Dream teaching job abroad is now a living nightmare
His visit to a friend in Vietnam changed his life forever.
After Krugersdorper, Jasen Matthee had matriculated from Krugersdorp High School in 2010, he started pursuing a career in diesel engineering.
After several years of working in the industry, he realised that it was not taking him anywhere in life. His visit to a friend in Vietnam changed his life forever.
“A friend, who I could call my sister, invited me to visit her halfway across the world in Vietnam. It was a difficult decision for me to make as I had never travelled abroad before, and I was financially unstable. However, for the first time, I finally had the chance to experience something I always dreamt of doing,” Jasen said.
He said his ‘sister’ was surprised by how quickly he adapted to the surroundings and the Vietnamese way of life. On the day of his departure, while they were saying their goodbyes at the airport, she suggested that he look into teaching English as a second language, as she believed he would make a success of it.
At that moment Jasen started his journey to become an English teacher in Beijing, China.By the end of 2016, Jasen completed his course and was awarded a Teaching English in a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate.
With that done he started applying for teaching jobs in Asia, and within a week he had over seven responses.
“I finally got confirmation from a recruitment agency in Beijing. It was time to make the decision whether to go or not. I started preparing all the necessary documents for visas and so forth. By October 2016 everything was set, I had made the huge decision. I booked my flight for February 2017, allowing myself enough time to prepare before starting a new life and adventure.”
“Waking up on the first day in China was almost as if I was dreaming; I still could not believe that it was real. The first thing I did was take a walk around my neighbourhood to familiarise myself with the surroundings. Find something to eat was my next challenge as I was unable to communicate in their language.”
In March that year he officially started working at the school, teaching English as a second language to young children aged four to 14. It was very difficult at first, but he quickly got the hang of it and found his feet.
“I became more passionate about and involved in the school, and in the students’ lives. As time went by, I gained more experience and knowledge in this field, and after the first year (2017) I received an award for Teacher of the Year, and a free trip to Hong Kong. During the second (2018) year I won an award for the school because of our level of teaching. In 2019 I was promoted to senior teacher of our centre,” he said.
He has been living in Beijing for more than three years, and it has become his second home. During that time, he has not returned to South Africa to see his family.
“Late in January this year, just after my birthday, I decided to visit my family in South Africa for a few weeks, as you may know that was when Covid-19 was first detected. At that time no one knew what to expect. I flew to South Africa, believing I would be able to return a few weeks later. My return flight was cancelled because of Covid-19, SA entered lockdown, and I was stranded and unable to return.”
The life I started in Beijing is on hold. However, I still have to pay rent for my apartment in which the belongings are that I have collected over the past three years. While I am unable to work, I have no income. This is the most difficult time of my life. It is heartbreaking to think that I might lose everything. We have no idea when this will end, and how bad it could get before it is all over. Because I am desperate, I’m turning to everyone out there to please help me pay my rent,” he said. If you are able to assist Jasen, contact him via email at jasenmatthee@gmail.com.
