TEFL Institute Student Services Representative Traci lived and taught English in Shanghai. Since returning to the US and moving to Chicago, she has been helping others get into the TEFL field with the TEFL Institute.
During my last year at Georgia State University, China kept popping up in my life. I met a lot of really great people from China that year, including two of my linguistics professors, my exchange-student roommate, and my husband, who is Shanghainese. All the signs pointed to China, and I knew I had to go.
As I set out on my job search, I had no idea which part of China I wanted to go to. China is such a diverse country, and the possibilities were overwhelming. A lot of things influenced my decision to go to Shanghai. The main reason was my love of big-city life, but I also wanted to see the World Expo which was coming to Shanghai.
Once I arrived, I began sending out resumes, and I started interviewing a few days later. Shanghai is bursting at the seams with English-language schools, so it didn't take long to find a job.
I chose two jobs that were the best match for me. My main job was tutoring at a private language institute near to where I lived. The schedules and materials were set up by my school, and I had students from ages 3 to 50. I tutored some students in their homes, which was really nice because I always got a home cooked meal! Two days a week I also taught Business English and American Culture courses at a college in the neighboring Zheijiang province, which was a 30-minute commute by high-speed train. I loved hanging out with all my college students. Some of the girls even showed me around the city when we weren't having class.
I have never felt so at home in any other city as I did in Shanghai. The city is ultra modern, but you can find nature in the gorgeous parks located throughout the city. The people are open and friendly, and they can't wait to ask you questions about America. The food is delicious, and they have the best soup-filled dumplings in all of China. There are so many great and interesting things about the city and culture, that it would be impossible to list them all."
Check out more TEFL stories from our alumni and staff around the world!
