Among all gap year options, teaching in China is now becoming popular.
Why Gap Year?
Many students take a year off after college to figure out what they want to do with their life, or determine where they want to settle down for the long term.
That applies to some professionals who are seeking a career or lifestyle change.
“Gap year is now widely embraced by many people.”
This period of time is commonly called gap year and it is being embraced by a lot of people.
What Can You Do for A Gap Year?
Travel?
There are numerous options for what everyone can do during their gap year. The most common option amongst many, is simply traveling the world.
Those who decide to travel may decide to venture from one country to the next, continent to continent, or simply arrive in a destination, and then stay there for the remainder of their year.
Work?
Others will choose to incorporate a job during that travel time, which in some people’s opinion, is more meaningful.
Most of the jobs are volunteering, whether with children, religious groups, animals, conservation groups, or even in the healthcare field.
The possibilities are almost always endless and thankfully, there are numerous groups that can help people decide which option is best for them. They also help arrange everything for their year away from home.
Gap Year Idea: Teaching in China
With so many options, it can be easy to see why some people shy away from gap years, or have a difficult time determining what they would like to do.
For those who love working with people, especially children, may be able to find the answer that they are looking for fairly easily. There are always multiple job openings for teachers over in China.
Those who accept the positions find that they have plenty of time to explore and see the sights in between their time in the classroom.
At the same time, these educators also earn an excellent wage, which allows them to save some money for when they return home after their contract ends.
Comparing to other gap year options, this is definitely more financially feasible.
Benefits of teaching in China as a gap year:
Benefit 1: Language Advantage
Anyone who spends time teaching in China during their gap year can also grasp the opportunities to be ahead of all their competition back home.
There are multiple examples where people started their own businesses that have relations with China, or simply beat their competition by fluent Chinese language.
Benefit 2: Strong Teaching Skills
Additional benefits that these teachers will see include learning and experiencing a new culture, developing different life skills, and making new friends.
Teachers are always working with students who may have different cultures from themselves. What a better way to learn how to implement course working with students coming from different backgrounds than to working in China?
Once a person can successfully teach students in China, with their unique cultures and traditions, they should be able to successfully teach any student back home.
Of course, no matter what job they have in the future, spending time in a new culture will help them, as it will strongly stretch their capabilities to work with anyone that are different from who they are.
Benefit 3: Life Skills
Life skills are necessary, those skills will also increase once a person has taught over in China.
After all, anyone who ventures over there are all starting from scratch, not knowing anyone, and not even able to communicate easily.
They will need to adapt to their new surroundings, figure out how to communicate, learn where everything is located, and quickly learn how to live independently. These are skills that take many people years to achieve and hone, yet those who teach in China can excel at them quickly.
Benefit 4: New Friends
Making new friends is always a great thing, but over in China it will take on a whole new meaning.
While they are loved because they are there helping the students, they will not feel belonging until they feel totally trusted.
It takes time for trust to be built indeed, but as long as the teacher puts into the hard work, they will be accepted and will eventually make new friends, true long-lasting friends.
So, when it comes to gaining another individual’s trust and friendship, people teaching in China for their gap year definitely know more than average people.
Who teaching in China is for?
University Graduates vs Working Professionals
While college students can excel in a situation like teaching in China, it is possible for older generations to do the same.
Many people who have reached the age of thirty oftentimes wonder if they are on the proper career path, or if they should make a change in their life.
Taking a gap year to teach over in China is an excellent option for both groups, because it allows them to explore their career life, see a new part of the world, step outside their comfort zone, and even live independently if they have never done so before.
Shape Your Journey into A Meaningful One
Anyone that is considering their future or wants to make a change in how they are currently living will greatly benefit from some time teaching in China.
The pay, the scenery, the new friends, and the chance to explore a new part of the world are only a few of the things that everyone will appreciate during their time over there.
Although, the thing that will make this gap year the best part of their lifetime will be the look on their students’ faces as they learn and master the English language.
After all, the students over in China work hard when they are in school, and English is a very important skill that will help open many doors for them.
It could be very stressful for them to study a new language, but you can make this class fun, exciting, and the best part of every student’s day.
The best time, is NOW
Thinking about a gap year and maybe teach in China? (Check this guide)
This is a great time for you to do so.
The demand right now is great, the benefits are also rewarding.
People often say that the things they regret is the things that they didn’t do.
No one will ever regret their decision to pack up their belongings, travel long distances to help a student achieve great things!
