admin2021-04-17T16:21:57+00:00
Here is a second example
Here is an example
I learned everything here in China, so don’t stress over becoming a master linguist before coming. You will learn the necessities quickly. Of course if you are fluent your life here will be so easy. But the required language level is quite low.
Of the teachers, I probably know the most Mandarin and I know very little. I have enough to order food, do some shopping, and tell a taxi driver where my home is.
Do you all speak Mandarin now? Lol, I guess I’m asking, how much do you need to know in order to get around, live, etc.? And I guess also, how many of you that haven’t left yet are learning Mandarin or already know it…?
You’ll pick up the basics really quickly. So don’t fret too much over language before coming over.
There are always new areas to explore and new experiences around each corner. The current teachers in all of the areas are very welcoming and will show you around. Often the teachers go explore and travel together to the different parts of China. M.E.F. also organizes some events and gatherings for the teachers throughout the year.
Traveling in China is reasonable, from 180RMB one way to Beijing (from Jinan) and I think it was 400 RMB one way to Shanghai. Both are within distance to go away for a weekend. You can either do an overnight train to shanghai or do it within 4hrs, we have done to overnight train and I would recommend it (it’s cheaper and for sure an experience). Beijing is about 1.5hrs away.
This is one reason why you definitely want to go with M.E.F.. The normal Chinese people work very late and many work 6+ days per week. Working with a school directly usually means that they will expect to call you late Friday night to come in Saturday morning, or stay until late night for a number of reasons. MEF is not perfect and still have to try hard to make everything as smooth as possible when it comes to the scheduling, but it is 1000 times better with M.E.F. then trying to work directly with a school and hoping that they do not expect you to work as a Chinese staff would.
You will need a lot of flexibility with the work schedule as in China they often make changes and inform us (English and Chinese teachers alike) pretty last minute. It’s never anything you can’t manage. And you will learn how to balance out hard schedules with flexible attitudes.
