#65 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China ( Visit to Boy's Dormitory + Photos from the Girl's Dorm.)

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Please, permit me to dedicate this journal entry to my genteel, thoughtful, kindhearted, and courteous Chinese students of English, who have, each in their own way, contributed to making my stay here at Taizhou Teachers College a most rewarding experience. :::::::::::::

Few vocations in life are more edifying as that of a teacher, no matter the country. Though monetary and material benefits may be limited in the teaching profession, the joy and love which each day brings cannot be bought, even with gold and diamonds.

This was true as a teacher in Revere/Boston, Mass. and Miami/Coral Gables, Fl. USA, and it has been no less a fact here in China, at Taizhou Teachers College in Jiangsu Province.

My last six months, teaching at our small college-campus of 7,000 students, has rewarded me with a daily overdose of kindness and affection, and has only hightened my appreciation for my chosen profession of the past 39 years.

Here in China once again I have been blessed, sharing my own life's experiences and accumulated knowledge with those, who are still anxiously hoping, diligently studying, and desperately preparing for their own, yet unpredictable future.

So, to "EACH" of my 362 wonderful students at Taizhou Teachers College, a deeply felt THANK YOU!!

I wish you a beautiful semester vacation and all the great joys your Chinese Spring Festival offers this February 18th. May you spend fulfilling and special moments in harmony with your family and friends, during this most important time in your Chinese Lunar Calender.

It will be the year of the "Pig", a great time to prepare for success and wealth, and a good time to contemplate your future, and the role you wish to play, and the contributions you wish to make in your quickly changing and beautiful home-land of China.

You have shown me kindness and affection, which has stimulated each of my days with you in the classroom. Every one of you has made such special efforts to make me feel at home, that there has been little time to think about all I had to leave behind in America.

As I now return to my home in Miami, Florida, to enjoy my vacation with my family and friends, I will take you with me in my heart, always remembering that you will be waiting for my return, for our second semester together.

I can only wish and hope, that you have learned something from our lessons; for certain, I will forever be grateful for so much I have learned from you.

Each of you has helped make this beautiful country of China a second home, and I am honored, that you are so enthusiastic about my return to your friendly college for another semester.

When you return to your family and friends over these next few weeks, please greet them for me and remind them, how proud I am of you.

It is also a very good time for you to thank them. Tell them and show them how much you love them, for all of the sacrifices they are making for your education and your success here at the college.

I hope these photos will remain part of your special memories.

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Photos

"A Motley Crew"
Three of my classes consist of 129 English-majors. This photo shows the only boys among them. They visit me often, and sometimes as a "herd". (left to right front: Jerry, Mike, Tracy, Dillon, Julian; rear: Sam, Mason, Jacob, Ryan, Andrew, James, Gabriel)

The dorm monitors wait to greet me.
The court-yard entrances of the boys rooms are graced with their daily hand-washed clothing.

The boys dorm monitors
My students, Jacob, Dillon, and Julian are not only monitors, but also hard-working scholars.

Room for five students
View of a typical boys room when cleaned. On this day, they were waiting for a dormitory inspection by Ms. Fan, Dean of the English Department.

Room-occupants plus One
They just love having their photos taken. (from left: Micheal, Julian, Andrew, Mason, Mr. Hans, Jacob, and Dillon.)

In a desperate attempt....
to clean and straighten his area before the inspection, Armani is in "panic-mode".

study area for one student
Single unit study area (cleaned), supporting sleeping accommodations above.

Two of my freshmen "Stars"
Mike (left) sports one of the few ear-studs on campus; Dwyane plays a mean violin.

Boys WC part 1
Thinking no one was there, I took this photo of the boys toilet.

Boys WC part 2
After the first photo-flash I heard a scream, and Sam showed himself from behind one of the walls.

Boys WC part 3
The last shot let me know, that I was on my way to being killed, unless I exited quickly.

My six freshmen boys from class #06-1
from the left: John, Neil, Mr. Hans, Julian, Darren, Spray, and Quick.
They will be spending the next 3 years together going through school.

cleaning shoes
Among other things, the sinks are used to wash, brush teeth, and wash clothing.

sleeping
Not in my English class, the young man still in bed (above and behind the blue mosquito-net), is startled by the strange visitor from America.

Proud of his Lap-Top
His English name is Joy, and he shares his computer with everyone in the room.

A daily chore
Though I was not able to penetrate the Inner Sanctum of the girls dorms, the accommodations are the same.

"My Space"
The shelves of the girls seem to have considerably more books than in the boys rooms.

"Welcome"
The jacket and body-language make it clear, that they count on their body heat to keep them warm.

Comments

[Harold]

Good seeing you again
Hans,it was great to see you.You look very happy.My prayers are with you always. Harry

[danron]

Very glad to see you so happy in China
From these photos can see, you of the school all seemed to be very interested in, ha ha, and I also know that the students are very respect you, like you. You are always so humor humor and wit, ha ha, incredibly still took the students' toilet