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Published: January 7th 2006
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As a retiring Foreign Language Teacher in Florida, it was not possible for me to refuse a teaching-contract at Taizhou Normal (Teachers) College in Jiangsu Province, China for June 2006. This reality pre-occupies me as I leave Coral Gables Sr. H.S. every school day, and I know, I will truly miss the special people I am privileged to work with. The loss of my "students" after so many years will be irreplaceable, for how does one replace a "treasure". Maintaining this travel-blog is becoming a therapeutic exercise and provides personal encouragement. It also privides an avenue for my family, for friends, and my students past and present to follow an adventure. Perhaps it will provide some small entertainment for some and an opportunity for my personal reflection.
Having visited China this past summer, and having settled for the day after arrival at the College, Mr. A. Lee and I discussed the directions my three-week-visit could take. My preferences have always been the country side and more rural settings, and we decided on the area of Guilin in South China over the Megalopolis of Beijing. It will still be there in a few months 😊 The selection of Guilin proved
my hobby
I will miss the climate that makes these bloom. to be like a dream. Mr. Lee offered me a week of pure joy and a feast of daily exitement. We flew from Nanjing to Guilin via S.China Airlines, and the flight was as exiting for me as it was for the rest of passengers, and most of them were teenagers on holiday travel. They were no different from most of our-own teen-agers on a school-holiday-outing, giggeling about each other and giggeling with each other. At my age, they almost made me feel like a rock-star heaping me with attention in an effort to practice their English. Each one was a little star, and all impressed me with their command of the English Language and their joy in being understood. There was a gentleness in each,
and an open and warm interaction. They paid attention to each other and encouraged each other in sheer delight. I saw truly happy teenagers, applauded and adored by the adults caring for them. As it would happen, we were together again on the return flight and we shared each others experiences. Though I will never see them again, I will never forget them.
Ms. Liz Lee, (all Chinese are related, if only by name 😊, met us with four of her English teachers at the Airport outside of Guilin. I had never met this very special young woman, though the two had met through the Internet. It would be their first meeting as well. A large, painted sign saying "Welcome Hams" greeted us. Since my name is Hans, the correction became an on-going little joke. They came to pick us up in van with a sincere joy to meet us. The teachers, who looked in their late -teens, turned out to be in the mid-twenties. I need to locate that fountain of youth 😊 She had booked us in a wonderful hotel overlooking the Li River, facing one of its spectacular bridges.
Early in the morning, there was little time to waste. Looking out the window and over the Li River and its bridge was pure Theater. Endless streams of pedestrians and bikes heading in all directions, the river below with countless early swimmers and bathers, and in the distance mountains shaped like eggs fading into some fog. I loved all of the palms and bamboo. May many more be amazed by such a first glimpse of Guilin. I knew another adventure was about to begin.
Punctuality being almost divine in China, Ms. L. Lee was already waiting for us in the lobby to taxi us to breakfast. This was her city and I quickly felt her pride in having us as guests and her hospitality had no bouds. During our stay I will quickly learn to love this special lady. She is a wife, a mother, a Principal for two English schools and a family provider. One of her English Academies is in a more affluent neighborhood, with eager children advancing their English by sacrificing their summer school-vacation. Parents must pay for these classes of course. Her second English Academy is in a less privileged area. This lady subsidizes these poorer children from the income of the other Academy. In both schools, when the children, and there were hundreds, saw their Ms. Lee it was as if she was each their mother.
The teachers showed admiration and respect for her abilities, and above all they showed true affection for her as their mentor. I'll speak more about my experiences visiting these two truly special English Schools.
Breakfast that morning was in a little restaurant, just something small, with tables and benches. The order had to be placed at the front, and it was assumed that they would order for me. Breakfast in China is a bowl of thick-noodle soup. My bowl, being the guest, also had thin slivers of meat, much like slices of Canadian Ham. It will always be difficult for me to begin my morning with noodle-soup, and these slices of meat were nothing I had ever tasted. I needed to ask!!! The question stirred a little discussion between the two. My sister was not surprised when I told her that it was meat from a horse. For her it was food during WWII, she told me. I am not sure if I can look a horse straight in the eyes again. From that point on I decided to skip the breakfasts. No doubt, there would be more such surprises to come. I decided to be more careful, and ask delicate but probing questions about dishes in front of me. 😊
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Kate
non-member comment
Schinken!
That's what you get for yelling Schinken instead of Schei..e!!