Former BYUI Student Starts China Horizons

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Story Published: Jan 17, 2007 at 7:00 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jan 24, 2007 at 5:51 PM MDT

By Nate Eaton

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A BYU-Idaho graduate has started a company that gives Americans the opportunity to teach English in China.

In September of 2002, Jacob Harlan had been married three weeks. He and his wife had left BYU-Idaho to teach English in China. It was life changing and Jacob wanted others to have the same experience too.

Jacob Harlan, China Horizons Founder: "I knew a lot of teachers could have the same experience but not as many were willing to take that big leap like we did without anyone showing them."

Jacob decided to start China Horizons...a company that recruits Americans to teach English in Chinese schools. Students go for a semester and work in classrooms for about 20 hours a week. They get to choose how they use the rest of their time.

Harlan: "They have a lot of time to study Chinese, to take up a Chinese instrument, to go out and learn a Chinese Thai Chi or anything like that."

The business is growing. 20 teachers are in China right now, 60 are planning on going in the fall, and by 2008, Jacob hopes to have 150 teachers there each year. Requirements for those teachers are few.

Harlan: "Anyone who's a native English speaker. It helps if they have any type of teaching experience...it doesn't even have to be teaching English... just any type of tutoring."

Jacob says it's important to learn about other cultures and the part he likes most about working with China is...

Harlan: "Those friendships that we made and the understanding. The better understand that I have now of the Chinese people."

Teachers are paid between $430-500 a month. They are provided with accommodation and meals.

For more information, visit http://www.chinahorizons.org.

For more information, visit China Horizons.

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