Hi joe,

I study linguistics and languages at university, and every year quite a lot of graduates go off (mainly to Asia) to teach English. It’s the main occupation outcome for us. Basically what i have learnt from others and their experiences is the following:
– Find out what is and is not covered by the school. Usually, but not always, the school will cover the cost of a return flight and accommodation. The accommodation usually comes out of your paycheck, so you never see it.
– Find out the working conditions, working hours and most importantly: what is expected of you. You may find that some schools will say 10 hour work week, but expect you to come to work everyday to prep your lessons, or expect you to work on saturdays without notice.
– Find out who you can liaison with, in case of emergencies with regards to the school or employment opportunity
– Find out where the closest embassy is (especially in the case if you require a ‘leave visa’)
– NEVER hand your passport over! They may look, but most definitely not touch. Sometimes employers will do this so that you cannot exit the job and country.
– Speak to, email other teachers that teach at that school. Ask for recommendations from the liaison or school itself. If they are unwilling to do so, then clearly they don’t trust what the teachers will say about them.
– Get acquainted with where you will be teaching, the local area. You don’t need to have it seered into your memory, but just knowing that there is a place to buy clothes, books, find food etc. Also, figure out how ‘dangerous’ the area is. If you are okay to go about your business at night etc. Although you are (hopefully) going to China, be aware that the rules and culture are different there.
– This is in regards specifically to Asia, something I learnt at uni and through grad students who have worked in Asia. What you think is bribery or corruption, is not viewed the same in Asia. It’s all about greasing the wheels and making things work smoothly, rather than effectively. So just be aware of the difference. Ultimately if you don;t agree with a certain practices or customs then stand your ground.
– Learn a bit of the foreign language (in this case Mandarin Chinese –> or the local variety), more to ‘get by’. China may have a massive population, and many Chinese learning English (more than Australia’s population!!!), but English is still foreign to them, and their grasp of English is useful only to pass exams, not to converse in (usually). So if you learn a bit of the language, it would be helpful, also it shows you are making an effort.
– Make plans for the worst. Even if you think this is quite pessimistic, anything can go wrong. Whether you don’t like the work load, to health issues. Always have a plan out.
– Establish relationships with the school and workers etc. As your goal is to travel and teach English, a lot people are doing the same, and they might have opportunities or might know of some that aren’t advertised. Especially if you want to build a career out of this, maybe work in international schools or universities, knowing people will allow you to hear about decent, verified opportunities.

From a personal perspective, what you are going through is natural, your just a little shocked that things are happening. It’s like when a couple is about to get married, they have reservations. Its a big leap, with so much unknowns. I would advise, above anything else, just to plan out things. The more knowledge you have, the better you will feel. The more confident you will be.

This is the first time the TEFL company and the school are clients so obviously that set off some alarm bells.

Look, go with your gut feeling. A lot of horror stories exist. But that’s something to question as well. People who have good stories about their travels hardly ever write or complain because their enjoying themselves too much! If they promise you anything, get it in writing, whether via email or letter. Don’t just take people’s words for granted, wait for proof. You are entering a business, English in Asia is a business model. Just be aware of that.

I wish you the best of luck, and I truly hope you enjoy your teaching career! ANy questions or comments, feel free to ask 🙂
MAtty

Dear Joe:

It may be a good idea for you to read your previous postings here and take notes, learn from what you wrote over time, starting with your first post which I quoted from, above.

These are my thoughts today, my analysis: There are the practicalities of this China possibility and seems to me you got an excellent reply post about it. But there are deeper things to consider, what I call “the building blocks” of what-is, of reality- this is what I am good with- the Building Blocks.

From your first post, a year and a month ago (quotes above), I learn that teaching is not, or has not been your passion. You wrote: “Those that can’t do, teach…” Then your teaching experience was not great. You wrote about it: ” I had to teach loud schoolkids and nosy noisy teenagers. This drained a lot of my energy”.

About traveling, you wrote: “Over the past year I built up this fantasy about travelling and working in as many different countries as I can and seeing all of these great things. I’m not sure if this is what I want anymore. Maybe I only felt these things because life at home without a job and without purpose is boring, and travelling would be a great escape from all of these feelings of insecurity and emptiness that I have. It would almost be like escaping from myself.”

The Answer is not in Asia, in teaching, in traveling.

At the end of your first post you asked: “When you feel as though you have gotten over something bad, why is it sometimes that this problem you thought you had exorcised comes back to bite you further down the line…”

You were referring to your experience with the host family, but it is relevant to your experience with your family of origin- it will “bite you further down the line.” It will in Asia, it will bite you everywhere you go. It will bite you whatever it is you do and with whomever you will be with.

Unless you heal.

In a more recent thread where it occurred to you that there is nothing wrong with you, you wrote: “I have accepted the fact I am never going to reason with my family at all. They are never going to take me seriously. Trying to get them to see how hurtful their behaviour is, this is an exercise in futility. We are never going to have a close relationship – this hurts but I accept it. I won’t be able to mourn and heal until I remove myself from them.”

You wrote it yourself: “I won’t be able to mourn and heal until I remove myself from them.”

There is the Answer. It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do. What you need, if I may be so bold to suggest that I know it, is to FEEL confident, to feel OKAY, to feel, on an ongoing basis, that there is, indeed, nothing wrong with you. The place where you feel these things, believe these things, happens between your ears.

The aim is this: healing, being you. Being who you were deprived of being because you were hurt and mistreated by your family of origin. If going to Asia means you are likely to end up needing your family to bail you out and back to living with them, then Asia is not a good idea. The good idea can be as simple as living elsewhere in the UK, doing any kind of work, as long as you are no longer interacting with your family members at all, at least until you heal a whole lot away from them.

Like your illustrated characters that seem Waiting (so they seem to me)- stop waiting for your family to okay you. Go all the way to really, really no longer waiting. Release yourself from what they caused you to become (insecure, scared…) and become who you were from the beginning: absolutely Okay, acceptable, loving, lovable, curious, adventurous.

anita

Dear Joe:

I read some of your latest post and would like to read it tomorrow when I am not as tired as I am now and reply more then. I read the part about teaching. As I type this it is morning in the UK and you are about to have your skype interview. Hope you are as calm as can be, prepared to answer predictable questions (did you prepare, practice answering before the interview?) Hope you prepared questions to ask them. Please post about how the interview went.

My best wishes to you!

anita

@joe,

Sorry for the late reply,
I think you have the right idea, try to aim for the place the former employer with a good review worked at. From an educational perspective, if it’s a franchise, that wouldn’t make any difference, because the people across the board will be different. As for credibility, it’s hard to say. It shows that they have a successful business model, but this doesn’t indicate whether the working conditions are fair. Honestly, it will come down to your gut feeling. I personally haven’t taught overseas, I wish I had so that i could give you more relevant information.

I hope all goes well, and the best of luck,
MAtty