The Long Wall of Ten Thousand Li, as it is known in Chinese, once defined the northern border of China. After the Qing dynasty took over in the 1600s, it lost relevance and fell into disrepair. So, now, it is not continuous, and only a few sections have been restored, mostly near Beijing (such as Badaling and Mutianyu).
So, the plan for today was to take buses from our campus to Mutianyu, an hour and a half away. All the C classes went, so a total of maybe 80 people. Upon arrival, and after navigating the obligatory minefield of pushy souvenir sellers, we were presented with stairs. A lot of stairs. None of the teachers came with us, except one who looked to be in his seventies, so there was no excuse for us young students to go and take the chair lift up.
A rest stop about halfway up.
We finally made it to the wall itself. It was definitely The Wall, but we couldn't see much of it from the top of the stairs. You have to walk a lot further here than at Badalin, both to get to the wall, and to see it properly. But it is still a great place to be.
Mutianyu is known for its famous guard towers and steep slopes.
With a local.
We walked (climbed) past a couple of guard towers and took some photos. But knowing there was just more of the same further on, some of our group decided to turn back, and I joined them. Closer than the stairs down was the chair lift and toboggan down. I went with the chair lift, feeling very tired and unfit by this time.
Almost as steep as the wall!
We still had the better part of an hour before leaving, but in the carpark I spied a beacon of hope, a reminder of the world I had left behind... a Subway. Tired and hungry, there was no question in my mind. They were stingy with the sauce and charged Western prices (about five times anywhere else here) but it was good.
I spent most of the rest of the day playing Call of Duty with the Chileans on my floor. I've started applying for work - both in teaching (English) and acting. There is a lot of work here by the looks of it, if you are (or look) foreign. I'm having to wait for my scholarship money this month a bit longer than expected - whether or not I get it tomorrow decides whether or not I go on a holiday for the upcoming long weekend. Let's see what happens.
Are there any special visa requirements for you to work?
ReplyDeleteForeigners are more easier to make money in China and the income even triple than locals. Unlike we in Aus, most of us are "Master of Dish Washing" in Chinatown or in greedy Chinese restaurants getting half of the average price and without tax being paid... Language problem always comes first.
ReplyDeleteLanguage is a big part of it, but not all. The situation is quite different in both countries. There are many fewer foreigners in China, as a percentage of population, than in Australia. Locals, as you said, are quite cheap in China because of the economic situation here, but the same doesn't apply in Australia. Foreigners in Australia (also in the US and other Western/developed countries) are hired because they are cheap - particularly if things are done on a cash (not entirely legal) basis. On the other hand, foreigners in China are hired at the other end of the spectrum - English speakers are uncommon, skilled labour in high demand. Of course this is often not done legally either, but more because it is difficult to get permission to work here, so foreigners here are hired as one-on-one English tutors on a cash basis, while on tourist or student visas.
ReplyDeletemgw, it would be illegal for me to work here on my current visa. I would, apparently, require a Z class visa, which would require a Foreign Expert Certificate, which would require I obtain an offer of employment and visit the local Public Security Bureau (police) and convince them I can be considered a Foreign Expert.
Yeah, that's right. What's more Chinese schools especially middle schools are desperate to hire foreign teachers cause they regard it as one of the ways to improve their reputation and ranking in local education department, which is quite ridiculous. I have seen lot of *teachers* that do nothing but just playing movie in the class. And school headers will also restrict the content can they can teach, well, that's involving politics, quite complicated.
ReplyDeleteYou teaches really good, so try to find a private teaching job which have more freedom and of course earn more. My suggestion is those IELTS/TOELF training organistaions, quite decent paying there.
Good Luck. :)