on an “L” visa it’s illegal.
So it’s either the “L” visa, go home, or go back to stating my case with racist private schools and universities.
I have already tasted the honey of minor success.
I’m going home.
This is one reason why China will stay in a developing state, because I bet if I was Li Tian….and my parents were government officials this definitely would not be a problem. 1500 Mingsheng Lu should marinate on that.
I keep hearing about a Chinese dream. I am an American that dreamed that he was an American working in China for a Chinese company that outsourced to America; attempting to realize the American dream through China; but woke up and realized that he is an American in China, and not Chinese, but American.
There are other worlds better than this.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Content of My Character: In China the Resume is Only Skin Deep
The HR department of Web International
English called me 3 times this morning. I missed all 3 calls due to my
busy schedule. When I checked my email there was also a formal letter
from them requesting an interview with me, and even asked if I could
make it this very afternoon. They were offering 15’000 Yuan a month in
addition to a free apartment. I immediately called them back, thinking
to myself, that maybe this time will be different.
When I called, a young woman answered the phone, and when she found out who I was, her enthusiasm was hard to hold back.
When can you come in?
Can you make it tomorrow?
At what exact date will your current contract finish?
I mean why wouldn’t she be enthusiastic?
I was the perfect candidate. I am a New York native, I hold a
bachelor’s degree in American Literature, a 240 hour TESOL Diploma from a
recognized institution, add in the 6 years of experience, and I was
coasting.
I agreed to the interview even though I
knew that the trek would be far. Currently I work in Nanpu and the
interview was located on Hengshan Lu. It would take me almost 3 hours by
bus. Because of this I decided to ask the question; the uncomfortable
question that I always find myself asking, even though I don’t like
asking it. The question, that at times, has employers making me feel
guilty for asking it.
Excuse me, and I’m sorry for asking this question, but is it o.k. if I’m black?
Suddenly the young lady, who had hardly
let me get a word in before, was now silent. You see, I was the perfect
candidate, on paper. Instead of her saying, no that’s not a problem she
says…
Well we would have to see a picture of you
Why is that?
We have to see how dark you are because we don’t want dark people frightening the kids
But I work with children now and it’s not a problem
Yes, but we really have to see a picture of you
I sent my picture and found that my
email was blocked. I called back and she suggested that we Skype. I got
on Skype and sent her a request. Four hours later and she never added
me. I never bothered to call back. I knew where I stood with her.
This is the typical response that black
native speakers of English get. Aside from the mistreatment in Chinese
society on a regular basis, on top of that we must face discrimination
in the job market. This is especially true for black people in Shanghai. It’s frustrating to me because English was my major.
As jobless days passed me by I realized that for blacks like me in Shanghai,
English is an oxymoron, a cruel joke played by the gods. I wait for the
deus ex machina, but it never comes, and the story starts all over
again.
When I do land jobs they always end up
being way outside of town, the type of jobs that Caucasians refuse to
take. What is more scary and frustrating is what do I tell my 3 year old blasian
daughter as my animosity grows towards Chinese society? It’s a big
problem because she’s half Chinese. I try not to think about it.
China is already a powerful and
influential player on the world stage, and as exposure to China grows,
Chinese society needs to understand that the world is watching and
recording, especially on platforms such as Youtube and Facebook.
I have another phone interview with a
school tomorrow. They don’t know I’m black. I think to myself that it
will be different this time, but I won’t hold my breath.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Friday, February 6, 2015
Friday, January 30, 2015
Bon Voyage to my Little Angel/Devil
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Friday, January 23, 2015
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
15 Songhong Road
Song I’m
listening to while writing this:
Survival of the Fittest
MobbDeep- The Infamous (1995)
Today I had
to get a medical checkup. I’m sure most of you know the place. 15 SongHong Lu; where you have to trek all the
way across town and pay 640 Yuan($108) to be prodded and felt up at the
official Westerner zoo.
I’m usually
desensitized to the rudeness of Shanghai. I’m usually immune to the pointing,
staring, laughing, and discrimination I receive on a daily basis. I’m also used
to rudeness in general. I’m from the Bronx New York City. I was raised on West 183rd Street
next to the 4 line (look it up); a place where your life was on the line every
day.
I was a corner boy; the kind of kid smoking
blunts with an Old English 800 Malt Liquor 40 ounce in my hand, having a cypher,
and doing my thing; waiting around for drama to happen. I once got robbed for my gold chain at gun
point. The retaliation was ill. But even a corner boy will let the elderly go first
or give up his seat for a pregnant woman on the bus.
