messagetokarrieaboutcomingtochina

My friend karry (whose name i am mispelling in a variety of ways) is interested in coming to China, so i sent her this message. I figured that it would be a good thing to post here as it contains general information concerening my life here and the company and teaching.
sorry for not posting for a while. i hope to put up a post soon explaining my life here right now, which while good, is very busy and tiring...
here's the message to kerri---
OK, i hope that i remember everything. warning, i may post most of this on my blog, as it is good information.first, I think the most difficult part of all of this was getting here. If you are in contact with the company, they will tell you what you need. Personally, considering your grades and your major, i am 100 percent sure that they will accept you with no problem. They will have an application which i think has a short essay, but its no problem. I think they ask for two letters of recommendation. I would use Bruce and Jean and accentuate your TESOL training and such, but of course ,that is up to you. I am sure they will accept you. The difficult part is getting here. You have to be able to pay for your airfare here ( they will reimburse most , if not all of this of, it at the end of your contract). They told me to bring at least 500 to live on, but i would bring as much as you can; things are cheap in china, but it adds up and its nice to have the extra money. Plus it may be a month and a half before you get paid. Also, it would be wise to keep a bank account open in the states with American money in it, for expenses you have to pay in the states( i did not do this of course). When you arrive in the China, you may have the option at the airport to convert money. I would convert as much as possible ( i only converted 100 dollars and it was a pain in the ass). American money is really not used here at all.( many Chinese are gleeful about the dropping dollar and the rising yuan!) The Atms will accept major debit cards, but you will get the money in Chinese.
Another major concern is the visa and such. They will ask you for alot of paper work as the process goes on, such as health things and such. If you have a doctor, get them to send your records, but they Will give you a exam while you are here that is very basic and Will cover visa requirements. Try to get your visa as soon as possible, but even if it is at the last moment, as mine was, there should be no problem. its a bit of a pain in the ass, but should clear. keep your recipts, as the company will reimburse this later. Aslo, if you have any fight resceduling due to weather or the company, keep reciepts of that. Anyhoo, the government shouldn't give you much problem about your visa. if you can't get to the embassy in New York, you can usean interent company, i found Visa Express to be very reliable. But remember, China wants Native English teachers! Any questions, if you do this; make sure to stay in contact with me and i will tell you my opinion.Now, the question is, do you want to come here?Well, i love china!
its not always easy, some days its extremely frustrating, but others are amazing. I don''t know if you took Chinese, but if you did, that would be a plus. I don't know any Chinese and i get along ok, although occasionaly it is an issue'( as when i got in a cab and ended up an hour away from where i wanted to go!). if i was you, try to insist early on that you stay in Dalian, not hou jou (sp). Believer me, you are a lot better off here! trust me on this one. its an amazing experience, being here. like i said, it has its frustrations, but it beats oswego!
Good points-- the company pays your rent. getting to school is easy because of china's cheap buses( although they are crowded). The people are generally very friendly and there is much to do and see in the city. much cheap shopping. great food ( although some of it is scary). you get your own apartment. its great experience for TESOL teaching and is relatively easy to do( esp . with your training). there are many things that is great about being here.Things you should know about. Dalian is very modern and in some ways its like living in America, but there are many differences also( besides all of the Chinese people!) The language thing can be a barrier, although the company is pretty good with helping us do things. Your apartment will be set up for you, as well as bills and utilities. If you have a mobile phone, bring it as well as a laptop( you really want to have a computer here). Things are done different, and many things will be confusing. However, the company does do its best to help us./ the teaching training is minimal, but that should be OK with you. If i am here, i can be a help in many ways.another thing to consider is that the teaching schedule is intense. I teach 27 classes a week( usually with an average of 50 students) and up to 800 students. Most of our classes are supplemental, we are to provide a fun and unique enviroment for our students to speak and hear English. also while the pay is ok, considering the hours and such, it could be a bit more, but that is business i guess. Everything in china costs money, although everything is much cheaper than in the us. If you come here, plan on working alot, but also it being a interesting experience. The school system is different than the us. and may take some while to understand. however, i think that you will enjoy it if you come here. If you any any questions or anything at anytime about anything, please contact me. also, if anyone else expresses interest, tell them to contact me. ok, there is all i can think of for now. contact ed. ed is very honest, responsible, and speaks english! remember to mention that you are my friend. also mention that you are a tesol major and any other relevant educational experience. i hope it works out for you. stay in contact!pat

oh, the pay is not bad, it could be better. The best way to look at it is that you are being payed to stay a year in a country that you probably could not afford to visit long on your own, thats my viewpoint. the experience is the real pay ( as cheesy as that sounds). also there are many adjustments to living in a foreign culture. be prepared to have an adventure. expect the unexpected and be open to things that you might not be in the us and you will be fine...