Job Discussion Forums

[doogsville]

There is a lot of useful information on MKL, though it does seem to need a bit more editorial control. The articles from the two guys who run the site, both of whom have spent time working and teaching in China, are generally quite informative, while some of the contributors stuff is very one sided and negative.

Personally I came to China for a change of scene. Though I didn't have a 'career' as such in the UK, just a succession of jobs over the years, I don't consider myself a failure. I never bought in to the 'career -> marriage ->kids-> retire' path to eternal happiness routine. I don't consider teaching English here as anything other than a job I do to make money. I do however give the job and my students 100% and try to improve and learn as I go. I'm married to a local girl, and if I ever leave China it will likely be to go to another South East Asian country like Thailand or Malaysia. I'm done with the UK. I don't need anything they have to offer, and I want to experience as many new and interesting, and occasionally exciting things, in the time I have left to me.

So I guess I don't fit into the author of that articles very narrow view of what the 'typical' older FT in China is like.

[Non Sequitur]

I too was an older entrant into EFL in China and my motivation was a bucket list situation.
Having been told by a high school careers adviser that I didn't have the brains to be a teacher it had always rankled.
Upshot when I became aware of EFL I did a short course and rate my time in China as among the most significant in my life.

[wonderingjoesmith]

[NoBillyNO]

I have known one of them since college and he is straight up a honest guy.

[milkweedma]

Brutal honesty often has a depressing slant to it depending on individual interpretation at any one time ie. ones own mood, feeling, opinion, experience etc etc.
I honestly thought the information on MKL was a great source of information and one should be armed with as much info as possible before heading to China or one is likely to be too naive to not be taken advantage of in certain situations in a culture where relationships and face take precedence over the law and social morality.

[LeopoldBloom]

Thanks to OP for posting this~!

The article from middlekingdomlife and the quote you put... are spot on and really important for potential teachers to read and consider very carefully.

Bloom

[LeopoldBloom]

And I want to add: notice how many agree with the article.

There was a brief (and ridiculous) egging and generalizing of Americans since the site comes from America. But most people see through that kind of powder-puff.

Everyone is well-warned and that's great to see. TEFL in China can be a good experience. If you're a recent graduate or retiree looking for some adventure, it's worth a brief spell and can be fun-- 6 months or maybe even a year; and for a handful of the retiree bunch, maybe much longer if they can adjust. For mid-career folk TEFL in China is by and large a desperation decision that makes life go from bad to horrible. And then you're stuck half a world away in China of all places, yikes. Look it's out there. I'm happy to see plenty of honest, thorough, and well-written info out there now whereas it wasn't there even a few years ago. TEFL in China is by and large a big trap unless you are very careful and understand it for what it is.

Take it easy and be wise and careful out there! Make good choices. You only get one life.

Bloom.

[avigoldberg]

And from the looks of it, people are spending WAY too much of it on this board, burning bread on other foreigners