#107 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China (Fall Semester-2008, Activities continue at TTC)

There is no more doubt, that winter has arrived in Taizhou. Students are huddling and holding each other for warmth, as they rush to their early morning classes. The students now sport their down-winter-jackets in all the most fashionable colors, but their smiles are more temporary as they pass me on their way to "where-ever".

These colder months begin the time, when I miss the warm Florida weather the most.

Since none of the classrooms of the schools, colleges and universities are heated in my region of China, I too have to wear my sexy "long-johns", as well as additional and more serious layers of clothing to brave the cold of the teaching facilities.

I hear no complaints from my wonderful students, who must not only brave the cold of the classrooms and dining rooms, but they also return to their chilly dormitories, where I see them study with their thick layers of clothing, and their bare feet dipping in a plastic bucket of warm water.

They purchase the hot water daily in "thermos" bottles for a half a Yuan (9 cents) at a central water station at the college. It is difficult for me to imagine, how our American college students would deal with such daily winter adversity, or if they would even accept this.

Many of my students here sleep in their winter jackets at night. It makes them stronger and tougher, they explain. I dare not tell them, how comfortably warm my own college apartment facilities are, when I return to my home on campus after my classes.

The lead teachers and Foreign Language administration also tell the students, that the winter chills in their dorms will make them a stronger person, and more able to deal with adversity.

I do believe, that having to focus on keeping warm, many students will not be able to concentrate on their studies, and at the moment they are preparing for another of their all-important "next" examinations, the standard National English Examinations called the CET-4 and CET-6. They are also studying hard in preparation for their final examinations in each of their courses. I can only speculate, what impact this "cold" destraction might have on their test performance.

During my stay in China, I have found few Chinese, who are prone to complaining. Most accept any hardship or adversity as fate and as part of their daily routine. It seems, that the hardships of my students and some difficult experiences in school provide much of that basic training for the rest of their lifes.

In the city of Taizhou and on my campus of Taizhou Teachers College I am not known as a man with a "petite" body, and now, sporting these extra layers of apparel, I truly begin to look like "the Panda Bear" or "the Happy Buddha", as my body expands by another few inches of winter-clothing.

Yet one of the benefits of the late fall and winter months in Taizhou during the day hours are unusual "clear and blue skies", though these are chilly and crisp.

During the night, the stars and moon are now more visible then during the summer season, when the air is often thick with the smoke of the open air burning of crop-residue by the farmers surrounding the city. In the winter months, it is a pleasure to see the nightly firmament, and the clear display and visibility of the stars and the moon.

But I am very contend with my present life here at Taizhou Teachers College. My students are my daily pleasure, and my college is eager to satisfy my needs. Arthur, the staff and the administration have gone to great lengths to provide me a life of comfort and satisfaction.

Not a day passes, when I don't feel, that I have made the right choice after my retirement in Miami. I am a very happy man here at our small teachers college, where I feel needed and I know I can make a difference.

There are of course the larger Chinese cities, with more notable universities and colleges, which are filled with many foreign teachers. But there I would be only one of many. Here at Taizhou Teachers College, I have the feeling, that I am appreciated and everyone makes me feel special.

AND SO: With job opportunities fading for teachers in the United States during this time of financial difficulties and crisis, I would like to take this opportinuty once again, and encourage adventurous college degree holders to consider teaching a few years in this amazing country of China.

You will be received and treated as a friend by the college, honored as a guest of China, and you will find students, who will thank you daily for your time and work. The efforts and the smiles of some of the most wonderful students will be waiting for you, and their appreciation will remain with you for a life-time.

LET ME REMIND YOU: You can find information about Taizhou Teachers College at their web-site: www.tzsz.net

From that site you can contact Mr. Arthur Lee, a dedicated man, who is in charge of the recruitment of all "overseas friends", as the foreign teachers are called in China.

You may also write to Arthur directly at his personal e-mail: Arthurlee65@yahoo.com.cn . He is my friend, and the most wonderful Foreign Affairs Director of Taizhou Teachers College. He will answer all questions and thoughts you may have with professional care and with his superb English.

You can also contact me at this TravelBlog site, and I will forward your letter to Arthur for you.

I leave you with this thought of a possible adventure at Taizhou Teachers College:

"The only people who will ever succeed are those, who are willing to take a chance!"
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*****The photo - essay of this TravelBlog #107 is a continuation of events these past few months at my college and continues the presentations of the last TravelBlog, #106.

I have been very busy, and there are a dozen Blogs of some of my travels around China this past year that I have not been able to publish. I will share these with you soon. It takes much time to compile each of these Blogs, and I hope they continue to entertain you, and provide you with some insight into my wonderful "late-life" adventures in China. Remember, these same adventures could be waiting for you as well.

Here is the breakdown of the photo-essay for this Blog:

Part One: The photos continue to relate the festivities of our colorful Japanese Festival during it's final evening, with another spectacular presentation by our students and staff.

Part Two: During one of my many walks, I found another temple in Taizhou. This is a Taoist Temple and a wonderful Taizhou treasure. I have made friends with some of the Taoist monks, and plan to visit the temple-site regularly with my camera.

Part Three: Here I hope to share with you some incidental photos, as I walked the city of Taizhou during the past few months.

Part Four: These photos highlight a few participants of an Aerobic competition in the Sporttorium of TTC. My lap-top, which stores most of my photos, has broken down, and will not open. So there are many photos about this competition I am not able to share with you at the moment.

Part Five: These photos highlight the entertainment offered to the Freshmen by the Art Department students of TTC. Though I don't teach any of these students, many have sought me out and have become my friends. It gives them the opportunity to practice a little English with me, an opportunity they miss, so they tell me. They never forget to invite me to one of their colorful events.

Part Six: This Holloween I received an invitation to a newly opened and private English Academy in the center of Taizhou. The evening was a wonderful time with some of the local children, who are eager to learn English. Their parents pay a handsome sum of money to provide additional English lessons for their "one" child in hopes of giving them the advantage as they progress in their schooling. I have mentioned to you before, that English is taught in all schools beginning with the first grade of school.

Part Seven: Another Wedding Invitation by one of our teachers gives me the opportunity to share with you the happy day of another pair of newly-weds. The weddings in China now incorporate traditional customs with some of our western traditions.

Thank you for taking the time to share my life here in China with me. Keeping in mind, that the Christmas days are only weeks away, I am now preparing the next TravelBlog, which will highlight some of my Christmas activities at the college and in the city.

I am always grateful for your comments, questions, ideas and suggestions to improve my communication with you and look forward with appreciation to your thoughts and even a greeting.

As always, I encourage you to enlarge the 107 photos for their greater details.

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