Hi! You must be thinking about teaching ESL. Few industries can offer such a broad range of experiences and the choice can be overwhelming, so Ill share what Ive learnt from three years of working in this industry.

For me, two broad areas are important when considering where to teach. The first is the quality of the experience you are likely to have, and the second is the amount of money you are likely to save. Some places (such as Thailand and Brazil) seem to offer highly positive experiences but little opportunity to save money, while others (such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE) appear to provide great salaries but perhaps less easily enjoyable experiences. I think the balance East Asia offers ESL teachers is hard to beat, and before joining JESIE I had already worked at a public school in South Korea and a private academy in Taiwan.

At the end of my year of teaching in Taiwan I was missing the public system, which generally offers more benefits (such as long vacations and free housing) and less pressure than positions in the private sector. I was also eager to explore the worlds most populous country, bursting as it is with natural beauty and historic sites, and to study the Chinese language. I was delighted to discover that JESIE offered just what I was looking for, and in one of the most beautiful parts of East Asia to boot.

Looking back on my first four months with JESIE in Wuxi, I can truthfully say that this is the best job I have ever had. I teach my friendly junior high students a small number of hours each week (fewer than my contract allows for). Management works hard to keep everyone happy. My two-bedroom apartment is in a complex full of JESIE teachers from around the world, so socializing is never a problem. At the moment Im taking Chinese and calligraphy classes in my free time during the week. And on weekends there are so many places to visit, including the great cities of Shanghai, Suzhou or Nanjing for an easy day trip.

Before finishing, I would like to mention how comfortable I feel living in China. The people here are incredibly down-to-earth and friendly. Be it on the bus, in a restaurant or simply on the street, I have had friendly and curious locals strike up conversations with me. On several occasions Ive had a group of Chinese shyly approach me for a photo. There are a lot of differences between Chinese and western societies, but if youre open-minded youll have the time of your life. I certainly couldnt be happier living here and working with JESIE.