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Q: Was English teacher your first choice of Job in China?
Please don't feel offended I was interested to know how many non professional teachers were trying to get a job in China
before deciding on teaching.
I am a teacher but as many of you know not English (thank you Cat for the spell check)
I've been trying to find something in China that I would not only make good money over but also be happy in doing
did you just decide to bite the bullet and teach or was it something different for you?
12 years 6 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
I wanted to live in another country, experience another culture. I knew that even a person without teaching experience could get a job here. My major was not in teaching, but in writing, so it's not exactly my cup of tea. However, the pay is good, the school treats me pretty well, and I have lots of free time. If I could have a job as something else, maybe a singer, but I don't think that would work out the way I'd like it to, so I'll stick to teaching.
philbravery:
Have you thought about writing for this mob?(echina)
or maybe you could send something back to a publication back home
you might be able to make a $ or two
Jnusb416:
Yes, I've thought about it. The question is, what would I write about?
philbravery:
you got to be kidding
You subscribe to the biggest freak show on earth and then there is everyday life in China
I notice we supply a lot of articles for the front page as it is
Jnusb416:
Yes, but I'd probably end up writing some sort of opinion article. Despite all the research I've done, and keeping up with current news, I don't know if I've known about it long enough to follow trends. I don't want to write some fluff story, I want to write something worth reading.
philbravery:
Yeah I see your point
if you wrote anything about what goes on here nobody would believe it anyway.
Jíliú.hé:
You do not come off as a real people person, and from what I have seen on the site. your writing does not seem all that inspired or creative. So I cannot see you righting with other people on a paper or writing a book by yourself. there might be a reason why you left your own country.
GuilinRaf:
Wow Jiliu, you are definitely NOT one to talk! And then, you wonder why nobody likes you. Not even with spell-check could you get it right. Way to go.
giadrosich:
I left my own country because I'm wanted in twenty-eight states, 15 cities, and 10 counties. But, as Walt used to say, "that's the rest of the story."
One of the main reasons of why I came to China was to learn traditional Chinese ink painting and calligraphy. My background is in the arts (fine and illustration), but since I taught in a college in the U.S., teaching was the quickest way to get employment here. I do enjoy teaching, and having done so in both places, in actuality, I prefer Asian students over their American counterparts. They are more polite, respectful, have a better attitude, and less "baggage" in their lives. One does have the odd exception, but generally, 97
% of my students (who are almost all female) are a joy to teach.
This, of course, reflects their somewhat sheltered upbringing and the way that the Chinese conduct their relationships. I do think, however, that as their society opens more and more to western influence, this may change. I can already see some of the traits (albeit, at a very subdued level) that listening to western music is introducing.
FruitIsGood:
Why mention Western music over TV, movies, food, etc... I guess that'd be a big slice of the pie, however, I'd like to believe TV/movies is a larger slice. -_-
giadrosich:
Mainly because western music is more prevalent in the life of the average college age student, for a number of reasons. While they do watch movies, most of the students I've talked to (which is thousands) listen for the beat, and then start to assimilate the words as their interest grows beyond casual consumption. Listening is an easier activity than watching, and can be done while studying, socializing, etc. One can easily download tons of western music on QQ, and other sites, however, western TV is (with the exception of certain shows), much more of a rarity. Of course, as technology becomes more common place, this could change, and more influence come from the shows and movies that you mentioned.
Yes, it was. Although, the idea was just to get experience before I headed to another country (such as in Europe), but I'm finding a) those other countries are gioing to be hard to get into with so much competition, and b) I can really make it well here! So much better than in most other countries.
Yes it was. I taught in another country before coming here, I'd traveled through Asia and met a few teachers along the way. By the time I got home the stressful 9-5 office job I had at home just didn't appeal and more so I immediately started saving and planning to quit (note: not all teachers here are hopeless losers that can't get a job elsewhere, some people just have a passion for travel and living in new places).
That said, I don't plan to teach ESL for the rest of my life. Of course there's nothing wrong with finding that your passion in life is teaching languages (see above!), but I don't think I could do this for more than another couple of years, tops.
I am (I think and hope) still young enough to transition back into a career-style job in my home country, and money saved here will give me the ability to do a masters program, which to be honest, I would find almost impossible to afford any other way.
