 #61 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China (1.College English Corner, 2.Xi'an City Center): Photos 21 to 42 |
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The colder weather is making the nights at Taizhou Teachers College certainly more challenging. In Miami Beach, I had forgotten what "chills" are all about, and here it has now become a daily reminder. Many years have passed since I have had to be-deck myself with so much clothing. What I have been able to loose in body-weight, has now been replaced by many additional-pounds of layered clothing.
There is no more doubt, that winter is just around the next corner. The foreign teachers' office and my apartment are cozy warm, but none of the classrooms have the luxury of heat. My students are huddled in their winter-clothing, searching for warmth, holding hands and hugging their classmates, the boys no exception. Despite taking class-notes in "Michael Jackson Gloves", where finger-tips are cut open, their efforts of writing on paper are still painfully inhibited by the cold.
Few of my Coral Gables students, or any student in America, would or could endure the daily routine of learning and working in facilities, which are so affected by the "extreme variations of seasonal temperatures", as in our Jiangsu Province of China.
Yet, from my 370 students and the college staff at
Full Text Entry: #61 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China (1.College English Corner, 2.Xi'an City Center)
TB: [diary=93706]
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December 9th 2006 - lilian: colourful
I just saw the pictures photoed by Hans .They are very beautiful .The places and activities were vivid and atractive .Thank you for your sending!
December 9th 2006 - celia: YAY!!!!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! youre coming in january, schneider?! i seriously started crying right now.. we miss you so much here. im so excited! love the pictures, as always and cant wait for the end of january!
December 9th 2006 - Sandra: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AHHH SCHNEIDER!!!!! I CANT BELIEVE YOURE COMING!!!! celia and i kept re-reading so that we could make sure we werent dreaming. we started screaming so loud that my mom came running in the room to see what was wrong... sorry mom! I LOVE SO MUCH SCHNEIDER!!! within the last 5 minutes we already spread the news to half of miami... i swear. we already told margie, chandler, flora... hahaha... everyone is psyched! i think you have too humble a nature to grasp how much you changed us... we cant wait to see you.
I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
December 10th 2006 - Ashley: OMG!!!
OMG!!! Are you really coming!!!??!!! You cant back out now....***SO EXCITED*** I can't wait to see you!!! Make SURE you come see us during 6th period (german for 6th again, i know) lol. Cant wait to see you!!!!!!
Be prepared for very hot weather...and lots of good old fashion cuban pampering!!!
December 10th 2006 - Goodsue, another travelblogger: More similar experiences
Hans, I enjoy your blogs. My students at Nanjing Normal Univ. have similar living situations; my classrooms aren't heated either. But the students are great. Great attitudes. If you come to Nanjing, let me know and I'll introduce you to some more people here. Enjoy your trip home. I'm going south for the holiday, probably to Yunnan.
December 10th 2006 - Thomas Scianmarello: China
Its been some time since you last posted pictures of your trips. They are still coloful and beautiful.
December 10th 2006 - Melissa E.: OMG
AHH Schneider.. i have to defintely agree with the twins.. we all miss you like crazy! German class is nothing without you! and how exciting that you're going to visit! we all can't wait to see you! we miss you!
December 12th 2006 - Sandra: weee
today in german i had the proud honor of announcing that youre coming in january, and everyone freaked out. be prepared for tears... you can make fun of me. haha
December 12th 2006 - Samuel: pictures from xi'an
When did you go to xi'an ? It is a wonderful city. The pictures you took are very beautiful, you said went to Shanghai on October,you might take some pictures there.,it is good to show your picture .And I can share your happiness in Shanghai.AHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
December 12th 2006 - Maria Sabando: I'm so excited!!
Schneider I'm sooooo excited to hear that you are coming!! i can't wait to see you! I've missed you very much! The only thing that i'm worried about is how you are going to react with our "improvement" in german...but thats ok because you still love us as much as we love you!!
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four stars
Sue, from Australia on the left, Stephanie, from Kansas City in the front, another Mike, a friend from the Music Department in the back, and a slender and happy Mr. Hans (so my students call me.)
A CONTINUATION OF PHOTOS FROM XI'AN, CHINA
THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE FROM MY SECOND DAY IN THIS HISTORIC CITY, HOME OF THE TERRACOTTA WARRIORS: The city of Xi'an in Western China has a history of over 4,000 years. The triple-eaved Drum Tow... [more]
Drum Tower close-up
Above the brick fortifications are rows of drums, that can be visited, and struck for a small fee. The upper floors are museums and performance halls.
Lots of drums on all sides of the Drum Tower Fortification.
My little tour guide is showing the way around the balcony of the Tower, lined with rows of drums, one of China's ancient and influencial istruments.
