Beijing. It’s a city of more than 20 million people, and soon, an Elon University senior will join them to teach English to Chinese adults in the business world.

Billy Fidler, an exercise science major from Goldsboro, N.C., accepted a yearlong teaching position with English First, a division of Education First with more than 400 language centers and schools worldwide.

“I knew I wanted to travel after college,” Fidler said. “I caught the travel bug after spending some time in Peru. I knew I had to go away, even just for a year.”

When Education First came to Elon for a sales meet-and-greet, Fidler began exploring the opportunities the organization offered.

“I really liked their program and I fell in love with what they stood for,” he said. “The application process started in November, and I found out I was accepted in January.”

The application process included a Skype interview with an employer in China, and the video stream was spotty at best when Fidler connected with his interviewer.

“The Skype kept going in and out and she eventually had to call my cell phone,” he said. “The interview was fun and fast-paced, but at one point she asked me about what my lesson plan would look like. That caught me off guard. There was one part where I didn’t know how to answer a question so I froze my face for a second to make it look like the connection was buggy. It was intense, but she was sweet afterward.”

Fidler said he will center his lesson plan on public speaking, a skill he found valuable during his four years at Elon.

“I love public speaking, and it will be very applicable in this program,” he said. “I’ll have them come speak in front of the class every day. It’s something you have to do out in the business world.”

Fidler is doing his best to prepare himself for his move overseas. He is beginning to learn Mandarin Chinese through the Rosetta Stone language software on Elon’s computers, and he has used LinkedIn to gather tips and advice about living in Beijing.

“LinkedIn has been a godsend,” he said. “I’ve connected with so many people through my fraternity and I’ve gotten in contact with my parents’ friends who have lived there. I’ve learned the best places to eat, where to go and where to avoid. It has really been very helpful.”

Fidler said he is excited to travel in Asia and meet other English First teachers.

“Once you get there, you become part of this huge network,” he said. “It’s not just a program for business professionals. They have classes for children, too, and they have centers all over the world.”

Fidler isn’t sure what he wants to do after spending a year in China, but he said is pleased English First offers its teachers the opportunity to renew their annual contracts.

“This gives me another year to kind of step back from everything and focus on something I’m interested in, teaching and traveling,” he said. “I could renew my contract and teach somewhere else if I wanted to. Once you’re an English First teacher, you can work in any of their cities.”