After completing my first year working in ESL in China. I hope I can provide an insight for people embarking on working and living here; indeed, it may be better to refer to the initial period as survival.

Having found the job you have been looking for you are still in the position of knowing very little, should you have had email contact with past or even present teachers at your chosen school you are receiving someone else’s opinion this may differ greatly from your own desires. Things that may be of the most importance to one person could be very low on your list of priorities and visa versa, therefore do your own research. Ask the school only the questions, which are relevant to the job and living conditions, (understand that the person to whom you are addressing them may not enjoy your own command of English) this will hopefully cut down on the frustration with bland answers and also answers to questions you did not ask.

Prior to departure be sure you have the correct documentation, the correct visa to allow you to work. Make copies of all these and other documents such as degrees, and everything you may need to replace a lost or stolen passport to CD, (I would strongly advise against carrying the originals) as it can be problematic to replace lost or stolen documents, also where possible upload these to the web, this makes them accessible in case of emergency. If possible, do not have the medical check until you arrive at your school, for even if you have had one it may well be declared invalid. (the medical check is a mere formality providing the person who does the anal inspection has cut his nails recently) What to bring, the minimum is the best, you have to carry it, many if not most railway stations do not have escalators, how much can you and do you want to carry and drag around China. Most everyday requirements are readily available even in some of the smallest places (bring lots of oxo cubes) you can buy a pair of shoes you cannot buy oxo.( or even better e-mail some to me)

On your arrival in China, you may, or may not be met by a representative of the school where you are to work. The first thing guaranteed to happen is that anyone who meets you will invite you to eat, this not due to any concern that you may be hungry more their morbid curiosity has to how you will handle chopsticks with the wettest food they are able to order. If you are not to be met try to get someone to write the Chinese for your destinations, this will prove to be helpful at the ticket offices of rail or bus stations, simple things such as “to the railway station” can save much time and frustration.

Many schools are employing you as an oral English teacher they will supply no teaching materials, others will supply text books to you and also your students, these can be a help but also a hindrance, the text book allows you to do the talking and your students to construct a wall of silence. In the classroom you are doing something that is alien to your students, you are asking them and encouraging them to speak to ask questions, they are not accustomed to this, their Chinese teachers talk to the back wall, they do not talk to the students. You can place your students into three categories, cannot speak, will not speak, and whisperers, do not be offended by this, just strive to give these young people the confidence to speak and to ask.

Choose your topics with care, most young Chinese people know very little about things that do not affect their daily lives, only the little that they have been told by a teacher, this information is normally lacking in any substance, just regurgitated old text book material. Beware that they have no life outside the school; indeed they live most of their young lives within the one square meter around their desk.You may ask a simple question to a class of 18-19 year olds,"what type of music do you like to dance to" then you find that these young people have never danced. Do not expect too much too soon, be patient, as their confidence grows so will your level of job satisfaction. If the class size allows get them into smaller groups, the smaller the group the higher the level of confidence.

Things will be changed without telling you, I am afraid this would appear to be normal practice, they do not tell their own teachers, therefore why should anyone consider that you make wish to know anything that causes changes in your working life. Try to have a plan B always at the ready with regard to your lesson plans; this will help to cut down on the level of frustration. Always remember you want to enjoy your time here, not allow it be ruined due to poor planning by your employers.

Should your chosen school be in a more out of the way place, as both my schools have been. You will have to get used to being a novelty, each and every time you are out on the streets. You will be the first non-Chinese person that many people have ever seen. This can lead to great frustration on your part, people will stand around to watch you eat, every head on the bus will turn your way, plus all the “hello’s” that will be shouted at you every few metre’s. People in the small town where I currently live and work think I am secretive, simply because I chew with my mouth closed.

If you wish to enjoy your time here in China, you must find your own way to cope with these things, if you do not then it will reduce the quality of your experience here.

The Chinese will tell you they invented everything; they have yet to discover the world, as you know it.

Good luck with your China experience.