# Which option would you choose?



## tumblewitt (Jan 27, 2016)

I currently live in a second tier city. Its been a great place to live, but I'm getting pretty bored of living here. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either... For all the usual reasons that single expat girls in China don't enjoy life in second tier cities... 

Its hard to find people who I really want to be friends with. Most of the people I chill with are women under 24 who are unmarried. I find that I am just a lot more outgoing and adventurous than many of them. They are your usual shy, good mannered Chinese girls. I enjoy having dinner and shopping with them a lot, but they never want to do anything really interesting... Nor can they enjoy the same activities as me, because they make so much less than I do. I just don't feel I have much in common with anybody, either. 

A lot of friendships I make, I feel like I'm more their teacher than I am their friend. Its a maturity issue too. Most of the more mature people I meet are married with children, and they can't really maintain a friendship with someone who has my kind of work schedule. 

In addition, the pool of eligible males is very shallow. I have found a total of 2 people interesting and well-mannered enough to sleep with. That's not a lot for having lived here for almost a year. 

So I have decided to change things up... 

________________

Option 1: Move to the capital city of my province where I have some closer friends. Teach SAT and other test classes, make 18K a month. These are the details: 

"Position: Teaching 16 to 18 years old students
Period: 12 months’ contract;
The number of students in a class: usually up to 10. Sometimes, a few more; 
Up to 90 teaching hours per month; 200/h if require more hours; 
Working days: weekend and 3 days of the weekdays. So, you will have 2 days off on the weekday. 

1. Salary: 18k 
2. housing provided; 
3. Annual insurance will be purchased for you.
4. Return Airfare reimbursement: up to 8000;
6. Quarterly bonus provided; 
7. Work visa provided;"

Pros: Good salary and benefits, housing is free, have some friends in the city from back in America- including my best friend. The train to Beijing is only 4 hours, could easily do a weekend trip up there occasionally. 

Cons: Job is not in the center of the city. The company is new to the city, so my friends don't know anything about what its like to work for them. I'd be the only foreign teacher for a while. 

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Option 2: Be a Head teacher in Beijing. 

"Head Teacher
Age group:4-13
Salary: 20-25K
bonus: 1000-2000per month on average ( half can get top bonus)
housing: free single room worth 3000RMB ( shared 2 bed room apartment )
Working hours: Wed-Fri 1-8pm. Sat-Sun. 9am-7pm
Benefits: Flight reimbursement up to 8000RMB
Sponsorship for work visa application
Medical Insurance. free Chinese lessons
At least 1000RMB raise on 2nd year contract. 1 month salary as renew 
contract bonus. 
Requirements:
Bachelor degree holders who have graduated for 2 years at least
2 year's above teaching experience in or out of China 
With TEFL/TESOL certificate (120 hours )" 

Pros: Beijing is more international, the guy and friend issue might be not such a problem there. I'd be a head teacher, which would be a good career move for me. Wouldn't be bored. 

Cons: Far from my friends in the other city, Beijing is expensive, pollution, I'd have to do a TEFL online before they took me. Not my favorite age group, I prefer older teens. 



I'm leaning more towards option 1 at the moment, just cause I think I would save more money. But I know the 'male situation' would be just as bad. People in that city are less internationally minded. 


What do you think? Which life sounds better?


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

Apart from the pollution I would say option 2.


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