Post by burlives on Jun 16, 2004 1:21:58 GMT 7
I was in my FAO's office today being regaled about the fait accompli that is the breech penalty I must pay when she, herself, went to the cupboard and pulled out the box that contained the booklet, The PRC User Manual for Foreign Experts, and that's when I found out about the guarantee.
I'll be leaving my contract early and today was payday. The salary was 2000 yuan short, which is the school's way of saying, oh, by the way, you broke the contract. Previously I had done all the right things, I went to the FAO, I wrote the explanatory letter, I waited patiently, and they agreed that my reason is sufficient and my conduct is and has been exemplary in, and as far as they know, out of the classroom, and, by the way, you broke the contract, and you paid without even knowing it.
The FAO and I talked for quite some time. Apparently I am neither a sufficiently bad teacher that I should be let go without a word, nor am I a midnight runner, and as a result, I should be punished. Apparently it is necessary as a lesson to the other teachers. I predict other foreigners could care less. They say neato things like, what did you expect. Foreigners are like that.
But I'm still on reasonable terms with the FAO. In the end we bargained a new position: she will go to the leaders and suggest that they merely stop my semester bonus, the small sum of 1000 yuan, and then hand over the remaining 1000. I'm not holding my breath. On the other hand, penalising me at all has several of the hallmarks of some face-saving exercise. It's possible that with some cajoling, I will see the whole misplaced 2000. I'm not holding my breath.
In the User Manual, there is an item on a related point. Foreigners, as you know, are unreliable and prone to disaffection. The Chinese government has a standing recommendation that foreign affairs officers ask teachers on their way to the school to forward some figure of money, between US$200 and US$1000, as an end-of-contract refundable guarantee. In lieu of this, the officer is advised to hold out as long as possible on air ticket reimbursement.
I'll be leaving my contract early and today was payday. The salary was 2000 yuan short, which is the school's way of saying, oh, by the way, you broke the contract. Previously I had done all the right things, I went to the FAO, I wrote the explanatory letter, I waited patiently, and they agreed that my reason is sufficient and my conduct is and has been exemplary in, and as far as they know, out of the classroom, and, by the way, you broke the contract, and you paid without even knowing it.
The FAO and I talked for quite some time. Apparently I am neither a sufficiently bad teacher that I should be let go without a word, nor am I a midnight runner, and as a result, I should be punished. Apparently it is necessary as a lesson to the other teachers. I predict other foreigners could care less. They say neato things like, what did you expect. Foreigners are like that.
But I'm still on reasonable terms with the FAO. In the end we bargained a new position: she will go to the leaders and suggest that they merely stop my semester bonus, the small sum of 1000 yuan, and then hand over the remaining 1000. I'm not holding my breath. On the other hand, penalising me at all has several of the hallmarks of some face-saving exercise. It's possible that with some cajoling, I will see the whole misplaced 2000. I'm not holding my breath.
In the User Manual, there is an item on a related point. Foreigners, as you know, are unreliable and prone to disaffection. The Chinese government has a standing recommendation that foreign affairs officers ask teachers on their way to the school to forward some figure of money, between US$200 and US$1000, as an end-of-contract refundable guarantee. In lieu of this, the officer is advised to hold out as long as possible on air ticket reimbursement.