Laid off, Royal City woman lands on her feet-in China

ROYAL CITY - No lay-off could be tougher to take than the one Royal City's Madeline Sanchez got from the Wahluke School District on Jan. 9. It was her birthday.

But Sanchez is, herself, one tough cookie. She searched all over for a job in her career field and, finding none, made a career change to take a job teaching English - in China.

Sanchez has been working in community health since earning a degree in that field from Eastern Washington University in 2008. Her last post was Safety, Security and Community Coordinator at Wahluke, which she took at the start of the school year.

When the struggling national and state economies forced Wahluke to make cuts, Sanchez's position was eliminated. She understood, but it stung a little to find out on her birthday.

"I called my best friend in Germany and said, 'I just got the weirdest birthday present-a pink slip."

Not knowing what else to do, the friend said, "Well, happy birthday," and both women had a laugh. Sanchez decided the best attitude was a positive one and started looking for whatever would come next.

"I looked all over the state for something in my career field, and there was nothing," she said. "I looked outside the state and found nothing."

Actually there were some openings in other states, but Sanchez was discouraged by their specifications. They were either half-time or dependent on pending funding.

Sanchez started to think about a career change. She is certified to teach English as a Second Language, English for Foreign Language Learners and English as a Foreign Language. She has toured Europe three times.

"I was thinking of Europe, specifically Prague (Czech Republic)," she said.

From the time Sanchez started her search in January, a friend in Spokane started sending her announcements for various jobs in the area. Attached to one of those was a teaching opportunity in China, and Sanchez was intrigued.

"We need (the students) to learn correct pronunciation. That's what we're looking for," Chinese officials said.

The Chinese were not concerned that Sanchez doesn't speak Chinese. That's a plus. They are concerned that their own English teachers speak with an accent.

Sanchez will force the students into an immersion type of learning. They will hear the English of a native speaker every time they are in her presence.

Sanchez agreed to a one-year contract with possibility of renewal. She will start in August and will be paid $900 a month.

"That doesn't sound like much money, but that's a lot in China," Sanchez said.

Sanchez's travel to and from China will be paid. She will have free housing at the boarding school where she will teach. And she will enjoy paid excursions to see China and learn the culture.

Sanchez will teach in the city of Zhengzhou, Henan Province, in southeast China. She will teach as many as 24 different classes per week with 32-64 students per class.

"But you have no issue with discipline in the classroom," Sanchez said. "Those kids can't afford to blow it. Their parents pay a lot of money to get them in."

According to Sanchez, the top 20 percent of students at her school are destined for the top universities in China, Europe and the U.S. That's why officials want to improve their English skills.

Everything is in order for Sanchez's new career except, perhaps, her attitude. She was excited while she was working out the arrangements but, when it set in that she'd be going to the other side of the world, she became uneasy.

"It's a huge step out of my comfort zone," she said.

Help came when she was introduced to a woman from Spokane who is headed to the same school. They shared a phone call to begin to know each other.

"We were both relieved," Sanchez said.