Join us twice a month as we showcase an Educational Ambassador's or Alum's view and thoughts on their journey in China and in other parts of the world. This week we head to Jiangshan, Quzhou, Zhejiang.
"Uprooting yourself for a year to teach abroad in China promises many exciting challenges and adventures. There’s exploring a new city, making new friends, overcoming culture shock, and learning how the metro works if you are from a small town like me! While most Educational Ambassadors face these obstacles, being a Chinese American presents its own set of unique challenges."
Meet Heather Wilson...
When people talk about traveling the world, they talk about the rich experiences and ways you can benefit from adventures abroad – but most people forget to mention all the planning and preparation associated with it.
Student loans are a concern for the majority of recent college graduates, which make up the bulk of our AYC cohort. I know many people who come to China so focused on paying their loans that they limit themselves from actually experiencing all that they could. Although the AYC program cannot directly provide student loan advice, we want to share some possible options to maximize your experience without having to sacrifice anything at the hands of your student loan debt!
Dating across cultural boundaries does bring additional challenges, but the rewards, as in any successful relationship, are obviously worth it.
Special thanks to contributions from Josh Wilkes and Adam Mulvey. Happy 11.11!
Many come to China as an English teacher, but few come to China as an Educational Ambassador (EA). So, what is an EA?
Once again, Shanghai staff traveled around to Quzhou, Wenzhou, Lishui, and surrounding cities to visit host schools and Educational Ambassadors at work! All photos were taken by AYC Staff.
Budgeting tips for living in China
Ahh, Fall! We might not have Pumpkin Spice Lattes here in the PRC, but that's hardly an excuse not to celebrate Fall. It's the perfect time of year to take class outside; teach about fall traditions and the way westerners essentially celebrate the season. Here's our collection of classroom activities to mark this time of year!
Cover photo c/o www.meaningfulmama.com
Here are 7 crazy facts about China
...And it's all because I showed up late to class that one time.
Cover Photo c/o Diego Jimenez on Unsplash.
Videos can be incredibly useful in the ESL Classroom, especially if your students have short attention spans and you're looking to cater to different learning styles. If you're looking to add something new to your lesson plans or free and fun resources, look no further: Here's several great videos to incorporate into your foreign language class.
Cover Photo c/o Sora Sagano on Unsplash.
China is about as different from the West as it gets. Living abroad is exciting and eye-opening, but sometimes we long for the familiar. What do you do when homesickness strikes?
Cover Photo c/o Andrew Branch on Unsplash.
Here's the highlights reel from both week-long Orientations: August 14-21, and September 3-9, 2017. Cover photo was taken from our office, overlooking People's Park! Cover photo c/o Panda Ren
Here's three rules to live by when maintaining order in a Chinese classroom.
Cover photo by Green Chameleon, c/o Unsplash
China-fy your social media and get inspired to travel! here's a few resources for learning HSK, seeing beautiful scenery, and more!
These are great alternatives to Western websites and other resources when your VPN isn’t working. Or, maybe you're one of the brave souls who wants to navigate China like the locals! Either way, sometimes when in Rome, it's nice to do like the Romans. In addition, there's Chinese alternatives to Uber, Amazon, and social media.
I lived in a Tier 3 city from 2015-2016, teaching at a public high school through AYC. The cost of living in a city like mine is incredibly low. Living within your means is more than possible.
A look into the train system in China
Read about the Emerging Leaders Delegation, and their visit to Shanghai here!
A comparison between teaching in a public school compared to a training center
Jerrika shares her experiences after participating in the AYC Program from 2013 to 2014.
