I am 22 yrs old - I might go to China to teach English: any 20 something yr olds with some words of wisdom?

Question

Hi,

It is clear to me China is an amazing place and teaching in China for 6 to 12 months would be unforgettable experience, and possibly life altering (for the better, of course). I have read a lot about 30 somethings or older going to China to teach English -- but what about 20 somethings fresh out of college or grad school? For a 20 something who has taught in China, what do you wish you knew before going, both for worse and for better?

Thank you so much!!

Dave

Answer 1

if there really are some spiers there,I believe friendly foreigners would never be their objects ,ppl who don't know anything about China but always tell ridiculous rumors on yahoo answers would

Answer 2

Hi Dave

THere are a few things that I would like to mention:
1) When you get to China, take time to learn and apreciate the culture. Just don't hang out with other english teachers, but go and make some Chinese friends (college students learning english are a good place to start, you can ask the teachers at the school you are teaching at to help introduce you). Don't be afraid to try the food. (Yang ruo Chuan - BBQ Lamb on a stick is really good!) Do a little research on the city you will go to. Also, as a side note to that, make sure that you know what shots you may need, and things like that.
2) Even though you will be treated well, and will often make even more then the principal of the school, don't expect to save a lot of money. It is possiable, but go and have fun. Don't waste all your money on cheap DVD's (nothing wrong with buying some).
3) Prepare to defend things that are in the contract, or to improve on it. For example: If they say that they are going to provide housing, then go and charge you for it (with out that being said in the contract) then firmly talk to your schools contact. Going with a group (such as China Horizons) makes this a lot easier then doing it on your own.
4) The experience is what you make it. There will be times when you want to get out right then, and times when you don't want to leave. The bad parts will happen, but it will be somethign to laugh about later on.

finally, have fun.

Answer 3

First, don't get your expectations too high. I am not saying it is a bad idea, but it may not be as "life altering" as you think it is. Many English teachers only socialize in small communities with other Westerners. And the day to day English teaching becomes pretty ho-hum after a short amount of time.

Second, do major research on the job and school. Demand to speak with other Western teachers before acccepting anything. Scrutinize the contract. Check out their website. Know that you are in demand, and there are thousands of jobs for foreign English teachers. But, most importantly, speak to other teachers at the school. Many schools have responsibilties above and beyond what is stated in their contract.

Third, Don't limit your job search to only China. Korea, Japan and Taiwan also have excellent job opprotunities, usually with higher pay.

Fourth, Don't rush into anything. Once you start your job search, there will be plenty of great offers, all wanting you to arrive in about a month. But, trust me, there are other job offers around the corner, and often the job will wait for you.

Fifth, Don't pay an agency or anyone to find a job for you. There are websites and services online for free.

Sixth, remember, YOU and your attitude make the experience. Many foreigners decide to move to Asia to find a girlfriend, or stay in their rooms MSNing all night. If you decide to go, you have to have the motivation and desire to see all that you can and enjoy yourself.

Answer 4

China is no more the mystical commuist country like 30 - 40 years ago. The biggest adjustments will probably be adapting the cultural differences between it and other western nations. Like any other country, it has it's glamorous sides and dark sides.
The local climate, custom, dialects and cuisines varies greatly from region to region. You need to do some research to prepare yourself for the "area" you are going to. The conditions for teaching different age groups are also factors, as well as whether the organisation hiring you is a private business or goverment sponsor.
Frankly, your gender will probably have more effect than your age in this whole experience.

Answer 5

I moved to China to teach English directly after graduating from college at the age of 21. My teaching contract was for 6 months, but I ended up staying there for 3 years. When I moved there, I had almost no knowledge of the language, and knew very little of the culture. In hindsight, I definitely wish that I had gone there more prepared. That said, though, I do not regret any of my time spent in China.

It is not always an easy country to live in. Be prepared to fall in love with it and hate it simultaneously. My best advice is to always keep your sense of humor, and look at everything as a learning experience. I also highly recommend living in a smaller city with fewer foreigners. For me, that was integral in having an amazing experience. (It was also great for learning Chinese rapidly). Become involved in your community outside of the classroom, and find activities where you can form relationships with the local population.

In terms of teaching, be prepared for a different mentality in the classroom. Students are accustomed to group work, and often have trouble working individually. Try to find a way to accommodate these different learning styles without giving up on your teaching goals. I found that my students had a very good grasp of English grammar, but needed help putting it into practice.

If possible, try to get your school to agree to give you autonomy in the classroom. I also found my classes went much more smoothly when I did not have a translator/teacher with me. Students felt more free to participate and act outside of their comfort zone.

Best of luck, and enjoy!

Answer 6

If the mom was being raptured, she would be gone instantly, literally "in the blink of an eye." She wouldn't have the opportunity to deny Jesus. The mom would have done everything possible to make sure that her child knew about Jesus, about what it means to be a true Christian believer. She would have taken her child to Sunday School, to Sunday church services. She would have had her child enrolled in a church youth group and/or summer camp, where the child would have learned more about being a believer, and she would have been offered opportunities to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The child may have had opportunities to go to concerts/performances featuring Christian artists. If possible, the mom would have enrolled her child in a private Christian school. The mom would have been praying for her child at least once every day, probably more often. Jesus said that following Him can result in there being a sword separating husband from wife, parent from child. The mom would have known that and would have known that ultimately her child would have been responsible for making her own choice about whether or not to be a Christian believer. Once the mom is raptured, she will be instantly in the presence of Jesus, and all else will fade away as she looks at her Savior face to face, eye to eye. If you are this child, then I pray that Jesus will make Himself known to you so that you have no doubt about who He is and how you can make your choice for Him.

Answer 7

You got some pretty good advice here about teaching in china. Peep out the folks over at http://journeyeast. org their website ofers some of the most comprehensive information about teaching in China.

Answer 8

take it easy.
I have met some English teachers in Beijing, they're from USA Canada Australia etc. they're all happy here. It's impossible to spy every foreigner in china and most chinese people are friendly and warmhearted also a bit curious XD

wish you have a nice experience in China!

Answer 9

If you're coming to Inner Mongolia, drop me a line! I'll fill you in on all the good and bad!

Answer 10

You can email me privately and I can tell you much about this situation. First, the Chinese are our enemy. They have plans to over throw us in a nuclear attack. But their first plan is to ruin us by destroying our economy.

Secondly, you are their enemy and they will have SPIES watching you at ALL times. My husband traveled the world in business. He spent time in china and they had spies watching him at all times. He was chased thru parks and everything else when he noticed they were spying on him. You will be spied on at all times.

Further, you do NOT want to do them ANY favors. You will be doing a dis service to your own country by going over to the enemy to do this. Want to teach english? teach it HERE or in a country that is our ALLIES not the ENEMY.

China totally just dis'd us by way of adoptions.. you recently may have heard of how they made a new rule for Americans ONLY that if we are over weight we can't adopt one of the babies they would rather just murder!!! it was a SLAM to Americans. They totally did that to embarrass and mock us.

Stay away my brother- trust me.