ESL teaching in China isn't exactly 'teaching' so much as its being able to present and practice speaking and listening with students. In that sense you may be perfectly qualified if you've already done some ESL tutoring as part of your previous career. This is also how I started after being assigned to teach ESL to new immigrant workers.

As mentioned here already: Training Centers are notorious for crooks, scams, rip-off artists and are a kind of 'Cowboy Industry' and sometimes better described as criminal types. 12,000 + apartment for 30 hours is okay but be prepared for that to mean different things, less and being schemed into much longer hours than advertized etc.

As for finding a wife. ohhhh boy. Well I think Martin gave a list and while hes usually wrong about most things he's pretty close to bang-on with his list and thats very well worth commiting to memory because some of those points are very strict rules that WILL be all-too-true.

My advice for marrying a Chinese wife is based on learning everything the hard way (being witless in love i guess) and then hating myself so much I decided to divorce and marry the next Chinese woman.

1. For anyone over the age of 35 just simply stop marrying single 18-22 year old girls because besides whatever ego/recapturing youth problems that might solve they are also going to be your worst nightmare in so many ways it will put you at high risk for a sexless marriage that ends after her visa is processed.

2. China has a distinct subculture of 'leftover women' and these are divorced women, widows or unmarried after age 30 (considered spinsters for life, off market). If you are around age 55 then you are going to do so much better in this circle and stand a much better chance of finding a younger but much more realistic match with someone you have something in common with. Downside: they will try to micromanage and control the hell out of the relationship. They may be divorced for very very good reasons you will soon find out about.

3. No matter what region, age group Chinese wives are notorious for sexless marriages. Don't worry if they did some fun stuff before marriage - that will end on the wedding night. If they are still of childbearing age and wanting a baby the sexual relations are entirely based on that (and their bizarre beliefs of timing, what you eat, what lucky month etc). Marriage is for creating children together. Not for sexual relations.

4. You will have their friends or coworkers or other women do nasty and just plain evil things to sabotage your marriage. She will listen to them over you. They will be viciously jealous (their husbands screw hookers and gamble and have mistresses etc) and prepare for that. Remember if you bring her back to your home country then white ladies will try and turn her against you or sabotage as well. Racist things, insinuating you were looking at other women etc. Your Chinese wife will be psycho-Jealous by our standards.

5. Her family will come first and she will take the word of Chinese people over you. Dont ask me why they just do. I've seen no exceptions. Its not necessarily bad but be prepared to be offended by that.

6. Marriage is for making children not for sexual relationships.

7. Your income is everything. How much do you earn. As mentioned already: If you are more or less retired/income from home/savings and ESL teaching is supplementary you are going to do better in a marriage than if you actually need a paycheque month to month. The problem is that training centres are dodgy, can be unreliable, you may need to change jobs with transition times, you may very well get shortchanged or even outtright scammed out of all or most earnings. Visa issue may interupt earning times. Even though you may actually be surviving just fine - your wife WILL NOT. She will respect and admire you based on earnings and its nothing for Chinese wives to leave when income is too low for their expected income levels at time of marriage.

8. Almost all Chinese wives go on Chinese system of moral relativism and debits/credits so that means if you did something wrong she can cancel out her wrong with yours and she's keeping a tally and balance going.

9. You make money and this is very very important to whether you stay married or are worthless or worthwhile.

10. If I could do it all over again and if I was closer to 55 and knowing what I know now? I'd aim squarely for 35+ 'leftover women' who had some english (seriously that helps) and were financially independent. Dont have to be wealthy but they do not need to rely on your pay. I'd aim for 2nd tier city girls and I really want to emphasize how I would non-sexual date far more often. Seriously. I mean this. I would NOT introduce any hint of sexual pursuit or romance and then date (coffee, get lunch, public events) but for a good two or three months narrowing down say 20 possibilities until carefully 'the one'. Yes, blue balls, sexual frustration etc etc but I will swear that its so damn worth it in the long run.

11. Sorry some of these are more ranting jaded sweeping things and not in any order or a comprehensive list BUT go through that just to get a 'sense' and store those in the back of the mind for when inevitably you will get glimpses and red flags or sorta see some matching trends for safety purposes.

12. She will insist on dressing you after marriage and be very critical of shirts etc. Facial hair is perceived as very 'old' looking and you need to remove that. Really try to be aware some Chinese 'teasing' may come off as really mean-spirited or offensive to you but is actually their socially awkward humour.

13. If you work in the ESL industry you are entirely likely to come across some Filipina women. Marry one of them.