Through this interactive presentation, I will describe my experiences with English language education in two of the largest countries on earth: China and Indonesia. My research as a graduate student has taken me to Indonesia to co-author a book on English for young learners and to China to work with volunteer teachers in migrant schools. Both nations are currently dealing with similar issues in English education, such as how to improve teacher quality and the evolving status of English in elementary schools. I will also address a relatively unexplored question: What is the most suitable role for foreign volunteers in English classrooms in Asia? Anyone interested in Asia, education, English language policy, and teaching abroad, especially those who have themselves been students or teachers in China or Indonesia, is encouraged to join in the discussion.