Please note, this site hasn't been updated for, oh, two years or so. Please also refer to current sources.

The Waiban

The waiban, or Foreign Affairs Officer, is an employee of the school charged with day to day foreigner handling. It's this poor guys job to make sure that you are happy, well-fed and watered, and standing in front of your class at the right time, in vaguely appropriate clothing.

I often feel sorry for these people. They're often selected for the job for no other reason than they are believed to speak good English, and while that is one of the essential parts of the job, it's by no means the only one.

They're stuck between an autocratic and often only mildly competent management and a group of culture-shocked teachers who don't realise that 'no' is not a word Chinese management is allowed to hear. They have to do their best to persuade foreign teachers to take on those extra classes and marketing activities, while explaining to management that actually, for some strange reason, it appears that the foreign teachers seem to think that dressing up as Santa Claus for the kindergartens Christmas Day party is not the best way to spend their December 25th. Not, for my money, an easy job.

A good working relationship with your waiban can make all the difference to your stay in China. Avoid getting annoyed or angry - he's probably only passing on orders from above, and you need to encourage him to communicate with you, not scare him off.

If you are lumbered with an incompetent or uncaring waiban, there's only a certain amount you can do about it. Whenever possible work around the problem - drop into the maintance guys office personally and explain (with dictionary and patience) that your toilet needs fixed, rather than waiting for someone else to pick up the phone and call them out. Take a timetabling problem directly to the person responsible rather than using a go-between. It'll be more hassle than it should be, but it might work out easier in the end - and you'll meet more people.