Gap Student
- Joined: Nov 18th, 2008
- Posts: 10
I'm an Australian school student hoping to take my gap year 2010 in China 'cos I have been studying Chinese for 3 years so can speak a little. I planned for it to be kind of a work/play experience and I thought the best job part-time job in China for a guy like me would be teaching English. Can someone suggest what are the best options are for me as I have no teaching experience whether it be like a teaching assistant in a school or something. Also, advice regarding accomodation and living in a school dormitory or being a room mate in an apartment?
yanjie
Re: Gap Student
join a students travel/eudcational program, they have one month program for students who wants to stay in china and also arrange home-stays, chinese language immersion and travel to different area of china as well...i have a friend who did this last summer, it was a cool program.
Ghostwriter
Re: Gap Student
I think you're the perfect candidate for the Chinese ESL-market. ESL-China is for young people who wants to explore China and practice their Chinese. Nothing else.
Do not get any qualifications or educational ambitions before you go here. You will most probably end up going insane.
You won't have any problems finding a job. A Z-visa might be a problem, though you can easily get by on an F. Do however know that working on an F-visa is illegal.
vince
Re: Gap Student
try www.china-recruitment.co.uk
apparently they are ok.
Acolyte
Re: Gap Student
I did exactly what you did a while ago, but im from the UK.
Don't come to Beijing, seriously, try to find somewhere down south or a bit more rural, you will enjoy it alot more.
There are alot of websites and companies you can use to help you, have a google.
PM If u wanna chat
Ninjaboy91
Re: Gap Student
ah ok, thanks.
How come getting a Z visa is a problem? Surely they have an alternative VISA available for part time work in China?
Yeah I will consider going through an organisation, I just dont wanna be tied down too much to an agenda. But then again I just read a lot of posts on this forum about people getting screwed over by schools employers and stuff so...maybe going with an organisation gives me some kind of fallback.
zhenlai
Re: Gap Student
I completely agree with you. He will have a much richer Chinese experience if he goes to a smaller city than Beijing. In Beijing you get lost and are just a normal part of the atmosphere, but if he goes to a city like Jinan or Taizhou or Yangzhou in Jiangsu he will be more visible and people will wish to show him the best of China. Beijing can be so impersonal.
美国鬼子
bingjiling
Re: Gap Student
I agree. But for learning chinese people told me Beijing is the best place for "proper mandarin". what about that?
booze helps me to forget the things i did under the influence of booze
Acolyte
Re: Gap Student
Actually the Beijing accent is not "proper mandarin" its a dialect, so it doesn't really matter.
Curiousg (not verified)
Re: Gap Student
There's considerably more money to be had teaching in Beijing, however. Cost of living is higher, too, but you'll still come out ahead assuming you don't live like royalty while you're here. If money's not your priority, then take Zhenlai's advice.
kevinferrone
Re: Gap Student
Go to www.chinastudylink.com. I work with them and the people there are amazing. They do immersion trips for foreigners in China. They also handle all of CIEE's (Council on International Educational Exchange) short term high school programs. We can arrange a perfect gap year program for you including a range of activities from volunteer projects, English teaching, homestay, Chinese cultural activities, etc. We've seen much success with these and participants always take so much from the programs. Not to mention they always fall in love with are amazing staff.
You can email me at kevin@chinastudylink.com if you'd like to learn more.
Best,
Kevin
kevinferrone
Re: Gap Student
P.S. Beijing is definitely the best place to learn proper Mandarin as Mandarin is based on the Beijing local accent.