I'm now starting my 2nd year teaching English at a University in China. The first year was great, of course not all perfect (as life never is) but overall a great enough experience that I'm here for a 2nd year.... I didn't even go back to USA for the summer, just enjoyed China for the summer (and saved on my "bonus" air-travel payment!). Yes, I do still struggle with the "shy" and quiet Chinese students who don't want to stand out in, and don't want to ask any questions in class. A constant effort for me, but gradually I think I'm making an effect and many students are becoming more confident in speaking and speaking out in front of others. We used a long series of "public speaking" practices with my college freshmen, for some of them it was terrifying and they said they hated it.... but for all of them I saw a great improvement in their confidence to speak out.
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However it is odd, to my mind, that the worst part of being here in China, from my view, is the attitudes of my fellow foreign English teachers! Frankly, I cannot really spend much time with them, because I find I just cannot tolerate it. As soon as we start talking, out come the flow, of what I'd call "China bashing" -- a constant train of criticism and putdowns for all things Chinese. Sure, everything is not perfect from my point of view either.... but I noticed today, that as a guest in a foreign country, my approach is to adapt. --- Maybe some Westerners keep always judging everything according to the standards in their home countries, ... but I don't agree with this approach. Why are we so great that we think other cultures should be like ours? I don't agree with what I feel is an inherent egoism in this attitude. Sure China is different. Maybe the health care is not what we're used to. Maybe the traffic is not how we are used to it being. Maybe people's behavior is different than the norms we are accustomed to. But my feeling is that it is arrogance to say that "our way" is the best.
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For example, I was surprised the other day when my Western colleague said he had no interest in knowing anything about the communist party in China. My feeling was ... oh, well your mind is already made up, and is no totally closed. --- Adaptation and open mindedness leads to another approach. One of my students was fortunate to be able to join the party (what I'm learning is a very lengthy and complicated process requiring many recommendations from teachers and also peers -- other classmates -- and from employers, also including a background of volunteer activities). My only point is that in USA I was brought up to think that "Communism" was essentially identical to "Satan" - yet while I'm here in China, an just being open to new ideas, ... not prejudging everything according to what I've been taught in USA, ... but just adapting, talking to Chinese people, learning... I can see that there are excellent aspects to everything. Of course nothing is perfect, but we can all always be learning from new experiences. There is so much value in learning about other ways of doing things.
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As a Western teacher in China.... I do not thing we should be teaching Chinese people about how "our way" in the west is so great, and telling them how they need to be more like us (which seems to be the attitude of almost all foreign teachers I meet). Instead, I think our approach should be to learn about other ways of doing things, and to value them --- not criticize them because they are not like our own.
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Well... that is my two-cents worth for other travelers. - Jeffrey
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I hear you on the complaints side of things, Jeffrey. People will complain no matter where they are or what they do; they could be in their favorite place (dream job, restaurant, hang-out, bar/pub, vacation spot, etc) and STILL complain that it's not like they want it to be. Ignore the haters; they're everywhere and really going nowhere with constant whining.
I just think that your English-speaking co-workers are afraid of losing their cultural identity as being from a "Western (i.e. "more developed")" country and becoming more globalised and open to changes that happen so rapidly around them. Age, I think, is another factor; I doubt you'd encounter as many complaints among younger teachers than say the middle-aged. Without the "lavish" amenities of a 24/7 Starbucks, Walmart, Direct TV, gas-guzzling Dodge Ram pickup, and Facebook, many people feel like their in a prison for a year when teaching abroad.
It won't dawn on them until later in their lives when they realize what they took for granted; but you've already found and are immersing yourself the nuiances of a new/different world, culture, society, and lifestyle. You're not fighting it, but accepting it and learning from it and it can only make you a better person as you go through life. :)
Keep your head up and let the haters keep putting their heads down is what I say.
Hi Lorilynn, if you want her contact, can you send me an email, and I'll send it to you (I don't want to post her email address here) - my email is
doublelibra@gmail --dot --- com
Jeffrey
That would be great, Jeffery. I have been looking at job postings on various sites and it is daunting. I think having a recruiter assist me might be helpful.
Hi Lorilynn - you asked about the ease of meeting people who speak English in China. I think this depends on the size of the city where you go. I'm in a little (but beautiful) town-city (Linhai, Zejiang Province) and here it is almost impossible to meet people who speak English. However there are a few I've met in town, and of course all my college students speak English, and I spend a fair bit of time with them outside of class. But I hear that in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai that there are loads of English speaking people. Some people clearly prefer the larger cities, but even though Linhai is small, I prefer it because the air is clean and we do have some beautiful places here (the "southern great wall"), whereas the big cities are hugely crowded. So, I suppose it depends what you prefer. --- I also found my job through a recruiter -- and though they sometimes have bad reputations, mine was fantastic and she has contacts all over China. let me know if you want her contact email. - jeffrey
Great post - I think its important to remember when we travel places to keep an open mind and avoid being judgemental. Just because I am from a North American country does not mean that my ideas and beliefs are the best. I plan to keep this in mind when I begin my TESL journey. I am thinking about going to China to teach and will be done my CELTA TESL course in mid November. Was it easy to meet other foreigners/people who speak English in China? I will be going by myself and worry about feeling isolated in a new place due to the language barrier.
Pardon a few typos in the post.... ! Jeffrey
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