Eureka! I'm in China

After struggling with an unrewarding customer service job I decided to take the 120-hour certification course under Jim Pellegrini in Toronto. I got certified in May and after posting a few resumes for Chile, Poland, Czech Republic, Japan & Taiwan I got a few offeres with ridiculous requirements. One sent me an offer with a litany of requirements half a meter long on my yahoo mail. I was ready to give up when I decided to turn to Jim (again). I asked him on a Wednesday afternoon a request to send my resume to prospective employers promising him "I'll go where you want me to go...". I checked my email the next morning and there was this message from China; "application accepted" with attached contract. It was quite a shock and unbelievable that my knees started to tremble. I called my friends for second opinions and all of them were supportive of the idea that I should take it. After a few more hours of hesitation, I signed the contract and sent it back.

To make the story short (it is already long, actually) I am now in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province waiting for classes to start. In the meantime I am teaching a TOEFL Preparation class everyday even though I am still trying to get off this jet lag. I will be teaching at Mianyang Nanshan Bilingual School, the most prestigious school in its category for Sichuan Province. My employer said I will be assigned to teach high school students.

I have observed in my TOEFL class that Chinese students are well grounded on proper grammar. Their main focus is speaking the language.

I remembered Jim told us that in China, students will treat their ESL teachers like gods. At this point I have not had that experience yet but I am already treated like a celebrity and/or royal; like a student showing me off to friends...everyday I get after class.

Mianyang City is just ideal for me. Their lowest in the Winter is 3 degress and pollution is minimal due to relatively lower industrialization. Standard of living here is low and I won't trade living here to that of a big city where living expenses is sky high even if I got 2x the salary.

Glad to here your a happy camper. I almost went to Mianyang last year but ended up in Yibin. There are a few college students in Yibin who are from Mianyang. I was treated very well by the college in Yibin. But this year I will teach in Nanjing. I'd like to know who you signed your contract with.

Don