Jim McCoy – Teaching in China

In my recent book, Creative Paths to Freedom – How to Live Your Dream Life ASAP, I suggested various ways that a person might establish a  freer lifestyle. I happen to believe that the sky is the limit for true adventurers. One option that I wrote about was teaching abroad. I think that I have a real treat for my readers today. Jim McCoy, an adventurer after my own heart, fearlessly reinvented himself, and is now living and teaching in China. Although, perhaps, a tad longer than many posts, this interview provides a lot of great information. Frankly, I couldn’t bring myself to cut any of it. So, sit back and enjoy a very interesting chat with Jim.

 

 

What were the major influences that brought you to live and work in China?

My early martial arts training had always left me with the dream of visiting China someday. Then, during what some may call my “mid-life crisis”, I went back to school to obtain a degree in International Business. Given the importance of China in the world economy, it made sense for me to try and work with Chinese companies, but I had never considered living here. In school, I made the Honor Society, and was invited to attend an International Student Laureate Program in China. That renewed the dream to visit China.

 

I was unable to attend the program, but I did become determined to visit China to make business contacts so that I could apply my International Business degree. I then started to discover employment opportunities in China. I applied for a tax consulting job in Shanghai. I nearly got that job, but at the last minute they decided to hire someone that was already in Shanghai. I knew then that, if I wanted to have a position like that, I would need to be in China in order to get a job. Around that time, I discovered the teaching positions that are available all over China. I decided to look for a teaching job and use my time in China to make business contacts. I set out to get an English-teaching position.

 

 

How did you find a teaching job? Where are you located?

 

I teach Business, Economics and English at Baotou Teachers College in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, in the People’s Republic of China. I got this job through a recruiter who places foreign teachers in China. I connected with this recruiter through a web site, a kind of a social networking site for expatriates and foreign English teachers.

 

The Dean of the School of International Studies had an idea to start a class using an experimental teaching method called Content Based Learning. He knew that he wanted to try that format but did not know what subject to use as the trial. He received my resume from the recruiter, deciding to make it an international business class, and hired me.

 

 

Explain the perks and employment benefits that you receive.

 

First, the salaries in China sound very low by U.S. standards. If I converted my monthly salary (the actual cash) into U.S. dollars, it would only be about $1284 per month. I am paid 8000 CNY (Chinese Yuan) per month. But that is actually quite high. The average salary here in Baotou is about 2000 CNY. Chinese teachers get paid about 3000. A single person can live here in Baotou on the equivalent of about $350 U.S. dollars per month.

 

In China, an employer is required to provide housing as part of the compensation. Some employers provide an apartment and some pay a housing allowance. I have a very nice apartment provided as part of my compensation. All of the utilities are paid, even the phone, cable tv and high speed internet. My only expenses are food, clothing and entertainment and, of course, some medical.

 

I do have medical insurance, but it is what can best be called a co-pay. It is cheap. I recently developed a bad cough and had a chest x-ray. They charged me 8 CNY ($1.28 USD) for that.

 

My cell phone costs me the equivalent of about $2.00 per month. My typical lunch at a restaurant costs about 10 CNY ($1.60). I can take a bus to downtown for 1 CNY (16 cents). So, you can see that my $1284 goes a long way. I am actually quite well off and would need to make at least $60,000 a year in the U.S. to maintain this lifestyle.

 

In this occupation, it is typical that an employer will reimburse for the airfare and visa expenses, upon completion of the contract. They will not pay expenses in advance because it is quite common for people to accept a job and not show up when school starts. They often just don’t come, get other offers and also the visa process can be difficult and unpredictable.

 

A one year contract is standard; especially for a new teacher. Once established, the better schools do like to offer longer term contracts in order to retain the better teachers.

 

Vacations are among the great perks. Each year, on October 1, the National Day holiday starts and runs for 8 days. That is paid time off. I also have 5 weeks off, paid, between semesters. Then there is the summer break; there is no salary, but as long as I renew my contract for the next year, the apartment is provided. It is also common for schools to pay a travel allowance so that the teachers can go home. Most teachers do not go home. Instead, they use the allowance to travel China.

 

What do your employers expect of you? 

 

I am in a unique position in China. I was hired to establish a new, experimental program. To my knowledge, there is nothing else like this business/economics class in China. I also teach oral English. I teach 20 hours each week. Then I have to grade papers and tests and prepare lesson plans. So, it is essentially a full-time job. They expect that the lessons be interesting and engaging. Oral English classes can quickly become boring for the students.

 

I also run the Office of Global Initiatives. I work with students who are interested in studying abroad, helping them decide where to go, what to study, and getting them ready for success. They need to have high level English skills and need to pass a test to gain entry to a western universities. I conduct test-preparation classes. In order to promote interest in studying abroad, I started an international club for students to learn about international affairs and work on educational projects. I also work to maintain student interest in western culture by getting movies, books, foods and holding cultural events.

 

What are your future plans?

I intend to stay in China for as long as I can. I am working towards a PhD through an online university in the U.S. I want to stay here until I am finished with that. Once I finish the degree, I will look at the U.S. economy and see what my best options are at the time. I am very comfortable in China, even wealthy by some standards. Returning to a middle-class life, struggling in the U.S., does not sound appealing. I have to know that I have a good chance at maintaining my lifestyle. If my business plans do not come together, I will continue teaching in China for as long as I can. I have friends who teach in Indonesia, Japan, Korea, India and other places. If I get to a point where I can no longer stay in China, and I am not ready to return the U.S., I will look at schools in Korea or Japan. Retiring to Bali sounds nice, too. The combination of my International Business degree and the teaching experience has opened up a whole new world of opportunity for me.

 

I am keeping my options open by operating a part-time business working for universities, businesses and other organizations that are interested in conducting business internationally. Before I left for China, I was studying to become an Enrolled Agent with the IRS. I had a tax business and will return to that when I return to the U.S.

 

My business is called McCoy Global Initiatives. I have a web site at www.jimmccoy.com. I will try to find a way to provide services to any organization or individual.

 

 

Describe two or three things about living in China that you enjoy?

 

The greatest perk is the travel. Travel is cheap in China and there are too many exciting places to count. I have been riding camels in the Gobi Desert, been to the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’An, as well as the famous “Muslim Quarter” of Xi’An. During my five weeks off, I am going to the Forbidden City in Beijing and the International Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin. Later, in 2013, I will be taking a “Silk Road” Tour, visiting the old cities along the original trade route across China. Also, I study Taichi, so I plan on visiting Chen Village where Taichi was created. The creator’s family has been teaching there for 20 generations.

 

China is a strange and backward place. Living here can be like living in a comedy show. There is no way to describe life in China. You have to experience it. No one who has not lived here can say that they “know about China”. It is a very old and complex culture. That is part of the charm.

 

What I really enjoy is “night market”. All over China, as evening rolls around, vendors of food, clothing and all sorts of items start to appear on the streets. Here by the college, it occurs just outside the north gate of campus. The main street through campus turns into an open-air flea market. This happens every single night, weather permitting. I love to go get some cheap food and just enjoy the fair-like atmosphere.

 

China is mysterious and that is part of what makes it unique and wonderful. You never know what to expect. There is a phrase that you learn very quickly: This Is China!. That is the most common answer to questions about why things happen the way that they do. A lot of things seem outright stupid, like watching someone buy a refrigerator and carry it home. I live close to a furniture store, so it is not uncommon to see people walking down the street carrying furniture. One of my colleagues helped me carry my office chair home from the store. In many ways, China is a modern country, but it is also a third world country and parts of it are in the developing stages. It’s an odd, quirky and backwards place. Some people hate it here and can’t wait to get out. Others love it here and never want to leave. It is an infectious place that just gets in your blood and you never want to leave.

