I know I’ve been a bit hard to keep track of the past 15 months, frequently changing my jobs, internships, projects, and such. I thought the most recent change deserved a bit more attention because it’s the most drastic and also provides an opportunity to briefly reflect on my first year of work in China.

Since college graduation, I’ve been trying out and crossing off opportunities that I thought would be perfect for me but turned out not to be. Maybe working at a commercial art gallery, for example, is not my cup of tea, or maybe that’s only the case in China. There’s no way for me to know that right now because the only place I’ve worked since graduation is Beijing.
This month, I began working as an ESL teacher at a private university in the outskirts of Beijing called Beijing Geely University. An unpredictable drop in enrollment has led to few class hours for me, giving me the opportunity to come up with new classes, clubs, and events such as Creative Writing Club and a Halloween party. I’m also taking advantage of the extra time to study Chinese on my own. After my schedule finalizes in October or November, I plan on looking for freelance or volunteer work in the arts or writing fields in Beijing.
I’ve learned that working in China as a foreigner is usually unpredictable, which is both exciting and stressful. Some challenges specific to my first year of work in China:
  • High turnover in all industries
  • Confusing and costly immigration regulations
  • Shrinking economy, especially in fields I’m most qualified for
  • Lots of startups, which doesn’t guarantee that one’s employer or clients are well-run or going to prosper in the future. (This is not specific to anyone I’ve worked with, just a general observation.)
My new job appears to address these problems and provide me with stability that makes living overseas long-term more enjoyable. I additionally receive perks inherent with university work in China, such as a free apartment, paid vacation, and medical insurance.
I want to thank those who have mentored me in public relations and the arts. I’m pretty sure that I’m not going to be a teacher for the rest of my life. I am planning on trying to get a job at a worldwide public relations agency in Beijing in the next couple of years to make myself more marketable once I eventually return to North America. I see myself working in big agency public relations before eventually working in-house at an art organization or cause I’m passionate about, but that plan could change.
Along the same lines as this post, I know three other University of Oregon public relations graduates who are all currently teaching English in South Korea. They will be the subjects of one of my upcoming posts.
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