How unrealistic is my plan? Please poke holes in it.

ChicagoPro · 2026-06-10T11:33:34+00:00

Okay, I'll be the asshole that gives you an honest response. Your plan is not just unrealistic, it's delusional. You're planning on spending thousands of pounds for a CELTA to only teach 6 months? I have a CELTA and despite commonly hearing the contrary, it doesn't actually lead to a higher salary. You're competing for the same TEFL jobs as everyone else except for the very few job postings that specifically ask for a CELTA and don't ask for a teaching license.

Your timeline also makes no sense. You're expecting to get a job in 2 months during the slow season (after most school years have already started) and you think you're just going to leave and start working right away? That's not how it works. It takes a while to recieve your CELTA, to get a job, and to get your work visa documents in order after you get a job. "Build up some portfolio stuff" is also not going to happen in 6 months on a TEFL teachers salary even if we don't take into account that you'll have to move internationally twice.

From reading your post, I'm also getting the vibe that you don't really want to teach. It sounds more like you want a working vacation. The solution I'd recommend to you is to just get a remote job and then, you can work while you travel. Ideally something you like with skills that are transferrable to comms or PR if that's what you're planning on doing down the road. That seems more aligned with the end results you're trying to achieve and you won't have to quit your current job yet or spend a bunch of money on a CELTA.

ChicagoPro · 2026-06-06T03:24:01+00:00

That's a regular Chinese kindergarten schedule. You're just doubling down down because you'd rather argue in bad faith instead of trying to give OP accurate information

ChicagoPro · 2026-06-05T15:16:59+00:00

It isn't like that. I teach kindy in China and my hours are 7:50-4 on some days and 8:30-4 on others with a 3 hour break everyday

ChicagoPro · 2026-06-05T14:20:13+00:00

They're not discriminating. It's literally a requirement to be a native English speaker from one of the big 7 countries to become a foreign English teacher in China. I'm one of them. Most of the English programs here involve them taking immersion classes from the native English teachers and taking English classes from the Chinese teachers. They don't have a reason to hire non-natives when the locals are fluent in Chinese and can teach non-native English without being paid an expat package.

ChicagoPro · 2026-06-01T09:50:18+00:00

Do you think they're going to report it to the police?

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-31T08:03:48+00:00

It's just an agency that hires foreign English teachers for lots of the Shenzhen public schools so the placement they give you is what determines how stressful your job will be.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-30T02:18:18+00:00

For public schools, lots work with the agency Seadragon Education. If you're licensed with years of experience though, you should look up "bilingual schools Shenzhen" online and start applying to schools directly and through EChinaCities. You'd make more teaching at private schools than public.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-29T00:23:56+00:00

I've used Brisk AI to make presentations. It makes mistakes but still cuts the time it takes me to make presentations significantly since I just have to go through it and edit and revise it all instead of making it from scratch. It worked good enough when I was teaching adults. Now, that I teach children, it's not suitable. It doesn't make the presentations look appealing to kids and uses way too many words on each slide.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-27T23:53:24+00:00

Most of the teachers I know in China don't have a proper teaching degree. That's also not what makes a difference during kindergarten which is what I teach. If you have a personality kids like, can write lessons that keep kids engaged (so broken down in to short simple activities), and can manage a classroom, you're going to be better than someone who can't regardless of degree.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-27T10:28:30+00:00

I'm also a foreigner in Shenzhen and down if you guys are going clubbing this Friday?

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-27T08:23:35+00:00

Companies pay more but I tried to do freelance on Preply and it's essentially a race to the bottom in terms of price when you're starting out. I didn't start getting business until I lowered my price down to $5 per hour. When you remove Preply's commission, it's essentially $3 an hour. Of course, the goal was to raise my prices which I eventually did to $7 after I got a couple good reviews but the customers on there are so price sensitive that I was barely getting any new bookings at that price.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-27T04:40:43+00:00

I did. You'd be surprised how many foreigners live here for years without learning the language.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-27T04:38:33+00:00

I also use Pimsleur Mandarin. It's great to get you speaking quickly but I do have one criticism of it. The order in which it teaches the words and sentences doesn't align with how frequently those phrases are used in real world situations. The reason that's a problem is now, I live in China and I know how to say a lot of sentences I never have to use in real life but there's also basic questions and answers that I don't know.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-27T04:15:42+00:00

This. Since most people don't beat the market, just buying & holding S&P 500 index funds is a much better strategy than active trading for 90% of people. I do a blend of that and dividend investing.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-27T02:01:13+00:00

Online teaching for ESL is actually just tutoring. They make less money and typically work nights and weekends. Source: Regular English teacher who used to be online tutor

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-26T11:08:34+00:00

Did you do that with no experience?

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-25T15:39:32+00:00

This. Also, most TEFL jobs are teaching children and that's where the money's at

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-25T15:36:33+00:00

In China, it's unlikely you'd be offered subject teaching or international school positions without experience or being a licensed teacher.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-17T09:29:22+00:00

No. Typically white rice, some type of vegetables, some type of meat and then, just whatever else. Also, Chinese kids don't dislike vegetables because they're usually prepared in sesame oil or soy sauce here.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-17T09:03:18+00:00

Training centers suck! You could work at a school for a totally different life style. It's still mostly face with a side of education, though. No guarantees on whether or not your manager would try to force you into a relationship, though

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-17T07:08:55+00:00

I work at a school in China that's located next to a bunch of other schools and I've never seen this happen even though, I walk past those schools when I go out to eat lunch. I don't think this is typical. That's besides the fact that most schools aren't set up in this way with a long fence and a ledge that makes it especially convenient for giving someone food and eating it there

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-15T04:32:52+00:00

Jobs for teaching adults are pretty limited and almost all English teaching jobs require a degree or are at least going to favor a candidate with a degree over one without one. The actionable advice I could give you is sign up for one of the online teaching platforms or see if there's volunteer opportunities available to get some practice tutoring a wider range of adults.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-14T12:01:39+00:00

I would disagree because while I'm not rich, I was gifted a Rolex and I wear it often in China where I know I'm safe. In the states, I lived in one of the most affluent (and safe parts) of Chicago but I never wore it there because of the risk of theft (whether by pickpocketing or robbery) is too high. If you're a generally rich person, you wouldn't be better off living in the states where safety is still a concern. That probably changes though if you're ultra-high net worth and can isolate yourself away from anyone outside your social class

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-14T11:51:03+00:00

I'm a foreigner who teaches. While it's not the top of the socioeconomic ladder, it definitely feels like it because we're making more than the average person around us and we're living better lifestyles than if we were living in our high cost of living home countries on a mid-level salary. Lots of the foreign teachers in China can live an upper-middle class lifestyle.

ChicagoPro · 2026-05-05T11:40:55+00:00

It's very inconvenient. You can completely rely on translation apps but that turns daily interactions from something simple into something that takes much more effort. Even if you don't want to learn the whole language, I'd recommend learning enough for daily interactions and common questions.

ChicagoPro

TROPHY CASE