Teach Abroad Blog
Teaching abroad
A normal weekday of a Chinese high school student (Jessica)
Many of you who are teaching in China might wonder what an average day in the life of one of the students you’re teaching looks like. Well, here is your answer:
6:00 Get up & Have breakfast
Jessica sets her alarm at 5:50 so that she can hit the snooze button to sleep another 10 minutes. Jessica’s mom has prepared Baozi and milk for breakfast.
Applying through a Recruiter or Finding a School yourself
We sometimes encounter resistance from prospective teachers once they discover the position they applied to was posted by a recruiting agency. Why is that? Why do some teachers choose to find a job through a recruiter, while others shun agencies and avoid them to the fullest extent? And perhaps most importantly, what is the right choice; apply directly to a school or through an agency?
Honestly, there is no right answer. People who hate recruiters usually have had a negative experience with one in the past and believe all recruiters are a bunch of callous, opportunistic jerks who don’t care about the teacher’s well-being. Every recruiter is different, and you should treat them like you treat any potential employer: interview a couple of different ones until you find the right fit. Every recruiter has a different work ethic, so it is in your best interest to find one you completely trust. Personally, I believe all teachers should also interview the recruiters when they are being interviewed by them. Even though their services are free to you, recruiters do get paid when they find you a job. It is up to you to decide who really deserves the “finder’s fee.” Use common sense and personal judgment and you’ll be able to winnow the recruiters who are honest and committed.
Qualifications for Teaching English Language
TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language / TESOL – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages A basic first job will usually require a degree and a TEFL or TESOL certificate. There is quite a range in the types of TEFL/TESOL certificates that are available. Teaching Nomad has a partnership with a reputable […]
Living Abroad
Reverse Culture Shock
One difficult part of life as a foreign teacher in China that unfortunately is often overlooked is the ‘reverse culture shock’ experienced when a teacher returns to their home country. In general, the global experience is often highly stimulating and exciting. The foreign teacher is often in a position of higher power and autonomy, and also enjoys a higher standard of life with higher levels of disposable income as the cost of living in China is relatively low. However, when returning home it is often assumed that the teacher will merely slot back perfectly into the home country and company just as it was previously.
As crazy as it sounds when talking about your home country, usually, the repatriate has to relearn an old culture again, but it is often viewed from a different and less understanding perspective then when first experiencing a completely new culture. Frequently the returning teacher is shown little to no sympathy by their peers and friends, as from their viewpoint the teacher has been incredibly lucky to have the opportunity of such an amazing experience and all the other benefits that come with the role, and they are now merely complaining as they have to come back down to ‘reality’. All of this can potentially lead to feelings of being underappreciated and sometimes a loss of direction in life. Unless a person has experienced repatriation themselves they simply cannot relate to the individual, and this lack of understanding can prove to be very frustrating for the repatriate as they find it difficult to relate the value of their international experience to their family, friends, and colleagues.
5 ways to save money while living in China
Moving to China is a fantastic and life altering experience, particularly for someone who has never lived abroad before. Seeing the world through the lens of another society, one with a radically different culture and history and a vastly different center of focus inevitably changes how you view the world and your own society back home. This makes teaching in China rewarding in and of itself. However for most of us rewarding cultural experiences don’t pay off student loans. So for those of us without the benefit of a well-padded bank vault here are some tips for saving money will living in the middle kingdom.
Five Tips To Survive Your First Three Months In China
Living in China has always been at the back of my mind since I interned in Shanghai in 2009. During that summer I fell in love with the city, the people and the adventures; I knew I wanted to come back and call this city “home”. Deciding to move was the easy part, and actually making the move was much harder than I could have imagined. Boston was my home for the past 9 years. While it was hard to say goodbye, the excitement of the great unknown helped me to look forward. I was not able to secure a job before I moved but I took a leap of faith and came on a three month tourist visa. With three suitcases, I landed in Pudong International Airport and thus began the most exhilarating yet stressful first 90 days of my life! Whether you are teaching in China or moving here for other reasons, here are five tips on how I survived the first 3 months in China:
