Should I teach English in China?

Should you teach English in China?  As I said for Korea, Thailand and Vietnam the answer is a yes but first check out my overall guide to teaching English abroad to fund your travels.  There are lots of tips and advice in there which will really help you. China has exploded in the last couple of years for teachers to share the English love but China definitely isn’t for everyone.  Read on to make sure you make the right decision.  

Teach me!

What’s special about China?

• Just how unbelievably big it is: every area is different – it’s kind of crazy
• Chinese food is nothing like you think it is
• The history! These guys are ancient!
• How hard the language is: Teacake has learnt a little of lots of different languages but Chinese? Pfffff, you really have to make some effort
• How they are developing all the time but still feel really old: it’s a bit of a chalk and cheese mix

Why should I teach in China?

• A lot is possible here: there’s something in the air that if you want to be successful, you can do it here
• The money is fantastic: find the right school and you will be very comfortable
• For newbie teachers there’s great opportunities for you to dive right in and go for it / for experienced teachers, there’s lots of schools looking for your expertise!
• You’ll be tested and challenged: that’s what Teacake likes and maybe what you want too

What do I need?

As always, Teacake recommends a TEFL certificate and if you can, a CELTA because it’s really going to help you be the best teacher you can be.  However, I know many people who have turned up here without a degree, TEFL certificate or any teaching experience and the Chinese have welcomed them with open arms.  Let’s put it this way: there are a hell of a lot of Chinese people and a hell of a lot of them want to learn English.  Put yourself out there and you will succeed.

How much money will I earn?

This is for Shanghai specifically but still expect very good wages in relation to your living costs elsewhere  

Part-time: The minimum starting wage is around 200 CNY per hour =  $30 / £20.  This is if you are working for different schools.  With some experience you can earn more than this and obviously, working at many schools part-time will earn you a good wage.

Private tutoring: This is where the money really comes in.  Good teachers can charge 300 CNY per hour and even more.  Many Chinese students want to be tutored privately and you can find this work easily.

Full time: Expect anything from a low 10,000 CNY per month to a very comfortable 30,000 CNY per month if you have experience and teaching qualifications.  Obviously, with full time you’re looking at housing allowance, return flights, health insurance, a transport allowance and lots of other lovely benefits.

What are the best students to teach?

When I arrived I automatically assumed, just like Korea, that teaching adults would bring in the most money.  This is actually wrong.  Teaching kids is where the money is at here.  I went from teaching in Shanghai at a very reputable University to teaching 3 year olds in a Kindergarten.  I work just as hard but I’d rather work hard and be paid good money for it.

Who should I work for?

You are going to be given a lot of job offers whether you decide to apply online or come here yourself and look.  Use this to your full advantage and make sure that you get the contract that you want.

The big players here are EF (English First), Wall Street English and Disney English to name a few but with any other country I have taught in, working for the big boys has its problems.  The pay is low, the care is not the best and there really are better places out there for you.

Where should I look for work?

I always recommend coming to the country and looking for the job you want right on the ground.  You will get a much better deal this way, understand what you are getting yourself into and make some great friends and contacts along the way.

1) China is massive! In this case, research online carefully about the area which you think will suit you! I cannot stress this enough.  I live and work in Shanghai but it doesn’t match my personality very well. For more information about what it’s like to live and teach in Shanghai read my interview on TeacherHorizons here.  Think about what you like, need and want and match the place to you 🙂

2) Once you have picked your ideal area, to begin your search, check out these invaluable websites to set up your appointments! Remember, contracts are totally negotiable.  They want you so say what you want!

• www.echinacities.com
• http://www.chinajob.com
• www.teflpanda.com

Good luck! I wish you the absolute best finding your new job.  If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact me.  I’m happy to help!

©Teacaketravels: Please do not copy and paste Teacake’s words and images into your own posts. If you like an image or want to take an excerpt of writing, please link it back. Thank you

In Cambodia? Avoid the Baby Milk Scam

Sometimes, Teacake gets scammed.  It’s only happened twice in 5 years luckily, but it can happen nonetheless, no matter how much you think you have travelling sussed out.  One scam I fell for is in Siem Reap in Cambodia.  This was back in 2013 but a quick google search proves that it’s going just as strong now! Goddamit!

What’s going on?

1. There’s going a be a young kid with a very cute baby
2. They’ll approach you and say the baby is hungry: they don’t want money, just milk
3. No problem I thought, I’ll grab you some milk kid.  Milk is cheap, right?…
4. The kid will take you to a shop (and the shop is totally in on the scam)
5. They’ll take you to the milk and oh boy is that powdered milk expensive! Around $25
6. As you’re going, ‘$25…really?!’ The kid will tell you they really need it / their sibling is starving etc
7. My gut knew something was seriously up, but I ignored it (tip: never ignore your gut)
8. I bought the milk, felt good for a few minutes, then quickly realised everyone else on Pub Street was asking for milk too.  What the hell?
9. Went home.  Googled ‘Cambodian milk scam’.  Boom! Top scam in Siem Reap
10. The kids will go back to the shop, sell back the powdered milk and split the profits they’ve made with the shopkeeper.  Boohoo to this
11. Rumour has it that the babies aren’t even family: they’re rented or borrowed for the night to make money

Milk Scam: Photo courtesy of Dominic Stafford

Have you been scammed whilst travelling? Please share and comment below! Knowledge = travel happiness! 

Never teach English in Vietnam like this

Should you teach English in Vietnam?  As I said for Korea and Thailand, the answer is yes(!) but first check out my overall guide to teaching English abroad to fund your travels.  There are lots of tips and advice in there which will really help you. Vietnam is awesome for teaching but I personally did everything wrong when I worked here and I learnt the hard way.  Read on to avoid the same mistakes. 

What’s special about Vietnam?

• The history! The Vietnam War! Need I say more?
• The motorbike journeys – ride for your life on those school holidays!
• The buzzing feeling you get walking down the city streets: colours, sounds, smells, smiles
• Pho: the best noodle soup known to man
• The freshly brewed street beer…and it’s cheap!

Why should I teach in Vietnam?

• Excellent for newbie teachers looking to gain experience
• The abundance of ESL jobs available
• Option to choose a year contract or work part-time in different schools: lots of flexibility!
• Did I mention the pho and freshly brewed beer?

What do I need?

• A University degree and at least 100 hours in a TEFL Qualification
• A bike: teachers moped around to get to their classes, particularly if they’re teaching part time in different schools.  Riding a moped is easy (if you’re calm and not an idiot) and if there was ever a ‘learn to ride a moped crash course 101’, Vietnam is it

How much money will I earn?

• Wages are very good in Vietnam at the moment! Expect around $20 an hour minimum and more with good qualifications and experience
• Tutoring privately can earn you a lot more money too

Who should I work for?

There are the big players like ILA and VUS but with any big company like this, there are reviews of them being poorly organised, not treating you very well and teachers being stressed out with lots of observations.  On the other hand, these companies offer the CELTA course every 5 weeks, 9-12 month contracts and they could be a very good first foot in the door.  Nonetheless, Teacake recommends talking to teachers already in Vietnam through friends and the net.  Research will get you far!

Where should I look for work?

The most popular website I found and the one I have used personally is TNH Vietnam. So many jobs and very reliable, apart from the job I found on there (see below)! As always, being in a country and actually looking for and talking to locals yourself is going to get you a much better job then applying hundreds of miles away.  Knock on doors, land a job through word of mouth.  That’s the best.  

Where did Teacake go wrong?

There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to publish this, because I feel like an idiot. You’ll probably read this and be like, ‘Teacake! You blonde bimbo!’  You live, you learn. That’s all I can say about this one because I really lost out here.  When you’re travelling, you always like to think that you know what you’re doing and are getting things right but even after 5 years of travelling, I still make mistakes.  There was that one time that I fell for the baby milk scam in Cambodia for example.  I was a sucker for that.  You can find out about that here.

When I was looking for work in Vietnam, I settled upon a job in Uong Bi, a small town between Hanoi and Halong Bay.  That was my first big mistake.  

1) Choose where you teach carefully: every place has its character and you may not suit it! I tried to convince myself that I was happy there but sleeping, eating and living where I was working was a nightmare to me.  No personal space, your boss always being there and not one other foreigner in town.  It’s just not teacake’s style.  I found the job online and it said not to worry about a working visa.  Fine, I thought, as I wanted to work quickly and start making money but this under the table business can get tricky.

2) Teaching on a working visa is understandably more legit than teaching on a tourist visa.  Many teachers do it across the world, working just on their tourist visa but it can be stressful at times, you might be found out and kicked out of the country and there’s little stability.  If you’re hoping to work in a country for a while, try and get a work visa.  You won’t have to keep leaving the country to renew, unsure if you’ll be let back in and you won’t have to worry about the police coming round uninvited to see if you’re working there illegally. My boss just kept handing over money to them to keep me there.  Not very comfortable at all and it was costing me to keep extending my visa.

3) Know what your working hours are and demand pay for overtime.  Stick to your guns at all times.  What was originally agreed for my schedule changed throughout the weeks.  Suddenly I was teaching an adult in the evening, a very rich business man, which my employer was very eager to please.  My boss assured me I would be paid overtime, so I agreed.  I kept teaching but then I got sick…

4) Make sure it is clear what cover you have: what are your holidays, do you have health insurance?  Unbelievably, the contraceptive implant in my arm broke.  I had to go to Hanoi to try and get it taken out and working in the situation I’d put myself in, I wasn’t going to get paid for any of those days off.  After a lot of digging in my arm, doctors couldn’t find it and take it out.  With 3 years worth of hormones breaking out in my body, I made the tough decision to go back home to England to sort it out.  At this point, my wages for my teaching job were already 2 weeks late…

5) Make sure you get paid.  If payment is late, that’s raising a serious red flag.  I told my boss I had to go.  This wasn’t really unexpected.  I had told him I had wanted to work for just 2 months from the start.  He said he didn’t have the money to pay me now but instead gave me one of his debit cards.  He told me to take it with me, that he would put the money on it and I could take out my wages in England.  ‘No problem’ I thought. I trusted him. Big mistake.  

What happened?

Of course, the money never came.  I never got paid a penny.  There was one more teacher who had started working at the school a couple of weeks before I left.  We kept in touch.  He eventually left too and yep, you guessed it, he never got paid either.  I believe in seeing the best in people but sometimes, people are just poo.

Moral of the story?

Work legally.  Research schools.  Try and talk to current and past employees there. Get a contract.  Read it carefully.  Stick to your guns and if you sense any fishy business, carefully consider how long you want to stay there until enough is enough.  Lesson well and truly learnt.

Have you not always done the best thing when working and travelling? Please like, share and comment below or contact me personally for a good old natter ❤

©Teacaketravels: Please do not copy and paste Teacake’s words and images into your own posts. If you like an image or want to take an excerpt of writing, please link it back. Thank you!

What’s that in my soup?!

Teacake prides herself on being able to eat pretty much anything.  You want me to eat that snail?  No problem.  Want me to eat that chicken’s heart? No problem.  Want to chop up an octopus alive, swish it in oil and feed it to me?  No problem.  However, sometimes I’m faced with the reality of what I’m actually eating and then…well…I don’t feel too good.

Me and my girlfriends have not always succeeded in our culinary quests

Teacake’s Daily Food

I currently work at a Kindergarten school.  Lunches here are infamously known as being complete and utter rubbish.  I want to stress that I’m not a fussy eater, I eat anything but this food is kinda made from the stuff of nightmares.  Just think lots of oil + sugar + fat + MSG + bones + unidentifiable objects and lunch is served. Me and my coworkers try our best to escape the pain of eating it but sometimes, life happens, stuff gets in the way and we have no choice. Bear in mind that we work in the middle of nowhere.  Once we get on that work bus, we’re not near any food-making rescue service whatsoever for 10 hours.

