Monique – My new life in China and CIPTC

People always say, “Anything is possible” and “You never know where you might end up”, and that has proven to be true, as I never imagined that in August 2019, I would have flown a combined 21 hours, from Kingston Jamaica, to Shenzhen China, to teach English as a second language.

CIPTC, has really exceeded expectations in all they have done to prepare me for not only what to expect in the classroom, but also what to expect living in Shenzhen. I was provided with a week-long training that covered lesson planning, classroom management, how to deal with culture shock, rules to keep me safe and even where to go and have fun in Shenzhen. Just to name a few topics.

Living in a new country is not without it hiccups and cultural differences, Shenzhen is extremely modern, but it is still different from what I am accustomed to. I cried a couple of times, I miss my family more and more each day, the beds aren’t always soft and the food here is different, (I miss my Jamaican “Cheese patty and Coco bread”). Though I am not the biggest fan of the food here, because there is such variety on a chinese menu, there is always something I like.

CIPTC is not just all work and no play, there are monthly trips, and I just had my first one to the Dapeng Fortress, and then to the beach afterwards. It was an amazing experience, we went to the attraction and became the attraction. There were Chinese people visiting the Fortress, who took more photos of us, the foreigners than the actual fortress itself. It was fun, and I am excited for the next one. China is far from home, but I have never felt alone, I have my amazing mentor Harriet, there are other teachers going through the same thing, and those who have gone through it before are willing to provide support.

I love my CIPTC family, and I can’t wait to see what else Shenzhen has to offer.

Monique from Jamaica, English Teacher at CIPTC in Shenzhen, China

Credit: CIPTC Shenzhen.

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