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Teach English overseas with a husband and 2 kids
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wiglsworth



Joined: 06 Jul 2016
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:14 am    Post subject: Teach English overseas with a husband and 2 kids Reply with quote

Hello,

My family is looking to move overseas for a few years and I would love to teach English. I have a husband and 2 kids-4.5 and 2. I have a degree and a simple TEFL certification with no experience but have had no problems lining up interviews. However, once potential employers hear about my family they just say there hasn't been a precedence of a teacher with family and it goes no where. So I'd like to ask:

1) How feasible is it it land a job that is supportive of you bringing over your family?

2) I'm assuming the starting salary is anywhere between 9,000 and 12,000-is that even possible to live on in a second-third tier city while paying rent? One of the employers was offering free accommodation or subsidy of 500 a month-hardly seems enough when apartment prices are about 6,000.

3) I have been told that its impossible to enroll your child into the local Chinese school and they would have to go to the expensive international school. Is that correct?

4) If China is not the most family-friendly place for the ESL teachers, can you suggest whether any other country would be better?

5) Has anyone done it before or knows of anyone that has done it? Would you do it again? Any tips or tricks you can share?

Thank you for your help!
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:33 am    Post subject: Re: Teach English overseas with a husband and 2 kids Reply with quote

wiglsworth wrote:
My family is looking to move overseas for a few years and I would love to teach English. I have a husband and 2 kids-4.5 and 2. I have a degree and a simple TEFL certification with no experience.

Are you expecting to support your family of four on just your entry-level income, or will your husband be working as well?
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A few points.

that 500 RMB a month offer is insulting. If I were you I'd take a place [make sure it's two bedrooms although you'd probably have to substitute the double for two singles for your kids]. Most tier2 cities the rent is no where near 6000. You could find a 2 or 3 bed in a tier 2[I'm thinking Chengdu Taiyuan Xi'an Dalian etc] for about 2500.

The school thing is true, you may be able to get them into a kindergarten.

If you work HARD and you're white and know how to work the system you could pull in 14000-15000. That's enough for 4 but it'll be a bit of a struggle.

If your husband is a native speaker and you find say, a way that you work in a university or something [day classes] and he works a language center [evening and weekends] you'd in theory always have someone to cover the kids. With two salaries [lets say 25,000] plus a free house you'd be having a great standard of living.

BUT

Do you want to put your kids through being seen as an 'oddity' in China? Do you want people to constantly pick up touch your kids? Constantly give you parenting advice? Not trust the doctor if one is sick? Put them through the equivalent of smoking 20 cigs a day in air pollution? Not trust the food produce you are giving them?
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wangdaning



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LarssonCrew wrote:

Do you want to put your kids through being seen as an 'oddity' in China? Do you want people to constantly pick up touch your kids? Constantly give you parenting advice? Not trust the doctor if one is sick? Put them through the equivalent of smoking 20 cigs a day in air pollution? Not trust the food produce you are giving them?


Do you have children? Who is picking up your children and why are you allowing it?
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OhBudPowellWhereArtThou



Joined: 02 Jun 2015
Posts: 1168
Location: Since 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've seen a husband, wife and a twelve year-old daughter get by on a BA salary and a free university-provided apartment in a second tier city, but it wasn't much fun for the wife. The girl was allowed to attend English classes at the university, so the wife didn't have much to do during the day.

Personally, I wouldn't attempt it at any rate of pay with two kids. It will be rough on the kids unless they are put in an English speaking environment where their needs will be met. The four year-old will probably start kindergarten at age five. I'm no expert in child development, but I'd guess what the China experience may actually set her back a year if she returns home at age five.

At public university pay, it'll be a financial hardship.
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Shanghai Noon



Joined: 18 Aug 2013
Posts: 589
Location: Shanghai, China

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:22 pm    Post subject: Re: Teach English overseas with a husband and 2 kids Reply with quote

wiglsworth wrote:


3) I have been told that its impossible to enroll your child into the local Chinese school and they would have to go to the expensive international school. Is that correct?


Not correct. They just can't go to public schools. There are many private schools that cater to Chinese children who are also ineligible for public schools because of hukou (residency) requirements. I worked at a private kindergarten three years ago. They charged ¥3,000 per month.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I have a degree and a simple TEFL certification with no experience


I don't think there are many (any, really) jobs anywhere that offer enough pay and benefits to support a family of 4 decently on offer to candidates with this level of qualifications, honestly. That's not limited to TEFL, but any job!
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But if two people work you could sock away 30,000 with housing, that's almost $5000 a month, after tax, in a place 1/2 the price of the west...

Although childcare/good quality education which is free back home will cost you a bomb.
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
Quote:
I have a degree and a simple TEFL certification with no experience


I don't think there are many (any, really) jobs anywhere that offer enough pay and benefits to support a family of 4 decently on offer to candidates with this level of qualifications, honestly. That's not limited to TEFL, but any job!


There are no jobs of any kind, anywhere, for a college degreed person to support a family of 4?? Hmmm.
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happeningthang



Joined: 08 Oct 2003
Posts: 117

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My school had a mum teach here with her three daughters attending the school as regular students. They did already have some Chinese, and they were enrolled in a grade a year below their current level to make the Chinese they were instructed in a bit more manageable. Mum made it up with home schooling in the evenings and arranging for tutors in specific subjects.

The school provides EVERYTHING down to meals, and gave them a deal on tuition to encourage having American kids in the school, so we made it easy for them. Still, mom worked her ass off to make it all work.