I want to stress that when you’re travelling, you don’t only need an open mind with people but also an open mind with their food.  If someone is offering me something, I’m going to take it.  Maybe it’s the polite British lady within me, but you take that food and eat it.  Well, unless you’re a strict vegetarian or your stomach is really going to suffer from it. They’ve bought it with their own money, made it and have the heart to share it with you.  Eat it (or at least try your best to look like you’re eating it).

What was in that soup?!

I woke up stupidly late this morning. Ran out the house with my hair like Edward Scissorhands and all that.  So today was a school lunch day.  I strolled along to the canteen, handed over my bowl and the ‘chef’ (not sure if I can even bring myself to call that dude a chef) handed over the soup and I waltzed on back to the staff room.  Sat down. Put my spoon in.  Rose that spoon up and yep, hello Donald Duck Head! Head / Eyes / Beak / Throat – that duck didn’t look happy and neither was I.  Staring up at me, swimming in its own death water, I jumped across the room yelping like a hyena.

Remember that scene in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom where they eat monkey brain soup? Snap.  You can take the girl out of London but you can’t take the London out of the girl! Wholeheartedly, if I’d known the head was in that big vat of liquid, I probably would still have eaten it but in my bowl and without knowing it? Surprise!

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

The thing one must understand is that for me to get that ugly duckling could be like me receiving a very nice chocolate cake.  The Chinese consider the duck’s head to be a delectable delicacy.  They smash the skull in and suck those brains right out.  Maybe the ‘chef’ wanted me to eat well.  Or, maybe the ‘chef’ just wanted to screw with me.

It’s not the first time it’s happened.

Back when I motorcycled around the whole of Vietnam by myself for 3 months in 2013, I decided to stop at the end of my trip, work for a little bit teaching English and push my funds back up.  My employer’s grandparents were farmers and I asked if I could go and meet them.  If there’s an opportunity for me to gain a deeper understanding and connection with a culture, I’m there.  My boss agreed and off we went.

When I arrived, the whole family turned up.  The WHOLE family.  There must have been a good 20 or so of us and they were very excited to see me, which was truly lovely. In honour of me arriving, they said I could kill any 2 animals I wished for lunch, so I chose a duck and a chicken.  They asked me if I wanted to do the deed but I had no clue whatsoever so stayed, watched, saw those animals slaughtered and what happened was a much needed education.

I felt like a naive, useless, city girl, oblivious to where her food actually comes from.  I mean sure, I know that a chicken is a chicken but when it’s given to you in a clean, white plastic-wrapped tray in a supermarket you don’t really think for one second about the wings, eyes and insides.  On this day, I saw everything from A to Z. With every preparatory step, I realised what I had been eating in Vietnam for the last 3 months. That liver, that intestine, those feet.  I’d eaten all of it but now I was really seeing it, truly seeing it, in serious amounts of eye-opening detail.  Real life.  Real food. No more supermarket warped reality.

When lunch was served, I forced myself to eat everything that was offered to me.  I did so to be polite and grateful but for the next 3 days I vomited continuously and didn’t eat meat for a month.

Crazy Teacake or polite Teacake?  Share your opinions below!

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Rocksteady Dive Centre, Coron, Philippines

In February, Teacake went on a magical wreck diving adventure with these guys in Coron, Palawan, Philippines.  The love and happiness they gave me is immeasurable.

All aboard!

Jeepney’s got style

Eat, Sleep, See Sea Fish

Ahoy!

If you wanna take the plunge with these lovely people, you can check out their website here 🙂

©Teacaketravels: Please do not copy and paste Teacake’s words and images into your own posts. If you like an image or want to take an excerpt of writing, please link it back. Thank you

Mind blowing wreck diving in Coron, Philippines

Back in Shanghai in January I met a very charming French man, who told me about a magical place where I could dive deep into the depths of the sea and explore not one or two but eleven different Japanese ship wrecks, all in one place.  He told me fantastical stories of gliding through old kitchens, glitzy ballrooms, passing by monumentally big machine guns and even seeing an unfortunate human’s skull down there on one of his visits (might be true…might just have been his French flair) but regardless, I naturally packed my bags and went.

How did these shipwrecks come to be?

