I think the NSTs that are complaining about not getting a hongbao have a valid point. I highly recommend that from now on all NSTs be treated exactly, and I mean exactly, the same as local teachers. 
DB, my point is that if you look at say a law firm, the lawyers are going to get paid much more than the secretaries who are paid much more than the cleaning staff. You donât hear people saying âhey the lawyers get paid mroe than the cleaning ladies, and the cleaners have to work harder than those lazy bastards anyway - letâs not give hongbaos to the legal staff anymoreâ. If anything, theyâll be getting bigger hongbaos (or at least their end of year bonuses will be bigger.
Brian
I always feel guilty for any kind of hong bao I get because of the NST/local teacher difference. To top it off, this year, I won the largest hong baoâŚfinish the pattern: yiâŚshiâŚyi baiâŚyi jianâŚyi ??? 
Very lucky, but also very bu hao yi si. Itâs going back into buying lunch for all of the staff, but I still feel bad. I wanted to secretly swap envelopes with one of the Chinese teachers. I think that it is fair to give a little something to the western teachers during their holiday (Christmas) if something is given to the Chinese teachers at CNY to avoid resentment on either part. I also think that making the foreign teachersâ stocking stuffers (?) significantly smaller than the hong baos would also be fair to both parties, especially since we are not the table-scrubbers, butt-wipers, wet-clothes-changers, or the vomit-moppers. The last one alone is worth a fat hong bao in itself.
Bassman, ha ha, thats right. âIts by the storeâ from now on!!! No more, ânext to the shopâ. I taught that crap for a year, I can switch quite freely. I really mean that now I would think twice about digging my hand in my pocket to buy stuff for my kids, and no more freebie santa.
The perks of the job are only perks when compared with the Chinese teachers. I never spoke to them about my life during my âtroublesâ, she never helped me find my place, and like I say I get express treatment in full view of my Chinese colleagues. Not good for morale, or when you need a favour. Those people work their asses off for sod all money, and get nothing in return. At least I got a second hand tea set, and a box of instant coffee sachets for christmas!!!
Tomorrow Im gonna try to get them to picket, with signs saying, âWo Yao HongBaoâ (My first Chinese joke!) Hao Hao Shiao
Last year I got paid for my vacation (Chinese New Year, about 3 weeks.) I consider that a bonus. This year, like I said, NOTHING!
Bassman, ha ha, thats right. âIts by the storeâ from now on!!! No more, ânext to the shopâ. I taught that crap for a year, I can switch quite freely. I really mean that now I would think twice about digging my hand in my pocket to buy stuff for my kids, and no more freebie santa.
The perks of the job are only perks when compared with the Chinese teachers. I never spoke to them about my life during my âtroublesâ, she never helped me find my place, and like I say I get express treatment in full view of my Chinese colleagues. Not good for morale, or when you need a favour. Those people work their asses off for sod all money, and get nothing in return. At least I got a second hand tea set, and a box of instant coffee sachets for christmas!!!
Tomorrow Im gonna try to get them to picket, with signs saying, âWo Yao HongBaoâ (My first Chinese joke!) Hao Hao Shiao
I actually got a couple of hongbaos this year. Nothing more than a few hundred NT, but itâs the thought that counts. Am I obligated to give a hongbao to my boss in return? Iâm assuming not, since Iâm the underling and sheâs the bossâŚ
We finally turned a small profit by the start of this Chinese New Year. We couldnât give our employees even CLOSE to the bonus they deserved. Half of them tried to return the pittance we gave them (knowing that we donât take our own salaries in order to pay them theirs some months).
When business is down, the bonuses sufferâŚuntil you find a tree to pluck currency off of, Iâd suggest being realistic about bonuses. At our school, there was virtually none this year, but if possible, next year they will get 2 months pay 
.
Its not easy being a Big Nose. There is discrimination at every turn. On hong baos and other remuneration you must consider that you will never be part of the social structure and recive concomitant benfits, and you will for at least half a year be taxed at triple the rate. Social security will never come your way, the cost of living is higher for you until you learn to love the taste of chicken feet and Taiwan beer, but even then your rent will be exorbitant. Getting a loan is very difficult, staying here is a challenge that requires you be tested, screened and acquire a new visa on a periodic basis. If your in a company and not a school, forget about that new suit because youâll never get that promotion.
Even should you surmount manny of these dificulties, when your 60 strangers on the street will say, âOh, my God, how can speak Chinese?â
Naturally there are exceptions, especially for those among us who work hard to acclimate, speak the language, get married, or have specific degrees and skills, and are not dependnet on the âGenerosityâ of a local Laoban.
That little red packet is a nice reward for your troubles, ainât it? To be denied a simple reward for your work, however, is just another cheap shot youâll will endure.
Forget about it, move on, create new opportunties for yourself. Stand up for your rights by all means, but remeber a hong bao is not one, it is a privilige, unless of course you are on a 13 month contract.
Chou
Iâm pretty overall with my Chinese New Yearâs bonuses and gifts. I got $3000 from one job and a trip(bus tour) to Hualian from the other. I got a lot of food from the parents, a bottle of CK cologne(is it a hint?) and a charm to keep away ghosts(currently sitting on my computer to keep away viruses) as most of them are quite happy with what Iâm teaching with their children, except for the worshipping false idols thing.
That being said this is my best Chinese New Year out of 4. Iâve never gotten this much stuff before or felt even slightly rewarded for my hard work besides my pay(which Iâm very happy with). I still plan on doing other things, but this was a very good Chinese New Year for me.
CYA
Okami
HmmmâŚI didnât get a gift, so I am gonna pout and whine and cryâŚ
Some of you guys sound alot like your students. Maybe its time to switch to teaching adults.
My first year teaching here, we got two weeks paid vacation for CNY. We had only been with the school 6 months. Sure was nice to get back from Thailand and get a full paycheck on the first day of work. Additionally, the parents of our kids constantly showered us with food and gifts.
Then I worked for Kojen. I was lucky to get any hours, much less a red envelope.
This year, my first one teaching growâd-ups, I won 10K at the annual party last Saturday. I was among 5 winners of 10K. 1 person won 20K. 3 or 4 people got a flight to Singapore and almost everyone won a 2k G/C for Sogo. When the Laoban won a vacuum cleaner (which really sucked), he donated it back with another 10K. Everyone could win. The cleaning ladies were right in there with the managers. The managers, of course, all followed the Laobanâs lead and licked** back anything they won with a little cash boost.
And the VP, a Brit, tried his best to keep up with the LB. He was giving away weekends in KaioShung and literally emptied his wallet in order to keep the door prizes going.
And this is only the third annual party for our company. We had a summer party in August. At Trader Vicâs. I saw a werewolf drinking a Pina Coloda.
Even tho not everyone won sumthinâ, they all could have won something big. I think it was more fun this way than everyone getting a 666 HongBao.
**This was an actual typo. Look how close the âlâ and âkâ keys are on the keyboard. But could this be a Freudian Typo? I have been noticing this happenning alot lately.
[color=green]Puff, Puff, no one to pass to, so, Puffffffff[/color]