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Post by Edges on Dec 7, 2005 8:19:23 GMT 7
As you know I'm supposed to go teach in Shandong in Feb, well at this rate I'm not going anywhere.  I'm currently in Canada, I have been trying to get info about the medical exam requirement to get my Z visa for ages now. All I could get out of the school is "Certificate of Health" and everyone I have talked to, from different countries, tell me they had DIFFERENT requirements. Anna, the Ukrainian teacher at my school had to get a million tests done, yet Howard from the UK just needed a general paper saying he was healthy. After unsuccessfully leaving many voice messages to the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa I went to the local health clinic and told the doctor I needed a certificate of health, and of course since I'm in Quebec currently the doctor spoke no English and wrote me a very generic paper and signed and stamped it. I thought that maybe I might be lucky and the Embassy would take it. I finally received a fax tonight from the Embassy, no explanation, no instructions, just a 2 page form to be filled out by a doctor. Whoever wrote this form NEEDS TO BE SHOT. Plain and simple. I'll even pay for the bullet and burrial. Now that I got some frustration out, I need some help, especially those that went to China from Canada. The 2 pages are in Chinese and Chinglish, and the doctors here will have a fun time trying to figure out what the Embassy really wants to know. Many of the questions on the form I cannot comprehend myself. It's mostly just boxes with single words like: development, nutriture, ears, nose, neck.... I assume they want "good" or "ok" written by them? Then there's the AIDS and syphilis tests. They want AIDS and syphilis test results included with the form, which is fine, though I was told I would be tested in China. Did you all get these done for your Z Visa in your home country? It also requires a chest x-ray exam and I need to provide the report. Next to the x-ray portion, there's a large box with the word "ECG", no other information or question in the box. I AM NOT paying for an electrocardiogram. I don't have the canadian health insurance, and I don't want to know how much that would cost. I'm sorry, I'm normally a very happy and outgoing person, but I'm at the end of my wits, I get nothing but conflicting information everywhere I go. Any help and info would be GREATLY appreciated. My passport is on the way, this medical is the last thing I need! I can scan the forms and email them to you if needed. |
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Post by George61 on Dec 7, 2005 8:31:36 GMT 7
Wherever you end up, they will have you do another medical!
I have had 5 in 4 years!
I didn't get one before I came here, but I came on a tourist visa.
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Non-Dave
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Post by Non-Dave on Dec 7, 2005 10:55:33 GMT 7
I didn't have to get a medical in Australia for my Visa application. I did have one from my local doctor just to be safe, and I had one a few weeks after I arrived in China, blood test, ECG and X-Rays. I know that doesn't help you much, but that was my experience with it.
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Post by Lotus Eater on Dec 7, 2005 11:33:36 GMT 7
I think I had the same form - does it ask your doctor if you are mad or not? (I was relieved to know my Dr. said I was sane).
I did the basics on it - but not the expensive things - the Dr. refused to do them citing 'waste of time and resources for a healthy person'. She stamped it and (being Chinese - helpful) wrote in Chinese on it. When I got here they did the whole lot all over again because my photo wasn't on the page and stamped.
It was accepted no worries.
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Post by Edges on Dec 7, 2005 12:22:25 GMT 7
Thanks all. Lotus Eater, you're from Canada right? Strange that the UK and Oz people don't need it and we do for the visa. Did you do the AIDS and syphilis tests? And you skipped X-ray and ECG? Maybe I could have my French doctor here write in Frenglish "not needed, Pierre is healthy" in the X-ray and ECG boxes. The form that the Embassy sent me is 2 pages long, and yes it asks if I've had a psychosis etc
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Post by Edges on Dec 7, 2005 12:37:05 GMT 7
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Post by Lotus Eater on Dec 7, 2005 12:41:04 GMT 7
No I'm from Australia. But I had my Z visa before I came over. I think if you come on a tourist visa then you don't need the medical.
Yep I did the AIDS and syphillis tests, not the others. It seems to me the Embassy don't really care so long as there is a bit of paper with appropriate stamps on it.
The educational institution will probably do them all over again. But when I moved unis I didn't need to show them. The only reason I've ahd any medical exam here is because the university wanted me to enter the city wall marathon and so were making certain I wouldn't drop dead on the way!! (All 5kms that I entered for!)
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Post by Edges on Dec 7, 2005 12:52:52 GMT 7
Nice, 5kms! It's been a while since I ran a marathon...
I'm very seriously debating going to Beijing on a 30 or 60 day tourist visa. Having the school (and Anna!)pick me up in Beijing and once in Shouguang (Shandong) do the medical there and switch to Z visa. Can anyone confirm if I can switch over to Z visa (with invitation letter etc) WITHOUT leaving China? Or if I need to leave China and reenter on my Z visa? I plan on being in China a good while, so even a 1yr round-trip ticket would do me no good, so I was thinking of maybe doing a 30 day or 60 days round trip ticket to enter China on a tourist visa with. Comments? Suggestions? Beer?!?
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Post by joe on Dec 7, 2005 15:48:18 GMT 7
Ed, I looked at the form. A suggestion:
Photocopy the form and fill it in yourself. If you must, get a friendly GP to stamp it. Or buy a red star stamp.
It may be that Shandong has different requirements, but my (non-Canandian, Non-Dong) experience has always been that "the medical" is done inside China, after you get to your school, even when the school has previously requested (and not received) a foreign medical document.
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Post by Lotus Eater on Dec 7, 2005 16:56:25 GMT 7
The school should be able to organise the Z visa for you. Normally you wouldn't have to leave to have that occur.
