Job Discussion Forums

[jcmacron]

Good afternoon everyone,

As the title says I'm a recent college graduate from a U.S. university with a major in International and Global Studies and a minor in Chinese language. I would like to return to China to teach English for a number of reasons:

1) I enjoy teaching English and have experience with it through my internship I did during my undergrad

2) I can further practice my Chinese while abroad

3) I can gain international experience in a professional setting

I studied abroad at Beijing Normal during my undergrad, so I am somewhat familiar with living internationally. Is a TEFL or CELTA certification absolutely necessary for teaching abroad (in China)? I am not sure if I want to pursue education as a career (and I don't have 120 hours of time to commit to getting a cert) but because of the reasons I stated above I believe teaching abroad is sound option to consider. This may be my wanderlust speaking, but as a 22 year old kid with not a lot trying me down to one place I feel that I don't have much to lose by signing a (not shady) one year contract and seeing how it pans out. Whether that pays itself off through networking or some other way, I want to investigate it.

If anyone takes the time to read this, I greatly appreciate it.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

[JamesD]

First and foremost - Do it. Do it now.
Depending on where you look a cert isn't necessary outside of Beijing, ShangHai, and most 2nd tier cities; there should be lots of opportunities.

My two cents:
Heck, if I were in your position (40 years younger) I'd try to find a mid-size city that hasn't been westernized or even an out of the way village that really needs and wants an FT, not a mill or uni that is looking for a dancing monkey as advertising.
You're young! Do a year on the edge of the rat race before you dive in and become a cynic! Spend your free time after work hanging out with the local blue collars discussing their kids' grades rather than swilling overpriced imported beer at a foreigner-owned 'pub' and chasing local SILFs with dyed hair, 5,000 RMB phones, and more makeup than clothes.
Go teach the people who need it, not the brats who take English only to prove their parents can afford it.

Apologies, curmudgeon rant over. I feel MUCH better.