Accept or wait?

[beachbride]

Hi all!

I'm hoping to gain some insight from all of you with international experience. I'm currently in my eighth year teaching in the US and plan to enter international teaching in the coming school year. I have experience teaching in both elementary and secondary, and I currently serve as a department head.

I've received two offers from schools in China. Both seem to be nice, mid-tier schools. One is in Shanghai and the other is in Beijing. While I see a lot of great potential in both positions, I am very concerned about the air quality in both cities (I know Beijing's can be worse, but both are quite bad). The package from the school in Beijing is slightly better. I'm not sure whether to take one of the offers as a chance to get international experience, or to wait and see what other offers come in the next few weeks? Do many offers come in March and April? Would it be foolish to pass? I know both schools have great potential and could be a great opportunity for me...but the health concerns combined with the lack of time outdoors would be rough.

Thanks in advance for any insight and advice!

[eion_padraig]

While some job offers keep coming in March and April, my impression is that it is late for the international scene. I watched TIEonline jobs last year, and the posting had already shrunk a lot by mid-March from their height in December/January. It seemed to me that the jobs were dominated by lower tier schools as well.

Also, my friends working in international schools currently, who are planning on moving, have already secured their jobs for next year.

I'd say your chances decrease for other offers as time goes on. I would ask myself, if I were in your position, how does staying in my current position help or hurt me if I want to break into the international scene? And, how would you feel about staying in your current job another year?

Good luck with making the decision.

For what it's worth, I think both Beijing and Shanghai are fascinating places to live. I lived in Shanghai some years back and got up to Beijing every once in a while. My impression at the time was Shanghai was a lot easier place to live than Beijing for day-to-day convenience. I'd say that is still the case from friends I have that live both places. I can't say I especially like Shanghai people. Most of my Chinese friends were from elsewhere.

[shadowjack]

If I had to choose, I would choose Shanghai. We were there in November 2011 and the air was fine. Most of the time, if the air gets really bad, you are indoors anyways.

[mysharona]

Both cities have a lot to offer, including excruciatingly bad air. Shanghai is perhaps the glitzy sister while Beijing seemingly has more culture. Its easy (though costly) to move between them and to points beyond in China. Overall i would say Beijing has the consistently worse air quality, it was over 400 yesterday but Shanghai's has been particularly bad this past 45 days or so. Having said that I have had students researching air quality in Shanghai and they have found legitimate research that claims that breathing Shanghai air at its worse is like smoking 1/8 a cigarette a day. Apparently there is a podcast out there that makes a similar claim for Beijing. If air quality is a real concern then you might want to wait, but with the understanding that jobs are disappearing. In the end its what risk you are willing to take.

[teacherguy]

I lived and taught in Beijing for a year. The pollution was horrific. It was so bad weeks would go by without a hint of sunlight. And then, maybe, you'd see the sun dimly for a few hours before smog that looked like fog would envelop the city again. By midway through the year I was hacking up brown gunk from my lungs. Then there's the brutally cold winters and dust storms. And the gridlocked traffic. Yeah, I'd go with Shanghai.

[wrldtrvlr123]

[quote="Pippafrit"]Just my opinion but I'd choose Shanghai over Beijing. I've accepted a job there next year and have been doing a lot of research. I too was concerned about the air pollution. I've got an app on my iPad now that gives me daily readings- last week it was over 400 in Beijing and 150 in Shanghai. The climate is also much better I'm told. I'd accept if I were you if you want to be overseas next year, and have fun exploring a fascinating country and use Shanghai to jump off easily to Thailand, Indonesia etc. Best of luck:)[/quote]

Never made it to Shanghai, but did live 2 years in Beijing with a family and very much enjoyed it. Of the people who had expereince with both, opinions were decidedly mixed.

Yes, the air can be bad (obviously) but there were generally enough good to beautiful days to get you through. I never hacked anything up and it didn't seem to have any health impact on anyone in my family (or really anyone I knew personally) but it could get depressing if a bad spell went on too long.

That being said, the city is generally very livable and has many things to offer (e.g. culture, restaurants, expat communities, etc).

I would choose (if you are going to choose either) based on the school. The quality (or lack thereof) of the school will greatly impact your happiness and quality of life. Definitely do your research and feel free to ask opinions about the school in Beijing especially.

[beachbride]

Thanks so much to all who have responded! It truly helps to hear various perspectives and opinions.

The school in Beijing does seem to be a bit of a step up from the school in Shanghai, as it is seeking WASC accreditation this year (whereas the school in Shanghai is a private school and seems pretty content staying with it's non-accredited status). I would also be serving as a lead teacher in Beijing and would get to have a hand in writing the curriculum, so I think it could be more professionally fulfilling. However, I do enjoy walks and at least a little green space, and from what I'm hearing Shanghai would have more of that. You can see how I go back and forth and back and forth with my thinking! ;) I truly do think, as many of you have mentioned, that both cities could offer a wonderful experience.

I greatly appreciate any and all advice!!

[PsyGuy]

How important is the air pollution issue to you? I agree largely with wrldtrvlr123, the air pollution is bad, really bad compared to elsewhere in the world, but it was never so bad that it kept me from doing the things I need to do. Shanghai is better then Beijing, but on some days youd need a mass spec to have been able to tell the difference.
This all assumes you dont have a respiratory problem. Having asthma or any other sort of respiratory problem would make a position their unlivable. Some people have sensitive allergies as well and their time their was pretty miserable. If non of those issues bother you then rejecting a school for a singular issue such as air quality is being hyper selective. Theres something wrong with everywhere.

You commented in your first post that both schools appeared to be "mid tier schools"? In your latest post you then commented that the Beijing school was seeking WASC accreditation and the Shanghai school was stuck in it local chinese curriculum. Those arent characteristics of 2nd tier school, but far more indicative of bottom/third tier schools, if they are even that. You have 8 years experience, certification, and are a department head, your much more competitive then these two schools.
It is just barely pass the height of recruiting BUT there are still better schools out there then these two schools. If your repped by an agency, or the schools are id pass. If your not, sign with one, and keep looking, you will find better.

Both Shanghai and Bejing are very livable cities. Shanghai is more "money" and warmer. Bejing is more snobby and has more touristy things to see. Shanghai is more like LA and Bejing is more like NYC.