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Posts: 1989

Peasant

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Q: Is China part of your "career path" or a detour from it?

I'm grappling with some minor "quarter-life" crisis issues at the moment, and I'm wondering how many of you are going through the same. Do you view your time in China as a worthwhile step in your ideal career path or a temporary escape? 

11 years 20 weeks ago in  Business & Jobs - China

 
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Posts: 4397

Emperor

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  I don't have a career path of any kind. I never have had. Came here traveling, tried teaching, moved here for good and have taught ever since. Now i'm teaching mostly young kids. I make all my own flashcards, I copy pics in black pen then colour them. Pissing myself laughing right now in fact because i'm a 44 year old man, but when my wife asked me just now to go and pick up our son, who's just awoken, I looked at her in all seriousness and said "I can't, i'm busy, you do it. I'm going to put on Finding Nemo and do some colouring."

 

:

I'm more of an "Incredibles" man myself. :D

11 years 20 weeks ago
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981977405:

Worth at least 10 thumbs up.

11 years 20 weeks ago
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11 years 20 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1084

Shifu

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We can be anything we want if we pet our heart and mind into it.

 

I am enjoy living in China and I'm good at my job. I have no problem.

 

If I go home and do something else I enjoy, then that would be fine too.

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11 years 20 weeks ago
 
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Emperor

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For me, it was well worth coming to China and it has helped my career path greatly.  Though, and I mean no offense by this, but if you are an English teacher in China, I can't see that being much help to anyone's career path.  (If they have one, that is.)

 

I mean, it might teach you how to be an ESL teacher back in your home country, which may be rewarding in a sense, it won't do a lot to grow your bank balance.  And if you are looking to become a regular teacher, I can't see how working 20 hours a week can prepare you for the hours and hard work a regular teacher has to do.

 

To me, teaching English is a nice escape (or something to do if you are semi-retired and just want something to do while living in China), but it has very few real-world career applications.

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11 years 20 weeks ago
 
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Emperor

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As a visual artist, my carrier path is my temporary escape (and vise versa)! angry

 

I came to China in order to study traditional Chinese ink painting, and since I had the credentials, taught English in order to live in the country long term while I concluded my study. Almost finished, and will be wrapping it up soon.

 

When I get back to the U.S., I'll be hanging up my teaching hat and picking up the brush once again to make a living that way. While here, I've developed a synthesis in approach, utilizing a variety of techniques which combine the fluidness of the Chinese ink (Xie Yi)  with elements of traditional "western" representation. Lots of fun, and I'm excited about putting it all into practice once more.  

 

Xpat.John:

I have always had a great deal of respect for artists (with the exception of most 'modern' artists) because of their talent.  Which, as much as I would hope for, I lack to a great degree.

11 years 20 weeks ago
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giadrosich:

I agree with you, John! I'm not really a modern art lover myself, although I have seen a few abstract digital artists who are doing some exciting work. Personally, I like trees that look like trees when painted, but...to each their own! I guess that's why it's called "art" and not "science!"

11 years 20 weeks ago
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Xpat.John:

I guess the thing about modern art that annoys' me is that some guy can tie a bit of string around a nail and call it art.  (And get paid tons of money for it.)

 

Abstract art I can respect, it at least shows talent.  But throwing a bunch of empty plastic jugs in a pile and saying, "It is a representation of man's inhumanity towards the cosmos" is just silly.  But to each their own, I suppose.

 

And speaking of science, the do call it the "art of medicine".  So I guess that says something for the medical community.  haha

11 years 20 weeks ago
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Posts: 2604

Shifu

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Neither! I see it as a place for enlightenment. My career goes where I go! I don't chase my career around the world!

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Emperor

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I retired here ....  no work, peace and quiet (yah right) ...cheap and simple ......  no career, broke and can't afford to go home.  ......kind of like it!!!!