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Post by Dragonsaver on Dec 7, 2005 17:28:43 GMT 7
I had that medical done in Canada. Cost $120.00.  The Dr didn't have any trouble figuring out the Chinglish on the form. Then the Uni brought me over on a Tourist Visa as they said there was no time to do the Z before they needed me. I then had to get the entire medical done again in China as they wouldn't accept the one done in Canada. School paid for everything done in China. I got my Z visa 1 week later. |
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nolefan
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Post by nolefan on Dec 7, 2005 18:31:47 GMT 7
as the others have said, you will still need to get the medical done in China. I would usually recommend to just pick up a tourist or business visa for 30 to 60 days and coming over but there have been a few issues getting those converted into a proper work permit lately in some province. I'm not sure about Shandong but i'll double check for you.
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Post by Edges on Dec 7, 2005 20:46:15 GMT 7
Thank you! Now I have to choose 16 hours a week for 3600 or 20 hours for 4000. Not a huge salary I know. There's also some drama going on, the only native FT is involved with the chinese lady who works and translates for the FAO and it seems he's not crazy about me going to work there. These, are the days of our lives.... I'd be happy to consider work near Weifang/ Shouguang, including Jinan and Qingdao. Anna is finishing her contract then she'd join me elsewhere. If not, I'll do my 6 months at the Univ and we'll both go elsewhere.
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Dec 7, 2005 21:00:30 GMT 7
damn, Edges...20 hours for 4000? come to Shenzhen...I teach 20 hours and get 11,000... i can get you hooked up nice...SZ is really NOT as bad as everyone here claims it to be...  PM me and i can get you some details... |
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Post by George61 on Dec 7, 2005 21:00:38 GMT 7
Shandong generally has low wages,,,BUT...they can be negotiated. My base salary is 4500 for 15 classes. I do 21 classes, with each one above 15 paid at 100RMB, for the 45 minutes. Yesterday I collected 7400 for the past month. It keeps me happy!
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Post by Edges on Dec 7, 2005 21:11:49 GMT 7
George: I'd be happy to take less hours and a lesser salary with NO DRAMA. I have a feeling I'd be walking into MAJOR drama at the Shouguang Univ. Heck 4500 for 15 classes sounds pretty good right now. At least for a 6 months contract until I see what happens with Anna.
Gengrant: Shenzhen DOES interest me, before I "met" Anna that was my choice destination. Question is, would an Ukrainian with a Master's in English and a pretty impressive CV be able to get a Z visa in Shenzhen? She's being paid 2000! currently in Shouguang. If so, 6 months for me in Jinan drinking beer with George and Babe then a year contract in Shenzhen would be VERY tempting indeed.
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Dec 7, 2005 21:13:19 GMT 7
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Post by Edges on Dec 7, 2005 21:38:02 GMT 7
I don't know much about the FT side of it (salaries etc) but I did quite a bit of research on Shenzhen and Guangzhou, since it's where I wanted to go in the first place. I only have 3 criteria:
1. That I work legally, with the proper Z visa.
2. That I teach adults.
3. That I can find work in a school situated near where Anna will work so we can live together. Working at the same school would be great, but at least within reasonable proximity.
With all this stress I'm running on 1.5hrs of sleep in the last 2 days. I never thought it would be this stressful. Ah well, what kind of adventure would it be if it were easy? Thanks guys, I don't know what I would have done without all your advice which you've kindly provided from the very start.
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Post by Edges on Dec 8, 2005 1:29:35 GMT 7
Nice, I got a few hours of shuteye in, I'm in a much better mood especially considering who woke me was the mail lady delivering my brand new passport  2 days earlier than expected. So, George, is your school recruiting... ?  |
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Post by Mr Nobody on Dec 8, 2005 1:39:06 GMT 7
Adventure = horrible things happening to someone else a long way from you or a long time ago.
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Post by Edges on Dec 8, 2005 4:15:56 GMT 7
lol, sad but true. But this is self imposed, only brave courageous souls would dare leave Western comforts for cheap beer, jaw dropping scenery, (mostly) warm people (from what I read lol) and beautiful women. Hmmm, doesn't sound so bad does it?
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Post by George61 on Dec 8, 2005 4:35:29 GMT 7
I'll check!
So far, we have 4 Koreans, 1 japanese, 1 Cameroonian, 1 USAnian, and 2 Australians......and a Filipina!
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Post by Edges on Dec 8, 2005 6:25:51 GMT 7
What a potluck of nationalities!  I notice you're lacking a Canadian.....  George, please keep me posted, I am sending my requirements to the Shouguang College in a few hours, but I'm seriously looking at my options elsewhere. I could be in China within 2 weeks or so if needed (on a visitor visa) The sooner I get to China the better. |
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gengrant
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Post by gengrant on Dec 8, 2005 8:13:34 GMT 7
these are easily attainable here in SZ...plethora of jobs, and many wanting couples! |
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Post by con's fly is open on Dec 8, 2005 17:54:54 GMT 7
Edges, don't sweat the money so much. Granted, you can't take scab wage, but beyond that I don't think it really matters.
Firstly, given the terrible exchange rate, you clearly aren't in this for the money in the first place. Second, 4,000 a month is pretty fat here. Third, your first year will shed a ton of light on what you should ultimately be doing. Take the job that would make you happiest (adults, near the gal, etc.) and make the moula a low priority- at least for your first gig.
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I notice you're lacking a Canadian..... 