- Daniel Marcano was bored with life in Philadelphia and applied for a job in northern China.
- After teaching English for two years, she wanted to change jobs while remaining in China.
- She struggles with dating and loneliness, but has no plans to return to the United States.
Five years ago, my typical day consisted of working my regular retail job in downtown Philadelphia, having lunch, then leaving work and taking SEPTA to South Philadelphia to work in seasonal retail. I was assigned to work the night shift. When I got home, I took a shower, went to bed, and did the same thing again the next morning. It was a wash, rinse, repeat routine driven by my motivation not to return to my hometown in Los Angeles.
But something had to give up, and one day while searching for job postings on Indeed, I came across an opportunity to teach in China. The list said in bold: “No experience necessary to apply!” My first thought was, this is a scam. So I did the one thing any “reasonable” person would do: I submitted my application, resume, and cover letter, thinking I would never hear back.
The next day, an email arrived in my inbox requesting a video interview.
The woman who interviewed me for a teaching position in China was based in Boston. She shared details about the position and the visa process. During her interview, I kept thinking, “There's no way this is legitimate.''
When I received the offer letter a few days later, I was thrilled. What felt like a scam now felt real. I thought about why I applied in the first place. I was tired of the same old work routine in Philadelphia and wanted to travel. It's been seven years since I last left the country. I studied abroad in Korea in 2012.
I enthusiastically accepted my first job in China.
Immediately after arriving, I got used to living and working in China.
I taught at Yantai English Training Center from 2019 to 2021. The salary was 10,000 to 13,000 RMB per month, or about $1,400 to $1,820. The job package included an apartment, so I only had to cover quarterly upkeep and expenses. Other expenses came in at less than $600 per month, including groceries, water for dispensers, weekly online therapy, stickers for juniors, and more.
Yantai is a coastal city in northern China, about 790 miles southeast of Beijing. I met many curious students who asked me questions about America. The most common question I heard was, “Do you know the Lakers?” When I wasn't working, I was able to explore Yanma Island, sample wine at the famous Nagahi Winery, and pick fresh berries from local farms.
During the pandemic, I needed to find a new purpose.
In January 2020, I went to Los Angeles to visit my family for Chinese New Year. My father and I were having breakfast when a television news report announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the United States. Later that day, I received a message from the director. The idea was that China might close its borders and we needed to return home as soon as possible. A few days later, I returned to China.
When I came back, it was like a ghost town. There were hardly any cars or people. All I could hear was the wind blowing through my ears. Our training center has decided to start teaching students from home. It was clear that another career shift was needed. But I had no interest in returning to America.
I decided to quit teaching.
In most of my conversations on WeChat, headhunters asked why I wanted to quit teaching and often tried to persuade me by listing higher salary options. But while I enjoyed working with students, I also knew that my true calling lay outside of the classroom.
Since 2021, I have been working as a technology copywriter in Shenzhen, a Chinese city about 15 minutes by train from Hong Kong. I can't reveal exactly how much I make as a copywriter, but the average salaries I've seen for other copywriter jobs range from 18,000 to 20,000 RMB, or $2,540 to $3,777 per month, based on experience That's nearly double what I had back then. Creating teachings.
I pay 5,000-6,000 yuan for a one-bedroom apartment and utilities. I didn't have a roommate during my stay in China, so living alone is expensive, but I value having a quiet space where I can watch movies and play video games. What I like most about the apartment I live in now is the night view from the balcony. There are always multiple colors and moving images on display.
Although my love life is difficult, I plan to remain in China.
I found the most difficult part of being stationed in China to be lonely. I still go to therapy, which has increased in price over time, but has been essential to my mental health. Although there are thousands of foreigners living in Shenzhen and even more in nearby Hong Kong, I spend most of my time alone. Most of my closest friends are either dating or married. On the other hand, I'm 30 years old and single. Despite my accomplishments in China, some people in my family ask me why I don't get married.
In my experience, dating in China is complicated. I'm not against dating Chinese men, but I often worry about the language barrier and cultural differences. My Chinese skills are limited to a few phrases. On the other hand, single expat men have expressed interest in me, but they also say they're not looking for anything serious. In other words, a situationship.
I say, “No way.”
For me, 2023 was a tough year filled with heartbreak, self-doubt, and stress-related health issues. Despite my fears, I'm confident that the support system I've built here – therapists, friends, and a life coach – will help me build the confidence I need to get back on the dating scene.
Ultimately, it's important to be open to people and their perspectives. This is the same mindset I had when I first found the opportunity to work in China. Expect the unexpected.
Have a personal essay you'd like to share about living abroad, raising children, or midlife crisis? Contact the editor: akarplus@insider.com.
