Trains and Planes and Automobiles

Its official, Im on the scrapheap!

Had confirmation today that my voluntary redundancy from the university is confirmed - woohoo.

I was getting a bit worried to be honest as time is moving on and the agency in China had started to talk about gettinig visa's and airplane tickets and seminars in Bejing and I hadn't heard from the university.

But now its real.

So its just been three months since I made my decision - the time has flown and in another three months I will be leaving for China.

The agency have given me the email addressess of the teachers I will be working with. Anna who has been at the school for a while and will act as my mentor and Sherree who will be a new teacher there with me. So its all exciting and theres lots to think about.

But its happeniing :-)

Medical

So life moves on apace.

The university still hasn't confirmed my redundancy. I hear it might be next week. If I get a NO well that's me up shit creek without a paddle.

Well I suppose I'll still have the job at the Uni but the switch in my brain has now turned to China. I feel like I'm working my notice. I'm focused on being in China on Sept 1st and a NO from work would really fuck things up.

Not least that I have most of my life up on eBay. I've made over 500 pounds the last couple of weeks selling my stuff - not that I'll see much of it as any cash is going to pay off those little debts we all have store cards, credit cards etc.

Got a medical this afternoon for my visa. The docs got to fill in a form for the Chinese govt so I get a visa. The Doctor gets £90 of my money for the medical. Plus if it gets technical and they have to take blood, do ecg's and X-rays the costs go up and up. And that's not including the jabs.

So I'm hoping that I get the signed form today so I can fax it off to china tomorrow. And then I guess we move on to the visa process.

Committed

Sing: today has been a good good day - I gotta feeling...woohoo

I passed my 120 hr TEFL course today. So that's me finished woo hoo GO ME!

I found the course hard in places. You need to think creatively, use google as a resource (don't plagarise though) and it takes as long as they say it does you csnt cruse through it. I had 90 days from when I paid and finished with about 15 in hand.

My advice is to get the TEFL for Dummies book. It's got loads of useful stuff in it and it helped me a lot.

Check this out on AMZN: Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Dummies http://amazon.co.uk/dp/0470745762

PLUS

The other good news is after waiting for my Director to write me a reference (I wrote it myself in the end and she just signed it) I sent it off to China and received a contract for Nanjing by return email which I signed and sent back.

So now I HAVE A JOB IN CHINA!!! How great is that. September 1st start.

So next steps are visas, continue selling all my stuff on eBay, finish my house and get lodgers.

But there you go you cam change your life in just a few months.

I'm happy and excited!

Job offer.....

To catch up.

I finally got through the 60 hr tefl course - that was a bit of a nightmare. The grammar, as I have mentioned, was really hard, but I got through it! Now I'm doing another 20 hr course which is even more grammar focused but I'm getting there.

But on the job front the news is good. I have been offered a teaching post in China! I think I mentioned that I wasn't successful with the job in Shanghai. But I think that this offer is much better. Its with a New Zealand company who supply teachers to various schools across China. I had about a 90 minute 'interview' via phone and skype this morning. The interesting thing for me, given my difficulty with grammar, is that these posts are teaching pronunciation. Result!

So Ive been left with a bit of a dilemma to consider overnight. There are three schools and I can choose which ones I want.

The first is in Nanjing.  This is the wikipedia page for the city  I'm told that this is a High School with very high standards and the students are successful. To be this successful the school does work the teachers hard, but their is also the opportunity to go into some of the city's junior schools to teach younger students.  There are a number of English teachers at this school and one, 'Anna' has been there a few years and would act as a mentor.

The other choice is a High School  in a city called Qingyang. This is the wikipedia page  The city is close to the city of Xi'an where the terracotta soldiers are.

I'm told that the students are mediocre and not as 'good' as the school in Nanjing


The third option is a High School in Qiqihar - a city in inner Mongolia - This is the wikipedia page  This city is in the North of China, up towards the Russian boarder. I'm told there a mix of nationalities teaching there.

So Ive got to make a choice.

My inner adventurer says straight away Mongolia - its got to be  that choice every time.  But, and theres always a but, my logical head says Nanjing. Why? Simply because I think it is important to go to a school that will challenge me to get it right, rather than a mediocre schools where I might not learn anything. And Mongolia can wait.

I'm told the wages are: £565 (approx) per month with a £945 bonus at the end of the contract. That might seem low but accommodation is provided, as are airfares, medical cover, heating etc.

The start day is in September, but they take you out there at the end of August for a two day introduction with the other students in a hotel in Beijing, paid for by the company including food etc, then they fly you out to the school city where you are met taken to the accommodation and given a few days to settle in.

So things are moving on. Ninjang here I come I hope!