Achiever of the week: Nomfundo Lukhele

      Jul 29, 2020 | By Nqobile Mdima 

This week’s feature is Nomfundo Lukhele from South Africa. Nomfundo holds a Bcom Degree in Strategic Management from Varsity College, Sandton. She is an English Teacher at Sesame Street in China, Jiangyan City. She moved to china alone, managed to conquer challenges one faces when moving to China and has been thriving at work.

Nomfundo shares with us how one can qualify to teach English in China, where to search for jobs and the pros and cons of living abroad.  

What are the requirements for teaching English in China? 

The job requirements for my profession are firstly you need to be a national citizen of one of seven countries which are South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, USA, The UK and Ireland. Secondly you need to have a degree of any sort and thirdly you need to have a TEFL or TESOL certificate of at least 120 hours.

What are the visa requirements for legally teaching in China? 

The visa requirements are a passport valid for more than 6 months, authenticated original police clearance, authenticated copies of your bachelors degree, a TEFL certificate and physical examination report.  

Where did you search for job opportunities? 

Reliable resources I used to find teaching job opportunities is firstly a group on  Facebook called “South Africans living in China”. On this page I found a lot of useful information about teaching abroad and I also found many recruiters eager to assist anyone to find a good job. The second resource I used was Teach away, they too assist you to get a teaching job abroad. 

What are the advantages about working and living in China?

3 advantages about China would be firstly they offer competitive salaries and most schools either offer free accommodation or an accommodation allowance which allows you to save more money. Secondly the public transportation system in China is impeccable which allows you to travel anywhere in China with absolute ease. Thirdly China is absolutely safe, there is a very low crime rate in China.

What are the disadvantages about  living in China?

 3 disadvantages about living in China is firstly definitely the language barrier, it is very difficult to communicate with the people in China, you constantly have to use your translator app on your phone which can turn something as simple as buying something to eat into a tedious process. Secondly the air pollution in China is quite high which sometimes requires you to wear a mask just to protect yourself from inhaling bad air. Thirdly the food is not quite what westernized people are used to so most of the time the things that you are used to having back home in your country, you may not find in China. You need to go to China with an open mind towards food.

Would you recommend your school to job seekers?

The company I currently work for is called Sesame Street and I would recommend it if it is your first year of teaching, not so much if it’s your second or third year.