To make China your home, you’ll need to learn about its language and culture.
This will take a lifetime, but we can help you get started!
If you are an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) professional, you could teach in China without knowing any Chinese, but we don’t recommend it! To work in Hong Kong, it is a little easier to function without speaking Mandarin or Cantonese, but again, we don’t encourage this. A year to learn about the language and culture of China would be a great investment in your new life in China.
Most professionals need to interact with local colleagues, patients, customers, employees, clients, etc. We recommend two years of intensive language study (three years is even better!). Mandarin Chinese is a difficult language, but over a billion people have mastered it, so you can too! We can help you find quality study programs in a number of cities (including Hong Kong, to learn Cantonese), and we’ll give you a support network in those cities to get you through the tough times. Furthermore, you’ll get to meet lots of other JHF professionals, already working in China!
Even if you are not quite sure what the Lord has designed you to DO in China, language and culture studies give you time to hear His voice, while starting to understand the rich culture and language of this wonderful country.
For additional information, please send us a note via the “contact” tab on the menu bar. (Our Facebook address is “Jian Hua Foundation – HK.”)