 

 

Do you have any advice for people who are interested in having an international adventure of their own?

 

I would suggest that anyone wanting to do this be very careful, especially if coming to China. I read a lot of horror stories on the internet and nearly became one myself. I held out for the best job. Do not just take the first job that is offered. You can end up living in extreme poverty in a very bad place. Anyone thinking about doing this should learn all that they can about the cost of living and typical salaries in the area, and understand the currency conversion in order to try and put things in perspective.

 

In China, the process of getting a Visa, work permit and residency permit is extremely complicated. It is so complicated that even a lot of schools are not fully informed of the process. It is not uncommon for people to get here and have to leave because of Visa problems. Before accepting any position in China, make sure that the employer fully explains all of the processes. Also, some schools and recruiters will try to get teachers to come on a tourist visa so that they can get here quickly. They are then told to go to Hong Kong and get the working visa and apply for the working permit. DO NOT do that.  The process may be slow and annoying, but follow the rules and do not work with anyone that suggests that you work around the rules.

 

Beware of recruiters who charge a fee to the job seeker; especially if they charge in advance. DO NOT pay an advance fee of any kind. If a school or recruiter wants to charge you something, run away fast. There are plenty of jobs available. Reputable schools pay the fee. Also, do not work with recruiters who are known to charge fees to the job seeker.

 

 

In my own business, I charge fees to universities. I do represent individuals who pay me a small fee for consulting services, but never to get them a job. Individuals have paid me 100 CNY (about $16.00) to review their contract and help them nail down salary and cost of living information.

 

Also, one will learn very quickly that the Chinese, as a matter of custom, do not willingly share information. They will not answer a question that you do not ask and will answer questions with a minimum amount of information.

 

I had a dog that I wanted to bring with me. I knew that dogs were allowed in the country, but I still asked the employer, who was providing housing “Can I bring my dog?”. They said, “Yes”. Luckily I decided not to bring him, because dogs are not allowed in the apartment building. Dog ownership is not common. The Chinese have a different view on pets. There are no veterinarian services or kennels here. I did not ask if dog’s were allowed in the building. I asked if I could bring the dog. The streets are full of dogs that seem to be strays, but they belong to people. They just live outside and roam in packs. People feed their dog and spend some time with it. The dogs do not live in the house. Had I brought my dog, I would have had big trouble because I did not ask the right questions.

 

The same problems regarding information relate to the job. An employer will not provide information that you do not specifically ask for. You learn very quickly to not ask questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no answer. Make sure that you ask very pointed and detailed questions.

 

Bringing a non-working spouse to China is also a very complicated process that comes with the risk of the non-working spouse having to leave the country. The process is so complicated and risky that many schools just will not hire a married person if the spouse is not also going to be working. If you are married, the best thing to do is for both to apply for jobs with the same employer.

 

If you are interested in living in China, and have a medical condition that requires prescription medication, make sure that you learn about the laws regarding bringing that medication in to the country. Also, navigating the medical system can be difficult, especially if you are not familiar with the customs and do not speak the language. Often, hospitals will not treat a foreigner. Make sure that you can get medications such as insulin in the area where you will live. Also, upon arrival, new workers will need to pass a physical exam in order to obtain a residency permit. This is separate from, and more comprehensive than, the basic physical needed to get a visa.  The requirements for getting in to the country and staying in the country are not the same. (This is China!).

 

Each year, there is literally a hundred thousand or more teaching positions available for native English speakers with a college degree. You can find work in a big city like Beijing with 25 million people or a small village with a few thousand people. In the more remote areas, you will get paid less but will have an interesting adventure living in “old China”. In a big city, there is higher pay, but Beijing and Shanghai are becoming very westernized and europeanized. I am glad that I live in Baotou, what I call “real China”. One seeking work will need to decide what kind of amenities they will require and just how much “adventure” and rustic living they can tolerate in exchange for the adventure.

Visit Jim at McCoy Global Initiatives.