Chay’s Story – Teaching English in Hong Kong

Five years ago I found myself in a bit of a quandary. It was the height of the financial crisis and job opportunities were hard to come by, particularly in the North of England. As such, it was at this point that I decided to do a 140-hour TEFL course. Completing a TEFL course was the wisest decision I have made. It has literally transformed my life in ways I could never have imagined.

I currently live in the Kowloon region of Hong Kong. This former British colony is now a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. However, despite Hong Kong’s reintegration back into China in 1997, Hong Kong still retains many aspects of its previous colonial status. As an international hub for world business, banking, trade and commerce, Hong Kong is a place where English is widely spoken. Hong Kong people see English as a necessary tool to be economically successful. As such, there is a very healthy market for Native English Teachers (NETs).

I have taught English to kindergarten children aged between 3-6 years in several schools. My duties include teaching, reading, writing, phonics, simple grammar, simple math concepts, counting, music, the international phonetic alphabet and P.E. I’m routinely involved in drama events created for the children and promotional work for my school.

Teaching young children can be immensely rewarding. Chatting with the children during snack time is often highly entertaining and culturally enriching for me. The children also give me quick lessons in Cantonese. However, with nine different tones, I am yet to master this language despite all the free coaching from my school children. I have had many wonderful experiences working in this field and I have been fortunate enough to craft a new life for myself and meet some incredible people along the way. Living in Hong Kong also gives me the opportunity to regularly visit countries that I love such as Japan and Taiwan.

If you’re looking for an incredible East Asian adventure once you’ve completed your TEFL course, Hong Kong is worthy of your consideration. Hong Kong is consistently rated as one of the best cities to live in for an expat. However, the real reward here is getting to know Hong Kong people and learning about their very unique heritage and way of life.

For more information regarding teaching overseas, check out our definitive guide .