I was in class when I got a WeChat message from Jessica about an interview. The office is across from my classroom but we don't really greet each other from across the hall, but I still find it strange that she didn't wait until after or during a break to discuss it. I asked if it was a hotel or convention company. She replies it's a mixed company...
I go on with class and a bit later she tells me that it's to do business development. I say fine and check out the company details after class. At this point I may as well see what they are about. I do the interview and find that I had to speak English because the Chinese manager wasn't present. I figured I did ok, but the company is looking at other candidates too. I was told to wait for a call from the other manager. I was sure they needed to test my Chinese.
So I did. Nicole asks what happened at the interview a few days later. I explain what happened. However there was no call from the other manager. Oh well, maybe she had found someone better?
Fast forward a few days. I am being sent an interview opportunity every twenty minutes. Well, just three. Again I'm in class, but I'm the only student anyway so I tell her to reschedule one as I had some trouble that I needed to sort out at that time.
She tells me she'll send me an email and I can reschedule on my own. Well, I suppose. After all, I know my schedule best. Time to try try again!
Showing posts with label language school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label language school. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
The Final Straw
Ironically I have to remind myself that I'm not wrong. Let's start with some background before you all get angry with me too. ;)
I didn't see any other schools offering a partial refund in the event that the school couldn't find an internship for you. I took that as a final sign that YCC would be a good choice because, although some of you may feel it shouldn't make a difference, there are times that Chinese people don't want to hire Black people and in this country each resume must include a picture. I wouldn't dream of faulting the school for that, so it gave me peace of mind.
[ I see that the site has changed that clause and replaced it with offering "one-two months free classes".]
I still have no opportunity of an internship. The last call I got was a lady asking if I'd like to interview for a sales position. I have no experience in that. In fact, I suck at it. I declined and definitely reminded Nicole that I needed to find either hotel or conventions as that is my only significant experience besides teaching. She said talk to Jessica. Jessica said the convention company didn't want me because I didn't have experience. True, I didn't know they built sets for conventions, I don't have any experience for that. However I also have zero sales ability. She asks what kind of job I want in a raised tone. I tell her to calm down, I'm simply asking we stick to my original plan. I ask how the search is going a couple of days later and am told she is waiting to hear from companies.
FAST FORWARD TO THIS WEEK!!! hahaha well, Monday. Today.
My speaking teacher has quit and my writing teacher suggested I push a little to get my internship. So I went to speak with them after class again. I asked if they'd still honor the partial refund since my classes end this week. They claimed they never had that kind of rule. I informed them that it was my final push to have me choose their company and that it's fine if they've changed the rule but it was there. Nicole slams her fist on the desk and yells that they have not made any changes to the site. It clearly states that they'll offer free classes. I say in a louder tone, "Ok, I'm fine with the change but I have another question." Jessica steps in and says she changed the site last year.
Now I'm annoyed because Jessica has stood up out of her chair to ask me why I'm even in here yelling at them. I laugh and ask why they are yelling at me when I've simply asked a question. They even lied as Jessica is clearly admitting to having changed the website. They update it themselves. Nicole asks for my proof. I tell her I obviously have none, but I wouldn't forget (or make up) that kind of clause. Again, I say I'm fine with the change and ask how my internship search is going. However Nicole is fuming over the previous question. I ask her the show me proof instead, of when they changed the site. Jessica finds something and prints it off, but no words print along with the picture. Nicole says she can't believe I don't believe they haven't changed the site and yells again. Jessica slams the office door shut but no one else is in this place. I laugh again at this ridiculous scene and shout I can't count it as proof. Now I'm joining in on this childish way of arguing a point.
Jessica pulls out her camera to video me as Nicole rants about how I'm a ridiculous person that doesn't understand anything and tells Jessica to ignore me. I pull out my phone and turn on the record app saying, "wait, I guess I should record too." She puts her phone down and sits back down again. I asked why we couldn't both record just in case a misunderstanding arises and we need to pull out "proof" again. I try to go back to my next question but again Nicole is not satisfied. She tells Jessica to text me their unprintable "proof". Jessica asks for the failed print back because it's the company paper...
I ask them again how the search is going and they sneer that no companies have replied to them. I ask them how many they are waiting on and am met with "a few". I ask them to please let me know the companies so that I can research them and prep for potential interviews. Nicole shouts again, "NO! YOU WILL GET THE INFORMATION BEFORE THE INTERVIEW! THAT IS OUR RULE FOR EVERYONE ELSE." I don't join in on the yelling this time, but I tell them that rule is not on their site so I don't have the "proof". I also explain that it makes for a better interview if I can prepare.
