Nonetheless, the inevitable limits on staff contact with the teachers in China force them to rely more on themselves and their local resources. The abilities to work without direct supervision and to cooperate closely with one's colleagues and housemates are absolutely necessary. Foreign teachers in China do not live especially comfortably by American standards. Housing is adequate but simple. Food is fresh and abundant but can become monotonous.
Winters can be damp and cold while summers are hot and humid.
Classrooms and offices are not centrally-heated, and air conditioning is a luxury. Small heating units are provided in the teachers' living quarters, but the hot water supply can be unreliable. In other words, the China-based teachers work in conditions sometimes more akin to those of a camp than those of a campus. English language instruction in China begins in the fifth grade, and most Chinese students are far more eager to learn a foreign language than the average American. The Chinese government views English as important to China's becoming a full participant in the international community and as a key to plans for using modern science and technology at home.