Moslem Quarter of Xi
After our visit to the Drum Tower, we started our walk through the narrow streets of the Moslem Section of the city of Xi'an. The multitude of shops in these ancient streets make ready for thousands ... [more]
The entrance gate to the mosque of Xi'an
Xi'an boast a large Muslim population, and the area in which they live brings tourism from around the world. The main wooden entrance to their ancient mosque risis 30 feet and dates to the 16th Centur... [more]
My little companion was always eager to pose.
The architecture of the mosque is clearly Chinese, and its court-yard provides repose to visitors of all persuations and ages.
One of the largest Mosque compounds in China
The founding stones date back to the 7th Century AD, when Islam was still a young religion.
"The Introspection Minaret"
The third court-yard houses the Introspection Minaret, an octagonal pagoda with a triple-eaved roof. Much of my visit could not have been possible without my friend Arthur.
The early hours made the visit more pleasant.
Religious-tolerance was one of the hallmarks of the imperial city of Xi'an, where the Silk Road brought world cultures in contact for thousands of years.
Arabic prayer greets the visitor.
The Arabic inscription reminds the visitor, that Islam is has had its roots in this part of China, since it was brought from the Middle East via the Silk Road some 1,300 years ago.
an old language
Ancient Chinese Characters on the right stone tablet called a "Stalae" remind the visitor of four thousand years, during which 11 dynasties have made Xi'an its capitol. China's unification as an empi... [more]
ancient water well
This ancient water well dates back to the founding of the mosque, some 1,300 years ago.
Thank you Didy and Angel!!
Angel and her mother helped us get to know the city of Xi'an under less touristy conditions.
muslim food vendor
After our visit to the Mosque of Xi'an we continued our walk through narrow streets, where Muslim merchants prepared breakfast for the expected, hungry tourists.
10 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
December 9th 2006 - lilian: colourful
I just saw the pictures photoed by Hans .They are very beautiful .The places and activities were vivid and atractive .Thank you for your sending!
December 9th 2006 - celia: YAY!!!!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! youre coming in january, schneider?! i seriously started crying right now.. we miss you so much here. im so excited! love the pictures, as always and cant wait for the end of january!
December 9th 2006 - Sandra: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AHHH SCHNEIDER!!!!! I CANT BELIEVE YOURE COMING!!!! celia and i kept re-reading so that we could make sure we werent dreaming. we started screaming so loud that my mom came running in the room to see what was wrong... sorry mom! I LOVE SO MUCH SCHNEIDER!!! within the last 5 minutes we already spread the news to half of miami... i swear. we already told margie, chandler, flora... hahaha... everyone is psyched! i think you have too humble a nature to grasp how much you changed us... we cant wait to see you.
I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
December 10th 2006 - Ashley: OMG!!!
OMG!!! Are you really coming!!!??!!! You cant back out now....***SO EXCITED*** I can't wait to see you!!! Make SURE you come see us during 6th period (german for 6th again, i know) lol. Cant wait to see you!!!!!!
Be prepared for very hot weather...and lots of good old fashion cuban pampering!!!
December 10th 2006 - Goodsue, another travelblogger: More similar experiences
Hans, I enjoy your blogs. My students at Nanjing Normal Univ. have similar living situations; my classrooms aren't heated either. But the students are great. Great attitudes. If you come to Nanjing, let me know and I'll introduce you to some more people here. Enjoy your trip home. I'm going south for the holiday, probably to Yunnan.
December 10th 2006 - Thomas Scianmarello: China
Its been some time since you last posted pictures of your trips. They are still coloful and beautiful.
December 10th 2006 - Melissa E.: OMG
AHH Schneider.. i have to defintely agree with the twins.. we all miss you like crazy! German class is nothing without you! and how exciting that you're going to visit! we all can't wait to see you! we miss you!
December 12th 2006 - Sandra: weee
today in german i had the proud honor of announcing that youre coming in january, and everyone freaked out. be prepared for tears... you can make fun of me. haha
December 12th 2006 - Samuel: pictures from xi'an
When did you go to xi'an ? It is a wonderful city. The pictures you took are very beautiful, you said went to Shanghai on October,you might take some pictures there.,it is good to show your picture .And I can share your happiness in Shanghai.AHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
December 12th 2006 - Maria Sabando: I'm so excited!!
Schneider I'm sooooo excited to hear that you are coming!! i can't wait to see you! I've missed you very much! The only thing that i'm worried about is how you are going to react with our "improvement" in german...but thats ok because you still love us as much as we love you!!
All Comments
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The text and photos of this article remain the copyright of the Author (Hans J. Schneider). Under no circumstances should the photos or text be used without the express written permission of the Author (Hans J. Schneider). If you wish to use or publish photos or text from this article - please
Contact Hans J. Schneider.