Tongzi

I was posted in Tongzi, Guizhou Province. This is a small city that is rural at heart. I was posted here by Buckland because I said I wanted to be away from heavy pollution. It is significantly less polluted here than the larger cities of China. Thank you, Buckland. I haven't encountered any major problems with Buckland. And the minor problems are almost unmentionable because most of them were related to messy Chinese bureaucracy, which cannot be prevented by Buckland. I think Buckland can improve, like any good company, but they have shown that they are willing to listen to advice and complaints and adapt. I don't know if they are the best ESL recruiter out there, or the worst, because I haven't experienced any others. I can, however, tell you a bit of what I've enjoyed.

First, I will say that if you get posted near a major city, your experience could be entirely different from mine. But, for what it's worth, here are a few slices from my daily affairs that have impressed me the most. To begin with, the people here have been nice to me, though the staring did turn a little stale. Next, I enjoyed learning about China, Chinese customs, Chinese education, etc. I also appreciated the opportunity to travel. Tongzi is located close enough to the major city of Chongqing to make any destination in China feasible. Finally, working 15-20 hours per week and getting paid a living wage is hard to beat no matter where you are in the world. So, overall, I'm happy about my experience with Buckland.

Thanks. I hope this is helpful for anyone out there pursuing this option. And if your skeptical, just think, with your B.A. or B.Sc. degree, it sure beats unemployment in your home country!

PS I just remembered one last benefit of the experience -- with Buckland, I was able to sign up for one semester (4.5 months), which was not an option with other employers that I encountered.