Blogs from Wuhan, Hubei, China, Asia - page 2

On a bright sunny day in May， I decided to do another outing. After a long week of midterms for the second semester, I felt I needed to get out and see some sights of the city once again. So after putting some laundry in the washer I was off. There was a place I noticed when I visited Bao Tong Temple here in Wuhan that sparked interest. Shi Yang Park. Of course I had to take a bus to Guangu then from there a subway to Bao Tog Temple then about 300 to 400 meters from the exit was the Shi Yang Park. Getting back into seeing the city, exploring uncharted areas is one of the joys I do truly hold dear. That an educating the youth of today. Helping them become strong and intelligent ... read more

After the GEA event was over we took a cab to Shanghai's other airport to the west, Shanghai Hongqiao International, where most of the city's domestic flights depart from. I would be flying China Eastern Airlines, China's second largest airline and a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, which includes Delta, Air France, and other more well-known partners. Wuhan, with a population of over 10 million, is the capital of the neighboring Hubei Province and the most populous city in central China. It's also a transportation hub and as such is known as the "Chicago of China, or at least Wikipedia seems to think so. My coworker had told me that the city was known for two specialties - "hot and dry" noodles and duck necks. I already had two clear goals. And I would fail at ... read more

In the last week of January, I went and visited Bao Tong Temple here in Wuhan, China. I was unsure of what to expect from this place. I, first traveled by bus to the nearest subway stop closest to my home which happens to be the Optics Valley Station at one end of Line 2, and took the subway to the stop which bears the same name as what I am going to go see. The temple is in Hongshan District. The temple itself to my understanding has over 1500 years of history in the area. First opening to the public in 1988. It was originally built during the Southern Dynasty between the Liu and Song periods AD 420-479. The cost of entering this temple is only 10 Yuan (~1.5USD) which is worth it. As I ... read more

Final day of teaching today. This program always ends with a "Hootenanny", a sort of talent show for all the students. They seem to love it, but I always hate it. Two hours of performances with an audience of 200+ in a room meant for about 125. The good news is that this is a clear marker for the end of classes and the beginning of vacation. The bad news is that I have to go through the process of saying my "goodbyes" to all my students. They can make it a never-ending process, so I've learned to just leave quietly after a few "see you laters". I generally start this program saying it will be my last, but it's the students and the chance to reconnect with some of them that makes me come back ... read more

I've returned here to HUST, one of the top 12 universities in China, to "teach" in an English Summer Camp for undergraduate students. I'm one about 15 American teachers here for the program, now in its 12th year. I was last here for this Summer Camp in 2010. It is interesting coming back to teach undergraduates again after 4 years to get a sense of how Chinese students have changed and what this might reflect about changes in China itself. There's little actual teaching in this 3 week program. My approach is to give students a chance to use the English they know and to have fun doing it in order to build their confidence in speaking English. I work with about 40 students everyday, half in the AM; half in the PM. All have just ... read more