The kids thrived. They learned Chinese made friends with local kids they're still in touch with and actually were well advanced in maths, but, ironically, behind in English by the time they were done here. They were just the right age to make it work (grades 3&4) and the whole family had a great attitude and work ethic.

I was sure the whole thing was going to end in tears, with all sorts of complaints, but they wanted it to succeed and just worked at it. Ended up a great experience for everyone. That mum was a superwoman.
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LarssonCrew



Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 1308

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't want my kids to be subjected to 2 hours of homework a night from the age of 6 and blunting of all subjects. By the time I was 7 I had an interest in the world and could name continents, other countries, capitals etc. Which is not prevalent at all in Chinese education.
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asiannationmc



Joined: 13 Aug 2014
Posts: 1342

PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have had the pleasure of knowing a few expat families who had children and some have fared well and some have developed a talent for trouble. Expat Kids with a good deal of folding money and a city like Beijing can find a lot to get into ...those who have been younger and with parents who have a family unit perspective seem to this ole' single dog to flourish...but why take it from a bunch of hard tails....I have met a Chinese tattoo artist whose little girl .... can call-out the English names of Dinosaurs, the blond haired offspring of a Russian and American in the North East who had to endure teasing, although she developed the ability to take up for herself.... each situation is different depending on the area and the system you try and apply for, but the answers are likely in connecting with parent of expat-Kids or search out information such as podcast, many from the kids perspective.....

http://limitlesslaowai.com/

http://limitlesslaowai.com/kaylie_alexia/ this is an example of one such podcast

Quote:

NEW SERIES—A KID’S TAKE ON LIFE ABROAD
Expat life affects every member of the family. This new series, inspired by a Limitless Listener, aims to share just how incredible life can be for kids who get to experience living abroad. From the mouths of babes come some pretty incredible insight and wisdom.



http://www.beijing-kids.com/

https://www.facebook.com/beijingkids/

http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/family.html

Instead of seeking advice here (some of it is indeed good but much will help little providing information needed for a decision process), you will receive advice based on a distant perspective, those not in china and those with unfounded notions. I can tell you honestly, living in places other than my familiar surroundings has enabled me to survive in a lot of cultures, not by embracing but by observation.
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OhBudPowellWhereArtThou



Joined: 02 Jun 2015
Posts: 1168
Location: Since 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 2:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can tell you honestly, living in places other than my familiar surroundings has enabled me to survive in a lot of cultures, not by embracing but by observation.

I don't doubt anything that anyone has said about having lived abroad, living abroad, etc..

My concern is for the kids and the strain it may put on the parents and the children.

Parents of pre-school children may encounter problems with home country school administrators, policy, and testing when they return home, especially if they return from a developing nation but didn't attend a school with some sort of recognized accreditation. I've seen it happen, not among kids returning from China but from European countries, even though the kids attended international schools.

I am not asserting that the kids will actually be behind their peers when they arrive home, but parents should be prepared for roadblocks to their children's acceptance into their age-appropriate grade level. The politics of education can be treacherous.

Even though the children aren't yet school age, one thing that I'd do is to talk to my local school counselor about home schooling if the oldest will be staying in China beyond the first grade in primary school (or kindergarten if it is required). I'd get as much inside advice as possible that will benefit the kids.

If the OP intends to stay a year, I'd say enjoy it. Depending upon the city, the kids and their parents will probably be treated like royalty by the city FAO and by a lot of local pooh-bahs. I've seen that happen too.

Whether the OP intends to come to China for a short stay, an extended stay, or for an indeterminately long stay, the kids should come first. Prepare them for their future.

No one in this forum can argue credibly that living and surviving abroad doesn't benefit one in many ways. It does.
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asiannationmc



Joined: 13 Aug 2014
Posts: 1342

PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 2:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I'd get as much inside advice as possible that will benefit the kids.


sound advice
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Markness



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 738
Location: Chengdu

PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 6:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If we are talking about how a mixed child or full-blown white child would handle themselves in school, the answer I would give is pretty good. The missus knows people who have kids here who are of Japanese decent, and some that are mixed, and some that are white, and the ones who are white and go to a public school and treated really well. The mixed ones are treated well as well, and the ones who are Japanese it is a little more difficult, but they also get treated quite well.. but the only downer is when there is nationalism day aka the celebration of the world war 2 victory of the allies, but they call it the anti-Japan day or some crap. I think its the day they celebrate being flattened by the Japanese, which is quite strange because the TV shows show otherwise. Kind of like the French celebrating a big victory.. except they don't do that. And on that day they get all wooped up and trash Japanese buildings and stuff, and on that day it could be hard for the kids. The kids are raised to hate the Japanese even now in schools. I had some 7-8 y/o kids who know how to say "I hate Japan", but couldn't say a whole lot more than that.

Anywho, I am off-topic. The kids should be fine in school socially, but the education system here is terrible. Hours upon hours of homework. Instead of creating poetry about nature, kids are subjected to memorize poetry on how it is honorable to fight for the country, how Mao is fantastic, and crap that is generally useless. It is awful. They are raised to obey authority, when authority to them is a joke (I can already tell with my high school students they feel this way).

In terms of finding a gig that can support a family.. the gig itself cannot do that, but if you are okay with working doing privates/for other schools on the side you should be fine. Savings/investments allow you to never really have to work though, which is the best route.. it is the way you can "work to live", instead of having to "live to work", because that is how they do things here.
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