Things I Wish I Knew Before Teaching in China

Before coming to China, I was clueless.

I knew I wanted to teach abroad and I'd narrowed down my country of choice to China, but I had no idea where to go from there. So, what did I do? Posted my resume online and waited. Within days I was receiving phone calls from unidentified numbers. Who's that? Oh, it's just China.

Many seemed too eager, wanting me to come over as soon as possible with no formal contract, and I'd read horror stories about those who'd signed the dotted line without thinking twice. Afraid of being held hostage by my school, going on the run as a wanted illegal alien and forced into making split pants for the rest of my life, I wanted to make sure I found a valid company before moving 8,000 miles away. Fortunately, within a few weeks, a valid company found me and thinking there wouldn't be a better offer, I signed on.

Now that I've gone through the system, here's what I wish I knew before deciding to teach in China:

Choose the city first, then the school. Or, if you've found a program you really love, give them a list of several cities where you'd like to work and don't take no for an answer. English Teachers are as in demand as Angry Birds. Upon receiving my job offer, I thought, 'never heard of this city, but who cares, I'm going to China!' Exactly China. Not the smallest country in the world, nor is every city in the Middle Kingdom full of rolling mountains, rapid rivers or within walking distance to the Great Wall (although traveling is super cheap). You can't just Google Map a place and expect it to look as green and blue as it does on your computer screen. Do the research and find a place that suits you best. Are you a fan of spicy food? More of a cool-climate person? Prefer hiking or city-style living? Consider looking for Facebook groups or foreigner's blogs to deluge them with specific questions. You are planning on moving halfway around the world remember, might as well make the trip worth it.

Exploring beautiful China

The visa process can give you anxiety attacks. So it's been a week, two weeks, three and you're still waiting on that letter of approval. Don't panic, that's just China. It takes forever. My best advice? Continue to enjoy those farewell parties until you really do have to say goodbye for good. Plus, you'll probably have to go through the same waiting process to get your permanent visa once you arrive. Think of this as a practice run.

How much one shouldn't pack. I knew not to pack a lot (“everything’s made in China," after all) and I had a pretty substantial list of what to bring. Yet somehow, I still managed to overdo it. In China, it’s standard to go multiple days in the same outfit. While I personally prefer to rotate daily, I don’t tend to add too many extra outfits into my weekly schedule (sportswear or lightweight clothing suits most of my needs, especially since dryers are non-existent). Plus, there’s always the occasional knock-off Chinglish Tee to add to the pile. I recommend packing more hard-to-find or disposable items (medicines, toiletries, older clothes or favorite foods) so that you'll have extra room for gifts or trinkets upon your return. However, it’s equally important to note that if you live in the south of China it might be harder (or impossible) to find clothes or shoes in your size. If you're really in a bind, check out taobao.com. It's like the Ebay of China.

There's money to be made. Once you get settled into your new city connect with the other foreigners and see if they know of any opportunities to give private lessons (summer is the busy season). I have friends who make up to $30 an hour. It might not seem like much, but when you’re living in a country where it tends to cost 2$ per taxi and you’re already getting paid to work fulltime, it’s a lot. Plus, you can think of that extra cash as you’re future travel fund.

Most importantly, remember not to rush your decision. Do your research, plan wisely and mare sure you feel 100% comfortable with your school of choice. The opportunity is going to be there no matter when or where you choose to go.