The only thing I can add is do your very best to learn the language, I started with 1 or 2 new words a day, you will have built survival Chinese in no time.

Also, perhaps get a Chinese girlfriend. I met my wife here 3 years ago. She was an English major, and it really accelerated my Chinese. I know foreigners who have been here for 15 years or so, and can barely speak some broken Chinese. This I think is crazy.

The Chinese will have much more respect for you when you can speak their language.

Good luck Daniel.

P.S.

I have to say that after reading the article I would like to share my own personal opions about the schools here. Don’t let them push you around, being an experianced native English speaking teacher is in high demand here in China. Read all contracts carefully and don’t be afraid to request changes. I personally no longer teach English here, but I never let the schools push me around, I would make it well known that there’s plenty of jobs out there. (however you may not want to do this unless you are very popular among the students, because therein lies their money)

You don’t know how proud I feel of the fact that my letter was published on your site. Words cannot express how much I love it and how much I have learned. It also feels good to share my experience to other people.

I would also like to say that, after a week, I have managed to get used to many aspects of the Chinese lifestyle, that I have a really good time around my Chinese friends (I would say, even better than with the other foreigners working here!), that I have learned very basic phrases in Chinese and that I love the food very much.

I agree with your point of how much this experience represents in my career and in my life. I know that I will learn here about my profession and about life itself more than I have ever before.

Thank you so much for your help and I hope you continue to help other fellow foreign teachers as you have all this time.

God bless you! (Something you don’t get to hear very often in this country!)

“Daniel”