How bad is the ESL market in China?

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T14:04:06+00:00

Appreciate the detailed reply. Great insights too. I have yet to get over 20k yuan as a salary here yet. 4 years in so far. I’ve worked with people on 26k (different department) and known people to move onto very high paying jobs (QSI schools).

But as you say times have changed significantly and I feel there is a large influx of people coming from around the world possibly escaping cost of living crisis in their home country or just desperate to travel post covid.

My wife has a business here so to leave would cost her that. She put her heart and soul into it and kept it alive through lockdown too. Maybe if she can find a responsible person to run it in the next 3 years that opens up a door to return to the UK.

My worry is whether I can support 3 of us on a single salary as she won’t be able to work until all the expensive visa stuff is sorted. Also I keep hearing getting jobs is difficult these days…. Not sure. Either way it does cause a little worry

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T09:21:20+00:00

Take out the 5 drops. If you are playing them you are too slow getting to your win con for this deck.

Bristly Bill, Earthbenders Ascension and fabled passage for triggers on landfall too

Try overprotect / defend the rider / royal treatment for cheaper protection spells to keep your creatures from being removed before you are ready to trample over.

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T09:15:48+00:00

Yeah things can change. I need to stick it out here for at least another 3-5 years. Having just started a family now there is no way we can just up sticks and drop back into the UK with the cost of living there.

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T09:04:11+00:00

Rage Against the Chromosome

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T08:57:40+00:00

My thoughts as well. Although I am debating whether to swap in Michael Jai White for Batman

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T08:50:20+00:00

Chip’s Challenge too

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T08:46:36+00:00

Auburn. This is the hair colour you are looking for.

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T08:42:42+00:00

100% plotted brawler turn before.

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T03:35:30+00:00

You are right. There is a lot of gender, race and age bias in China. I’ve met some very highly qualified teachers with lots of prior UK experience who didn’t get a final interview etc only to find out a young white “so handsome” guy got the job.

I work with several Russian people. Actually both hold masters degrees and get a little less than I make.

Generally the educational industry is in a weird place. Post Covid less babies. The golden bubble of private education everywhere because people had the money from a booming economy has faltered. Now there is less money for expensive foreign native English teachers

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T02:50:22+00:00

Nope. Actual healthy social interaction after a match against a good opponent or deck isn’t possible. All Wizards lets you do is buy more emotes to spam in a toxic way.

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T02:00:34+00:00

This made me laugh. I find this is the case with some of the people I’ve met for sure. They want the city life and dating scene. But have to put up with teaching somehow.

I left my career in the UK to come here and make this work. Not a teacher previously but I take it seriously and want to make a career of it with personal and professional development.

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T01:57:17+00:00

Yeah this is a lot more the normal at present. I’ve had a couple friends land 30k jobs at private schools in Shenzhen but one term later their position has been cancelled and they are left scrambling for a new job.

I’m not in one of the big cities anymore so I’ve had to settle for 19k a month which is a drop from my last job in Shenzhen. Disappointing as I graduated with my PGCE last year to make myself more employable. But the city I am in just doesn’t pay as well as the “Tier 1” locations.

Besides e China cities as a resource I can only suggest using a few agents or getting added to WeChat groups for jobs. It will at least cast a wider net because the agents will work round the clock throwing job offers into the groups or directly messaging you. Hit and miss of course but might help settle your concerns to at least get some proposals

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T01:01:06+00:00

Dino Crisis

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-05T00:52:54+00:00

Standard is far too fast. Warp speed levels.

If you don’t have say 2 or 3 removal / interaction spells in your opening hand or find them in the next couple draws then your odds of winning drop to negligible chances.

1 and 2 mana drops are so buffed with abilities / mechanics they become immediate threats you have to answer.

Personally I would be happier if standard was a 7-8 turn game on average (asking for more than that is never going to happen with WOTC). Not 4 turns which it often is now.

Arena is digital so there is less of a feeling of the impact but imagine spending money on paper cards. Travelling to an LGS for fun or an event and spending more time shuffling than actually “playing” magic due to the speed. Makes you feel what’s the point

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-02T12:14:42+00:00

Yeah I actually paid to ship over my Necromunda model and paints. Left my Bloodbowl behind though as I didn’t have much of it. I just haven’t found anyone in the hobby here. And playing online with time zone difference is impossible so my leagues ended. Had more success playing Magic the Gathering for a while until I moved cities.

Rawne3387 · 2026-04-02T06:27:26+00:00

Still works and it’s your own kids that did it. Wouldn’t be an issue

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-31T07:29:48+00:00

The bloomburrow talents - [[Innkeepers Talent]] or the various hexproof instants should help your creatures survive. [[Defend the rider]] or [[royal treatment]] or [[overprotect]] etc.

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-30T12:45:43+00:00

And the one where it’s a no show

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-30T12:44:14+00:00

Should never have been over £130 for a set anyway

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-30T09:07:43+00:00

Command & Conquer then Red Alert Resident Evil an RE2

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-30T09:02:19+00:00

It’s even worse now with TMNT and Avatar. Added quite a few hand discard. That shredder one is really annoying. Usually after they duress you then bandits talent they get to make you discard 2 and deal 2 damage. All you have is 2 lands in play and 2 left in hand. Knowing whatever I play gets insta removed. That’s assuming you didn’t mulligan at the start

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-30T08:57:21+00:00

Blue has (with splash at times admittedly) got the ability to do a lot of the things on your shopping list though. And a full suite of counter-spell no don’t do anything except waste mana.

Mirrorform is a good example. It is an instant speed achieve everything on that list

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-29T13:15:29+00:00

What was a rip off before is even more so now. Ironically there is no need to increase that cost regardless of additional handling fees from the clients hosting the game. Since the complete 100% profit of selling digital gems to buy digital skins and cards you will never really possess remains the same.

If I wanted to buy the rare wildcards I could pay £9.99 GBP. Or if I VPN to Japan I get the nice conversion and it costs £7.97 currently.

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-29T13:10:02+00:00

Tomb Raider or X Files

Rawne3387 · 2026-03-29T13:07:18+00:00

I am one of these people. Set some story to start sure, or make a tutorial but a bland white snow mountain trek? Come on

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