The stark contrast in day-to-day life between Western countries and China is vastly greater than most foreigners can possibly imagine prior to actually living and working here.
For most of us, our earliest impressions of China were shaped by what we had been taught in school (by teachers who had never been abroad) and had seen and heard through the mass media, colored perhaps by various romanticized images as portrayed in movies and on television. Many of us, once the decision had been made to teach in China, read voraciously about the country on the Internet and from books about Chinese culture and etiquette. Ultimately, none of these sources can adequately prepare the foreign teacher for what he or she will encounter upon arrival.
East meets West: Former U.S. President Nixon shakes hands with Chairman Mao on their historic visit February 21, 1972.
In the absence of any real social support systems, Internet forums for EFL teachers often become the primary vehicle for the exchange of information, as well as a Western virtual meeting place, especially for those who find themselves in areas where foreigners are relatively scarce. The problem with such forums, however, is that what one typically encounters is a cacophony of opposing opinions on virtually all issues that have been raised for discussion, irrespective of how relatively simple and straightforward one might have initially thought the matter to be. In addition, rumors and misinformation abound and spread on these forums like wildfire.
That's why this guide was written: to provide prospective foreign teachers with a consolidated, reliable, valid and up-to-date source of information about living and teaching in China. If you are currently thinking about moving to China to teach English, then you owe it to yourself to read this guide. In it, you'll find very valuable information presented in an objective and balanced manner by career educators who have over 20 years of cumulative experience in China. Furthermore, we aren't selling anything. We are not recruiters with a hidden agenda, i.e., a strong vested interest in luring you over to China with false promises. The guide was written strictly as a public service for prospective teachers by foreign educators and academicians, so you can trust whatever you read here as unbiased and well researched. In addition, we screen all Google Ads appearing on this site and have already blocked more than 10 different advertisements run by schools and recruiters we consider to be unscrupulous or abusive in their treatment of foreign teachers (in fact, we are only running these ads to improve our ranking in search engine results so that the guide can be found by those who need it the most).
Teaching English in China is not for everyone. Many do thrive here and, in fact, have lives in China that are far more rewarding than what they left back home, which is why they stay year after year. Others curse the day they ever considered the idea of moving to China to teach English and literally count the hours until their contracts expire and they can return home.
The truth is, life in China is remarkably and intricately complex: full of striking contrasts and bewildering contradictions. Virtually everything you can possibly imagine is different: language, food, social mores, public hygiene and sanitation, healthcare, education, and relationships, to name but a few of the major ones. Some foreigners adjust quite well over time to the multitude of differences in culture and day-to-day life—many even assimilate them to the point of preferring Chinese culture to their own—while others feel oppressed, crushed and even enraged by those differences.
Our goal in writing this guide is to provide you with the salient information you need to decide for yourself whether teaching English in China would be a good idea for you at this time: both personally and professionally. We believe that prospective foreign teachers who are the most prepared, mentally and psychologically, for what they will likely encounter will have the greatest probability of succeeding. In this guide, we don't exaggerate the positives and neither do we sugarcoat the more challenging aspects. Life in China is what it is: Only you can decide for yourself, once provided with everything you need to know, if moving to and teaching in China will be an adventure of a lifetime or the worst mistake of your life. If you do decide to teach in China, then there is a lot you need to know to increase the chances that your experience will be a very rewarding one—before you start looking for a job. Many traps and pitfalls await here for those who are inexperienced and uninformed.
This guide consists of 47 topics or units and each unit is written to be read independently of the others. The units are organized across three broad temporal categories and each unit informs the entire category it is a member of: 1) What you need to know before making your decision (Teaching English in China); 2) What you can expect during your first six months (Initial Adjustment), and; 3) Ongoing Work and Social Issues (Ongoing Issues). Obviously, the three categories and each of their units are interrelated, so crosslinks are provided throughout the guide wherever appropriate for your convenience.
A good place to start is simply to browse the menu bar to the left or, for a visual layout of the entire guide, you can take a look at guide’s site map and topic index. The most popular pages in the guide are:
For a detailed description of the vocational, sociodemographic and personal aspects of teaching English in China, see the unit on Is Teaching English in China for Me?
In addition, we’ve created a blog for anyone who has a question or a comment for us. Finally, we’ve also added a brief reader survey which we encourage you to take after having spent some time with the guide. It is through your comments, suggestions and feedback that the guide continues to develop every day.
Best of luck to you in your life’s journey.
MKL Team
April 29th, 2008
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