Actually, China has health risks. I've been working in China now for 6 years, and after the 4th year I had to escape the excessive pollution in the north, so I moved to Shenzhen. Working in China has potential serious health risks and you all need to be aware of them when considering China as a teaching option for your family and children. I have self designed HEPA filters in my home, one in the living room and another in the bedroom to filter the air. They go black after a couple of weeks, and are a NECESSITY in China. Water and food contamination is always at the forefront of my mind, and thus my wife and I must purchase imported and canned foods, to ensure that we are not subjected to only the local food problems. We are also like all local Chinese and never drink water from the tap, so you must purchase large bottled water, and we also use this water for all cooking.

That being said, you can lead a very normal and productive life in China, but do not have any illusions about what you're coming to. I have a Respro brand mask imported from the UK that I wear on bad days, and when I was in the Northern part of China, I would even wear it at work (not teaching).

Here are a few articles to consider, as life expectancy IS an issue here.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... afe-levels

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-2 ... shows.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/world ... .html?_r=0

Be cautious and prepared for your journey in China, and you can still lead a very good life here.

Pro