A lot of people decide to teach abroad because they want to really experience another culture: something totally different, something that will awaken your senses…
Well, if that’s what you’re after, I’ve got just one suggestion: China. It is unbelievable. Incredible. Possibly life-changing. Here’s why:
Psst, if you want to experience China for yourself, check out i-to-i’s Teach in China Internship – you’ll spend five months teaching will 24/7 support, as well as free food & accommodation: http://www.onlinetefl.com/teaching-internships/china/
Size
China is the world’s most populous county. That just means ‘big’, until you start to put it into context: you could fit 4,000 times the population of the United States into China, and it still wouldn’t be as full as it is now. This is a country that has everything: awe-inspiring mountains, lush rainforests, seething cities and serene deserts, all spread over 10million square kilometres.
Food
Put down that Chinese takeaway and open your mind (and your mouth too). China’s food is 12% weird (chicken feet, anyone?) and 88% wonderful… from Beijing duck to Mongolian hotpot, China is a country that values food so much that they don’t say ‘good morning’, they say ‘have you eaten yet?’.
People
China’s meteoric growth and relentless energy is down to just one thing: its people. They’re friendly, loud, open and relentlessly hardworking. What’s more, they’re desperate to improve their English, so you’ll find that you’re very popular indeed if you decide to work here. I found myself flooded with invitations to dinner, weddings, parties… I’d like to think that it was all my sensational personality, but I think the fact that people could practice their English may have had something to do with it…
Ancient culture
The Chinese word for China (中国) literally translates as ‘middle country’. That’s because China traditionally saw itself as the centre of the world, if not the universe. With good reason too: while the longbow was about as advanced as 10th century Britain got, the Song Dynasty was mastering hydraulic engineering. In fact, it’s the world’s oldest continuous civilization. All this makes China’s culture incredibly rich and fascinating – from the sight of the Great Wall snaking across China’s landscape to the mind-boggling scale of the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an.
Pretty amazing huh? Don't miss out on the chance to see the incredible Great Wall!
Don’t just take my word for it though – it has to be seen to be believed. Check out the Teach in China Internship for your chance to spend five incredible months immersing yourself in unbelievable China.
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Want to teach English in China? There are plenty of great jobs available. Here's a link to a current job listing. If this isn't exactly what you're looking for, feel free to browse the jobs on Teacher Gig. Happy Job Hunting! :)
http://www.teachergig.com/jobs/china
Hey Steve, what a great idea for a second job....give me more money to travel around!!!! You know the saying "all work and no play".......
Hey Honor
Great blog and lets not forget the many Natural Heritage sights and the magnificent natural scenery on offer that are often not mentioned in the "tourist" info related to this wonderfu country. Examples include; Mount Taishan, Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sicuan Province, Mount Huangshan, Mount Emei and Leshan Giant Buddha, Dazu rock carvings, Longmen Grottoes and the incredible limestone landscapes of south China especially around Guilin and Yangshou...just to name a few.
One could be here for decades and still not see all that China has to offer!!
Wow, every day's a school day!
Loving the info guys - apologies for any historical inaccuracies.
To be fair, the chinese invented paper, which is arguably one of the most important inventions ever. We wouldn't have pretty much anything without paper. Tsai Lun is the dude to thank for that little peach.
OK for the UK glass had been seen before via the romans but it was a well kept secret in perfecting it into real usable glass, such as for windows and spectacles. There was a form of glass brought over by the vikings, but again this was used for jewellery... it wasn't until the medieval times that the invention of glass rediscovered (shall we say) which advanced building techniques and progressed science via the use of spectacles which enabled scientist, intellectuals etc to see longer in to old age meaning they were able to work more - and lets not for get galileo galilei with the use of the telescope and proving the world was round.
granted if china had glass a long time ago - they would be far more advanced now
um this is very interesting and china is certainly on my list of countries to visit BUT i want to correct you on the longbow - clearly you havent been to England (and if your from England - then shame on you for not knowing your history)... around the 10th century great buildings, known as cathedrals, were being built. Prior to this the romans built great walls and great cities - also we had one invention in the 10th century that helped us to progress quicker - this invention was glass
Although I have never spent time teaching in China (doing TEFL course atm) I was lucky enough to take part in a programme that meant I could stay and study in China for a month and I can't explain how amazing it was and how much of a life changing experience it was!
I would always recommend spending time there!
Great article :)
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