Thursday
Ji: Hey, there’s a college in Weihai that needs a teacher.
Meg: I’m sorry, no. My contract is for Yantai and I don’t want to move.
Ji: *long Chinese sob story regarding the horrific death of the previous teacher’s mother and the childhood friendship between my current boss and the college’s headmaster*
Meg: No, look at my contract.
Saturday
Secretary: Have a good time in Weihai, Meg!
Meg: I’m not moving to Weihai.
Secretary: Yes.
Sunday
Ji: You will move to Weihai at 9am tomorrow.
Meg: No. Contract. Yantai.
Ji: But there isn’t time to find a new teacher! They need someone starting tomorrow! *long story regarding the previous teachers’ flexibility as compared to my inherent laziness*
Meg: No. Contract. Signature. Yours. No.
Ji: Excuse me while I get my husband to leave his job in a company across town and yell at you in Chinese.
Ji’s husband: *Loud Chinese accompanied by pounding the table with his fists*
Ji: He says that you are irresponsible and you are ruining our school.
Meg: No. Contract. No.
Ji: *long story involving imminent ruin of the school due to my American incompentance and character failings*
Meg: No. Contact. No… Screw this, I’m taking my Magic cards and my Harry Potter books and I’m quitting!
Shitty, yet oh so familiar sounding, deal.
Does anyone else feel that a laowai’s contract in China is just so much ???
Oh, I forgot to mention… I might know this school oddly enough. It might be the same school my friend taught at last term. Is there a Canadian there that was a former film maker?