Yep, we are moving again. Twice, actually. Internationally and transcontinentally at about the same time. One day recently, it became very obvious that we should stop trying to return to China and less than 24 hours later Shon received a job offer in California. So for the past week or so, my life has been nothing but sorting, packing,...
If you’re a regular ourtravelingzoo.com reader, you know we are able to do our traveling largely thanks to our decision to teach overseas. We’ve called it our single biggest travel hack. We’ve frequently been approached by people who wanted to know how we got into teaching abroad, because teaching in international schools is an intriguing gig. We’ve been more...
Earlier this fall, I spotted a lady with a tote that featured Shenzhen skyline. After having lived in China for 2 years, I know that Shenzhen souvenirs are virtually impossible to find, so I accosted the poor woman to find out where she got her bag. To my amazement, it turned out that I already knew the person who...
Here’s the short answer: we do like living in Shenzhen, China! As for the detailed answer, read on. Why do you like living in Shenzhen? Shenzhen is a huge city of over 12 million people, but it’s very well developed and easy to navigate. Main streets are wide, traffic is generally orderly, which is fairly unusual in China’s cities,...
It’s November 2018. We’ve now lived in Shenzhen, China, for more than a year. People often ask us, “How does living in China compare to living in the USA?” or “How does teaching in China compare to teaching in the USA?” So, in this installment of Life in China, we will endeavor to answer those questions. We’ll also consider...
I stereotyped people freely, and I didn't know how to relate, nor did I make any effort to try....
Moving overseas is a great, big undertaking! Accordingly, we are frequently asked by people who are preparing to move overseas for the first time if we’ve garnered any wisdom we can share with them. The short answer is yes! We’ve definitely got some tips for new expats moving abroad to help you be prepared for your new life. Our...
Many of you know we started our expatriate lives off teaching overseas in the United Arab Emirates. You maybe wondering the same question we find ourselves asked frequently: “How does living in China compare to living in the UAE?” Or perhaps, “How does teaching in China compare to teaching in the United Arab Emirates?” As it turns out, that’s...
So you moved to Shenzhen, China, and you’re doing well here. It’s a thriving city, isn’t it? But life in Shenzhen is lacking something. The shopping, that’s what it is. You can get some decent imported goods, but there are things from home that you just can’t find anywhere. Where’s a vegetarian to get Quorn products, for example? Well,...
Imagine yourself, a qualified professional teacher who is accustomed to a certain level of, what, decorum? in the classroom. Now, imagine that you arrive at your new job, and you find that all of your expectations are…going out the window. Along with the students. But the story about kids going out windows is for another day. Today’s true story...