I have just finished my BS in August in Geography w/ emphasis in GIS and a minor in International Business. I am picking up Mandarin with a private tutor where I live. BUt I can imagine it is going to take a bit since I dont see her too much.

So questions start here,

Do I need a teaching certificate or is the BS I hold good enough?

What does it take to get hired?

Are you hired from a US company and then shipped over?

What is paid for? Airfare, a place to stay, food?
^^^^^^^^^^^
I heard it is different then US companies so that is why I ask.

I do not want to be a teacher in life but I am in love with the Chinese culture, I have never been to China but am picking up the language now. I think that this would look great on my resume later on to. Plus I just want to be engrossed in as much Chinese as possible.

Please no sarcastic or snotty comments. Please keep them to yourself. Answering these questions means alot. I do appreciate it.
I know life is different over there as well. BUt I am looking for change. My father-in-law has spent most of his life working overseas and it has always been a dream. I am also married to an Indonesian, and fully understand cultural differences.

So please keep the warnings to a minimum please.

ni hao,

Arming yourself with a teaching cert. (CELTA or TESOL) would be an advantage. You won't need it for the vast majority of jobs there, but it will set you apart from the rest if you do.
DON'T GO THROUGH AN AGENT!!! They are like silent stalkers only wanting to cash-in on unsuspecting victims. You can and should apply directly to the school you intend to work at. That will give you the opportunity to discuss contract details directly.
I would say that most jobs won't pay your airfare, but might give a bonus on completion of the contract which could be as much as the return airfare.
Accommodation is provided with some jobs. But be careful on this point and try to negotiate a accommodation allowance in case the place they provide is a dump!
Food is pretty cheap and widely available, so you need not be worried about this.

I don't actually live in China, but not too far away. I run my own language school in the south of Thailand. Mandarin is widely used here in this part of the country amongst the large Chinese community.

If you have any more questions, info@ali-thailand.org

zài jiàn