My son may be teaching English in China for a year.

[larry_stewart]

So, my son just graduated with a masters in linguistics.
He has now chosen to teach English for a year in China.
He is deciding which school to teach at, from the several offers he has got.
For all you that have been to China, or who know someone who has taught abroad, and advice I should pass on to him?

Other than Canada, we have never been out of the country, so this is a completely new experience.

 

[giggler]

My nephew did that for severual years at U of Bejieng. He loved it! He said that, they allready speak English, but don't understand the exact usage of the phrases, so it is more like Playing games where you order things in a resturant, etc. He had a very small apt. provided on campus. with good pay. He now speaks fluently. He has naturally curley hair, witch was seen as odd, the students all called him Fozzie Bear!

 

[Addie]

I have a friend whose daughter specialized in speaking Japanese. She got a Masters Degree in Foreign Languages. She got a job in Japan working with government employees and teaching them to speak English. She loved it. She stayed there for about five years.

When important people came on official business, she would translate also. Her favorite activity though was translating during State dinners.

I was there visiting when she came home. Her mother and I were roaring with laughter. She was speaking English with a Japanese accent. And she didn't even realize it.

 

[larry_stewart]

Great to hear these stories!! Thanks for sharing.

We have been hearing similar stories from other people as well.

 

[Andy M.]

That sounds like a wonderful experience.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...For all you that have been to China, or who know someone who has taught abroad, and advice I should pass on to him?....

I have a cousin, now in his mid-60s, who has taught in Germany for at least 30 years. He's a contract teacher through the U.S. government, teaching at the military base schools to the children of military members. When he first started teaching there he had no idea how long he would be in Germany, so he decided to explore, seeing and experiencing as much of Germany and Europe as he could for whatever time he had living there. He would return stateside summers to visit with his parents and my aunt (to whom he was very close), but since they all have passed I'm not sure he'll ever move back home.

Also, our younger niece is married to a man who was born in Taiwan, but is a naturalized U.S. citizen. As an oldest son, it is his duty to tend to his parents in their advancing ages. She and her husband (and their daughter) moved to Taiwan from FL about five years ago. She was reluctant, but now loves the country. She got a job teaching English, and completely immersed herself in the Taiwanese experience. Until they moved, she wouldn't eat strange foods - basically nothing that wasn't a hot dog or mac-and-cheese. She's tried way more foods than I think I would be brave enough to try, but still hits up McD's when the urge hits - and claims that any U.S.-based fast food in Taiwan is far superior in quality to the slop that is offered here.

If I could pass any advise along based on my cousin's and niece's experiences, tell your son to see and do (and eat) all he can absorb of the Chinese culture. Good luck to him - and to your and his mom!

 

[Rascal]

I know a guy who teaches English in Japan. He was earning a years salary in about a month. Room etc all paid. He teaches a class full of students. He does it under contract. He has his degree in teaching.

Russ

 

[blissful]

That's just awesome Larry. I have a high school friend that taught english as a second language. She traveled and taught, then moved to California and still teaches english as a second language. Best of luck (and hard work) to helping people communicate.

 

[Claire1980]

My nephew did that for severual years at U of Bejieng. He loved it! He said that, they allready speak English, but don't understand the exact usage of the phrases, so it is more like Playing games where you order things in a resturant, etc. He had a very small apt. provided on campus. with good pay. He now speaks fluently. He has naturally curley hair, witch was seen as odd, the students all called him Fozzie Bear!

My friend's son is also a teacher in Beijing now and he told me he had a similar experience. But before moving to Beijing, he worked in the province where people were hiring foreigners just for the prestige.

 

[di reston]

Never forget that the English language is the most important language in the world. From the start of my career as a liguist working with clients from all over the world the major language was always - and still is - English. Even now, in my seventies, I'm still doing it. I am still a consecutive impreter, translating in conferences, meetings, one-to-one, meet and greet, in all sorts of other duties as well such as making sure the visitors were happy with their envirent and also what their agenda was, and accompanying the clients back to the airport on departure.

I still do it now! - and I love it.


di reston

 

[CharlieD]

2 of our cousins are in China. 1 is teaching, the other one is fluent in Chinese, not sure what she does though. I do know she has million followers on one of her social media outlets.

 

[TATTRAT]

I wish that I could have had this chance when I was younger, I'd have loved to have done it! Apparently, it's in very high demand, and teachers are well compensated for the gig.

 

[Silversage]

About 35 years ago, my brother taught English in Japan.



Now he is a professor at Notre Dame. I guess it gave him the teaching bug.

 

[CWS4322]

China has never been on my bucket list, never will be. Currently, there are two former Canadian diplomats held by the Chinese government on espionage charges. They are being used as pawns in the Huawia mess. I would be very reticent to live or work in China. Japan, that would be another story.

 

[dragnlaw]

I sort of agree with CWS - but not to the extreme.

It is too good an opportunity to pass on BUT - if told it is best not to do or go somewhere... then DON'T!

Otherwise take advantage of the chance to learn and experience!