Teaching English: Ningbo, China... Shantay, I Stayed!

My reintroduction to Teaching English in China was a lot, I want to give myself some grace by omitting the first year and a half of that experience. No, I am not being hard on myself, it's just realism because life showed me some serious professional lessons! K3? I don't want to talk about that ever again, I wasn't ready for that but we live, learn and move on! Bring on those K2 Owls! 

So, I have been very hesitant to bring back this blog series because my life changed in a big way, the Pandemic sent me back to England without any warning in February 2020! Fast forward some six years in the future, I feel comfortable bringing 'Teaching English' back because some serious change is on the horizon. Arriving back into China during February 2023 saw me restart things in Ningbo within Zhejiang Province. A rollercoaster the first year and half it certainly was, I look back and call it training because I had been out of the classroom for a while and truth be told, the kind of changes that came my way were life-changing if I had to use words. Learning more than ever from those Tiger and Lion experiences, I stand stronger and ready to recount my September 2024 to July 2025 moments. Taking a few steps down from K3 to K2 was a blessing that I needed from some kind of god! Restarting with my senses intact, I jumped back into duties after my European summer had concluded. Those K2 Owls were about to change my life!

Starting the Autumn Term with a team that gave me hope was what I needed, that was very much a plus! Getting to know the children was the best, their parents were accepting and receptive to feedback once the first 'Parent Teacher Conferences' came round. Life shuffled certain cards, I had a new K2 colleague start at the school, let me just say collaboration with that soul has been lovely. Fate had saw that I was ready to work, I didn't need any of that funky business! Classes were a breeze, it was like I had found my feet, the class was meant to be! K2's pacing was a lot but I knew where to stand and had things organised, of course my ways will never change but I had a hold on my duties with hindsight in mind. September turned into December, I got the chance to be a host on the stage at the Christmas event and it was just the best thing ever! I felt comfortable with the microphone in my hand, it was a great opportunity to shine and be my best for the parents in my class to see me! 2025 would be blessed, I had faith! 

Returning from my 2024 Christmas holiday got 2025 started the right way, I was about to be tested but I was ready to do my best without being flustered! I took on the concept, proposal and got the ball rolling for our 'STEAM Exhibition' project with 'Snakes' as our core focus. I tackled purchase orders, coordinated the children as best I could as we created our STEAM elements. STEAM had not been my most favourite part of my job during the previous year, I felt confident and in-control with those snake inspired elements. Doing my best to be resilient, I worked very hard to ensure that things came together, it was after all the 'Year of the Snake!' I actually don't even like snakes but the topic slithered into our K2 Owl classroom and the kids loved every second of it! With our team fully reunited, the dynamic surrounding our STEAM project came together in the best way! Before I flew away to Thailand in February 2025, I had those lessons completed! K3 in 2023 had done me good, K2 flowed and I honed my style from it. Yes!

We attempted to make a carbon-fire snake but that didn't quite workout, the kids loved seeing the flames regardless, controlled it was. We made snake bubbles with tea towels, food colouring and dish soap, that was a hit! Ideas complimented each other, the focal point for our exhibit came together with ideas and application coming together. The children loved making snake eggs and their own nest, my co-lead sourced some craft wire, this enabled the kids to make their own snakes that had form. It was fun for the kids to make their own snake environment in a small reptile container. It was magic seeing our new students slot into the programme without any issues, that was a big hit for the class. The year was already halfway through and I would soon have another huge project to deal with! Our exhibition was a hit, the kids spoke well during the presentation and it gave me life to know that I had still done my best the previous year! I won't ever devalue 2024s efforts because I did what I needed to do! Now, that's called growth! 

A mermaid? Management approached me before 2025s Children's Day event with a proposition that I just couldn't refuse! They had heard about a foreign principal from another school in China cosplay as 'Lady GaGa!' It was either 'Barbie' or Disney's 'Little Mermaid?' It didn't take me two seconds to make up my mind, I chose 'Ariel' from my favourite childhood Disney production. I sourced the wig, tail, iconic purple bikini top, but who would do my make up? My dear friend and colleague, Cemoné rose to the challenge and painted me for the gods! I kept my costume and character a complete secret from the kids and their parents because I wanted it to be a bombshell for the whole school! Laying in my own underwater world on the day of the event had those parents thinking I was the new female foreign teacher! I had the best time, it was just the best role to play! When you're going to do something, you must do it properly! The mermaid jumped back into the ocean like I returned to my usual 'Teacher Joe' self. Sure, I made a splash! 

Dressing up wise, you already know the the mermaid wasn't my last rummage in my Drag bag! K2 was going fine, nothing was out of the ordinary. Before I got the call to be the 'mermaid', I had received news that really caught me off guard! Good news, I must add! I had been selected to plan and lead the schools first 'Overseas Residential Study Visit' to London, England! I was in shock because a year previous to that moment I was going through it, thinking whether I'd have my contract renewed! The planning for that trip was intense and had to be alongside my usual roles, I was also helping teach another class during the morning on a temporary basis. With London being planned and my help needed in other places, these extra hurdles were like a walk in the park because the initial year and half at the school had prepared me for change and extra responsibilities. None of it was 'easy breezy' but when is it ever? Never! London also brought a multitude of surprises but I made it all happen, I had been reborn with a new energy!

A Drag Queen? 

Desperately Seeking Adventure