Published on:
September 1, 2021

by: Elyssa

Making friends while teaching in China

If you’re reading this, you’re probably considering moving abroad to teach in China. You’ve likely thought of the many benefits of taking such a big step; immersing yourself in a new culture, making memories to last a lifetime, and making your CV very attractive to future employers. But you’ve also probably had some niggling doubts. [...]

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Published on:
July 19, 2021

by: Elyssa

5 Great Games to use as an English Teacher in China

One of the hardest things about teaching kids isn’t the teaching itself, but trying to teach in a way that’s engaging and sure to keep students’ attention from wandering. Which is why, regardless of which age group you teach, games can be an incredibly useful learning tool. Having such young students meant I personally experienced […]

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Published on:
July 5, 2021

by: Elyssa

My 5 favourite things about teaching English in China

If a couple of years ago someone had told me I’d move to the other side of the world by myself to teach English with no teaching experience, and not only do it, but enjoy it, I would probably have laughed and told them they had the wrong person. However, it’s one of the best [...]

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Published on:
June 16, 2021

by: Elyssa

Finding a place to live in China

On arrival When I accepted my teaching role in China, it didn’t escape my notice that I was moving to a new country on the other side of the world with absolutely no idea where I was going to live! I had never found an apartment at home in the UK, how was I supposed […]

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Published on:
April 28, 2021

by: Elyssa

“Surely it’s impossible to be vegetarian in China?”

“Surely it’s impossible to be vegetarian in China?”  This was one of the most frequent questions that cropped up in the lead up to my big move to China in 2018. And truth be told, it was a worry – like a lot of people, I had the (very wrong) preconception of being faced with […]

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Published on:
April 12, 2021

by: Elyssa

Published on:
March 29, 2021

by: Elyssa

A Typical Week Teaching in China

If variety is the spice of life, then routine can be a sweet sprinkle of sugar in the face of such a massive change like moving to the other side of the world. I moved to Dongguan by myself in August 2018; Dongguan is in the Guangdong province in the south of China, just above […]

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Published on:
November 11, 2020

by: Guest

Guest Post: Do you need to know Chinese to teach English in China?

TLDR: It is possible to teach English in China’s first-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) without learning Mandarin, provided you’re willing to forgo most cultural immersion experiences. It’s possible to live in an expat bubble, speaking English day to day. Living in China as an English teacher in other cities can offer a more immersive [...]

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Published on:
August 18, 2020

by: Guest

Teacher Guest Post – Shenzhen: The Bright Lights of a Trailblazer City

Although no official list exists, cities in mainland China are informally categorised into four tiers. The Chinese media has persistently made reference to this classification system in its various outlets and publications. Major cities you’ve doubtless heard of such as Beijing and Shanghai fall into the “tier one” bracket whereas those in the “tier two” [...]

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Published on:
July 3, 2020

by: Guest