Job Discussion Forums

Flip-Flopper · Joined: 24 May 2012 Posts: 13

I don't really have any good reason to go to China to teach, but it seems most of my email inbox is getting filled with ads and spam from Chinese schools looking for "any old white face" regardless of qualifications. Nothing they say can entice me, so what enticed you?

Miles Smiles · Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1294 Location: Heebee Jeebee

One receives such ads when he signs up to receive them.

Duh...

Please starve the trolls.

Flip-Flopper · Joined: 24 May 2012 Posts: 13

Sorry I'm not a troll. I've been reading the forums for a few months now but discovered that there is an off-topic forum that needs registration. I'm genuinely curious what made people get off their yoo-hoos and choose China instead of some other place. I'm really thinking about it but the salaries are so low compared to other places but the start up costs seem kind of low outside of the big cities.

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

OK, I'll bite. My kids were grown and the job I loved packed up and moved to another city. With the support of my husband (and kids who had already taught overseas), I went back to school for a year to get a university TESOL certificate. I wanted to go to Turkey because I'd never been there, but without a masters it looked as if I'd be stuck with language schools so I headed for China instead. I've been lucky, no horror stories to tell. I love teaching at the university level. The pay is fine and my accommodations are very comfortable. I'll be back in the fall for another year.

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mnguy29 · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 155 Location: USA

I went to teach in China four years ago for a few reasons. Yes, the beginning of our economic downturn and could not find a good job was a big part of it. I have two college degrees and one is in teaching. I am also divorced with no children which made it easier. Also, decided it would be a great adventure and something I never will forget. It is all of that. I chose China over Korea because its a bigger country and just seemed to be more interesting. From what I have heard about teaching in Korea, I was right. Except for the pay which is much better in Korea.

colonel · Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 89 Location: Nanyang and Cha-Am

I wanted my two daughters to learn Mandarin in the most effective and, in my opinion, efficient way.
The only way we could stay in China to effect this aim was for me to get a job teaching.
Yes, they've had to subject themselves to class sizes of 50+ etc. but my mission was for them to achieve a relatively high level of fluency.
Five years later and we're still here. The kids, I'm told, speak like a/any local and, as a bonus, their numeracy skills are way ahead of their Western peers - job, almost, done.
Next year it's off to Blighty as secondary level education is where it all begins - and, no doubt, further challenges for me.

mike w · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 3:38 pm Post subject:

The company I worked for in the UK sent me here. When I finished the job they sent me to do (took 5 years), I decided to stay.

scholar · Joined: 18 May 2012 Posts: 159

I read an article today about middle-class families turning to food stamps and government medical assistance because they experienced layoffs, foreclosures, etc. Americans have a pretty limited viewpoint as to how they should be able to survive -- they'll do whatever it takes, as long as they get to stay in the same neighborhood, find a new job exactly like their old one, and keep all of their premium cable channels.

China could be a good place for a lot of American families, at least until the U.S. economy recovers. They might not save a lot of money, but they would survive. Their kids would learn Mandarin, and their math would improve, too. Both parents could teach, they could have an apartment provided, and they could hire an ayi. Their family income relative to expenses wouldn't be bad at all.

How many American families will consider this? About 0.00001 percent. As I said, they'll do whatever it takes -- as long as it doesn't involve anything outside their comfort zone.

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

took Chinese as my foreign language in college. Wanted to get some use out of it. After moving out here, moving back to the US seems undesirable.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

The company I was working for was downsizing.
Quite by chance I saw an ad about a Teach International information session.
I signed up and in the process learned that China is the biggest hirer.
I met someone on Dave's who lived near me and we met up for coffee.
She had worked in Dalian and offered to put me in touch with her old school.

cormac · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 768 Location: Xi'an (XTU)

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Flip-Flopper · Joined: 24 May 2012 Posts: 13

spicykimchi · Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Posts: 50

I taught English for four years in a certain country not too far from China. I left for two reasons: First, I wanted to teach adults. In that country, adult gigs are hard to come by. And if you do land one, you're more than likely going to work an annoying split shift. (But I think that the Wall Streets there have a 9-5 shift.)

Second, China's in no way perfect, but when I took a vacation to Shanghai, the people seemed a tad friendlier and a lot less xenophobic than the other large city from that country I worked in. So I thought that I'd give China a shot. I've been here almost half a year, and it's okay.