An interesting exit from a well-trampled road
By Dorothy Fourie

走向多彩生活的
不同之路

一个星期六的早晨，我们当地小报上一则不起眼的广告引起我的注意。 “你想去中国教书吗？”我盯着我的丈夫说也许我们可以打电话问问。

我们在当地一家咖啡馆与代理商见了面，在这次会议后不久，我们两个觉得这是个很好的选择。去中国教书的职位工资是我们现在的一倍，这可以为我们退休存更多钱，还可以让我们有机会去世界其它国家看看。但是同时对于我们两个背负着家庭责任的中年教师来说这也是一条充满挑战的艰难道路。我有些担心。

一天的早上，我们抛下所有的忧虑做出了选择。

新雇主非常专业，及时给予了我们必要的支持，我开始意识到有许多人离开他们的国家去不同文化的地方工作，去海外教学不再是一种奇怪而神秘的事情。离开原来的生活会让你失去安全感，但海外国际学校或海外公司会帮助你适应新环境，双方都需要付出代价才能确保事情顺利。

现在我已经在ESL当了四年老师了，我和我丈夫都很满意这里的工作。

这是我的故事。我很幸运，这个特殊的机会拓宽了我对其他文化的认识。但它也让我意识到这样一个事实，遵从你的心，勇敢去做，这个世界如此之大又如此之小，他必引导你的道路。

It was one Saturday morning when I saw it: an inconspicuous ad in our little local newspaper. “Do you want to teach in China?”
 

My mug of coffee creamed over, my fluffy gown stopped and stared and my husband said that we should phone and hear what it entailed. I nodded my head; no sound came from me otherwise.

I’ve never been a person to make huge decisions on a whim. And even when I got so far to making a decision about anything, there I was, jumping back and forth, hinging on two or three thoughts, never knowing for certain, but here was something I felt might really happen.
 

We met with our agent at a local coffee shop and soon after this meeting the two of us decided that we really did not have a choice any longer. The expected salaries from a teaching position in China would just about double our normal teaching income. Up to then, we had not been able to save up enough to be able to retire in any way. There would also not be any other opportunity to see other parts of the world.
 

In our minds we were already on our way. In our thinking ahead, we were pulling up our anchors in South Africa. Each filled in form; each email sent away, each meeting with our agent brought us closer to the day that would inevitably arrive: August 19th, 2015.
 

We didn’t take the road less travelled, we hacked open a road that wasn’t really there: one of two rather conservative, older than middle-aged teachers, who planned on resigning their steadfast positions in a country, where these positions were becoming scarcer by the minute. It was scary, like looking down a dark corridor and not knowing whether it was safe to proceed. On the one end, there was our family, our dear children. They needed us. Yet, they also needed us to go, to take on the adventure, to show them that life was more than staying in one place, because you are scared to make a move in a different direction.

I felt really apprehensive.
 

On the other hand, I knew deep within that life was more than struggling within the well-known rat-race. Today I know that breaking the mesmerising effect of this mind-set is necessary. Breaking free from firmly set ideas and age-old thoughts, handed down through generations of doing what was expected of you, when, how and where, makes me think of the elephant who thought he was tied to a pole on a chain. Someone had broken that chain long before, yet he still stood there, thinking he was chained to a pole.
 

In the house we lived in at that moment, our well-worn and very old furniture was staring at us, droopy eyed.
 

“Were you really leaving us, just like that?” They seemed to ask.
 

One morning we locked all of them into a container and walked away.

Within the process of letting go, trust had to be built with the new employer. The company we were going to work for reacted very professionally and were on time with informative emails and requests for documents. The website was also clear and to the point about what had to be handed in. There were many moments when I felt that I was losing grip of security in my life. Letting go and then grabbing to hold on to a place that I had no idea about, felt overwhelming at times.
 

But I also became aware of the fact that many people were leaving their countries to go and work all over the world in different cultures. It was no longer a strange and mystical endeavour to go and teach overseas. International schools in far reaching countries need teachers to fulfil the need to introduce new languages and other knowledge to their schools. These schools or companies look after these professional people and try to make everything easier and worthwhile for the would-be expats to adjust comfortably into their new environments. Obviously, there is cost involved on both sides to make sure these moves go smoothly. Initial cost on the side of the potential teacher includes immunisations and medical examinations, visas and, of course, personal upheaval, “loss” of a secure life and being far from adult children and other family for long stretches of time. The employee has to make it enticing for new teachers and they offer medical cover and a strong salary, with free housing included when you go to teach ESL. There are ups and downs to consider; therefore, it seems to be crucial that the newly appointed teachers should ensure to obtain full knowledge of what awaits them in the foreign country where they have been appointed.
 

Do these newly-appointed teachers expect an exceptional welcome from their new employers? Perhaps some employees feel that once these new teachers have been appointed and informed of what was expected of them via a contract and ensured of a good salary, they should not complain about the problems as mentioned before. No-one forced anyone to go and work overseas, right?
 

I have been an ESL teacher now for close to four years. Both my husband and I have been happy and we feel fortunate that this opportunity crossed our way. We arrived at the beginning of a new school year, when new teachers were all received and thoroughly prepped about what awaited them at this school.
 

In my own experience, I appreciated the feeling of trust, respectful treatment and care I received from my directors. They have also always tried to connect me to their culture here in Tianjin, making it possible to give my best efforts to the students in my classes.
 

This is my story. I feel fortunate that this exceptional opportunity has come my way. It has broadened my knowledge of other cultures. But, it has also made me aware of the fact that ultimately we are all human beings, with hearts and wishes, plans and longing. The world is a big place and yet, so small.
 

And until my heart directs me back home, to where our family and friends live every day, where our container stands, weathering the heat and the cold, the lopsided politics and the low value of our currency, we shall stay here, gratefully.