ESL in China: New To Teaching Teaching ESL in China has made me feel anything but “big,” it’s respectfully made me feel very small, which I’ve come to very much appreciate. China, a world leading power, is progressing faster than ever in its education system. It’s taking on new ideas…...
China Expectations vs Realities by Lindsay Daitch
Before coming to teach in China, I had a vague idea of what exactly I was getting myself into. My friends and family had asked me multiple questions about the job that I could not answer. Yet, I still thought that I had done a thorough amount of research…...
Phones in China: A Tale of Four Phones by Molly Oberstein-Allen
I came to China with a well-loved iPhone. It got me through an unexpected few days in Hong Kong with no money for a visa and a hostel reserved for the wrong week, and it helped me navigate the seemingly identical streets of Shenzhen during my first few weeks –…...
Overcoming Your Fears with Lucas: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Eastern Style Toilet
After 3 days of intense stomach churning, I must’ve visited well over 20 public bowls around Shenzhen. Surviving the gauntlet, yet still new to China, one skill I have already mastered is the ability to use a squat toilet. Train stations, Mom and pop restaurants, KFC’s you name it, I’ve…...
What’s Next? Stay or Go by Leanne Overby
The time has come for us expats to take pause from our blissful existence and face a reality that is coming at us faster than a speeding bullet: it’s time to decide our next move. It’s easier said than done, especially for us wanderlust folk who are constantly in conflict…...
Chinese Culture Shock in Three Easy Steps
I’m alert in the packed line four train. Immediate Culture Shock: A 4’11 woman stands with her forehead buried in my back, as a man’s elbow stabs me in my side. Then I hear the telltale signs of impending, unpaid sick leave in the air…cough, cough. At first, the gravelly…...
On the Outskirts of Shenzhen: Dapeng, a New District by Alistair Heald
Shenzhen is a major city in Guangdong Province, China. It is also one of the wealthiest cities in China. Shenzhen’s temperate climate, relatively low pollution levels, and close proximity to Hong Kong, Macau, and several other interesting destinations make Shenzhen one of the China’s most desirable cities to live…...
Teaching Abroad: 8 Epiphanies
Teaching Abroad I’ve slowly become a person who believes that ‘everything happens for a reason', as cliché as it may sound. Truthfully, I never prepared myself for an teaching abroad in China. For someone who decided to move to the opposite side of the world, I didn’t consider a lot…...
Teaching in China by Leanne Overby
Teaching in China My Experience Flashback to July 2016.It’s 9:45pm on Wednesday night. I’m sat at a table in front of my laptop in my parent’s cold basement (they love to crank the a/c in the summer). I’ve logged into Skype and am eagerly waiting for SDE’s call to start…...