Shining_brow:
What the...??? I thought you're an Aussie!
You know that you Master's should be covered by HECS/whatever they call it now. So, no up-front fees! (I certainly havne't needed to pay anything... nor will for my next one)
MissA:
No! Fuckers have changed the rules since I di my undergraduate degree. Some postgraduate degrees are covered by HELP (the, ironically, less helpful form of HECS), but not all of them are. Two of the three programs I'm looking at are not covered, including the one that's likely to be my top choice. Not happy!
No, I wanted to be Emporer,, still working on that,, but now I'm an air quality inspector.
(edit) that means I'm not dong anything = breathing . i made up my job title.
Jíliú.hé:
have i not told you that you are doing gods work in that country
and why only aim for emperor, i am aiming for grand emperor 
Shining_brow:
Emperor Ming was one of my minor lords in my court.
No, not the Chinese one - the one in Flash Gordon!
Yep... it's what I do here. On a different level, and a different age group.
It'll be different in China, an adventure, a challenge. And probably not the ideal environment compared to what I am used to here. But I plan to enjoy it. Regardless of the whole circus clown/white dancing monkey stereotype... I'll do the best I can with what I've got and who I've got to do it with.
But then, I'm only staying for 6 months.
Probably.
I would prefer to be a sale based economics consultant or run a summer program on economics and basic business language for a high school or college I would be doing what I love and teaching important fundamental of business and economics.
PS they would all have to memorize the way to wealth by Benjamin Franklin.
Shining_brow:
Better to memorize "First you get the money, then you get the power, then you get the girl" by Tony 'Scarface' Montana.
Actually a really good question and one that creates a personal dilemna for me right now.
For me the scenario would be that currently have a succesfull career as a mid level manager in an international company and although nowhere near being filthy rich, get along quite well. The thing is that I am Asian born but have been living in Europe all my life and would be really interested in at least trying at how it feels to be living among "my kind", so to say.
Situation is that I have been trying to find jobs that would fit my portfolio in China but as expertise is really sales, marketing and client oriented, seems that requirement of fluent Chinese seems to be almost mandatory. Other option would be that my company allows me to go for an expatriate tour, but at least right now does not seem like a viable option in the near future (believe me, I have been suggesting it in my every career review 
).
So lately I have been thinking about quitting this whole treadmill corporate life, get myself a TESOL certificate and move to China to teach english. Actually the teaching would be more as a means to keep me financed while I concentrate on learning Chinese and after that find a job among my field of expertise. I need to add that I already am quadrilingual, so if I manage to learn Chinese, I would get to hold an esteemed title of quintilingual as an added bonus 
.
Has anyone among you good readers done this and survived? Or does it all end in Veni, Vidi, Volo in domum redire
GuilinRaf:
well, for me it was kind of like venit ad domum novam vitam.
Hugh.G.Rection:
Yes, I did something similar. While I was not in the corporate field I was doing quite well in a totally different field. That came to an end, for many reasons, one of which was a serious difference of opinion on teacher training requirements.
So I bit the bullet and did what I was preaching, i.e. took up teaching full time. China, well that choice was due to marrying a Chinese lady.
My only advice is having 'enjoyed' a relatively comfortable lifestyle, you will have to start cutting your cloth according to your income, that is absolutely the most important adjustment. If you decide to 'pad out' your lifestyle by dipping into your savings, they won't last long and your 'adjustment' will take even longer to achieve.
Are you kidding?! Being an English teacher wasn't even my 15th choice of a job.
Yes, I discovered teaching relatively late in life and found it a true vocation. I was teaching for the last 6 years of my previous life but in a technical field that really wouldn't allow me to take it up as a second career.
My first choice was not to work in China but you see now am working my ass off for a chinese company.........just because i graduated in china....so i live the chinese dream with a foreign salary......damn i should have not said this
icnif77:
You really shouldn't say this!
Cause, readers of this Forum believe anything you write down! Just anything!
We enjoy reading things about your new GF or high salary, you are receiving.
We think, you are an outstanding person, just reading your humble posts.
Now, there is one thing, I see you are confused about: head and ass are two different parts of the body.
Createach:
seriously.What's your problem with me?!!!!............Did i shag your sister or something?!!!!