Transport yourself back to 1944 during World War II…Hiding originally from an attack from the US Navy in Manila Bay 3 days ago, these Japanese war ships decided to sail off and shelter in Coron Bay.  With swift naval navigation however, they were quickly tracked down, attacked and sunk.  Finito.

Whoa! What do the shipwrecks look like now?

I’d love to be able to show you but when I went down there I was a baby diver: I was pretty much focusing on breathing and staying alive and completing my Advanced Open Water course.  In fact, being such a water baby, I wasn’t able to penetrate the wrecks this time but NEXT time (yes I am totally going back because I’m determined to see that glitzy ballroom) I will see what I can do!  In the meantime, check out this page for some fabulous detailed drawings of each ship.  It will totally wet your diving appetite. Teacake firmly believes in not showing you pictures of everything.  You need to see this stuff with your own eyes.  Just click on the numbers on the left of the page and you can start dreaming about what ships you’re gonna visit!

So if I’m a baby diver like you, should I still go?

For sure! The beauty of these wrecks is that many are close to the surface, possible to be savoured even by snorkeling in some cases.  Teacake got to see the Lusong Gunboat, East Tangat Gunboa, Okikawa Maru and Akitsushima and I was over the moon.

So it’s worth it?

Don’t hesitate.  If you can go, go.  For the whole of February I was transported into another dimension and learnt some life long lessons which you can read about here, having actually never dived before in my life.  I was amazed by how close I could be to a totally different historical time and place, slowly overtaken and smothered by nature itself.  Mind blowing.

Who did you dive with?

Rocksteady Dive Center.  Possibly the nicest people ever ever ever.  I was recommended to dive with them before I even hit the island and once I was there, the care they gave me was just 100% love and happiness.  Details of what they offer and how much it all is, is on their website here 🙂

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4 invaluable life lessons diving teaches you

Diving is your incalculable key to a life-altering alien dimension.  To think of all those times I slowly sunk myself into its golden grains on land yet never entered, swam atop its borders of paradise without even trying to prize the door open or simply just catapulted myself across it at lightning speed travelling from A to B.  What a waste. The sea holds the power to grow the grateful, open-hearted, love-filled creature within yourself. Here are the 4 invaluable life lessons diving taught me…

Upstairs has no idea what they’re missing

1. Humans don’t rule the world

As you strap yourself into your sea-baby armour and contemplate entering this alternate, mystical universe, your heart is pumping with pure excitement and curiosity. Who will I meet? Will they be compassionate and humble or vicious and unforgiving? What will I see? Will I be engulfed by elegant creatures, enclosed by a ship wreck, overwhelmed by pure beauty?   Slowly dragging you under into its grasp, you sink deeper and deeper into a world which isn’t yours, but theirs.

2. Silence is golden

Suddenly, you are strapped of your words and a reflection of The Little Mermaid. With her inability to express herself on land, you mirror her lip-locked self down here. That is one of the sea’s true blessings upon you.  Your mind is clear, unlocked and open. Your eyes are widened and heightened.  Your ears are alert to the hums of the blue waves flowing around you.  The only communication you offer is necessary.  There are no unfulfilling, wasteful words in this world.

3. We rise by lifting others

Without another curious creature by your side, how can you ingest the delights of the world?  Your guide, your voice of reason, your provider of enthusiasm, trust and genuine support.  Gliding through waters together, whether you’re near or far, will make you stronger, wiser and appreciative of what love and support others can offer you. Even if you go momentarily right and they go left, they will be there for you.

4.Time is everything but feels like nothing

Lose track of time, stay within the sea’s heart for too long and you’re suddenly stripped of its ecstasy.  In a place as magical as this, minutes can become a blur and flow through your fingers jack flash.  Be mindful of how you are spending your time because before you know it, it’s finished.  Don’t waste what time you are generously given in life.

What has diving taught you? Please like, share and comment ❤

©Teacaketravels

Please do not copy and paste Teacake’s words and images into your own posts. If you like an image or want to take an excerpt of writing, please link it back. Thank you.

