Emily Chadderton’s heart leapt when she saw the job posting for a teacher’s assistant in China.

The 22-year-old had a great sense of adventure and no clue what she’d do after finishing her master’s degree.

“I immediately wanted to do it and messaged my sister to see what she thought,” Miss Chadderton said. “It didn’t take much convincing as I already had an e-mail typed up and ready to send to the school.”

The former Saltus student is four months into her internship with Dulwich International High School in Suzhou, a major city in East China only a short distance from Shanghai.

It’s part of a new scheme in which Saltus Grammar School alumni have the opportunity to live and work in China for a year once they get a university degree. It was made possible through former Saltus teachers Daniel and Rebecca Dorrington, who moved to the Asian nation in 2012.

The offer especially appealed to Miss Chadderton — China was on her travel wish list and she loved working with children.

So far it’s all been positive. Cheap items enable her salary to stretch “a lot further than you think” and flights to and from China are covered by her employer.

“China is quite different in a lot of aspects compared to the western side of the world,” she said.

“The language barrier and food were probably my two main concerns before arriving here. I didn’t know any Mandarin and I typically find it hard to learn new languages — I mean, I struggle with English most of the time,” she joked. “But working in the school, all the students have to speak English and most of the staff are expats so it’s quite easy to communicate within the school.

“Even out and about in Suzhou I get by with English and a bit of sign language.”

The food was something she’s had to adjust to over time, especially as a vegetarian.

While exploring she’s found everything from fried tofu to chicken’s feet sold at restaurants and street vendors.

She spends around 15 hours a week assisting with physical education classes at the school; another 20 to 25 hours are spent working in the boarding house.

The job does have its challenges however.

“The hardest part about the PE classes has been getting the children motivated enough to get involved,” she said. “You see, PE isn’t a big thing in China and they don’t really see the point in it.

“Thus, the biggest reward has been when they do eventually get involved and find themselves really enjoying it. That puts a smile on my face.”

During her free time on the weekends she takes a break from campus life and explores the city.

She’s also been able to visit Shanghai, Hangzhou and Hong Kong, and plans to book trips to Nanjing and Beijing in the new year.

“Seeing that I plan on staying in China for another three years I’m not in a rush to see everything all at once this year,” she said. “I’d rather go to a place and see it fully and enjoy it rather and being rushed to see everything quickly. I’m also taking my time in making it to other parts of Asia.”

Miss Chadderton has found the Chinese people to be “very direct”. She admires their practical and to-the-point nature.

“I find people here know what they want and they’ll just go for it,” she said.

People are also fascinated about her as a foreigner.

“Being a ‘western’ person here I do get stared at quite a bit, but I think I’ve grown used to that now,” she said.

“They’re more fascinated and in awe of you than wanting to bug and irritate you. It’s just getting used to understanding that.

“One morning recently I had a lady with a baby in a stroller and she was saying she wanted her child to grow up like me, tall and fair-skinned. But the child was clearly Chinese and genetics hadn’t worked in their favour for a tall, fair-skinned child. But I had to laugh to myself because I thought it was cute and kind of her.”

Immersing herself in a foreign country has taught her a lot of patience; she’s also discovering how to be more open-minded.

“Honestly, I’d say to anyone who will listen if you can afford it, or are given the means/chance to travel anywhere, take it as you won’t regret it. You’ll come back with a whole bunch of stories and experience you wouldn’t have had otherwise,” she said.

“My philosophy is, you’re only young once.

“Opportunities like these only come by once in a lifetime so if you’re thinking to yourself, ‘Oh maybe next year or next time’, just note there probably won’t be a next time. You have to take them while they’re there.”

The next step for Miss Chadderton? Completing her postgraduate certificate in education so she can lead gym classes on her own.