This is when Nicole asks, "Do you know why you don't get any offers?" I ask why believing she would say something the companies have said. She rolls her neck back and forth with a "because you have a bad attitude." Ok. Now I'm dying. I must brag a bit and say that my past jobs have absolutely loved working with me and my last co-teacher recently sent an email saying she wished I still worked at the school in S. Korea.
I tell them ok but at least give me a full 24 hours before any interview to research whichever company replies to them. At this Nicole lowers her head in a scowl with a smirk and says in a sing-song voice, "Our website states that we only need to set up two to five interviews and then we've done our job." I inform them I've only had ONE so far. They say fine. Nicole ends with a stern "we will send you the company information 24 hours before the interview. Is that clear?" My eyes get wide and I jiggle my shoulders and say, "I asked you for a 24 hour notice. Are YOU clear?" I've fallen into the act like a child trap again. Nicole's final words amidst Jessica's bad mouthing are, "I'm very clear so you can leave!" I chuckle and end with I'll leave when I want followed with, now that class is done I guess I'll leave.
Let's see if they still find me an internship or give me free classes. After all, my study part is finished.
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Have you ever experienced this kind of craziness at a school that you paid to be at and trusted to help you out? Leave your comments below!
Monday, March 30, 2015
Professors of What?
School is not what I thought know I read on the website. The teachers are not professors at all as the site claims. The textbook for advanced is definitely advanced but they don't know how to teach it. If the teachers a company hires are not actually professors they should say as much to help students make their decisions with no regrets, right?
The schedule wasn't given out until the second week in and it says:
There is little to no speaking going on on Mondays and Thursdays. We read the vocabulary and go over the meanings for an hour, the teacher reads the text and then moves on to the questions. Then we look at a PPT of grammar points; some from the book and many not. Although it's advanced class there is a lot of English coming from the teacher to explain most everything. It's like a nonstop radio with 15 minute breaks each hour.
There is no book for Tuesday and Wednesday. We read nothing. We talk for two and a half hours on any given topics, again, with 15 minute breaks each hour. Felt more like a free chat class. I eventually asked if we'd at least write. My one other classmate didn't want to but we did for the last 10 minutes. I could only pray to do more in the future. Chatting is fun, but I was definitely lost on the purpose. An English explanation also accompanies each new word.
After being a teacher/tutor for years since the U.S. I know that at a certain level you describe in the target language. In a good classroom you will hear.
I talked to Nicole about my disappointment in the teaching styles. Their site says they have a great method but I know for a fact that this is no way to improve well. Her best answer was (and the other two times I would ask in the future) to take it up with the teachers.
The speaking class made some improvement as our suggestion to watch a movie or see a TV show for listening was agreed to. However pausing a movie every two to five minutes with breaks effectively took the whole class. Randomly selecting 成语* idioms that are popular became more of a hindrance than a help. However, we finally stopped getting 5 related vocab words for each new word in our textbook. Each chapter already contains 70-100 new words with 3-10 supplementary and at two classes per week, it was becoming crazy.
We also finally received 10 minutes per hour to write about a given topic during writing...I was trying to write well though, so I usually needed to use the break times as well. Every time the teacher kept asking, "Are you finished yet? We don't have much time."
My teachers are nice people so I won't name them, but they are definitely not teachers. I know the same is said about people that travel and teach English but some people end up actually being good at it so I'm fine with that if I know upfront. Although these people have the Chinese equivalent to a TEFL certificate, sometimes, it doesn't mean they can teach.
Culture class? 0.0 Well, it's all in English and more of an arts and crafts thing. Same teachers but definitely not detailed. More of 'Chinese people like this picture let's paint one together!' (Insert big smiles and a hand raised for a high five)
****************************************************************
DISCLAIMER: My friend that is in the intermediate level says Wendy is an awesome teacher. She gets down to business and spends no more than 10 minutes on any day with gossip. I name her because greatness deserves praise and advertisement right?
Do you know any Chinese teachers that may not be licensed but really rock the classroom? Put their info in the comments!
The schedule wasn't given out until the second week in and it says:
Monday 2 - 4:45 Speaking and Listening
Tuesday 2 - 4:45 Reading and Writing
Wednesday 2 - 4:45 Reading and Writing
Thursday 2 - 4:45 Speaking and Listening
Friday 2- 4:00 Culture
There is little to no speaking going on on Mondays and Thursdays. We read the vocabulary and go over the meanings for an hour, the teacher reads the text and then moves on to the questions. Then we look at a PPT of grammar points; some from the book and many not. Although it's advanced class there is a lot of English coming from the teacher to explain most everything. It's like a nonstop radio with 15 minute breaks each hour.
