At Teacher Horizons we love to know what our teachers are getting up to! Blog editor Sammy asked a few questions to Lua Yaganagi who is living and teaching in Yantai, China.
1. Where are you teaching? What made you choose that location?
I teach in Yantai, China at an International school called the Yew Wah International Education school. I chose China because when I left China in 2008 it just didn’t feel like the China chapter was ended for me yet, so I had to come back simply because I missed China and the lovely people who make it so special.
2. What is your school like?
Yew Wah School is a wonderful school to work at. It feels like a family working together to make everyone in it happy. The learning environment is wonderful and this is because the teachers here seem genuinely interested in what’s best for the students and the students feel it.
Sand sculpture day with my class at the beach
3. What is the expat scene like in Yantai? What do you do in your free time (in or outside the city)?
I live here with my children and so for leisure we walk by the beautiful sea side, have picnics there with our friends and other teachers who teach at the school.
4. How is the climate in Yantai? Is there any time of year that’s hard to deal with?
Yantai is cold in the winters and the temperature goes down to about -15, however because of the central heating in the school and our homes it is usually very pleasant.
5. What about culture shock? Is there anything difficult or surprising?
The wonderful part about the Chinese culture is that it is so beautifully preserved. The amount of respect and kindness you see among the Chinese people towards their family, fellow citizens and people they work with is commendable. In addition to this the people in Yantai are warm and ever ready and willing to help a foreigner thus making one feel right at home.
Kite day on the beach
6. What’s the cost of living like? Are you able to save money?
It is easy to save money working here and in this part of China.
7. What advice would you give to someone thinking of teaching in Yantai?
I’d recommend Yantai any day to anyone who is planning on teaching in China for the simple reason that it is safe and very easy to trust the people here.
Sounds fantastic! If you’re inspired, why not browse our schools in China to find current vacancies.
