Teach English in China with New Life ESL

From the get-go, Brendan was on hand a responsive in helping to place me in a teaching job I'm Beijing for the summer.

He listened to what I really wanted and was attentive and conscientious in putting me in touch with a school of my choice.

I cannot reccommend ESL enough, the notorious email spam I got from other recruiters paled in comparison. You get the impression that Brendan really cares where you go and about your experience in China.

I have always dreamt about teaching abroad and this company made my dream a reality. I wanted something different then teaching English in a traditional classroom with 25-30 students. I was looking for an organization that I could bring my experiences in teaching and help grow the organization. Brandon knew of a school that would be a perfect fit for me! He fascinated introducing me to the company and was there throughout the whole process to help and offer guidance. When I arrived in Beijing, he met me at the airport and brought me to my hotel which to me was above and beyond! He even spent his eveing showing me around Beijing and helping me get acclimated to my new surroundings. I would highly recommend this company for anyone interested in teaching abroad!

I went through Monica at New Life ESL when my partner and I found our first jobs overseas in China this past fall. We had spoken with recruiters before, and it turned out that some of them were difficult to reach, questionably organized, and willing to say just about anything to secure a deal and move on to the next candidate.
Monica is very experienced and well-informed about what it means to be a teacher in China. She was happy to answer any questions we had throughout the entire process, and worked very diligently to find the best possible match for us in terms of working hours, type of school, and location in China.

Apart from helping kick-start communication with potential employers in China, Monica is also able to advise new travelers to China about bureaucracy, culture, living situations, food, and the Internet.

As an American organization, New Life ESL is especially well-suited to assisting Americans through the particulars of making a long-term stay in China a reality, and I'd recommend them to any westerner ready to trade hemispheres while teaching cool students and learning more about the world first-hand than they ever imagined possible.

Final note: much to its credit, New Life carefully selects its partner schools to ensure certain essential factors (a legal working status - "Z visa," opportunities to speak with current or former teachers prior to making a decision about a school, etc.) are in place and being provided to potential foreign candidates.

New Life personnel are easily reachable through their website, and I recommend that you begin a conversation immediately, if you've ever thought about teaching abroad.

My name is Anastasia and I am currently (December 2015) 28 years old.

I had been teaching English as a foreign language for the last five years in my home country, Greece before I came to China. I was a private tutor and my schedule usually consisted of more than six hours per day (including Saturday) of constant teaching in the students' houses. The pay was nothing extraordinary for a country that has the Euro. Add to that the economical crisis that came to Red Alert in the summer of 2015 and leaving was a one-way route in life for me.

Now, I must be honest: my life in Greece was far more comfortable for me than for most of the people in my age. Where they had no future and job hunting was limited to government programs that never paid on time and rarely the total amount, I was sure to have an income which would allow me to pay for my own social life... because I was still living with my parents. And I had no social security, because paying for it would swallow more than 50% of my income.

When the capital controls were imposed during the summer of 2015, I was already in the talks of leaving Greece and going to China to teach. The idea came to be from a friend, who had managed to find a job a year previously. Having already had agreed to teach many students that year, I didn't grab the opportunity immediately; the year was already scheduled for me. But, for the whole school year 2014-2015, I was thinking about it. It was my fifth year of going from house to house with no breaks and no guarantee that my students would even be there when I arrived, because the ballet schedule had changed and the family had forgotten to notify me. Five years of the same routine can take a toll on you. And take a toll on me they did. I longed for something different, even for a little while. The capital controls was the last push and my parents agreed to support me in this decision, even if China was "too far away from home" as they said. It was the ideal time, the golden opportunity that might not appear a second time.

I arrived in Beijing not knowing any Chinese and with a suitcase. Looking back, I don't want to live through the first month again, but also, I know it was worth it. I'm on my fourth month here and I feel secure and comfortable. I have made friends and I have become better in my classes. The totally different educational system of China is gradually being ingrained in my mind and I know that next year I will be a better teacher.

Because I am definitely going to stay for at least another year in China. Maybe even two.

And I know that no matter, I can get a good opportunity because the people in New Life Esl are searching for me. When they first told me "this would be perfect for you!" the cynic in me just shrugged and applied the words to them being what agents usually are: supportive and enthusiastic, so that they will get the money when the job will be done. I went for it out of desperation and longing for something new.

I know now that they know what they are doing and really, they are doing this for me. I haven't paid them anything from my pocket and I would trust them with my future, for their most important qualifications are the ones that should be for any agent worth their salt: knowledge and honesty. They told me that it would be the perfect beginning for me and it was. They told me that the school would get me the working visa and it did.

To the rest of the school year and for many years to come, New Life Esl. I hope we'll continue working together.

~ Anastasia

My apartment is on the 27th floor, so I have a fabulous view. I make about four times what the average person makes in China, which is not a lot by Western standards, but I do save lots. The hours of teaching that I put in per week are about 25, but the preparation time is minimal: maybe only two. This gives me ample time to do whatever: study, read, explore, etc. The cuisine is great. I tend to have one or two meals at home, and I go out daily for authentic Chinese food--not the deep-fried garbage that North America knows. Going out is also cheap. Where I might spend $10 in Canada for a meal, I would spend two dollars in China for the same. But if you are coming to China, I encourage you to think about air-quality matters. You might look at the article in Wikipedia concerning air quality in China. In terms of air quality, the best regions to teach are in the North-East or the South-East--along the ocean. But even this should not detract you from coming as the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages! Brendan was wonderful: approachable, knowledgeable, concerned, and thorough. My experience with my employer was also first-rate: coming to a foreign land necessarily includes a host of hurdles: healthcare (I recommend that you get your own before you come to China), language, communication (phone and internet), finding accommodations, and many miscellaneous matters. Having someone to guide you through at the beginning is a huge stress reliever. Every day I have to pinch myself: no, John, this is not a dream! You are living the Life of Riley, and having a blast doing so! See my diary of sorts of my first Sunday (it is attached).... (I wrongly stated that the Chinese characters on either side of the cross concerned a political slogan; not at all, they simply say "Merry Christmas"; but the irony is still there, for, not unlike Western society, Chinese society has morphed what is sacred into hall-markish commercialism.)

I just got back from living a year in Jinan, China and I really miss it. I miss the bomb food for cheap prices. I miss the funny Chinese people and the weird and interesting foreign friends I made from countries like South Africa, Italy and Australia. I miss hopping on a train and staying at a hostel in cities like Hong Kong and Shanghai for the weekend. I miss not hearing about Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton everyday.

I am glad a friend suggested I work with New Life ESL. They have been helpful and knowledgeable in the process and found me a good to work for that I can trust.

Hi, my name is Tulin. This is my 3rd year in China and second school placement with New Life Esl. With their support I was not hesitant about such a big change in my life. Monica filled me in with details that helped me a lot before I came here. They were there every step of the way and available any time if I had any questions. My second school that I was placed in Guangzhou was even better and i think I will be here for another few years. I'm so glad that I came to know such cool people as my agent. Love you guys!

New Life was more than helpful in helping me find my job in China. I seriously talked to Monica for 1hr then hoped on a plane 10 days later. Brendan was great in helping me find the right job for me too! They introduced me to a wonderful employer who took care of me in everyway. The job was great and the students were awesome! My living arrangments were very nice and i met some awesome people in Beijing. Even though I had nver met them face to face Monica Brendan and I became instant friends. Thats how nice, fun, open and honest they are. They even came to vist me while I was in Beijing and we had a blast. WEa re still in contact today and I highly recommend using New Life to begin your new life in China!