Through the
years I got my act together. Eventually you have to grow up. Enter Shanghai. I
dare not even try to compare the culture. I have been here for years and try to make it
work. These days I’m a shill at a multinational company.
Let’s back
to 15 SongHong Lu. If you are on the verge of some kind of cultural shock
mental breakdown, having a bad day or a dude with a hot temper I suggest you go
to another city to get your medical checkup.
A few
months ago, a fellow blogger Deqing Devil wrote about a terminal patient who
got misdiagnosed by a greedy doctor in My
First Visit to a Chinese Hospital. The patient ended up returning and
stabbing the doctor to death.
By the
behavior of some of the medical professionals in Shanghai one can understand
why a patient would get angry enough to do this. From my experience there is
absolutely no bedside manner in the medical industry, at least in Shanghai.
I was
instructed at 8 am to go to building #1. I arrived early to find no personnel
there. No notice to tell you where and what to do. A bunch of foreigners and
overseas Chinese waited 30 minutes guessing where to stand or sit.
When the
receptionist area finally opened up the people that worked there were extremely
rude. Didn’t bother to look at your face and didn’t bother to smile. All they
did was bark orders in an arrogant tone. This is endemic of typical behavior of
civil service workers when they are aware that they have an ounce of authority,
especially the women.
When I went
in to take my blood pressure this man put some kind of machine on my arm. I was
uncomfortable with it because it was unusually tight, to the point where it was
capable of breaking my arm; but he kept barking orders to relax. It went like
this with almost all the examination rooms, with grim faces and bad attitudes.
It was especially rough when I went to draw blood. The lady kept barking at me
with this grim expression to extend my arm, even though it was apparent that I
hate needles.
Then when putting my
address on an envelope incorrectly one lady spoke to me in way as if I was
mentally handicapped. I honestly wanted to take a television that was still
plugged in and smash her over the head with it (welcome to prime time bitch!(an
ode to Freddy Kruger)). I left 800($130) Yuan lighter with a bad impression on
my mind. I left with a feeling that I had just been duped.
I mean if
you hate dealing with people so much why did you choose to be a doctor? (well I
know you can’t really choose what you want to be in China). In better words,
why did you choose a type of job where you have to deal with people all
day? Go to 1500 Mingsheng Lu and run
into the same thing; people with too much authority and responsibility that are
not trained in soft skills.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
The Father Lion
It irks me
when people try and force their beliefs on others. For example; you have those
who spank their children and those who don’t. Those who don’t spank their
children call the people who do spank their children bad parents, or what I
read more recently, cowards. Today I had
to spank my 3 year old daughter because my wife chose to go out and get a
massage instead of confronting the situation. Before you say 3 years old is too
young let me tell you.
My daughter
started talking at 6 months. She knew almost every common animal’s name in
Chinese and English, her ABC’s and how to count to 10 by 18 months. On top of
that it seems that she might be left handed. Currently she can understand about
90% of a Dora cartoon.
In my mind
my daughter is incredibly clever and incredibly spoiled. My wife, ayi and
mother-in-law constantly hover and rotate around her as if she is a red giant.
If my daughter is denied something she will quickly turn into the Tasmanian
Devil. Talking her down is useless. You cannot put her in time out. She will
scream and shout and writhe till finally one of the three will agree to her
demands. None of them believe in spanking but all of them got spanked as
children. My wife was physically abused by her father and feels like I am
continuing the cycle of abuse. I was physically abused as a child also.
But there
is a difference between abusing a child and spanking a child. I regulate my
spankings to the bottom, and only once a week if it even permits. I was
physically abused as a child to the point where the adopted parent took a
cleaver knife off the rack, and had every intention of hacking of limbs. I
promised never to lay hands on my children. But it’s different when you are
actually in the situation, and become a parent. Am I afraid I will go overboard
when I transform into father lion? Of course, and it is that fear that keeps me
in the right perspective.
When her
tantrums get out of hand I take her with me into a room lock the door, and have
a little daddy and daughter time. I call this the detox discipline. I have to
do this because if I don’t I will have the three trying to barge in and give my
daughter what she demanded. When my daughter sees this she is smart enough to
raise the bar.
There are
just some children in the world that you don’t need to spank. But depending on
many factors there are just some children where you have to use a bit of
physical discipline.
I love my
daughter with all of my heart, and am quite overprotective of her. Shanghai is
not the safest place for raising children.
I just don’t want to see my daughter growing up like the spoilt brats of
today that are running China into the ground.
Just
because I spank my daughter doesn’t make me a bad father or a coward. I’m the
father lion and I want what’s best for my cub.
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