Meet Gavin, another fellow volleyball player with whom I have a lot of friends in common! He’s been living in China a little bit longer than me. After graduating university in the UK and getting a job he hated, he decided to quit and go backpacking with a friend to discover this side of the world, which was his very first experience in Asian lands, but not China.
After realizing his passion for video games was deeper than simply playing it, Gavin decided to pursue a career as a computer science teacher, which is his current job here in Shenzhen. China was not his first choice of country, but itcertainly won him over.
We chat about how different the teenagers in the UK are compared to the ones he teaches here in China, not just in terms of teaching them but also, they as people and how expectations are different between the two countries. We also get into the friendship and community aspect of China and how our “abilities to make friends change as we get older”. He also shares an interesting take on the international community in China and why we discuss why it is important to try your best to immerse yourself in the country you are at.
Gavin also shares his experience of first arriving in China, during pandemic times, and what an adventure it was! From beginning struggles to finally overcoming daily challenges and living comfortably here, we touch on the topic of future and howhe sees his life solidifying here in China, maybe in another city?
This was a fun and insightful conversation in which you will learn not only the level of convenience China gives you but also how important it might be to learn the language and with that in mind, you will also learn how many “days strikes” Gavin has on Duolinguo studying mandarin (if you know, you know).
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