FAQ

You've probably heard, but if you haven't, I'm going to CHINA! Yes, it's true. I will be teaching at an International school in Shanghai starting this coming August. I decided to start the blog now so I could have as a place to unload all my thoughts, feelings, and reflections as I prepare to leave. I want to have a record of this journey and it's starting NOW.  I'm not exactly sure what this blog will look like or now often I will update it, but I already feel better knowing it's here and available to me. I need a place to process all the upcoming change and craziness. We'll see what happens.

I wanted my first entry to be an FAQ post where I could respond to all the questions I've been getting lately. So many people have been so encouraging and supportive of this upcoming adventure and I really appreciate it!

Where are you going? Where are you going to live? 
I'm going to Shanghai China. Shanghai is one of the most Westernized and urban cities in East Asia, so I will have access to mostly everything we have here. Of course, life will look quite different, but I will still enjoy many of the conveniences of the western world.

I will be working at Shanghai Community International School, the ECE campus. You can check out the school website here. The school is going to arrange my housing (and pay for it!). I will have a one or two bedroom apartment to myself that is relatively close to the school. The apartment will be furnished and all mine. This will be my first time living alone without roommates or family. I just realized that!

Do you know Chinese? Will you learn it?
Nope, I don't know a single word of Chinese (yet!). I'm going to be teaching at an International school and I will be teaching in English. English is the main language spoken at the school. I will have two assistants in my classroom that speak Mandarin. I will mostly likely get a tutor or enroll in language classes when I get to Shanghai. In Kenya, I learned what a difference knowing some language makes with connecting with locals and getting around.  I want to make a real effort with the language, but sadly I'm not gifted in that area so I don't have high expectations, but I'll try!

How did you find out about this opportunity?
My good friend and now co-worker Melissa has worked at SCIS for the past two years as a PreK teacher. When the school had an opening for a Toddler Teacher over a year ago, Melissa thought of me and told me to apply. I applied to the school last year and the Principal gave me positive feedback, but unfortunately I did not meet the Chinese government's requirements to obtain a visa. I needed two years of experience post graduation. I decided to stay at BHE for another year and gain the experience.  I decided to keep my options open since I wasn't 100 percent sure there would be an opening for a Toddler Teacher for the 2013/2014 school year.  Having two years of experience was going to be helpful regardless of the job I was going to apply to.

Luckily for me they had another Toddler Teacher opening for this up coming school year. I reapplied, interviewed and was offered a two-year contract!

How long will be gone? Do you get to come home?
I signed a two-year contract. The school year starts in August and ends in June. I will get about 3 weeks off in December and 6 weeks in summer. I plan to come home so you should plan to hang out with me! 

What will you be teaching? Are you teaching English?
I'm going to be teaching a group of two-year-olds. I will have up to 15 two-year-olds with two Mandarin assistants. The curriculum at my new school is actually very similar to curriculum at my current center.

One of the main differences will be that the majority of my kiddos won't speak or understand very much English when they start in my room. At BHE I usually have 2-3 kids that are non-English speaking when they start in my room. At SCIS most of my kids will not be native English speakers. They won't all speak Mandrain either, since I will have kids from all over the world.      

I thought you said you didn't want to teach ECE forever?

I don't. I love children and I love teaching, but it's not my "forever". I do want to work with children long term, but in a different capacity. Having said that, I love teaching enough to do for a couple more years. My new position is going to look a lot different than my current job and it offers several perks that I don't enjoy now (more money, more help and support, more planning time, more resources, etc). SCIS is an Early Childhood Education School and is in a position to offer so much more to their teachers and families. As far as Daycares go BHE is great and offers a lot, but it is still a Daycare.


Are you nervous? This is crazy! 
I feel really good about this. The timing seems right this time. 

Two years ago I applied to for an ECE teaching position with Teach for America, I didn't get it and I so depressed. Looking back, it was a good thing that I didn't work out. There is no way I would have been successful. There was so much going on with myself and my family and I was in no position to pack up my life and relocate after just completing four crazy years of undergrad. The timing wasn't right. 

When I went to Kenya and when I went back to APU for my last semester things were crazy at home and I had no money and multiple people questioned me on if was making the right decision by going back to APU or going through with Kenya. Although, I'm so glad I did go to Kenya and I did go back to APU when I did, I know the timing wasn't ideal. Those were two of the hardest seasons of my life. I know that my experiences would have been very different had I waited.  I don't have regrets, but I think there is something to be said about knowing deep inside that what your doing what is right for you at that specific time and having confidence that you are prepared and will be successful.

The timing is right for this adventure. It comes at a time when my family is doing really well, I have the financial resources to save up,  I'm in a healthy place emotionally, and I'm getting closer and closer to healthy place physically. In addition EVERYONE in my life has been supportive of my decision. I've come a long way and I feel prepared for this. I'm confident that I'm doing the right thing. I believe this is an amazing opportunity that will be very positive and enriching.


Thanks everyone for being supportive and loving me!