Hi there ...

we taught for the first term last year with Bucklands. You will be sent to a school somewhere off the beaten tourist track, but hey this is where you find the real China.

We found the townspeople as well as the school staff and pupils refreshingly down to earth and so friendly and we're pleased we took the chance and did it ...simply an unforgettable experience!! There's up to a week's orientation first, which is really helpful for China newbies.

In China it helps to be like the bamboo ...bend with the wind ...and not like the oak ...rigid ...branches scan snap off oaks during storms, not so with bamboo!!

Don't worry about business practices ...things are very different there ...and yes sometimes you do wonder!!! We never felt uneasy ,...you have people assigned to look after you. They're great!

You will get paid! if there's any problems whatsoever with tthe school you get in touch with Owen and he will fix it. I never heard of anyone not getting paid ...but some schools might be a bit easy-going about the actual paydate, going a few days over ...

We ate out every night in our town for arround $2 per night (a mini-feast, including drinks) Real china is so cheap for westerners ...we get better pay than anyone in town ...we didn't touch my pay and only spent half of my hubby's until we started travelling around and buying plane tickets.

It's certainly a challenge living in a different culture ...we were the only foreigneers in town apart from one othher teacher.

Have a look at our webpage if you like ...www.planetranger.com/casjen ...you will need to scroll back to the beginning ...loads of photos!!

Enjoy ...above all, smile and have fun with the kids ...yes,go!!!

cheers, Jenny and Cas from Sydney Australia