Where in China would you teach?

[HumourIsKey]

Hi there,

I've been reading lots of reviews people have written about teaching in different educational establishments, and in different areas of China. Some awful, and some great experiences. I'm doing my due diligence and researching all I can about the country and asking people who have been there their thoughts. However, I'm still wanting as much input from people as possible, and I hope you can help with 1 or more of my following questions:

*Where in China is now meant to be THE place to teach? And is it due to living conditions, conditions of school, salary, etc.?
* Are the 2 safest bets Beijing or Shanghai, or are there other cosmopolitan places that offer good teaching jobs AND a good lifestyle? i.e. night life, standards of schools, living conditions.
* Has anyone had a particularly good or bad experience with a particular establishment in a particular Province/ town that they could share? Would be most welcomed
* Where have you taught in China and how was it?
* Are there any particularly handy sights that will offer me a real insight into China?

Obviously I'm looking for a lot here, and by no means expect all my questions to be answered, but I would genuinely appreciate any replies.

Thanks, taking my Trinity TESOL course next month - very scary as I realise how intense the courses are!!

Jonny

[Doogs]

Go to Dave's EFL Cafe (Google it) for info on particular schools.

China is the third largest country in the world, and it has a population of 1.3 billion people. Asking where the best place to go is both meaningless and impossible to answer. The weather, the culture, the landscape is so varied, that what is the perfect place for one person could be someone else's worst nightmare.

I like the South West personally. I like the weather, and I like being close to Hong Kong. I like the Cantonese people, and I love Cantonese food. I like being near the sea. I like being close to other South East Asian countries for when I have holiday time. I don't like big cosmopolitan cities, so I wouldn't teach in Guangzhou or Shenzhen. Too dirty and too many other foreigners for me. I didn't come to China to hang out in Western pubs and restaurants with other westerners. Other people love that lifestyle.

Salaries are better in big cities, but so are living costs. You may have more spending power in the more rural areas than you would in Beijing of Shanghai for instance. The rates are worked out so that it evens out nationally. You should be earning at least two to three times the local cost of living. There are good and bad schools everywhere in China, it's best to do your research before accepting a job.

Dave's EFL Cafe is one of the best sites for researching good and bad employers as well as getting info on a particular city or town. Don't go to China until you've visited www.middlekingdomlife.com and read as much as possible.

Before you fly out, leave any and all opinions and expectations you have behind, and under no circumstances try to compare anything in China with what your familiar with back home, that way you will have the time of your life.