Anthony Burns

TEIC has been a very positive experience. The students themselves have been (on the whole) welcoming and keen to please, with only a few issues (I have had to confiscate quite a few mobile phones, and tiredness is a problem, with some students trying to sneak a few minutes of sleep during English class).

The accommodation is comfortable and facilities are very reasonable. The pay is also reasonable especially bearing in mind I have no actual teaching qualification. The local area is well-provisioned in most respects (shopping, leisure, transport, international church within walking distance).

The Flying College, where I work, has provided some trips to famous sites including the Great Wall, a Buddhist temple, and the Ming Tombs. These were paid for and mostly well organised. I also took a week-long trip to Shanghai with my flatmate, which was a worthwhile experience. The local international church (BICF) also provided opportunities for recreation and voluntary work; I took a day trip into the mountains to go rock-climbing, and spent thirteen weeks giving art classes to migrant children in the North of Beijing.