The yummiest food on Coron Island, Palawan

Teacake loves food: food gets your taste buds all hyped up, there’s usually alcohol involved, you get to hang out with new, super cool travel buddies and you can immerse yourself in a fantastical environment of food porn, weird eats and unusual furniture. Whilst I was diving in Coron I hung out with the locals and everyone told me to head to this restaurant.  They were right.  It’s THAT good that we ended up eating here almost every night.  An absolute treat. Read on to see how yummy Sinugba Sa Balay really is.

1. The atmosphere transports you into another dimension.

Chilled, funky, wooden hut dining: yes please

An open kitchen and dining layout with softly lit yellow lamps, makes you feel all relaxed and cosy in this traditional Filipino hut.  If you’re eating solo, there’s plenty of opportunity to wave to others and get involved on a bigger table.  If you are part of the big party, there’s room for you all!

2. The menu and food are fresh, fresh, fresh

Take me to food heaven!

This is strictly first come first served and with everything being so fresh off the boat, the menu changes with what is available.  The drinks menu is equally full of yummy yummy…

We might have drank their whole stock of Tanduay. Divers can be crazy.

3. It’s difficult to choose what the best dish is but I can help you with that…

Vegetable curry = perfection

1,2,3,4,5….this fish was totally caught alive

With so many of us frequenting Sinugba sa Balay, we have pretty much taste-tested everything on this menu.  We can’t fault any of it but Teacake recommends the:

• Tataki
• Spring Rolls
• Malaguno Fillet
• Pork sisig
• Vegetable Curry

Teacake’s Stars

It’s a 5 out of 5!

Teacake’s Top Tip

This places gets busy quick at dinner time.  With it being first come first served, get there early to get your order in.  The chefs are constantly working their asses off to get the food to you but it will take some time.  Try and order some spring rolls / salad to keep you going whilst you wait because in this case, good things come to those who wait.

Cool! How do I get there?

Look for the fish!

It’s on San Augustin Street between Nueva Street and Coron – Busuanga Road.  Enjoy!

Just so you know, I’m a newbie blogger, this restaurant didn’t pay a penny for my opinion – I’m just spreading the food love

©Teacaketravels: Please do not copy and paste Teacake’s words and images into your own posts. If you like an image or want to take an excerpt of writing, please link it back. Thank you!

How to get the CHEAPEST FLIGHT everytime!

Teacake fell upon an absolute gem today.  I posted it on my facebook page and within a couple of hours my friends were jumping for joy and had booked some seriously cheap flights!

Screw your local travel agent and grab this website with both of your excited sweaty palms.  This is how you’re going to get the best flight possible because:

1) It will show you prices for a whole region, not just a specific country! Wanna see the cheapest country to fly to in Asia from your starting point?  This website does that.

2) For the crazy spontaneous travellers out there, you can take the destination lottery route.  Input your departure point and this website will pick a random cheap destination for you, taking your search history and what’s popular right now into account.

3) This website even has bar charts to tell you the cheapest time to book your ticket so you get the best deal.  Hell, there’s even a calendar in here which will show you the cheapest days of the month to depart and return.

4) There’s a best flights option which takes the cost of the flight and how quick it is into account together.

5) Unsure whether to fly earlier, later or from a different airport? This website will show you where and when it’s the cheapest and save your search for you, informing you whether the price goes up or down whilst your decide and plan your next dream adventure!

Teacake the anticipation is killing me! What’s the website?

Google Flights. Google flights has just totally made travelling on a budget completely bodacious! Wooohoo let’s go fly!

Sleeping Immortal

At the foot of the world’s most dangerous hiking trail in China which Teacake completed (woohoo) lies Chen Tuan.  Somewhat of an absolute Chinese legend, he lived a hermit’s life in these beautiful mountains.  He spent his days perfecting his skills in sleep meditation,  creating the kung fu system Liuhebafa and using Qi to prevent diseases in his body.  That’s one cool Taoist guy.  Peace out.

©Teacaketravels: Please do not copy and paste Teacake’s words and images into your own posts. If you like an image or want to take an excerpt of writing, please link it back. Thank you!