There is no book for Tuesday and Wednesday. We read nothing. We talk for two and a half hours on any given topics, again, with 15 minute breaks each hour. Felt more like a free chat class. I eventually asked if we'd at least write. My one other classmate didn't want to but we did for the last 10 minutes. I could only pray to do more in the future. Chatting is fun, but I was definitely lost on the purpose. An English explanation also accompanies each new word.
After being a teacher/tutor for years since the U.S. I know that at a certain level you describe in the target language. In a good classroom you will hear.
Student: "I'm sorry what does 'naive' mean?"
Teacher: "It describes a person that is new to everything. Not stupid. Simply doesn't understand how the world works yet."
- or -
Teacher: "Do you understand the word 'criminal'?"
Student: "I'm gonna guess someone that does 'crime'?"
If that fails, the dictionary is a student's BEST friend. You know I used to tell my students it was their foreign boy/girlfriend.
I talked to Nicole about my disappointment in the teaching styles. Their site says they have a great method but I know for a fact that this is no way to improve well. Her best answer was (and the other two times I would ask in the future) to take it up with the teachers.
The speaking class made some improvement as our suggestion to watch a movie or see a TV show for listening was agreed to. However pausing a movie every two to five minutes with breaks effectively took the whole class. Randomly selecting 成语* idioms that are popular became more of a hindrance than a help. However, we finally stopped getting 5 related vocab words for each new word in our textbook. Each chapter already contains 70-100 new words with 3-10 supplementary and at two classes per week, it was becoming crazy.
We also finally received 10 minutes per hour to write about a given topic during writing...I was trying to write well though, so I usually needed to use the break times as well. Every time the teacher kept asking, "Are you finished yet? We don't have much time."
My teachers are nice people so I won't name them, but they are definitely not teachers. I know the same is said about people that travel and teach English but some people end up actually being good at it so I'm fine with that if I know upfront. Although these people have the Chinese equivalent to a TEFL certificate, sometimes, it doesn't mean they can teach.
Culture class? 0.0 Well, it's all in English and more of an arts and crafts thing. Same teachers but definitely not detailed. More of 'Chinese people like this picture let's paint one together!' (Insert big smiles and a hand raised for a high five)
*cheng2yu3
****************************************************************
DISCLAIMER: My friend that is in the intermediate level says Wendy is an awesome teacher. She gets down to business and spends no more than 10 minutes on any day with gossip. I name her because greatness deserves praise and advertisement right?
Do you know any Chinese teachers that may not be licensed but really rock the classroom? Put their info in the comments!
Monday, March 16, 2015
Looking to Intern in China
It all started back in October of 2013. I decided that I would indeed undergo graduate studies somewhere in the middle kingdom. However, I knew that I wasn't prepared for my major. I searched the web for insight on the best step. Should I do an intense summer study to regain lost language skills? Should I just find a job and hope to recover some of the lost language skills? Could I do both legally at the same time?
Well everything ended up boiling down to the hybrid of a language school program. Study for three months and then do a three month internship. This started to make a lot of sense and take the pressure off of trying to do both. I dug into various websites and browsed quite a few offerings:
and a few others that, believe me, no one even needs to remember they exist.
I should have looked clearly into Intrax Global Internships or Go Abroad China :( A company with established relationships. (Find your own personal experience reviews as I have no information on them.)
Well everything ended up boiling down to the hybrid of a language school program. Study for three months and then do a three month internship. This started to make a lot of sense and take the pressure off of trying to do both. I dug into various websites and browsed quite a few offerings:
- Getin2China / Gi2C Chinahttp://www.gi2c.org/
- ImmerQi China Internship Programhttp://www.immerqi.com/internships/china-internship-program
and a few others that, believe me, no one even needs to remember they exist.
I should have looked clearly into Intrax Global Internships or Go Abroad China :( A company with established relationships. (Find your own personal experience reviews as I have no information on them.)
I decided I may have the better experience using Yudefang International School [http://www.yccshanghai.com/] or YCC Shanghai as they claim to be an affiliate of Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics. I saw them on LinkedIn and Facebook and decided to ask the Chinese Forums community. It turns out that one guy was indeed in the process of using their services! He had some visa issues in the beginning and then stated that he was satisfied with their beginner classes but was not on the internship program.
"Alright!" I thought to myself. This is a real company and I can live on or off campus if I choose Hangzhou, but I should probably do Shanghai. In my initial conversations I made sure YCC was able to provide either a hotel internship or something related to conventions or events; things that I have some experience in. A language partner of mine warned me that although the site seemed OK, "it's probably just somebody paying ZUFE to use their name and they aren't really part of a university. Simply out to make money."
In my clouded with recent life event judgment, I decided it must actually be related otherwise, how could they really do business?
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If you have used a program besides YCC and enjoyed it thoroughly, please leave a comment. If you have experience with YCC, please leave that comment on the last page of this story.
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