Here are some pre-conceptions about teaching in Asia, including China, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Cambodia.

I won’t save money because salaries are not tax-free like they are in the Middle East or not as high as they are at home

Savings, not gross salary, is the key. You could be earning 2x your current salary but if the cost of living is 2x as high, you’ll be no better off.  Many Asian countries do not have tax, or have very low taxes. Macau, for example, has one of the lowest tax rates in the world (bar those that are tax free) at around 3%, Singapore (10%) or China (between about 10 and 20% depending on salary).  Often the cost of living factors far outweigh the difference between tax and tax free.

According to Expatistan.com, Guangzhou China is 42% cheaper than Dubai, 46% cheaper than Sydney and 56% cheaper than London. Shanghai is 25% cheaper than Dubai. Beijing is 30% cheaper than Abu Dhabi ,whilst Jakarta, Indonesia is 47% cheaper than Abu Dhabi. Chinese school salaries are on average 20% better than those in the Middle East with similar benefits, so the savings potential is actually far higher. The Expatisan World Cost of Living Map and Index is interesting https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/index

Chinese cities are polluted

According to the World Health Organisation’s list, Chinese cities are most definitely not the most polluted. 9 of the 10 most polluted cities based on air particulates are in India and Pakistan. Beijing China (which takes lots of flak in the press) is lower than Cairo Egypt, Abu Dhabi UAE and Doha Qatar.

See this article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_polluted_cities_in_the_world_by_particulate_matter_concentration

If you have severe asthma, we recommend you take a look at this list because there are many cities to avoid, relatively few of which are actually in China. There are many cities in China that have good quality air – the coastal cities such as Qingdao, Xiamen,  Shenzhen, and Guangzhou to name a few– and schools that are in the more smoggy areas use air filtration systems in the schools and tend to treat poor climate days as they would a rainy day and stay indoors. They do stress that these days are not every day and there are many nice, clear, clean days.

Nobody speaks English

English is not as widely spoken in Asia as it is in other regions and is not widely used in China compared to locations like Singapore or the UAE. But it is getting better. Nowadays, most school children learn English at school and are keen to practice.  In China, most road signs in major cities are written in Chinese characters as well as Pinyin (English characters) so foreigners can read them too.  In smaller cities you will find fewer English speakers than in larger cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jakarta, or Ho Chi Minh City, where there are lots of foreign workers, but pretty much everyone you encounter will be happy to have a go at communicating with gestures, using smart-phone translators, calculator-based bargaining and pulling in others to help.  Most teachers find that if they pick up a few words and phrases of the local language it helps immensely. Asian people are very welcoming and willing to help (even when they can’t understand a word of English!) and they will love you for your efforts! In saying that, there are locations such as Singapore and Hong Kong where English is widely spoken too making these the ideal first overseas location.

There won’t be any Western food for me to eat if I don’t like Asian food 

In the major cities in Asia there is plenty of opportunity to eat both Asian and Western food with many familiar brands available (such as Carrefour, Tesco, Marks & Spencer’s and the obligatory fast food outlets such as Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and KFC etc.) and western style café options.  Of course buying Western food is more expensive and it’s much more fun to be adventurous and try the local – and often excellent but cheaper – cuisine but for those moments where you want a little familiarity and a taste of home it’s usually easily accessible.

China is an atheist country. I won’t be free to practice my religion. 

There is a wide range of religions in Asia, with some of the more popular ones being Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Confucianism and Judaism. Many Asian countries are multi-ethnic and tend to be tolerant of several different religions

There is a common misconception that the Chinese are atheists. Whilst the Chinese government is decidedly atheist, there are actually several religions in China including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism (and these three form the “three teachings” philosophical frameworks that have helped shape Chinese culture), Islamism, Protestantism and Catholicism. Freedom of belief is a government policy, and normal religious activities are protected by the constitution. It is important to note, however, that whilst the government tolerates religion and expats are allowed to privately practice religion, it is not allowed to preach or perform in religious activity locations without being invited by a religious organization or try to persuade mainland Chinese people into believing in a religion. China is very similar to many other popular international teaching destinations in this regard. The UAE and many countries in the Middle East, for example, also have strict non-proselytising laws.

I will experience racism

Unfortunately – as in any region of the world – people may experience prejudice, but from accounts Edvectus has heard from teachers we have placed in Asia, their experiences have been positive. Certainly a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian person or an African-American in Asia may attract more attention in cities that don’t have a high number of expats or tourists, but it’s probable that this attention is not negative but rather, intrigue. With regards to China, it has only been several decades since China opened up its borders to the world and, as a result, in more remote regions of China local people may have never seen someone from a different race before and this can result in lots of attention. If you don’t look Chinese, you may well be approached by the locals who want to practice their English or take pictures with you. This is also true of locations outside of large or capital cities, and those without recent experience of foreign tourism.

The government in China is repressive. I will not be free to go where I want or say what I want.

The Chinese government is actually very tolerant of westerners. There is religious freedom, you can kiss or sleep with whoever you want, you don’t have to worry about what you wear and you won’t be arrested for having too much to drink. These are all things that could get you into trouble in the Middle East. The kinds of things that can get you into trouble in China will get you into trouble almost anywhere – photographing military installations, overstaying your visa, stealing, assault, drugs or purposefully dabbling in sensitive politics.  Chinese people are friendly, open and welcoming and very interested in western culture. They are not out to repress us but at the same time we must be respectful of their culture and institutions. You are going to learn about, not to change, your new country.