My Job in China Part 1

  I am going to be here in China for the next 10ish months, and I am getting paid to be here, how did this happen you may ask, I shall tell. Well, it started with an email forward that I recieved from a Professor at Saint Joseph's College. A company called Ameson or the Ameson Education and Cultural Exchange Foundation, that had been around since 1994 bridging the gap culturally between China and The United States, started Ameson Year in China (AYC) Program. Wanting to allow those with Bachelor degrees a chance to enhance their resumes as well as experience another culture while providing China the benefit of Oral English Teachers they created a program that interests and helps citizens from both countries. I looked into this program and felt that it was where the next step of my life should go so I applied to the program at the end of May. I was accepted one week after I sent in my resume and completd my Skye interview. Between June and when I left on August 22 I mostly waited. To go to China an American citizen cannot just jump on a plane and land in China, if you would do that and not have the correct paper work . . . well good luck with that. For me to arrive and work legally I needed to apply for a Z Visa. To apply for a Z Visa I need a Letter of Invitation as well as a Foreign Expert Work Permit.

  To obtain a foreign expert permit for the purpose of Teaching one must have a Bachelor's Degree, that is why only holders of such a degree can apply to the AYC program, as well as two years of Teaching Experience. These laws are recent changes in China and anyone who does not meet these qualifications are teaching illegally in China. When it comes to the Ameson program these two years of Teaching Experience are waved by the Chinese government for two reasons. The first being Ameson's twenty years of beneficial and productive friendship with the Chinese government and the second being that all participants were trained by Official TEFL instructors employed by the Chinese government earning the TEFL in China Certificate, which is the Chinese governments set standard for Oral English Teachers in China. So in short because the Chinese government likes Ameson and Ameson is making sure its teachers are Chinese government level approved for teaching I am able to forego the two years of experience, so I am here legally in the eyes of the Chinese Government. To my knowledge, Ameson's AYC Program is the only one of its kind . . . I could quite possible be wrong though. So after I received the two required papers by mail from China I took a train up to Chicago to the Chinese Consulate, (it actually was not located in the actually Consulate but a block away) and turned in my passport, required prison looking photo, and the papers from China. I was able to stay with a friend who is an impressive culinary student for one night (I was also able to sample some of her baked goods . . . they were awesome!!) while I was waiting for my visa. However, I did not do all my homework for I did not realize the Chicago Chinese Consulate no longer did same day/next day service so I had to head back home and return four days later, by train again, to pick it up. Once I had my visa in hand it was time to start getting serious about packing. 

  I carefully selected a new, and quite large suit case that barley fit international flying size limits, as well as my smaller well traveled suitcase to accompany me on my China flight. I figured out what products I was going to need a years supply of and what products I would brave buying in China, for they would have shampoo in China but they quite possible might not have the shampoo that my hair likes. So after ordering a years supply of many of my daily products as well a enough of the others to have myself covered for the first few months I set about packing my luggages. When it comes to traveling, especially for a year, there are question you have to ask yourself such as; can I really go without this sweater for a year, will I regret not bring this along, which books do I want to take with me the most, do I have EVERYTHING I will need? These questions appear like they might be simple but they are critical, in my view, for a smooth transition. Instead of freaking out over finding things you need when you need them you can focus on exploring the area around you and mentally noting, when I run out of my two months supply of toothpaste I know I can get more at this store. It is also really nice to use things that have the directions in English when everything else in your life is in Chinese, because when I am wondering how to use my toothpaste I know I can confidently read the directions and use it correctly!!!

  So, back to my journey, after my suitcases were packed and my ticket was bought I was just waiting for the date to near, saying goodbyes to friends and family, which is really difficult as well as getting everything at home figured out for the next ten months when it came to bill (aka, students loans and tax information). The thought did enter my mind that this might be the last time that I will ever see this person. But then, people can leave their house in the morning for work and that could be the last goodbye they ever give their family. So, really, it is not the person dying or that fact that you could dies that is the sad part, it is the realizing that for ten months you will not be in that other persons presence. With the increase of technology I do think it is getting easier to live distances apart. The hardest goodbye was when my parents and youngest brother took me to the airport. They waited until I was through security and could no longer see me to leave. I was then on my own, not really knowing a single soul and heading to China . . . as usually everything has worked out fine an I have now completed my first week of teaching. 

  So that is how I am now where I am below I have added a picture of China because this many words needs a sweet looking picture of China!