Chinese New Year Offers Reason to Celebrate and Teach Overseas Through TEFL Institute

Online, February 1, 2010 (Newswire.com) - CHICAGO, IL, February 1, 2010 -TEFL Institute, the premiere TEFL/TESOL certification course in the world is happy to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year.

February 14, 2010 is the first day of the Chinese New Year, celebrating the tiger. The partying and revelry that ensue throughout China, Asia and the world rival the New Year's celebrations in New York, London, Madrid and even moon festivals in Thailand.

The Chinese calendar has been in continuous use for centuries. The Chinese calendar is older than the international calendar, based on the Gregorian calendar, currently used in the West.

The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, and sometimes called the Lunar New Year commemorates the second new moon after the winter solstice. It is considered the most important of all traditional Chinese holidays, emphasizing popular themes like happiness, wealth, and longevity.

The most important aspect of the event is the reunion of families. Chinese people are one of the more family-oriented cultures in the world. Any news stories surrounding the Chinese New Year season focuses on how people travel great distances and overcome tremendous obstacles to be with loved ones.

The Chinese New Year is celebrated with an outpouring of money and gifts between family and friends. It is not all play though, as traditional Chinese celebrants also engage in thorough house cleaning and reflection on goals for the coming year. The belief is that with homes in a sanitary and immaculate state, bad luck is swept away clearing the way for good luck and a successful year to come.

"I have always been captivated by Chinese culture and history. It's one thing to experience the New Year's celebration here in the U.S. but something completely different when you are in mainland China! The party is amazing and the setting is picturesque," said a recent graduate of TEFL Institute.

TEFL Institute has been a proponent of the celebration since the company was founded in 2004. Graduates of TEFL Institute have been completing their 120-Hour TEFL certification course so that they can someday travel to China to teach English in one of the educational systems overseas.

Enrollees have a choice of taking the course online, in the comfort of their home, or in-person, in a classroom, with other learners and a live professor. The certification comes with lifetime job placement assistance.

Graduates are flocking to China for the opportunity to earn a desirable wage and save money with most full-time positions. Chinese companies value native English speakers and show appreciation to Westerners by offering free housing and airfare with contracts.

TEFL Institute has deep roots in China. The Shanghai course is one of the company's flagship offerings and continues to attract record interest. The Shanghai course also encourages candidates from various backgrounds to enroll.

Most students are eager to earn their TEFL certification while living in China. The course was created and developed by TEFL Institute for students to fully immerse themselves in the Chinese culture.

TEFL Institute is headquartered in Chicago, IL, home to a bustling and vibrant Chinese population. The 2000 Census declares Chicago as the home of 68,021 Chinese people. That number has surely increased considerably in the last decade.

After New York City and San Francisco, Chicago is proud to have the third largest South Asian American population in the U.S.

Those interested in celebrating the Chinese New Year can do so in the Chinatown neighborhood on the South side of Chicago, in the Armour Square community area centered on Cermak and Wentworth Avenues. The gathering offers all the fanfare and pageantry befitting the momentous occasion, with the perfect mix of food, fun and learning. Visitors come from all over the Midwest and the world to participate and marvel at the colorful garb on display. Families watch fireworks and of course snap photos.

"We take pride in helping people achieve their teaching certification and then move on to teach English overseas. The Chinese New Year is the time of year when perspective teachers flock to Chicago for a taste of China and for the professional experience of a lifetime," said Bruce Jones, Vice President of TEFL Institute. "The course is interactive and enjoyable and offers endless travelling and teaching opportunities throughout China, Asia and the world."

For more information on TEFL Institute visit www.teflinstitute.com or call (773) 880-5141.

ABOUT TEFL Institute
TEFL Institute is the leader in professional TEFL certifications worldwide. Services include TEFL/TESOL certification courses, resume and job placement assistance and lifetime membership with enrollment. TEFL Institute trains more than 1,500 students a year. Graduates have gone on to teach in more than 75 countries. Please visit us at www.teflinstitute.com.

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