Achiever of the week: Alicia Haripershad

      July 15, 2020 | By Nqobile Mdima 

This week’s feature is Alicia Haripershad from South Africa. Alicia is an Admitted Attorney. She graduated from the University of Cape Town (2013, Bachelors of Commerce majoring in Accounting and Law & 2015, Bachelor of Laws). She is a Training Specialist and English Teacher at Kid Castle Educational Corporation in China, Shanghai City. After visiting her friend in South Korea who was teaching English there, Alicia decided to take a break in Law and teach English abroad.

Alicia shares with us where to search for jobs, TEFL job packages in Shanghai, life hacks for surviving in China and the pros and cons of living abroad.

How did you find your job in China? 

I went through Gold Star TEFL Recruitment (https://goldstarteachers.com/). I had a really positive experience with them and found them to be supportive throughout the recruitment process. I found my current job through them.

What do you wish you knew before moving to China?

I don’t think I would change anything, I would just recommend being as open minded as possible!

Which APPs have been valuable to you ever since you moved to China? 

For sure Google Translate, make sure to download the files so that it works offline. Smart Shanghai is a great app for finding out events and restaurants. The bike sharing apps are also really useful, I have Mobike and Meituan. Lastly, Eleme which does food delivery. I have even made use of this when I travelled to other cities in China!

How much can one earn at a training centre in Shanghai if they have 1/+yr experience teaching experience? 

Depending on the relevance of the teaching experience, you could get between 17,000 and 18,000RMB per month.

Do you get free housing or receive a housing allowance? If you get a housing allowance, how much is it? 

Our company provides a housing allowance of 2,000RMB per month.

How much are your living costs in Shanghai? And are you able to save money? If yes, how much roughly can one save after deducting living expenses? 

My expenses are my rent; cell phone bill; water and electricity (which we pay every few months); groceries; travel associated costs and spending money to eat out. When I have been focused on saving, I end up cooking more so my expenses would total around 8,000 to 9,000RMB per month and I could save up to 9,000RMB.

What are your working hours (teaching/office hours)? 

Wednesday to Friday I work from 3pm to 9pm and Saturday to Sunday I work from 8.30am to 5.30pm. In total it is up to 24 teaching hours and office hours are the rest.

How many paid holidays do you get in a year? 

In the first year contract, only public holidays are paid. From the second year contract, you receive an additional 5 days of paid leave.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a training centre?

Advantages: I enjoy the working hours, particularly during the week having so much of the day to myself to do other work/ relax. Being able to teach a variety of ages makes everyday different! We are provided with the curriculum but we need to make our own lesson plans which allows for flexibility and creativity.

Disadvantages: The working hours can be difficult, especially transitioning from Friday to Saturday with the different times. Once you realise which age group you prefer, it can be tricky to teach the other groups because you may not enjoy it as much. Not as many holidays as public schools as a training centre is opened year round.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in Shanghai?

Advantages: The city is always changing, I love that you can walk/cycle down a street and it may be different to a few weeks back. I also enjoy that because the city is so expansive, you can continuously discover new things. It is a great base to travel from, with many trains and flights available to go within China and South East Asia. The public transport is highly developed and makes life so convenient. The food is incredible, not only the local cuisine but also being able to sample food from all over China and the world without leaving the city.

Disadvantages: If you are having foreign food cravings, this will usually break the bank a little and so should be reserved as a treat. Accommodation can be expensive but just be savvy when you are looking and preferably try to find someone to share with. The level of English is surprisingly low given how international the city is, it was a bit frustrating when I first got here when I was trying to buy food to be able to communicate.

What would you recommend as the best hacks for surviving in China as an expat, especially to those who will travel to China alone? 

Have your downloaded Google Translate ready but also make an effort to learn some Chinese, especially when you first get here and you are still motivated to do it. It shows respect to the culture and the locals will really appreciate it!

Follow some travel blogs/ tour groups and then copy their plans but do it on your own as you will often find that you will be able to do it for less!

Go to events, join Meetup (you can select your interests and attend events that are related to these) and meet as many new people as possible. It is scary at first but it is wonderful to open yourself up and enrich your experience in China through the people that you meet.