We need a full time English Teacher for Grades K-6 for a primary school in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province. This job is offered for one semester, from February 2013-June 2013, though the teacher could extend if he or she wishes.

A college diploma and a TEFL certificate is required. If you get your initial entry visa, the school will arrange your medical and residence permits within your first 60 days. Pay is 6,000 rmb a month, and housing, phone and wireless internet are provided by the school. You would live in a furnished apartment in the school, with a bathroom, bedroom, sunroom and kitchen.

This school is extremely well-run, with updated equipment, including overhead projectors, sound systems and late model computers in every classroom. The Chinese co-teachers are excellent, hands on, and help with discipline, enabling an excellent teaching environment.

However, it is important to realize that Taiyuan is not a tourist destination. It is, to put it bluntly, one ugly town. It is consistently ranked as one of the world's most polluted cities. The schools here know this, so westerners who come to teach are generally treated much better than they would be in Beijing or Shanghai. It has gotten better in the past few years, but it's not making the list of Top Romantic Getaways anytime soon.

You are also fairly isolated, as there are few foreigners in Taiyaun, and virtually no one speaks any English. Only two of the 60 employees here can carry on a conversation in English for more than three sentences. Because of the depressing appearance of the town and the isolation, this job is recommended for someone who is used to travel, or has some experience in teaching.