Adam was born in Bournemouth, England in 1984. Before arriving in China he was working in risk management in a financial services company. Adam decided that working behind a desk wasn’t for him, and he packed his bags and never looked back. Adam is currently teaching English and Math in a primary school in Guangzhou. In his free time, Adam likes working out, going out for nice dinners, playing football, and ping pong.
Since arriving, what differences have you noticed between China and England?
"The first thing I noticed was the difference of food. Everything here seems to be healthier. Street food and people eating outside is a very different thing here, everything seems like it's a lot more social. Grandparents come outside early in the morning and late at night to do exercise, take their grandkids to school, play chess, tai chi, and other social things. Here is very crowded compared to my quiet little hometown. I’ve enjoyed the hustle and bustle and the experience of getting on the metro during the rush hour. It’s an exciting challenge!”
In the half year you have been living here, how have you enjoyed it?
"The first few weeks were difficult to adjust. The cultural differences, new job, and knowing no one when arriving was daunting. Worlda played a key part helping me settle in to my new city and lifestyle. From the first moment when they picked me up from the airport till now they have been very supportive. The training they provided helped me feel a lot more confident heading into the school. The first few weeks in the school was exciting, however quite difficult. Through the various Worlda social events I have made some great friends who will stay with me for life. My work schedule has allowed me to do a lot of site seeing in Guangzhou, and travel a bit as well!”
How have you found teaching so far?
"The first few weeks were difficult as it was very different from my previous job in England. The support both the school and Worlda offered me helped me overcome any obstacles and I soon began to settle. Since then, I have enjoyed every minute of my new role. I find teaching to be very rewarding, challenging, and a whole lot more fun than sitting behind a desk. The smiles on the kid’s faces makes it impossible to be unhappy, even on a Monday morning. Worlda has always been on hand to offer new ideas, games, and methods of teaching.”
What’s do you hope to achieve over the next semester?
"I hope to continue to improve my teaching abilities and methods. I am confident I can do this with the support of the school and Worlda. I hope to improve my Chinese through my private lessons and the free lessons that Worlda offers to their teachers. Outside of work and Chinese, I hope to continue to see as much of this beautiful country as I can. I hope to travel to Xi’an, Beijing and a few of the smaller cities. The spring festival will allow me to travel to Thailand for almost next to nothing.”
Have you noticed any changes in yourself since coming?
"I think I have noticed myself becoming a lot more tolerant. You have to be prepared for taking time to understand people from different backgrounds and cultures. It has really opened my eyes to the many different ways about doing things. I have more confidence in myself having overcome the huge challenge of coming to China knowing no one and succeeding in completely new lifestyle. America is called the land of opportunity, however China’s rapid growth means that business is booming and there’s plenty of chances to make it big here as well. The decision to give up my comfortable lifestyle in the UK and try something completely new wasn’t an easy one, but it was one of the best decisions of my life.”
We thank you Adam for being a great team leader, teacher, and friend to everyone!
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