United Kingdom
UK
Emma Ford
Teach Enrich Empower
Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremonies and Chinese Cooking in Changsa
Before making the move of a life time to China I was a student at the University of Kent, graduating in Wildlife Conservation. I was looking to travel but also needed to earn a living.
It was then that my friend told me about a year they spent teaching English in China. So I decided to do a 120-hour TEFL course with The TEFL Academy in June and by September I was on the flight to China!
I first arrived in a city called Changsha in 2013 and it was like a different world. My first job was at a university teaching classes of 30 students all preparing to study in the UK or the USA. This was my first ever teaching job and although quite daunting to begin with I found the TEFL course was really helpful as I had some activities up my sleeve and I had learnt about different teaching styles. Working at a public university meant I had a long winter and summer holiday which I put to good use travelling throughout South East Asia.
My first year in China flew by and by the end of it I still felt like I wanted to explore China more. After completing my contract at the university I was looking for a new challenge. I found this in the private school sector.
In my new job my class sizes were much smaller and my students came from all different backgrounds. In one class I was helping a doctor to improve her oral conversational English and then in another class I had a lively 5-year-old student who loved to sing ‘twinkle twinkle little star’. I really enjoy teaching teenagers who are eager to study abroad, experience a new way of life and I can help them to prepare for their English exams. Seeing the students become more confident and excited about their future is great and really makes the job fulfilling.
“My first year in China flew by and by the end of it I still felt like I wanted to explore China more.”
I have also had opportunities to use my degree for some special activities. For example I organised a nature summer course where the kids enjoyed exploring the local parks. They learned the names of different plants and endangered animals which live in China.
The expat community even in a lesser known city like Changsha has been great. You make friends from all over the world and together you can seek out some home comforts. Having said that, there is no better way to immerse yourself in a different culture and my new Chinese friends have taught me so much, from traditional Chinese tea ceremonies to Chinese cooking and the various annual festivals in China.
With an open mind the opportunities are endless. Not only does having a TEFL certificate give you the option to live in a wide variety of countries but also the teaching jobs open to you are so diverse. After a summer back in the UK with friends and family, I am now about to embark on my third adventure to China, this time to a different city to live with my Chinese boyfriend. I had no idea back in 2013 that taking a TEFL course would enrich my life so much but I don’t regret any of it.
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