Job Discussion Forums

[eslmommy]

Hey All,

I've been reading through a lot of posts on this site and... well I guess I'm looking for a little encouragement.

My husband and I have decided that I should move to Beijing with our 9 year old daughter to further her Mandarin language. She has been learning Mandarin for nearly 5 years and really needs to be immersed to become fluent. My husband will remain in Canada.

I expect to get a job teaching English. I have no formal experience however, do homeschool our daughter. I have a BSc from a University in my home country of Canada and of course am a native English speaker. We homeschool because we feel we have our daughter's best interest at heart, not for religious or social reasons.

We plan to send our daughter to a school in Beijing. Friends of ours in Beijing have been very helpful with that end of it.

I guess what I am wondering about is what can I expect from a school that would consider hiring me? Money is not really a huge concern although I want to be paid what I am worth and do not want to contribute wage reduction for others by accepting a lower paying job. My husband will still be working in our home based business and my income will be basically for my living expenses in China. Is, say 4,000 to 4,500 RMB with paid accommodations a fair wage for an inexperienced teacher. Should I really stress my homeschool teaching as experience? I am also very involved in the Chinese community in our home city, would that have any weight? I have a couple of upcoming telephone interviews and any input would be helpful.

Thanks in advance
J

[Glenski]

I suggest you post this in the China forum for better results.

[Anda]

I have lived on 4,500 a month for two years here in China but I live in a poor city and get a large apartment provided along with freen utilities etc. I find that I can't save on this wage but I have bought quite a bit.

In the bigger cities you would need at least 8,000 RMB to live ok.

Cost of living is going up fast here in China.

You should be able to get at least 8,000 teaching children so don't rush in for less.

I will send you a link in the next couple of days when I get home for a place where you might be able to get a position.

[jwbhomer]

The idea of you trying to eke out a living as an ESL teacher in China as a single mom doesn't sound too well thought through? Why is your husband going to stay in Canada? And why go to China? Are you Chinese? Is your husband Chinese? Is your daughter Chinese?

[eslmommy]

Anda, thanks for your input. I am eager to get a position and worry that I might jump at the first offer. I will exercise patience.

J

[eslmommy]

I don't think of myself as being a single mom. I will still have the emotional and financial support of my husband. Unfortunately we will not have his physical presence in China. He is very supportive of this move. Since we have our own business in Canada it is not as easy for him to pick up and move. He may end up in China with us but initially it is probably too big of an adjustment for all of us to make. If our daughter and I get settled he may join us. This is not a permanent move.

None of us are Chinese but for our daughter's future we feel it is in her best interest to learn the language and culture of China. You might be interested in books and articles written by Jim Rogers, a financial guru of sorts.

I also feel that our family is sufficiently strong enough to handle this challenge and it will only make us stronger. This is an adventure we need to experience.

Thanks
J

[size=7]Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.[/size]

[spiral78]

No, I would not stress your homeschooling experience. This will have nearly zero applicability in terms of teaching a foreign language to multiple students - and you may or may not be teaching children. And, language learning is very much a separate field in education, for good reasons.

Also, I'm finding it hard to provide much encouragement. I'd wonder how your daughter feels about this? Is her fluency in Mandarin a strong enough concern from HER point of view to justify moving to Beijing, leaving her father, other family, and friends?

It seems to me that learning Mandarin as a foreign language, in Canada, can probably get her up to a point where, when and if she really needed the language, fluency would come quickly and easily, whether she's a tender nine or a more mature 20, able to really make up her own mind...

[eslmommy]

Well my daughter is very excited about the idea of moving to China. We obviously will still stay in contact with friends and family here. Again, it's not forever! We have our daughter's interest at heart. Of course we have talked all this over with her. She understands that it will be challenge. She is very confident at age nine and able to make friends easily. The world is a much smaller place with technology and the Internet. I don't think that it will be too difficult to stay in touch with those that really count in our life. And I might add that those people support our decision.

I am surprised that people, especially those in this forum would question our motives and suggest a lack of thought and compassion. My original post was asking about salaries and advice dealing with interviews etc. I am more than willing to answer questions about our situation... but please do not assume that we are heartless, goal driven parents without any compassion for our daughters thoughts or feelings.

J

[spiral78]

You also asked for encouragement, if you recall. That's probably why you are getting the subjective questions on top of practicalities.

I dont' necessarily think it's a bad thing for children to move abroad. It's a fantastic opportunity, given safe and supportive circumstances. I personally happen to be a bit paranoid of parents with strong aspirations for their children, having been victimized in this way myself, by parents with all the best wishes for me. That is not to imply that you are pushing your daughter at all, simply to explain why I wrote that it would be important to know what she thinks of all this.

[eslmommy]

spiral78,

Thank you explaining yourself.

J