Most long-time expats in Henan Province, the “midwest” of China, enjoy their sojourn in the Middle Kingdom. They rave about the friendliness of the people, the low cost of living, the slower pace of life and the traditional Chinese culture. When they complain, it is often about the pollution – water, air and food – or the incessant presence of Big Brother. All of these factors, both the good and the bad, are the reality of life in central China.
For the thousands of long time expats living abroad, there are many more who couldn’t wait to go home. Some don’t even finish their contract. There are a variety of reasons that things don’t work out well. Some are easy to predict. What makes a good teacher is a lack of these issues.
Personal Issues are Warning Flags When Considering a Job in China
The following situations should be reasons to reconsider overseas living:
Health – The Chinese culture reveres the elderly and young people often stand to give older people their seats on buses. Yet medical and dental care in many parts of China is not consistent with what is considered good medicine in most Western countries. However, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is widely available and, by Western standards, the cost is very low.
Age – The upper age limit for foreign teachers in China is 65; however, like many other places, for every rule there are exceptions. Age should be a consideration when mobility, thought processes, or hard-to-get but must-have medications are part of the picture. Stiff knees and bad hips do not cope well with squat toilets which are still the norm, especially in rural areas.
Language – Being tone deaf creates a great barrier in a land where the same word can mean a dozen different things depending on context and tone. Pinyin, the Romanized spelling of Mandarin, is helpful but the official language is still written in characters. So, learning to speak Chinese does not aid in learning to read it and being illiterate is a humbling and difficult experience.
Body Size – Even though much of the merchandise sold in American stores is made in China and Chinese stores carry a wide selection of clothing and shoe sizes, large-sized clothes and shoes, especially for women, are very difficult to buy in China. Be prepared to go elsewhere to shop.
Need for Routine – Chinese people, including those met once on a bus or at an English corner, often stop by a foreign friend’s house for a visit or light meal with little or no advance notice. Schools are known to change schedules – either an individual’s teaching schedule or an entire university’s holiday schedule – with no prior notification. Must-attend parties are rarely announced more than a day or two beforehand. Water, electricity and gas may be shut off for a day or longer with no warning. If these types of situations are taken by the foreigner as personal affronts, it creates undue stress. The culture is not what must change.
Delicate constitution – A polite way to say that if eating things cooked in a kitchen that is moldy, dirty or has no running water bothers someone, he or she should avoid any real-Chinese eating establishments. Most tourist-quality hotels and restaurants should pass muster, but the prices are likely to deplete an average English teacher’s salary before the month ends.
A passion for missions – Anyone who wants to work in China solely to zealously proselytize for a religion needs to rethink their plan. Not only is it against the Chinese law, but it may harm the work of many other good organizations who are working in cooperation with China to do good.
Not everyone is cut out to lead the fascinating life of an expatriate. Even in a foreign environment that feels so exotic at first, life is sometimes boiled down to essentials: sleep, eat, work, shop. If someone’s daily goal is to get an adrenalin rush, it’s best to remember that in China routines can still become monotonous.
For more information about what makes a good teacher or teaching jobs overseas, see What Does it Take to Teach in China? and What Else Does it Take to Teach in China?
Mistie Shaw - Writing for nearly half a century, Shaw's interests and education meander from music to the military, and from faith to fun.
Join the Conversation