The Chinese have been recognized by the whole world for quite a number of innovations resting on their laurels. From medicine to science, this race has certainly proven its worth when it comes to contributing to the world. However, there is one thing that this magnificent race isn’t too good at. Enter English.

English is the world’s international language. As such, more and more countries are starting to feel the need to master this language, to further enhance their chances at gaining international growth. China is no different from all these nations. As of the moment, the country has a booming economy, promising future and insurmountable workforce. Apparently, the mastery of the English language is the one and only vital element that this Country needs to complete its voyage to success.

Foreign teachers are being hired in China as you read this article. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if you yourself might be considering the challenge. However, what you must know is that teaching in China is far more complex and complicated than just staying there for a visit or two. The life of a foreign English teacher is way more challenging, so to speak, than that of a tourist. It consists of hard work, a whole new environment and all other issues that come with settling down in a new place. As such, it would be best to pack as much knowledge as you need before you fly to the land of the Dragon.

For starters, it would greatly help if you knew what the Chinese preferred when it comes to the teachers they hire. Most English learning institutions prefer natural born speakers. As such, they put citizens of America, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and England in very high regard. It is likely that a 17 year old American high school undergraduate will get a teaching job in China than a very capable English speaker who graduated college, from countries like India or the Philippines. As such, you must stack up your resume with more pizzazz such as graduating with honors or working for multinational schools or companies. Make your credentials to stand out as much you could.

You must also be ready for a myth breaking experience if you go to China to teach English. Contrary to common notions of “serendipity in a teacup” or the tall Shanghai buildings you saw in Mission Impossible III, one can actually say that living conditions as a foreign teacher are not as exorbitant as one may think. Most foreign teachers are assigned to far off rural areas. Unlike the common factories one would usually think off, these far off provinces actually resemble lack of industrial progress. Most of these provinces live an agricultural lifestyle, which spell the absence of lavish bathrooms, spacious sleeping quarters and extravagant decorations. If it’s any consolation though, Chinese food will still taste good anywhere you go.

There’s also a steady decrease when it comes to the average salary of foreign English teachers in the country. Contrary to how it used to be four to five years ago, most public Chinese schools and universities only pay as little as RMB 3000. Even private institutions that used to pay RMB 15000 to RMB 18000 have downsized salary to an average of RMB 4000.

On top of that, an average foreign teacher will usually have to pay half of her sleeping quarters and phone bills. As such, a portion of your possible salary will certainly be allocated to your living necessities. In short, being an English teacher in China is no longer as promising as it used to be a few years ago in terms of monetary aspects. However, more laws and safety measures have also been set up by the government in order to protect teachers from illegal recruiters and even human smuggling. This is something you should consider when it comes to assessing the positive aspect of being an English teacher in China.

Now that you know all these, you can prudently assess whether you still want to push through with going to China. With these pros and cons, your expectations and readiness will certainly be at the right levels.

The best way to learn a language is to get totally enveloped in the culture and country of its origin. Many students study abroad and live with a host family. When you become a child in a host family, it simulates your experiences with a real family. You become one of several “siblings,” but the catch is that all of them speak the language you’re trying to learn. The continuous presence of your host family is a catalyst to learning a language abroad. A close-knit group of people always asking and telling one another things is an excellent way to learn the basics. Shyness and awkwardness quickly dissipate as relationships are forged, and it’s easy to test the waters without feeling like you’re wasting someone’s time, e.g., a vendor or one of the locals.

A second option that can be added on top of this are group lessons once you arrive in the country. Lessons are considerably cheaper abroad, especially in South American countries. For example, in Peru you can get 25 hours a week of instruction with 4 other students for just $65. If you want lodging and breakfast, it’s just another $60 per week. The particular program is the Claro Spanish Language Program. A good home study program is the Rosetta Stone brand. Anecdotal reports praise the program, and the $200 is reportedly “worth it.” It teaches useful vocabulary and basic grammar.

Other good ways of seeing some of the culture and getting a feel for the words is to hire an immigrant tutor, rent foreign films from the video store, or borrow language tapes from the local library. An evening or day course in your locale is also an option. The camaraderie of your classmates and experienced tutelage of your instructor should make it fun and engaging. Find a few study buddies and chastise each other for not learning fast enough, create miniature contests, and try to simulate living in that country by occassionaly not speaking in your native language with your peers.

Before going to any new country, try to get a feel for the top 1,000, 3,000, or 5,000 words. Pronunciation is key so it’s not too good to just try to learn them from a book and pronounce them yourself. Try to get the top 5,000 words on tape. There are excellent programs for this and can be ported to an iPod. A learner’s dictionary is a good selection too. Some dictionaries and books come with CD-ROM companions, however, the structure of the CD-ROM could mirror the book’s, and it might make it more difficult to learn; make sure that the CD-ROM can stand alone and offers useful coursework in it’s own right. Free, open-source textbooks are also available online without charge, and they offer many good pointers. Print tutorials, buy cassettes, buy a little notebook to journal daily progress, and set the mission aside in a little compartment of your life that plan on tackling. Be excited, unafraid, and overzealous to sense the rumble of new and and unruly syllables.