What is your favorite travel memory?
My favorite travel memory was my first trip in China to Xi'an and seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors. This was one of the most fascinating things I've ever seen and I had so many new experiences, as it was my first time in China.
I loved all of the new food I was trying and had a funny experience in a local restaurant, trying one of the more well known dishes, Yang Rou Pao Mo (羊肉泡馍). It's a lamb soup that is served with bread pieces to put in it. At the time, I had no idea what the dish was, but I ordered it, knowing it was the dish to eat at this restaurant. The dish was served at this restaurant with a large piece of bread on the side.
The restaurant staff spoke no English, and I spoke no Chinese at the time, so our server kept gesturing for me to tear the bread. I tore it in half and sat there. The server looked angry and gestured for me to do it again, so I ripped it again. After a couple failed attempts to get me to understand, our server just came over and shredded my bread and threw it in the soup for me. Turned out to be a fantastic meal and at that point, I realized I must learn Chinese to prevent these awkward encounters!
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I enjoyed my experience so much that I wanted to help others do this as well, and TDE Recruit gives me the opportunity to do that. It's great to be able to see others experience China and all its amazing offerings for the first time. We've been able to place many teachers in China and grow a community of educators and adventure seekers.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
Our company deals exclusively with placing teachers in China, and it is such a vast country with a rich history, I'd recommend it to anyone. It was one of the most life changing experiences for me, giving me the opportunity to go abroad for the first time. I ended up staying over 5 years, but I'd say a year abroad is a great way to really learn and experience a different life and culture and figure things out about yourself as well.
You will experience many new, fun things, but you will also overcome challenges that will make the time abroad more rewarding.
Little things like going to a restaurant and ordering food for yourself in Chinese become small victories that make daily life more exciting than the ordinary routine of life in your home country.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
We focus exclusively on teacher placement in China and our team has experience teaching and working in China as well. We are able to provide some unique insight into traveling and working in the country because we've all done it!
I'm proud every time we have a successful placement that has a great experience. That means we have done our job of briefing the teacher for what they will experience and have placed them in the location and with a job that best suits that teacher and their personality.