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11 years 20 weeks ago
 
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General

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Wish I could high-five you for actually asking the same question I've been pestering myself with over the last year. (Shame I can't be honest with myself, though.) Spent the year teaching in Hunan; has been great, but professionally, completely pointless. Hate to waste all the knowledge, friendships, and insight I've gained from my year in rural China, though. Seems like the only non-teaching jobs are 1) in big cities, and 2) at bars or "modeling agencies." Wish there were more alternatives, but looks like those of us who aren't sold on the teaching gig are doomed to return and de-prosper. It was fun while it lasted... :(

KJ

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11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 703

Shifu

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Temporary escape, rest, fun, etc. But use the time wisely and prepare yourself for when you do return to your job/career back home.

I used the extra time to upgrade myself in my career. So that when you return to an interview, you can say, ''Yeah, I teached English and took some time for myself, but I also did this and this, and this.'' (Things applicable to your job)

Has worked great for me, I have just returned home and have a better job than when I left. Yes, I took a step back financially by being in China, but that was my choice, and I have obtained what I wanted I suppose.

981977405:

I quote, to wit : "Yeah, I TEACHED English".  I am glad that you are my teacher with grammar like that.

11 years 12 weeks ago
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JungleLife:

I don't check over my English when I write something, yeah, i make mistakes, who cares. Grammar isn't everything you know, there are more important things than grammar in an English class.

11 years 12 weeks ago
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TedDBayer:

Contemporary English is always spoken as correct grammar. Who'd recognise if you said , I taught I taw a puddy tat?

11 years 12 weeks ago
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11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 205

Governor

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I think for a lot of us in China, being in China is not part of our career path but it can be valuable experience when we go back home.  The key is to do some planning.  I think there is nothing wrong with teaching ESL though many disagree. There are plenty of skills to learn from teaching ESL (creativity, presentation skills, public speaking, group/classroom management, people skills, Chinese culture/thought etc) that can be carried over to the real world.  The thing is you have to be able to sell someone who has little understanding of what a good ESL teacher does.  If you teach well and commit a few years here you can move into management and curriculum development and that always looks good on a resume no matter how you write it. 

 

But another thing is if you are here teaching ESL you'd better pick up something else to support your career.  Like I said you can sell your ESL teaching (if you get an interview) but that by itself won't likely get you an interview back home.  Learning Chinese is an obvious one but nowadays lots of Chinese universities are encouraging foreigners to enroll for graduate studies and giving away a lot of full scholarships in the process.  I myself almost finished a master's degree and didn't have to pay anything or take out a loan at all.  I'm currently deciding what to do next myself, whether to go back and test my luck in the job market back home or just stay here.  Good luck to you. 

 

 

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11 years 12 weeks ago
 
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Emperor

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I intend to stay in China for another 9 years, when my daughter reaches high school age, my family and I will return to the UK, by then I'll be nearing 60. So China is at the end of my career path.  However in the UK there are plenty of opportunities for ESL / EFL teachers, the growing immigrant community means these opportunities are growing esp if (as like myself) you are a qualified teacher too, (i.e. PGCE / Cert Ed).  When I return to the UK I will look for a full time job but I will be prepared (financially and mentally) to go part time or even freelance. I am hopeful I won't need the work financially but I intend to keep on working as I view retirement as the first stage in the dying process.

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11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1153

Shifu

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actually i retired 10 years ago at 48 and my wife is from xian ive been here 9 times usually a 6 week stay 4 years ago i was here for a year and taught english to pass time this time i will be here for 8 months and i taufgt  english again the best news is i have less than 2 weeks left and back to newport beach california and iam counting the minutes

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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I never had a career path before I came to China, I lifted boxes, rode despatch and got high back home. Here i'm a teacher, and thankfully there's no crack or smack in China. Loving teaching. Love my students. LOVE the free time to spend with my family. Life is good.

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Detour, really.

 

But  love travel, love engaging in the outside world and want to incorporate that into all of my future work - so, in another sense, not a detour.

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11 years 10 weeks ago
 
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