Why should I teach in China?

China is a fast-developing, exciting place to be right now and if you are looking to make a healthy wage and push your EFL career forward, it is a great option. If you plan it right, you can have a wonderful lifestyle in a bustling city, but with beautiful country landscapes and surrounding Asian countries all easily within reach.

A little personal history…

China is huge and it always used to fascinate yet terrify me. I still remember the first time I experienced Shanghai in transit to Australia. This was around 2005 and being young everything felt extremely out of my comfort zone. I was only staying one night in an airport hotel, but it left a profound impression. I remember the hotel staff could not speak a word of English and even with hand gestures, I failed to communicate. A group of us gingerly decided to take a little walk around the block before the pick-up bus arrived to take us back to the airport and as I ambled those wide, local streets, I looked around and just thought –
‘oh my… if I get lost…I’m NEVER finding my way back…’ The sheer size of the place blew me away. After this experience, the concept of China formed in my mind like my own personal Mount Everest…I knew one day, I had to experience it to its fullest.

This was before smartphones, however. Thank goodness for smartphones. With built-in maps and translation apps! No worry of getting lost with those…

…And so flash forward to more recent times (with smartphones) and now I can sit back and honestly say plucking up the courage to move to China was one of the best things I ever did.

So, how do I find work?

So, I’ve hyped it up for you…and of course, you now want to go. So where do you start?

I found work through Dave’s eslcafe which is a good place to begin but you may wish to join some Facebook groups or refer to Tefl.com. Just like with any Tefl job – do your research and compare notes. Don’t be afraid to ask others out there what they recommend. I started out on a salary that looked brilliant compared to what I usually earned in Europe, but later discovered I could have doubled that easily. The salary will vary from place to place – if you aim for an academy it might range from 9000-18000 RMB ($1400-$2800) but if you have a PGCE and manage to get an International school position you can earn 23,000 RMB plus ($3500). Most positions will also often come with free accommodation, basic medical care, and a return airfare ticket. If you’d prefer the University route and you have a Masters then these positions can range from fairly low to as high as 23,000 RMB, but to get these higher salaries you will need at least two years of experience. I eventually secured a University role and enjoyed a great work-life balance in the process. Honestly, I never had it so good in this respect. What I could have earned in Europe and the UK in such a position with the easy working schedule – nothing even comes close. And yes, I’ve saved A LOT (not quite the same as Middle-Eastern ‘A LOT’ but it’s definitely still significant).

What are the students like?

Generally, students are respectful and well-behaved in the classroom, if not a little shy. Compared to my students in Spain for example, it has sometimes been a challenge to get students to speak up and you need to be prepared to call on them, to begin with.

The more you get to know them, the more they open up. Children tend to be more boisterous, but they are ever so cute and full of fun and smiles. Some of my favourite students have been found in my classrooms here. Like with any culture you will experience intercultural communication issues so read up on this and be prepared. Some will say that the Chinese can be a little blunt – especially when it comes to how you look. Try not to take it personally. It is not meant to be offensive -it is often out of curiosity or surprise. It is just part and parcel of different cultures and customs.

Where should I live?

China’s cities are divided into 1st tier, new 1st tier, 2nd tier and 3rd tier. 1st tier cities are the likes of Beijing, Shanghai further north and Guangzhou and Shenzhen further south. These are the super-sized cities and salaries will be higher but so will living costs. You can read about this here: The biggest cities in China.com I started out in a city called Quingdao -famous for the Tsingtao beer Tsingtao Brewery. Qingdao is arguably one of the best cities to live in owing to its moderate climate. The further south you go – the hotter the summers with stifling humidity, but when winter comes the humidity stays and most housing lacks suitable infrastructure and decent heating. The further north you go, the colder the winters, but at least you have the central heating, and the summers can still be uncomfortably hot. Qingdao has a free built-in heating system (not those little electric plug-in heaters you have to buy and pay for yourself), and it is not too humid. It is also by the sea and has some great mountains nearby and a strong Korean influence… which means decent Korean barbeque and sushi.

There are many wonderful cities to live in and experience in China. However, you may find you are spoilt for choice.

What to pack and be prepared for?

Be prepared for the Great Firewall. When I announced that I was going to China I was quickly informed that I was crazy by some friends. ‘But they don’t have Facebook, Youtube, Whatsapp!!!’ they all cried. As if my life could not function without such things….
Well, the solution is – you get a VPN. And then your problem is solved. Just maybe get two…they are constantly being overcome. And expect a degree of slowness, it is a well-known side effect. However, I never had any serious problems. What’s more, phone credit and the Internet is super cheap! Plus, you have WeChat (similar to Whatsapp) and many other great apps you can use from local bicycle apps to  Taobao (China’s equivalent to Amazon)

‘But what about censorship?’ was the follow-up question. Well, yes that does exist, but just practice some common sense. Avoid any anti-Chinese sentiment on public platforms that could be viewed negatively and learn some cultural sensitivity. Every country has its problems and I guess it just depends on how passionate you are about this point. When you get there, you will get a better feel of the situation and possibly experience some different perspectives on the matter coming from the Chinese people themselves. You may not agree but ask yourself – are you ready to let it stop you from experiencing a fascinating country, rich with opportunity? It is your own personal call.

As for packing, take your home comforts – decent peanut butter without sugar was a thing for me – but in first-tier cities, you can get most western products at stores such as April Gourmet or Jenny Lou’s or you can order items on Taobao at a price. As a woman, I’d also stress buying your skin and sanitary products before you go….and maybe paracetamol. Apart from this, however, you can buy most things you need out there. Oh, and when you are out there, get a mosquito net for the summer…seriously. You will thank me.

Also, be prepared for a funny tummy potentially if you are sensitive like me – you may wish to invest in some strong probiotics. I recommend OptiBac. You should adjust, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you choose to live out in the West where they love their spice, then this is probably even more sage advice.

Finally – the pollution. This is something to consider. I won’t lie – I found it difficult during the winter in Beijing. Beijing is situated in the desert, so the dry climate somehow makes it worse. I found moisturiser, face oil and lip balm to be lifesavers. You will also want to invest in an air purifier when out there – probably more than one. There will be bad days. Take an inhaler if you are also easily affected. However, air pollution is steadily improving, and it is much better than it used to be.

Where should I visit?

Oh boy… There is so much choice – from the Great Wall of China just outside Beijing to the terracotta warriors in Xian… or the famous Ice-festival in Harbin or the romantic toothy mountains of Guilin…and then there are the pandas in Chengdu and the skyscrapers in cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen. China is vast and after 3 and a half years there is still plenty on my to-do list. You are also super close to North and South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Mongolia…a travellers paradise awaits at your doorstep – and yes, on your salary you CAN afford it.

Final words

It really is hard to capture all the many things I’d like to say about China but plenty of people have been doing a fantastic job of it long before I came along. If you wish to delve deeper there are some brilliant vloggers out there. Check out some of the channels below.
If you do go – I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Scaling my own personal Everest left me with an abundance of vivid memories, life-long friends, professional development, increased confidence and a nice deposit I can now put towards buying a house… They say run at the things that scare you – I’m glad I did just that.

By Lauren Gurteen
Blog: efl teacher traveller

Some recommended vlogs:
Blondie in China
Miriam Follin
Barrett
Nico
Rachel meets China
Mexicanos en China