China - And this is how I left my home country. Again.

This post, as u can c, will b in English. Why? Why not?! Ha!
Actually, it is in English so u can realize that going abroad is so so so doable - leaving Serbia two times in a year? Yes, please!

So, as u all know, I was working onboard cruise ships and I loved it! I haven't quit it for life but for now - yes.
Why? Because I do like my privacy and I didn't want to share the cabin one more contract and they didn't want to promote me. As simple as that.

During my time on board, I had been planing to finish the TEFL or TESOL course but - ship's life is a bit different from life ashore. And the Internet - it sucks big time! So, I decided to do it online when I get back to Serbia, to spend my vacation in my home country.

During the first month or even two or three weeks of my vac, I saw the add for 'Postani profesor engleskog u inostranstvu' page on FB and I joined it. I read the posts and contacted the lovely lady named Natalija, to ask her when we can meet. In the meantime, I googled everything about the TESOL certificate and read different forums about it and stories of people teaching abroad and I liked it (Let's make smth clear; if u r to go for smth, at least u should google it and c what it is all about. When I was to apply for the job onboard, I did the very same thing - read all the pages I could find about it and then I applied. As simple as that.). I liked it like a lot!!!!

When I met Natalija for the first time, we instantly clicked and the only question I had for her was: OK, if it is so good and awesome and amazing, why r u still here?! Then, she explained her situation and I just asked her: When do u want me to give u the money? That was it. I knew I wanted to do it and I believed it was going to be amazing and more than useful for me and for my professional development as well!

Now, fast forward to present - as some of u know, I am an English teacher. I was teaching in one high school in Serbia. For one year, I was puting my heart and soul into my work there and no one cared. No one gave a $%£$! If u r a teacher, u know what I am talking about. The kids - they loved me and they respected me because I respected them as well. However, it is Serbia and the politics and all the things I DON'T miss at all here in China! ;)
Then, the very same day when I was leaving for China, an hour prior to my heading to the airport, I sent my master thesis to my professor for approval. So, I guess now u do understand when I say that I do things very last minute!
After a week or so, he approved it and I finished my MA degree from here - and, I am so so so thankful because he didn't have any problems with it. He didn't even want to have a Skype interview with me since it was obvious that the thesis was done on my own.
So, now, I am having a MA degree and I am an English teacher. Plus the TESOL certificate.

Now, someone could say - u know what, u can teach English in China with no certificate or no degree at all. True. So true. But, I didn't want to work for pennies. ;) I wanted a salary that would b more than a decent one. I wanted to be able to choose the position and everything. And that is why I took the course - to be able to say, u know what, I have a degree and a certificate. Plus the experience. Plus the international experience in hr. So, I guess u r getting it now.

The course - I saw the course as an investment into myself. And, honestly, it was so so so much fun! Our instructor, Jim - he was the kindest and funniest instructor I've ever met! The experience he has and the wisdom at the same time - it is unique and it makes u feel like spending your whole life just listening to him and learning from him and his life. And, he can be so sarcastic - which I adored immediately.
So, that very course and the certificate, that piece of paper actually will bring you better working conditions. Better salary. Better apartment. Better life. More respect.

And, respect - it is big thing over here. Trust me. I know. I am living the life I've always dreamed of. Great salary (And, yes, one more thing... if u r texting me or inboxing me, please, please, please, pretty pretty please don't start our communication with u asking me how much money I make!!!! Firstly, u r so rude! Secondly, u r so so so rude! Thirdly, if u r interested into going abroad and working as a teacher, use the computer u have and google it! Don't expect someone else to do all the work for you! To give u all the answers and answer your rude questions. If u have never worked as a teacher or if u have never had a job in Serbia or a well paid job, I guess, for u, it is important to find any job!? And, trust me, any money is better than no money. Right???? And, if u have had a job and was earning decent sum of money, the sum u are happy with - u wouldn't be asking me about the money I make or about working abroad.), great working environment, great people, students that respect u FOR REAL! What more do u need?! Seriously!

Oooh, she is a teacher.
Oh, u r a foreigner.
Hello!
Hi!
Welcome to China!

So, u can imagine how amazing it is. Tho, sometimes, u feel sick and tired of saying Hello and Thank you because u hear like 300 times a day: U r so beautiful. U r so nice. U r so friendly.
And, of course u r friendly because u feel the need to be like that after u c how nice they are and how much they admire u. 

To sum up, I guess there is no need for u to ask me what would b my recommendation for u to do. It is more than obvious - if u ask me.
Those of u that know me personally, u guys know I am a bit of an egocentric - I do love myself so so so much and I try to make MY life as great as possible. If u don't believe me, u can ask my brother - he has to live with me most of the time and he has to put up with all of my episodes of my self-love.

All of this being said, I can tell u this - If I hadn't believed I would benefit from the course, I would have never taken it. Why would I?! But, I did feel it was the right thing to do and I haven't regretted it even once.

And that is why I am telling u all of this... Because I believe u can do it as well - u can be here in China as well. U can have amazing time as well. And, u can make some money for yourself as well.

Just stop being afraid of the changes, the changes that are inevitable! One way or another, your life will change. Actually, u r the one who will change it by doing something with it or by not doing anything and waiting for things to happen.

Let me tell u this - the things don't happen.
 New beginning
U make them happen.

Good luck,
Zoa