I’ve Just Started My First ESL Teaching Job in Chongqing, China

Preparing for Life in Asia

I’ve just started my first ESL teaching job in Chongqing, China. For about a month now, I’ve been packing and getting my paperwork in order to see what life is like in Asia.

If you don’t know Chongqing, that’s understandable. It’s in the western portion of China, and it’s not nearly as famous as the eastern seaboard cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen. But Chongqing is still a cool place. It’s a multi-leveled supercity with mountains, skyscrapers, dozens of bridges, and two major rivers twisting together.

Working as an ESL Teacher in Chongqing, China

When I first landed in Chongqing, my ESL teaching company brought me to a hotel where I could stay for free for the next two weeks. It allowed me time to look for an apartment (which is a fifteen-minute walk from my school). I started working on Monday as an ESL teacher, which was challenging at first.

Fortunately, the material is straightforward. There are books and online materials provided, so for eighty percent of my lessons, I can just teach English from the pre-planned lessons. The rest of my classes are “ESL Teacher Development Lessons.” In these classes, I can teach whatever interests me, and students can visit voluntarily.

So far, in my personal English lessons, I’ve taught ESL-centric classes about futuristic technologies, famous Chinese stories, the best tourist locations in China, strange things about life in America, and comedic storytelling. My ESL students seem to enjoy the material a lot, and my optional lessons are always full with twenty or twenty-five ESL students.

First Impressions on Living in Chongqing, China

Chongqing is beautiful to walk around at night with skylines braced on all the rivers. There’s the Yangtze River and the Jialing River intersecting near brightly lit bridges that I enjoy watching. My favorite restaurant overlooks where the two different colors of water join.

Interestingly, Chongqing was a major stronghold several times in history and served as a Chinese seat of power during the Japanese invasion in WWII. There are many superstructures that burrow beneath the city, and locals tell me (with an odd amount of pride) that Chongqing has more bridges than anywhere else in China.

Navigating Chongqing as an ESL Teacher With No Chinese

I’m surprised how easy it is to get around, despite not speaking Chinese. The only Chinese words I know are “Hello” and “Thank you.” But I can usually mime out what I mean, and there are always a few English-speaking Chinese locals nearby to help me out.

The only issue I have when navigating Chongqing is trying to read signs. I can sometimes point my phone at words and have Google Offline Translations tell me the meaning in English. But if the words are too stylized, I have to ask a friend or an ESL student later.

The best thing about getting around Chongqing is the food. I’ve eaten dozens of new meals, and they’ve all been delicious. If I’d known teaching English in Chongqing would lead to so many snacks, I would’ve found a job here years ago. Hot Pot is the most famous and iconic meal of the region, so I’ve spent a lot of time with ESL teaching coworkers sampling different places.

Touring Chongqing as an ESL Teacher

One of the prettiest places to visit in Chongqing, China is Hongyadong, a large traditionally styled building glowing with yellow lights. It’s lovely to visit at night and has stunning views of the nearby rivers.

I’ve spent a lot of time exploring Chongqing since the transportation is cheap, allowing me to take unplanned trips anywhere I’m interested in. I’ve been to dozens of temples, visited tropical gardens, went to underground restaurants, and explored plenty of little decorated enclosed apartment communities. There are often men who walk around with bamboo sticks across their shoulders, carrying food, supplies, construction materials, and deliveries across neighborhoods.

The oddest thing I’ve experienced while walking around Chongqing is my mini-celebrity status. I’m the only Caucasian person around my area, so people often stop me to ask for photos. It’s both flattering and disorienting. But it makes folks so happy, I’m pleased to stop for a few minutes for a selfie.

Final Thoughts on Living in Chongqing as an ESL Teacher

Overall, I’ve loved my time living in Chongqing, China as an ESL teacher. I’m looking forward to the next month and whatever experiences I can discover.