I think one of the best pieces of advice for anyone going into teaching abroad in to be patient. Sometimes it will take awhile to hear back about a teaching position, where your school is at in the hiring process, if they need any additional materials from you in terms of paperwork, etc.
I know that for me, I experienced stress and anxiety when I had to renew my passport because it was set to expire mid-way through my year abroad in China. I set out to renew it in late May and the school needed it to process my work permit. I waited with baited breath and checked my passport status daily and it was nerve-racking to not know where my status was at for it. A few weeks later, I FINALLY received it in the mail and sent an electronic version of it to the school. I was also in the midst of completing my online TEFL Certificate course and the organization was set to send me the certificate any day.
From when I sent the passport and TEFL Certificate to the school, it was about four to five weeks when they updated me on the work permit and invitation letter status. I was anxious about the timing of these documents as I thought it would take a few more weeks for me to receive them and was in the mindset that this was not going to happen. I continued to assume this was not the path I was meant to take and had about given up on the program. Luckily, I had awesome assistance from the representatives from API, Vija and Brittany, who advised me to hold tight and the process would work itself out. I thought they were out of their minds for a hot minute and then I was happily proven wrong when I received an email notifying me that the paperwork had processed! Hallelujah! I am so glad that I did and this is finally happening and that I did not give up. Well, pending any holdups with my visa processing…
Remember that you may be in a similar situation as I was and to not give up hope that it will work out. Just be patient and give it time. And, if patience is not a virtue of yours (it is not mine either, ask anyone who rides with me when I drive), it will most likely develop into one during this process and when you begin your work as an educator abroad!
Stephanie is teaching abroad with API in China.
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