SINETHEMBA FOLEY
Achiever of the week: Sinethemba Foley
Oct 20 , 2020 | By Nqobile Mdima
This week’s feature is Sinethemba Foley. Sinethemba holds a BAdmin & a BA Honours in Political Science both from Nelson Mandela University. She has been living and working in China for almost three years. Sinethemba is an ESL teacher and works for a company called AIPUSEN. Before she moved abroad she taught English online and through interactions with her students, she became curious about the life in China. Sinethemba's students encouraged her to move to China and since she has always wanted to experience living in a Non-English speaking country she decided to move to China. When Sinethemba is not working, she plays tennis, hangs out with friends, manages her business where she helps job seekers find jobs abroad and she also travels. Sinethemba has travelled to five Asian countries and to many cities in China.
Sinethemba shares with us why she chose to work in China, how she prepared for this move, expat life hacks, her entrepreneurial journey and the advantages/disadvantages of working and living abroad.
What made you decide to teach English abroad?
I was teaching online and through interactions with my students, I became curious about the life in China. They also encouraged me to move and I have always wanted to experience living in a Non-English speaking country.
Why did you choose to move to China?
I have always wanted to experience a new culture/language. China was a perfect start.
How many years have you spent in China?
Almost 3 years now.
Moving abroad can be quite expensive, did you pay for all the costs yourself? How long did it take you to save for this big move? And do you regret moving to China?
My parents assisted me. My move was very spontaneous so I had about 2 months to save. I don’t regret moving, it was actually one of the best decisions.
Did you move to China alone or with famiy/friends?
I moved alone.
How many cities have you lived in?
I have lived in 2 cities; Taizhou and Guangzhou.
Did you live in a bachelor apartment or shared your space? And what were the advantages and disadvantages about your living conditions?
I have always lived alone. In my first city, I lived in a bachelor apartment. It was very modern, secure, and close to work/store. The only disadvantage was that I was the only foreigner in the area. It got pretty lonely.
In Guangzhou, I lived in a 3 bedroom apartment that was meant for sharing. Fortunately, there weren’t too many teachers at the time so I lived alone. The advantages were that the apartment was located close to all the convenient stores. It was also between the “Chinese” area and “foreign” area. So on one side of the bridge were Chinese stores and apartments and on the other side were all the international stores/restaurants etc. The only disadvantage was that the apartment building was not too modern or renovated on the outside, but the inside was lovely.
How much did you have to budget when you were moving to China for the first time?
Luckily, I got a cheap flight for R6k. So I budgeted about R8k for travelling. I was also fortunate to have an employer that gave me an arrival allowance. So I didn’t really have to budget for my first month in China. But, according to my spending, I’d say one should budget about R6k in order to survive your first month.
Do you prefer working in a kindergarten, primary school, high school or training school? And why?
I prefer working in a primary/high school because the students’ English level is pretty good. So communicating isn’t too much of a struggle. We are able to have good conversations and get along very well beyond the classroom. They ended up treating me like a big sister more than a teacher.
Where did you apply for your TEFL jobs?
How many countries and cities in Asia have you visited? What did you like or dislike about them?
I have visited 5 countries in Asia, and way too many cities to count lol. I really liked the different Asian cultures and food. I learned a lot about the history of each country/city. I disliked how dirty some places were.
Which food did you try for the first time in China and enjoyed?
I tried hot pot and fell in love. It is by far my favourite dish.
What do you wish you knew before moving to China?
How much the Chinese are obsessed with Durian and how terrible it smells lol, and how much they spit! Besides that, nothing comes to mind. I did a lot of research and before moving, so I was well prepared and didn’t have too many surprises.
Which APPs have been valuable to you when navigating life in China?
Translating apps, Wechat, Taobao, and Alipay .
Which APPs and websites do you use when planning to travel?
TripAdvisor , Trip.com .
How do you overcome homesickness and loneliness?
I video call friends and family almost every night. I go out with friends or go on solo dates, just to get out of the apartment. I also make sure I keep up with TV shows and news from home. It makes me feel somewhat connected.
Please list advantages and disadvantages about moving abroad.
Advantages:
-You become well travelled.
-You learn to adapt under different circumstances and that allows room for growth.
-Making new friends from around the world.
-You learn to appreciate the small things you took for granted back home and realise how fortunate/great SA actually is.
Disadvantages:
-Homesickness/loneliness.
-You sometimes have to deal with racism.
-It can be quite expensive / face unexpected costs on arrival.
Please list advantages and disadvantages about working in China.
Advantages:
-Good salary & benefits .
-Different holidays/festivals to enjoy.
-Company treats you well because you’re a foreigner.
Disadvantages:
-Long working hours if you’re in a training centre.
-Often have to work extra days/hours to make up for holidays.
-Students can undermine you because you’re a foreigner.
What would you recommend as the best hacks for surviving in China as an expat?
Download a VPN before moving to China. This will allow you to access all the blocked sites and stay connected with what’s happening on social media etc.
Have a translating app like Google translate. It will definitely come in handy when communicating, especially at the stores or in the taxi.
Join the Wechat groups, attend events and meet other expatriates from home. This will help you feel less home sick.
Download travel apps such as TripAdvisor. It’s a great way to find new places to explore.
Has your experience of working abroad helped you with your career development?
Working abroad has opened me to opportunities that I was not aware of. As a result, my career goals took a different turn and I became more curious in entrepreneurship. Through assisting peers with moving abroad and giving advice, I decided to start my own company that assists with TEFL courses, online teaching and moving abroad. I have witnessed and heard terrible stories about people being scammed through the process of moving aborad. So with my experience, my aim is it assist others and ensure that their move is safe and hassle free. Moving abroad is very scary, so my goal is to make it more exciting and have people live their best lives.
What is the name of your business and when did you start it?
The name of my company is Blossom Abroad. I “officially” started it this year (2020).
What is the vision and mission of Blossom Abroad?
The name speaks for itself. We want people to blossom wherever they are. Our slogan is “Helping you find your dream job”. With that, we want to create awareness that attaining that dream job, or living in that dream country is possible. It doesn’t take luck, race or privillege. With the right team, it’s an exciting process that is easy to get through. We want to open these great opportunities for everyone, and allow them the chance to see the world.
If someone reading the blog is interested in your services, where can they reach you?
We are reachable through the following:
-Website: https://blossomabroad.wixsite.com/website
-Email: blossom.abroad@workmail.co.za
-Instagram: blossom_abroad
-Facebook: Blossom Abroad
