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Five Surprising Things You Didn’t Know About Teaching Abroad
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So, you're thinking about teaching abroad? Well, you might be surprised by one or two things when you actually arrive in your new country of residence. To help you prepare for what to expect, I’ve written a short list of things that took me by surprise. I hope it proves helpful!
1. The world comes to you (at least in China)
If you decide to teach with English 1 in China, and you end up in a large enough city, you might be as surprised as I was to discover that the world comes to you in China. I now live in Shanghai, so I can speak from personal experience here, but I’ve also heard from teachers in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou about how international these cities have become.
Let’s start with the fact that you’re likely to work with a mix of Americans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, and South Africans, alongside your local Chinese colleagues. Right there, you’ve got a healthy mix of nationalities in your workplace! You can add to this mix Europeans, South Americans, and Africans from all over the world. If you’re outgoing and social enough, all you need to do is head down to a foreign-themed bar, and it’ll feel like drinking at the United Nations.
2. Learning the local language can be hard
I put in a lot of effort to learn Chinese and talk with locals, but if that isn't your thing, then China and English 1 have you covered. Basically, everyone in China below a certain age has some English skills, and English 1 does a lot to create a fun environment for teachers. You will go out and socialize with other foreign teachers at your school, and you will quickly meet other foreigners living abroad in China. It is surprisingly easy to go from home, where I live with Americans and Brits, to work, where I work with Americans, Brits, and South Africans, to bars, where I am surrounded by other expats. Eventually, when I really sat down and considered my daily routine, I realized I wasn't speaking any Chinese while living in China. Maybe you won't be as shocked as I was, and maybe this makes China seem even more inviting, but for me, it was a big surprise.
3. You're never really “done with school”
Whether you are a fresh university graduate eager to begin real life, or someone who has already graduated and gained work experience, you've probably told yourself, “I’m finally done with school!” However, teaching abroad means going back to school, both literally and figuratively. First, you'll literally be working in a school with children, teenagers, or adults! Secondly, you'll figuratively be returning to school because English 1 offers extensive training and support. I was surprised by the high level of training I received before even stepping into a classroom, and even after all that support, English 1 ensured I continued to receive training to help me perfect my teaching skills. Depending on who you are, the training and support English 1 provides can feel like a real shock, especially if your last job wasn’t particularly supportive.
4. You get really good at video calls
I talk to my parents all the time, as well as other family members. This involves a mix of Skype and FaceTime, but in China, there’s a hugely popular messaging app called WeChat, which also has a video call feature. Now that I’m in China, I not only Skype my parents and FaceTime my sister, but I also use WeChat to video call my new friends in Shanghai! I’ll also use WeChat to video call friends I’ve made in other cities across China. The internet and mobile service here are so reliable that I don’t hesitate to make video calls instead of just voice calls. Coming from America, where voice calls are becoming increasingly rare, this has been an interesting transition to make.
5. Home is farther than you think
I talk to my parents all the time, as well as other family members. This involves a mix of Skype and FaceTime, but in China, there’s a hugely popular messaging app called WeChat, which also has a video call feature. Now that I’m in China, I not only Skype my parents and FaceTime my sister, but I also use WeChat to video call my new friends in Shanghai! I also use WeChat to video call friends I’ve made in other cities across China. The internet and mobile service here are so reliable that I don’t hesitate to make video calls instead of just voice calls. Coming from the United States, where voice calls are becoming increasingly rare, this has been an interesting transition to make.