Teach Abroad Blog
Teaching abroad
Teaching English Language
Let’s face it: China is expanding on a global front and fast. China is a big-time player in the world’s economy and the amount of millionaires surfacing here is shooting through the roof. Even though the Chinese are dominating the scene, the likelihood that the rest of the world will jump up and learn Chinese is not that high, however, the Chinese already started years ago sending their children to boarding schools in the US and UK to master the world’s lingua franca.
My life in Shanghai
Hello my name is Emanuel Ruiz and I currently live and work in Shanghai in China. As most teachers in America know, budget cuts and test results can take the passion out of the teaching profession. I felt overworked and unappreciated. The lack of job security loomed over me and I was expected to work over 40 hours a week with no compensation. Finding new employment was a struggle because the US job market was and has been in decline.
Choosing Your EFL Teaching Job – The WebMD Effect
So you are contemplating an EFL teaching job or even better, have been offered one! For many of us 21st century people, the next step is to research your school and where better to look than online forums. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of negativity out there! So, here’s where I want to caution you on what I call the Web MD effect: diagnosing an illness based on apparent symptoms. What could I possibly know about any of this? Well, I have been a teacher for many years including U.S. public school, and so my … gibberish … detector is pretty strong. So read on, to see the true, the false, and the meaning of it all.
Living Abroad
Diary of a China Newbie
My first abroad experience was Taiwan. I went there to study Mandarin through a partnership with my home school, Mississippi State University. While I was in the country I met a lot of very interesting expatriates. One of the veteran teachers there told me, “if you enjoy Taiwan, you should try China. Taipei is like a retirement city compared to Shanghai”.
Living Abroad: Why China?
I won’t deny that I’ve asked myself and I’ve been asked that several times: why live in China?
Going abroad, sure, that sounds like an adventure: new cultures, new food, music etc. A different flavor from the everyday life you know. But China? It’s not a different flavor but rather a different dish altogether. It’s more like an adventure straight out of National Geographic: harsh conditions, eating funny looking foods and languages that make you cry. Yet China is where the masses are flocking to. And after living here for over a year, I can give you the inside scoop as to why this massive rooster shaped country is so appealing.
Living in a Third Tier City
To many of us the thought of going to a third tier Chinese city can be pretty daunting. Although, if you’re looking to experience the “real” China there is no other option.
