Why?

I have always liked travelling and especially places where you know you are abroad. I am from the UK, so for me, having visited Thailand was the most "I'm Abroad" I have felt to date, and I have been chasing the feeling since.

I had planned to go to Japan in 2021 but like many, Covid-19 interrupted my plans! Then I went to University for 3 years which, as you can imagine, doesn't allow for large stints of travelling half-way across the world.

During University I found myself planning trips, even if 90% of my 'trips' were to feel like I had a holiday pending. I really got into planning them, which led me to researching ways of working abroad. "What a brilliant idea" I thought at the time. Little did I know that you require desirable skills to work abroad (most of the time).

What?

Teaching English isn't necessarily the most demanding of careers, especially to foreign Children and Adults as a Native speaker. If I were teaching in the UK, that is a whole other question; English teachers in the UK—all teachers for that matter, have my respect. As a previous student myself I know how much grief teachers get. There is a serious issue with discipline in the UK. Teachers are teaching 10% of the time and trying to get the class under control the rest of the time.

So... I am teaching English in China, that's my "in". I actually have experience teaching and have always enjoyed it, but this facilitates my goal to see the world, starting right here, in China!

How?

While ruminating thoughts about travelling and seeing the world whilst at University filled my mind, I came across Chris Broad, or "AbroadinJapan" on Youtube. I found his videos to be a great release from being stuck at University and unable to travel due to the Covid restrictions. His story largely inspired my thought process.
My journey began as I was finishing university. I was helping my Japanese friend improve his English, and he suggested I look into the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme. I had heard about it before on Abroad in Japan, so I finally decided to have a look. I applied. I failed. "Nevermind", I thought to my sorry self. So I continued applying to foreign job boards, including echinacities.com - where I received an awfully suspicious email from a recruiter in China, who asked me to add them on Wechat. Coincidentally, I had Wechat setup to keep in contact with another friend from University. The recruiter began sending me job boards and within minutes I was sending an "Introduction Video" to a random recruiter who sent my video to a random school in China. I got invited for an interview. I got offered a contract. I signed the contract and now I am going to China in a couple of months... lol.

That is the full story before I get here, and the rest will be history! I hope you enjoy the rest of the page and join me in creating memories by adding my Social Media or getting updated by Mail.