Mao’s former kingdom is the fastest growing economy in the world and English teachers are very much in demand. Often the only requirements are being a native speaker and holding a university degree. You need look no further than www.TEFL.com to discover the variety and quantity of placements available, and once you arrive, they immediately double.
The kids are learning machines and a pleasure to teach once you get the hang of planning for 60. I found it invaluable to adopt ideas from www.bogglesworldesl.com and, www.onestopenglish.com.
The best time to find teaching work in China is in September, when the schools return, or in February, just after the winter holiday, although there are thousands of short summer school placements from June to September. Arriving in China and landing a job is easy as demand is high and ads are abundant in the local English-language press. In the big cities—Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou—That’s magazines are a good place to start (www.thatsmagazines.com). They not only contain classifieds with offers of jobs and friends, but they have a comprehensive list of local and expat hangouts which will no doubt result in more work offers.
If arriving without a job in a very foreign country with no knowledge of the language or customs does not sound appealing, this is where the Internet comes in. Many institutions offer contracts over the Internet. These following positions provide a contact who will watch over you, help you with visas, and meet you on arrival:
- www.tefl.com
- www.teach-in-china.net
- www.ciee.org/teach/choose_program/teach_china.aspx
- www.globalcrossroad.com/china
- www.thatsmagazines.com
To work in China you need a Z visa, but many people enter the country on a tourist visa and convert it once they arrive with help form their school. To acquire temporary residency you must undergo a thorough medical. If you are planning on entering Hong Kong and Macau or leaving the country with regularity it is best to ask for a multi-entry visa to avoid paying for a new one every time you re-enter. You can get more information at: www.china-embassy.org.
For information on traveling in China, visit the following sites:
- www.china.org.cn (the official site to China)
- www.hackwriters.com/yangshou.htm (my own traveling experiences)
- www.travelchinaguide.com (travel information)
- www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/north_east_asia/china (travel information)
- www.chinatoday.com (news and travel information)
- www.chinadaily.com.cn (China’s English language newspaper).
