A Postcard from... Chengdu, China

Blending in with the locals

Life in Chengdu is very easy going for a “foreigner”. As far as work is concerned, I am only required to work 2 days a week. I currently work Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. My students are all English majors so class is a lot of fun. I was not given any type of outline from the university in regards to what I am supposed to teach so I am provided the freedom to design the classes any way that I desire. Some of the more interesting classes this semester have been topics such as analyzing music from the 1960s to debating whether smoking should be banned in public places. Since Chinese typically look upon teachers very favorably, the students are very easy to get along with. It is very common that a class will invite me to their class parties or even rent out a restaurant to make dumplings from scratch. It is memories like these that define my experience living in China.

Typically, foreigners are looked upon favorably by the majority of the population in China. While there are always people in every country that could be considered racist, in China they are a very small portion of society. Since I have summers and winters off, I typically will travel to China's neighboring countries. So far I have been to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. I only mention this as people in China are in general friendlier to foreigners. If I am walking down the street lost, it is very common that 4-5 people will come over and try to help me find my destination. Another usual occurrence is when I go to the bus station, it is very common that the bus driver will ask me to board the bus in front of a line of 50-100 people. This is not something I am generally proud of, although it does happen.

Walking the streets of Cairo

There are some things that an American has to get used to though. In China, it is common to negotiate for everything. If you are not familiar with the art of negotiation, then you will probably be paying 2-3 times what the Chinese pay for everything. If you are a vegetarian, then it is going to take some time to get used to the food here. The idea of not eating meat is a very foreign concept in China. While you can enjoy a phenomenal lunch at the local Buddhist temple, most restaurants use meat in everything. Lastly, you will probably have to get use to the Chinese method of being indirect about everything. Most Chinese do not want to “lose face” so it is common they will tell a small white lie or be very indirect about what they really want. These are some things an American has to get used to if they would like to live in China.

The cost of living is also quite cheap compared to Western countries. A nice apartment may cost 1500-2000 RMB (220.00 – 300.00 ) which sometimes even includes private roof access. On average, most foreigners make roughly 5500 RMB per month. It is very common that a foreigner will have a second job so that will dramatically increase your income. The average Chinese person in Chengdu makes roughly 2,000 RMB per month for a job they work 40+ hours a week. You have the opportunity to live a very comfortable life style off of your pay.

I found my current job while still in the United States. After completing my Celta, I applied to 60 universities around China. I specifically only applied to top 100 universities as that was what some of my friends who worked in China recommended. You can find the list online and it changes frequently. Most universities start the hiring process in February to May for the upcoming fall semester. I was very fortunate to find a Spring semester position as I have found out that these are quite rare.

If one were so inclined, it is very easy to find a job at a private language school which typically pay more. The majority of the people who work at a private language school usually will have a different experience than those who work at a university. The differences include students of a lower level (who may be forced to go to the school by their parents), tough management, long hours and a strict course outline.

The experience that I received while teaching during the CELTA program helped me immensely. On my first day of class in China, I knew exactly what I was doing and how I should do it. Even minor problems that occurred in class did not hinder me at all. This allowed me to remain calm and confident in my ability to teach the class.

Since I joined the university in the spring, the students had already experienced the teaching style of another foreign teacher. Several of the students complimented my teaching style and the subjects which were covered. All of this I owe to the CELTA program that I completed through Teaching House.

Cory and his students