You're going where?

Well, I'm up to my old tricks again, threatening to leave my family and fly to the other side of the world, just to make a quick buck.  I've been making noise about this for some time, but today, it got serious.  Today, I just received and printed the actual contract.

Needless to say, my parents are not entirely happy about this, even though they've been bugging me to get out of their hair (and their house) for months.  In fact, I'm experiencing a little trepidation myself.  Of course, everyone agrees that I need to find some practical way of earning enough money to support myself, and move out of my parents' guest room.  It's long overdue.  At issue is how I choose to accomplish this.

About 18 years ago, I decided that I would never work with junior high kids, either professionally or in ministry.  I knew that someone had to do it, but I didn't think I was cut out for that sort of work.  About 18 months ago, however, I found myself teaching math to 5 classes of (mostly) Korean students in grades 6 to 10.  How and why I found myself doing this is documented in my earlier blog entries.  The point is, I loved it.  (Gotta love God's sense of humor.)

I loved it so much that, when there were problems with my E-2 visa application, I seriously considered marrying a Korean woman in order to get an F visa.  (That would have been wonderful, but it didn't work out.)  All I could do was try to explain to my students why I was leaving.  It was hard, and I don't know how much they understood, but I did my best.  Several of them wrote me good-bye notes, and a few even gave me gifts.  (I think those were the girls who had the most hopeless crushes on me.)  Then, it was on to a farewell ceremony, a good-bye dinner, divide up my classes, grade and return the last make-up exams, pack up my bags, sleep for a few hours, and ride to the airport.

When I found myself back in the U.S., I took some time to evaluate my experience, and what major lessons I could learn from it.  It was clear that, having matured a great deal from my own junior high days, I could handle kids in that age group.  (At least, I could handle Korean kids.)  Moreover, I could teach, and even enjoy teaching, with almost no training or preparation time.  I would probably do a lot better with some formal training in a credential program.

So, I volunteered at a local high school, took the necessary exams, and applied to the credential program at the local state university campus.  That was supposed to be a really good program, with a great reputation.  At first, it went well, after a minor hitch in the application process.  In the fall semester, however, there were problems with my student teaching placement, and the school did not (in my opinion) fulfill its obligation to find me a suitable placement.  So, I chose to withdraw from that program, and pursue other opportunities.  Having been warned that my previous visa problems would likely preclude further work in Korea, I did a little research and decided that China was the next best option.

Yes, that's right, China, as in the People's Republic of.  As in Red China.  Yes, I'm fully aware that it's a Communist country; that is, a country with a totalitarian government, limited personal and religious freedom, and state control or ownership of the means of production.  I'm also aware that it's the most populous country in the world, and its current economic prosperity is based in large part on their success in exporting manufactured goods to the U.S.

This means that those Chinese workers who can communicate in English have much better job opportunities than those who cannot.  Hence, there is a strong market in China for qualified English teachers.  And we're not just talking about a few years in high school and a few semesters in college, like the U.S.  We're talking from Kindergarten on up.  (Yes, it is possible to teach English to someone when you don't speak their language.  I've had some training.)  And at the higher levels, they want to learn correct pronunciation and expand their usable vocabulary, which is where I come in.

The point is, schools in China are actively hiring people with my qualifications.  They are even paying recruiters to find teachers for them.  It's a seller's labor market.  And, for someone who has a hard time dealing with the current labor market in California, it's a job hunter's dream.  Just post the résumé online, and choose from among the offers that fill your inbox.  (I'm simplifying slightly.)

Currently, I've chosen an offer from Wuxi International School, which is in Wuxi, a medium-sized city (about 4 million people) outside Shanghai.  I chose that school for multiple reasons.  They want me to teach Math in English, which is what I did in Korea.  They are a short train ride from Shanghai, which means a cheaper flight and no layover.  They want me to come in July or August, instead of February, which was a little too soon for my comfort.  Also, the salary offer is very reasonable.

At this point, I'm just about ready to sign the contract.  However, my parents have raised several concerns, so I'm choosing to hold off for a little while, while my mom tries to put me in touch with a friend's son who is currently teaching in China.  I also have something I want to do before I send the signed contract by e-mail.  So, I will wait while those things are dealt with.  I don't plan on waiting more than a week.  China is calling.

Prayer Requests
I've got a big decision to make.  And, as is normal with any significant decision, there are a lot of things that I don't know.  On one hand, this could be dangerous.  On the other hand, it appears to be the best option available.  Please pray that God would show me His will in this area.  If it's not God's will for me to go to China, I need Him to open a door somewhere else.  Also, please pray that my parents would not worry unduly.  There are risks in going, but I'm afraid there may be bigger risks in staying here.  Everyone needs to see things clearly.  Thank you.