My name is Eddie Mills and I'm the Director of the International Education Exchange Association, Inc. (IEEA). My family and I really enjoy our life in China and we wish to help Hainan through education and poverty relief efforts. (www.hainan.motime.com or www.ieea-china.org)

We have had the honor of dining with the Vice-premier of China, the various officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing and Hainan Province as well as other officials from various provinces of China. I've received the "Coconut Island Friendship Award" which is offered by the Foreign Affairs Bureau to those who have contributed to Hainan.

This blog probably won't win any awards for being humorous but is written to provide reliable information concerning teaching and studying in China. Hopefully, it will be easy to understand by all who wish to be informed from experience instead of hearing from the six month novice, who is like a flea jumping from one school to the next inflicting pain and anguish.

After eleven years, I have seen it all, heard it all, and mostly realize that the problems that expats face in China are largely due to the "rumor mill" that is running crazy in China. The "he said/she said" or "I heard this" has probably caused more confusion in China than anything else. Most problems stem from the wrong EXPECTATIONS prior to arrival.

Here are some expectations that the Chinese have concerning Western teachers and also what your realizations should be prior to arrival:

EXPECTATIONS/REALIZATIONS:

1. You are a teacher not a tourist - Realize you are coming to China to teach and not to be a full time tourist.

2. You are considered an expert, so behave like one. Realize if you are not qualified to teach ESL or English, by all means prepare before arrival. There is no excuse for not being prepared prior to arrival.

3. You are expected to follow China's laws and regulations. Realize if you have trouble with rules and regulations, don't come. It's expected for you to conform.

4. If you want to study Chinese, come as a student and not as a teacher. Realize schools hate a teacher who shirks his/her duties in order to study Chinese. Don't be a freeloader.

5. If you want to preach Christianity from the classroom, realize teachers in Western countries can't, so don't try here.

6. If you want to promote some form of politics in the classroom, realize you will find yourself in serious trouble with the school and possibly on your way home.

7. If you love to complain, realize the school officials and teachers won't listen. Teachers who grip about everything are avoided like the plague.

These are simple thoughts but if you are not careful, you will arrive in China, visit the local expat hang-outs, hear the various troubles at schools, and without realizing what's really happening, you will fall into a trap of paranoia that will affect your stay in China.

Make friends with your FAO -- Foreign Affairs Officer. He or she will be surprised that you are willing to ask questions, especially if the other foreigners are misbehaving. Seek out the Dean of the English Department. Find out what their expectations are and what you can do to correct any situations that might be left over from a previous expat.

Most of all, be willing to be an ambassador for your country. Behave yourself, act like you have an education, be civilized and willing to learn from an ancient civilization that is rebuilding it's country. If you act right, the Chinese officials will act in accordance to your efforts. If you behave childishly, wildly, drunkenly, angrily, or unprofessionally, don't expect your stay in China to last or to be happy.

Most of all realize that BLAMING others is a weakness of our Western culture. Westerners are so quick to blame others without regard to their stumbling efforts to teach in China. If you stumble, fall over their cultural ways, or step into your own pitfalls, than by all means accept the blame.

Make your stay pleasant, informed, and friendly.