I will be graduating in May 08 with a degree in Biochemistry from a major U.S. university. Besides English I speak Spanish and Quechua fluently and have been a privet tutor before. Although I would like to pay student loans ASAP.... Living in China for a year sounds great; I have traveled to different counties and think I am immune to culture shock. I would like to find a program that houses you and pays every well for a 12 month max. So I would like to know.

Is the work very hard?
How do I search for a job? Are there outstanding sites or programs?
How can I find a high paying Job? Looking in Hong Kong? Is 5000RMB good?
Are programs that house you and help with living ones that pay the least? Are programs or strict jobs better?
What do you think I should know about doing this? Tell me you experiences..+/-'s

1. There are many sites where you can find current job postings for ESL Jobs in China. Check ESL Jobs World http://www.esljobsworld.com or ESL Cafe http://www.eslcafe.com , both of which seem to get regular updates.

2. The work isn't hard per se, but in the ESL classroom you're the center of attention so you can't really have an off day if you want to be successful. That being said, you'll figure out ways to structure group activities where you can get a class off and working on its own for periods of time.

3. 5000 RMB is about the average monthly pay at present. Better jobs pay in the 7000 RMB range, and truly desperate schools have been know to go as high as 10,000 RMB.

4. Every program will offer you assistance in housing, and many will reimburse all or a portion of your travel expenses. The demand is so high compared to the relatively lower supply of native teachers that schools go out of their way to take care of everything.

5. The only thing you really need to know is that teaching overseas can be a great, great experience, especially for someone such as yourself who doesn't get freaked out by different cultures and customs. My recommendation? Do it!

No one is immune to culture shock...

Try eslcafe.com for job listings. I only know gaijinpot.com for jobs in Japan, but Dave's ESL cafe is a well-known site for jobs all over the world.

Another thing you might do is try cold-calling schools on the phone, or just send your resume out. Here's a list of Hong Kong schools: http://www.internationaleducationmedia.com/hongkong/schools.htm

To find out how much money to ask for, I think you should join a site for expats in Hong Kong and ask on the forums. That's a good place to start your research, post job ads, and make some social contacts before you go there.

I would avoid Daves ESL Cafe. Nothing but a bunch of rude high school flunkies star-struck by their celebrity treatment living in China.. Best ESL cafe I found was http://eslteachercafe.com

Another good way to get out to China is through journeyeast.org

I agree, Dave's is a great place to look for jobs and advice.
http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/

Also, you will want to make sure that you have your TEFL Certificate. Most schools in Hong Kong are now requiring their teachers to have a BA and a TEFL Certificate. http://www.teflworldwideprague.com/

A lot of Language schools will help you with housing and the Visa process as well. But, again, make sure that you have your TEFL Certificate. It will be really hard for you to find a GOOD job with out it. You might find a school that will hire you, but they might pay way less and have poor working conditions.