7:30am Wake-Up

You'll get up at 7:30am get dressed and head out, 10 floors down in a lift and then a brisk walk through the perfectly kept gardens surrounding your apartment block. You're heading 1 block down to pick up your freshly cooked dumplings for your breakfast, noticing the various machines made from literally anything attached to a lawn mower cruising down the street past you. After you've paid the 3Yuan bill (about 30p/$0.50 cents) you'll flag down the nearest motorbike taxi and say in Chinese, Si Xiao (the name of your school).

8:15 School arrival

After paying the 4Yuan Taxi fare (about 40p/$0.60 cents) you'll greet the parents waiting for you to welcome you in the morning at the school. Any children you see going to school you'll say hi to. Upon finding your classroom you'll greet your chinese assistant and get your materials ready to start the lesson. You'll kindly say good morning to the children and they'll all respond with, Good Morning Teacher. Your lesson will be full of games, oral work and activities so the time flies by! After your lessons in the morning you'll break for 4 hours for lunch, usually 11:30am to 3:30pm but it can vary greatly.

Your favourite chinese dish for lunch

Living in China you'll quickly find your favourite dishes and places to eat them. You'll head out of the school maybe with the other teachers and all go. to the nearby restaurant. You'll be greeted by some beautifully dressed chinese waitresses who will show you to your seat. You will quickly get used to green tea as the standard beverage and chop sticks, they won't have knives and forks at all. Your lunch will arrive beautifully prepared and will be just as delicious (depending on what you order however!). After lunch you will have time to go home and relax, maybe watch a movie or sleep. You may need to do a bit of preparation for your afternoon classes too.

The afternoon

Your afternoon classes will be until about 4 or 5pm and will generally vary. Some days you will have 1 class and some 2, either way 1 hour and a half later you can head back home and your working day is over! You'll typically spend the evenings playing badminton, walking in the park or shopping at the various light markets open late every night. At the light market you'll be able to pick up some absolute bargains, remembering to barter the price of course- it's Chinese culture to do so, so you'll quickly become a true professional!
After snapping up some bargains it's time for dinner which can be off the back of a bicycle or in a garage if you like, or you can take the more western approach and dine in style in some of the most beautifully decorated restaurants you will ever see.
Once you've had an enjoyable evening, whether dancing, going out, walking in the tranquility of the parks or shopping, you will head home to sleep ready for an adventurous weekend or another fun day at the school.