What inspired you to work for your organization?
I had taught in China before and wanted to find somewhere in Qingdao because I knew the city is a really good place to live. I chose to work for Premier English because they really seemed to care about their students and teachers.
I took this photo of Tania, Kristyn and Ray
Describe a typical day at work.
I have classes only two days a week, since I'm also responsible for training teachers. I travel between the campuses of Premier English and have meetings with the teachers, watch class videos to identify what they can do better, and get feedback from them and their Chinese counterparts.
Why do you do what you do?
My job now is a bit different to when I started at Premier English in 2018. At that time I was just teaching, but now I help with interviews and I'm responsible for helping other teachers. I like doing this because I like helping people. By participating in interviews I can be influential in making sure we get the best people to join our team. Once they are out here, since I'm responsible for training, I can make sure they are happy and confident doing their job. It feels nice when people I have recruited are happy living and working here.
Me just after a class!
What is your favorite part of your job?
I like helping new teachers settle in and feel happy in China. I lived in Qingdao for a couple of years in 2006-2008, and came back again in 2018, so I have lots of fond memories of the city, and of course it is where I met my wife. It's good to see new teachers building their own happy memories here too.
Why should someone choose Premier English over competitors?
We were set up by teachers so lots of what we do is teacher and student focused, not marketing and money focused. We work hard, but we are proud of what we do and I think people always feel that what they are doing here is worthwhile.
What hopes do you have for the future for Premier English?
I hope that we can keep giving people great memories. I hope teachers can go back home at the end of a year or two here with lots of love for the city of Qingdao, their students and lots of happy memories. But not just teachers - students too. I hope they have fond memories of our school when they grow up.
Are there any developments with Premier English that you would like to share with us?
We are improving all the time. The school was OK when I arrived in 2018, but we are working hard to make it better all the time. I think teachers and students coming now are getting a better experience than they did back then, and I know that lots of the things we are doing improving the management, benefits, curriculum etc. are all really good things. We have started doing lots of really fun team building exercises as well and that's a great way for new teachers to settle in.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope people take away good memories and experience. Of course people can save up money and build their CV, but I think more important than that is lots of people go away having really enjoyed their time here and it changes them in a good way.
How do you help support participants?
The first couple of weeks are always the scariest for new teachers. I always try and make sure to have a chat with new teachers when they arrive to talk about what their worries are and then again after a week or two. Mostly people have settled in well by then, but sometimes just extending the hand of friendship is really important.
I took this photo at our school BBQ by the beach. In it are my colleagues. From left to right: Nina, Ciaran, Ryan, and Queena. Happy days!
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
My wife is Chinese and she speaks good English, but my in-laws don't! My Chinese isn't the best, but it's getting better. I think for me learning a language is important because I can get to know more about her and her family.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
My advice for people going abroad is to not try and plan too much what will happen during that time. Of course, a good employer is important, but other than that you never know what's going to happen. I initially planned to come to China for a year but I stayed for three years, and now I'm back again working at Premier English, so in total I've been in China for five years!
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means being flexible and not having any preconceptions of what life will be like in a new place. In my experience, it's the people with a completely open mind and no expectations that flourish. That's probably a good attitude to have in life even in your own country.
