Jun 2008

Every now and then everyone has the need for a pizza. In Tai'an though this can prove very difficult. We were advised by a Chinese teacher of this great pizza restaurant - the best in town. To our standards it was not close and as dear as poison.

However at the Ramada they serve Pizza. It is sensational. And expensive but worth it for a good pizza when one is in need of such a treat.

There is a pizza delivery place however we can't ring them because we don't speak the same language. Ramada also have takeaways. But by the time we catch a cab up there we might as well stay and enjoy the ambiance!

Everyone is China uses tissues. I must say though more frugally than we do. One tissue one use is my way of thinking. Not here. They look to tear them in half!

This situation also is on the pollution radar. The government is now trying to get the people to use handkerchiefs.

Packaging in China is amazing. Everything is double packaged eg say you buy a packet of Oreo biscuits, they look the same on the outside as they do at home, however inside they are wrapped again. Everything you buy they want to put into plastic bags. Takeaways are served in plastics bags. Even beer is sold in plastic bags. And China has a severe problem with waste. There are no dumps.

From the 01/06/08 China has introduced that you must pay for plastic bags at the supermarket in a bid to reduce pollution. I'm in full support of this especially when you see red plastic bags multiply in the rivers. I am now also the proud owner of several environment bags. It's the same story as at home you buy them but forget to take them back with you. The bags here are a little more stylish then the green bags we have back home.

Travel and teach English worldwide. This is a growing market. There are so many opportunities out there in the big wide world.

Imagine living abroad for 3 months, 6 months or even years. Getting paid to travel. Experiencing travel like you have never experienced before. Making a new life skipping from country to country. The experiences are enriching in every way possible and totally invaluable.

The people you meet are amazing, sometimes a little weird. Some of the countryside you see is breathtaking. The food can be exotic. It is what you make of it. However be prepared it is addictive!

I would encourage anyone who is interested to look into it further. You do not need to be a teacher and you do not need to have a degree. If you have a good command for English grammar, writing and speaking seriously consider this as an option.

Don't be the person saying I wish I had of seen the world. This is a great way to do it. Deciding whether you should have a career change before you retire well this could be your country change! Or would you rather age before your used by date and sit at home and tell the stories of the hip replacements, the grandchildren, the great grandchildren. The option is yours to choose.

There are many courses in Australia that you can do. They vary in terms of time, cost and quality. You just need to work out what will suit you. I did my training via Australasian Training Academy. They offer:
1. Advanced TESOL Course
This course is 120 hours which includes 5 day in class Foundation Course + 1 elective.
This will give you your international teaching license
2. Professional TESOL Course
This course is 240 hours which includes 5 days in class Foundation Course + 3 electives.
Both of these course are really for the person who desires to travel and teach conversation English internationally.
3. Professional TESOL Diploma Course
This course is 600 hours which includes 5 day in class Foundation Course + 9 electives.
This course is for people who love language teaching, and wish to make a longer-term career from teaching English and TESOL administration.

Finding employment is easy especially in China. I had my license in my hot little hands and went on the internet to start applying for positions. I applied for 15 positions and within 4 days I had the hard choice of deciding which of the 14 contracts I had received would I accept!

There are so many organizations with courses in major cities. The electives are done online. They are 60 hours each. However if you are committed it will not take you 60 hours/ elective. Do your research.

It is easy to get a position in Asia. Not all countries require a degree. Some do. But where ever you do your TESOL training they will tell you this. So if you don't have a degree don't apply for those countries. It really will not limit your choices.

You don't need to go via an agency, you can negotiate directly with the college. When you get a contract send it to where you did your training. They will be able to tell you if it is legitimate or not. When you have some experience up your sleeve you can negotiate for more $$$.

My contract is for 10 months. I have 20 teaching hours from Monday to Friday every week. I get paid a monthly salary. So even if I don't do the 20 hours I still get paid, however if I do extra I get paid overtime. At the completion of my contract I receive a completion bonus. The school provides me with a furnished, air conditioned apartment with kitchen and private bathroom. They also pay for the utilities. I paid for my airfare up front however after 3 months they reimburse 50% and the other 50% at the completion of my contract. I also receive 4 weeks paid vacation. I paid for my entry visa and the school paid for my working visa. It's a good deal really!

I have been here now for 3 months but I wish I had of done it earlier. There was no point being stuck in a rut. Life is short!

Going to the supermarket is a big effort. Firstly everyone wants to stare at the foreigner. Secondly in the aisle there is at least one shop assistant to every metre and if you look like you might want to buy something they are showing you the products. I just want to see what it is. Next there is the challenge of everything being in Chinese and you are looking for some form of familiarity. Sometimes I buy products just because they are western products not because I need it and I certainly wouldn't buy them if I was back home.

It can take me an hour to shop for a few things.

There are 3 supermarkets near the campus. First there is Silver Plaza. It is about 20 minutes by foot and Y3 for a bung bung home. Then there is Lotus which stocks more Western food it is a 10 Minute Taxi ride and cost Y9.50 or you could jump on the no 2 bus and get of at the train station and get on a number 4 bus. This would be Y2. I really only go there when I'm going to the hairdresser. Then there is Joong Bai. I only recently discovered this supermarket and I quite like it. It is also a 20 minute walk or Y6.50 by taxi or Y4 by bung bung. It has a cross section of western & Chinese foods and I guess is a little like a hypermarket. I also discovered there is a gym here which I have joined.

Joong Bai has a very good bakery section. There are a lot of products that are recognizable. Even Chocolate donuts that taste like chocolate donuts and not some type of fish sauce!

They have a deli section that sells ham, cold meats, cheese, cooked chooks, prepackaged dinners like Peking duck. Very enticing.

There assortment of meats was also impressive not that I will be cooking any.

They freezer section was also well planned with foods grouped together.

The fruit and vegetable department doesn't appeal to me. I much prefer the fruit and vegetables at Silver Plaza if I don't like what's in the street markets. I'm a little funny about some fruit and buying it off the street.