Why I Love My Job

Over the past months working at EnglishFirst, I've had the opportunity to interact and learn about a wide array of people. From accountants and doctors, to software engineers and factory managers, I feel lucky to be connected with my students.

One of my students is a senior partner at a corporate law firm, where he specializes in M&A, private equity, contracts, and privatization of state-owned enterprises. During our weekly conversations, I teach him English through natural conversation and, in return, I learn about the Chinese business and legal landscape. We've also talked about personal matters.

Growing up in rural Communist China as a child, his family of 6 never got enough food rationed from the government and consistently lived with a half-empty stomach. Times were tough and he wanted a better life, so he packed his bags and moved to the big city to study at China's top law school in Beijing.

In June of 1989 his life changed; he was there the day of June 3rd when Tienanmen Square became highlighted on the map to the Western world. Because he was there, furthermore, the government restricted him from leaving the country for 10 years. Knowledge of that event is scare, particularly among younger people because it's been systematically erased from the collective memory of the people. With that said, however, I must (temporarily) give kudos to the government because I could search (in English) for pictures and articles online about it, even opening the Wikipedia webpage.

It's through conversations where I learn about these type of personal histories that make this job fulfilling. Each day I'm gaining a greater appreciation for how China is changing and growing.