Westerners Andy Dutton and Danny Cole teach English at Luxury Gardens International School in China. Despite being unqualified as teachers, they earn relatively high salaries, and enjoy lives of privilege and indulgence, traveling Southeast Asia, drinking excessively and visiting brothels. Meanwhile, the school principal, Peter Li, is busy trying to build the school into one with an elite global reputation. His plan involves getting the school accredited by the International Diploma Organization. To meet accreditation requirements, he begins the process of replacing the likes of Andy and Danny with qualified professional teachers, like Glenn Whitman. Glenn, however, turns out to be troublesome.