The Big Question... Why? Why and how I came to apply to teach English in China.

---

---

I'm completely new to this blogger business. Do I introduce myself? Or am I to conclude that who ever is reading this will probably know me and be reading this on purpose, so to that one individual 'Hi'
Well my name is Ed, I am 22 and have just finished studying Sport and Exercise Science at Sheffield Hallam University.

As soon as I tell someone that I am thinking about or going to china to become an EFL Teacher, depending how far back I go, they have always first asked that one word question 'why?'. So what have? Well I will try and keep it structured enough not to confuse anyone.

So for the past 6 years I have had numerous jobs working with children with SEN. This has included being a disability Sports instructor, a job which often requires a great deal of patience and most often than not rather enjoyable. I can't complain about a part time job whereby I am being paid to play sports.
From experience from this job I applied for a summer scheme at a special needs school for children with moderate to severe special educational needs. I say apply, well I got a call the one morning asking if I would like a job during the summer, my response being 'yes' then got the response of 'ok that's great, the first day actually started 30mins ago, so if you get here as soon as you can that would be brilliant'.
5 summers later and I am still working at the same summer scheme. With the exception of being a group leader for the last two years apposed to a play assistant.
I was then offered a job at a SEN secondary school for children with minor to moderate learning difficulties through word of mouth so to speak from the October after completing my first year at the summer play scheme. I was at college part time in my 3rd year at this point. I do love an excuse to dress up in a smart shirt and tie so that was a nice positive added bonus of the job. I was also known by the students and staff as Mr Dawes. This was a strangle feeling, especially having some of the students only a couple years younger than me, but especially at the age of 18 gives you a sense of importance. It was slightly daunting at first as I was actually being paid to help students with their education rather than to simply teach them to ride a bike, play football or just running around playing tig with them I was previously used to with my other jobs. I really felt building a good friendly rapport with the students worked well and seemed easier because I was closer to their age.
Later on in the year I applied to be a teaching assistant at the school where I did the playscheme at. It meant I had to ditch the smart trousers, shirt and tie combos and the title of Mr Dawes, for clothes I don't mind getting paint, children's food etc on and being called by my first name. Depending on the ability of the children saying a staff members name can vary on pronunciation. One girl with down syndrome calls me 'Day'. I can say 'My name is Ed' and her response would be 'yes Day' (while signing E).
I really have enjoyed all these jobs and feel lucky to have had the opportunities I have had. Always a bonus when you're happy to get up for work and as rewarding as hell.

Well now I have rambled on, not answering the question in question. Now to answer it.
Having the experience I have had especially the teaching side of things, it isn't a millions miles away what I would be doing in Shenzhen, China. I am studying Sport and Exercise Science with the deep down aim to become a Sports Nutritionist. A field which is one if not the most difficult field in Sports Science to get in to. I would be very stupid not to have a form of back up plan. My back up plan has always been to do a PGCE and become a teacher. So what better way to really test out if this is something I may want to go straight into by going abroad to do it, without making the full financial commitment of completing a PGCE.

Finding out about the whole TEFL in China is quite new to me however. The first time I came across this was in May in a meeting with my careers adviser at Uni. At this point I was set in finding a job to fund my Sports Nutrition IOC Diploma so had been on an interview at a Sports Store called Decathlon for the Job of Department Manager. The Meeting with my adviser had been booked pretty much to bitch about the whole recruitment process they have there and regarding my previous recruitment day. The recruitment day went extremely well. I felt I performed very well and had clearly done the most research among the candidates. So at the end of the group tasks before the managers went to decide on who would progress to the interview stage, they asked us the question 'So who do you feel performed the best in the group tasks today'. Its a big bug-bear for me that people often put themselves down irrationally and don't have confidence within themselves. If you do something good admit it to yourself at the minimum. No one can say they don't get annoyed at people saying they are fat or ugly when they are clearly a size 8 or are clearly pretty and have about 60+ likes on their most recent facebook profile pic (not that, determines how someone looks but you get the message) . Saying that I personally believed I performed the best but when that question came up I did say the standard I think we all performed well today. Saying myself may have looked a little arrogant in that situation. Although as soon as I had replied everyone then mentioned my name. So felt extremely confidence I would at least get through to the interview stage... Well apparently not. The only two people to get through the stage was the two girls whom which one studied French and the other was French studying Business. It is a French company which I feel this decision was based upon. The one performed well although the one during the last task only spoke up once and that was after I had prompted her for her opinion on the task. They never sent me feedback even after stating they would so feel I may have been hard done by, but hey-ho if that never would have happened, I would not have booked the meeting with my adviser for that day and would never of heard about Capita (the company I am going to china with). During the meeting after looking into my options he mentioned that he had received a PDF of a company called capita who have a recruitment fare that day at the University Of Sheffield (the dark side of Sheffield) and that I should go. The PDF didn't mention which type of jobs they had on offer so it was a stab in the dark at walking all that way, but I did it anyway. I got there and found out it was for people who want a career in business or finance. Not what I had in mind. Not wanting to waste a trip I went a long with it, sounded interested in all the boring jobs they wanted me to apply for. And noticed the Capita 'Explore.Travel.Teach' stall. The man looked polite so I went over for a chat. Politely left my details after a nice chat and went on my way, still not really that interested.

A month or so late maybe more, the day of the England v Uruguay game, I got a phone call from some from admin at Capita asking if I was still interested. I hadn't even thought about it tbh. Asking if I would like to speak to someone who helps organise the recruitment etc, who knows more about it, I agreed and then booked a phone call 12noon the following day. Knowing if England win I would probably be getting very drunk or If they would lose I would also get very drunk I went for this time and no earlier. As promised he phoned me and I was actually starting to like the idea. The England match came up so mentioned that I had been out the night before etc and he continued to ask me a few questions regarding my past experience etc which I just deemed was him being curious. I later found out that was the interview stage and I passed without realising. Knowing I wasn't feeling 100% he told me to go for a nap to help the hangover and before 4pm to do some research on Shenzhen and Hangzhou. Some paracetamol, an hour or extra in bed and a little research later I had chosen to live in Shenzhen over Hangzhou, and as promised he phoned me back. Within a week (on a Saturday) He had gotten in contact with the Chinese recruiters and by the Monday I had been sent my Chinese Contract. In just over a week from my interview, I was signing a contract to go to WORK IN CHINA FOR A WHOLE YEAR. Applying for a part-time summer job in England which lasts 5 weeks takes more effort and is a longer process than this has been.

This is my first ever blog entry and hopefully not my last. And for everyone who knows me when writing out texts etc I am not one for short messages. Although from now on will attempt to keep them shorter, well if not at least more interesting anyway. And it should be about China next time.

For anyone who read all that. Fair Play.

---