Interesting article in the WSJOnline yesterday about the number of young, ambitious expats running around China and other parts of the world.
According to the article, older expats are increasingly being replaced by younger, more mobile expats who have lower salary and perk expectations.
The link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122111693070023027.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Shanghai is full of these bright-eyed scabby wankers.
HG
I think it’s very cool! How wonderful that things are changing and that young people have more opportunities to live and work abroad in a variety of different fields. It helps our world become all that more global, which I think is fabulous.
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Shanghai is full of these bright-eyed scabby wankers.
HG[/quote]
You on the lookout for carnies? 
What do English teachers in China (not Taiwan so don’t take offense) qualify as? "Quarterpats?
Well I would argue that many of these twats are lowering the number of opportunities for others. There is a steady stream of these bastards itching to get “China time” on their CVs and perfectly happy undercutting everyone else to work for peanuts while bankrolled by mummy and daddy’s savings. Invariably they have a very skewed perspective on China’s “economic miracle.”
Spoilt pratts hanging on every word of the likes of Jim Rogers. A legion of modern Pyles (The Quiet American).
HG
Yes, but that happens everywhere. I met a kid recently who was off to London for 3 months to do an unpaid internship at the BBC. Makes it very difficult for other kid to get paid entry level stuff because they need to work for free.
Salaries in China are very low and the EFL industry not exactly sophisticated. The teachers attracted are going to be kids on ‘an experience’, unless they are managers. Many places just follow the ‘western manager-unqualified teacher’ model. It’s not impossible, I have friends who are doing it, but on the surface, there is not much to attract teachers to China, other than ‘the China experience’. 3000-5000 yuan a month? That’s a float for taxis, not a salary.
HGC, the words “cool”, “wonderful”, and “fabulous” in a short post test positive for sarcasm.
Sour grapes… In what way were we different back then?
For the ones with decent language skills and have a direction…I say good on 'em. As for the trash, you always get them when there is a boom. The first recession will clear them out.
Didn’t the tighter visa restrictions for the Lympix get rid of a lot of the trash hanging out in Shanghai?
HGC, the words “cool”, “wonderful”, and “fabulous” in a short post test positive for sarcasm.[/quote]
Not at all sarcastic. I do think it’s a positive change, and wish I had been exposed to more opportunities to live and work abroad other than just the Peace Corps when I was a fresh grad. The opportunities may have been there, but as the internet was just starting to evolve in the mid-90’s when I graduated from college, those opportunities were hard to find.
I think, like has already been said, that the phenomenon of youngsters working for lower pay is nothing new and does happen all over the world. Recent grads at home, too, need to get their foot in the door oftentimes through internships, volunteer work, or working for peanuts, just to get some experience on their CVs.
Being a character filled with duplicity, of course an American businessperson (I’m assuming the source quoted is) would say that…When I came back with my glorious international travel and language skills listed on my CV, I the fortunate opportunity to be more marketable…to a door slam that is. :s 
With the current state of the American economy, look forward to more of these types flooding China. All this is the same thing that’s happened before in Japan in the 80s, and in Taiwan in the 90s. Nothing new under the sun.
For a short time…They’re all back now. Well, most of them at least.
[quote=“Elegua”]Sour grapes… In what way were we different back then?
For the ones with decent language skills and have a direction…I say good on 'em. As for the trash, you always get them when there is a boom. The first recession will clear them out.[/quote]
Not really sour grapes, I’m doing fine, thanks. It’s more an instinctive rail against the simplistic Jim Rogers view of the necessity of learning Chinese.
HG
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”][quote=“Elegua”]Sour grapes… In what way were we different back then?
For the ones with decent language skills and have a direction…I say good on 'em. As for the trash, you always get them when there is a boom. The first recession will clear them out.[/quote]
Not really sour grapes, I’m doing fine, thanks. It’s more an instinctive rail against the simplistic Jim Rogers view of the necessity of learning Chinese.
HG[/quote]
Of course you are fine - I know you - but. my point we all has to start somewhere, yeah? The weak will be weeded out shortly.
Hmmm, a shang-gang POV vs. a shang-hai POV?
I hope you’re not suggesting I have a Shanghai POV.
I sure as shit hope he’s not saying I got a Hongkers POV!
BTW, Elegua, a former neighbour of yours - farewells at the Big Bamboo - is talking about heading back HK way.
HG
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]I sure as shit hope he’s not saying I got a Hongkers POV!
BTW, Elegua, a former neighbour of yours - farewells at the Big Bamboo - is talking about heading back HK way.
HG[/quote]
Yes. I heard that. Serve him right to end up in HKG.
Traveling through Europe at the moment is quite an experience – it seems the Poles (and other former Eastblocks) have taken over all major service areas ; mostly in (under) paid employment by all the major and minor European companies. The effect of looser visa regulations ; nobody calling them “ex-pats” though.
So what makes one an expat anyway? A fat salary paid for by an overseas company? White & overseas?