Teaching English in China
After arriving in China after the Trans-Siberian trip I had only one day in the capital before flying north to Changchun. Here I was contracted to teach English at Aston English School for seven weeks.
Changchun is a bustling city with a population of approximately 7 million. Luckily, I was aclimatised to the cold after Russia as here the temperatures only started to get above zero in my last week there. The cold temperatures, however, allowed the city to be decorated with ice sculptures at almost every corner.
I was lucky enough to spend Chinese New Year in this city with a Chinese family. For me I was expecting the streets to be filled with people on New Year’s Eve and parades to be out in force, but the reality is the complete opposite. The Chinese put a lot of emphasis on family at New Year and most people travel home to spend the time together. The streets are almost deserted after 6pm as people gather in their homes. The evening is then spent preparing food, especially dumplings. I tried my best but wasn’t able to master the art in just one evening. Once the food is ready, then the whole family sits down to enjoy the meal. Afterwards we spent time playing cards and watching some of the special show they broadcast on the TV. It was an excellent evening, and one I won’t forget.
I managed a day trip to Jilin during the Spring Festival break. The bus journey there was a great experience. A minibus filled to capacity with non-existent suspension. The three hour trip seemed much longer. However, once there I was happy to wander around Century Square and visit the Meteorite Shower Museum. Then I crossed the river to see the Catholic church and walk along the tree-lined riverside. The cold eventually drove me back to the bus station for my return trip to Changchun.
In Changchun I visited the Puppet Emperor’s Palace where the last emperor, Henry Puyi, was installed here by the Japanese in 1932. It was very interesting to wander around the room and gardens, especially since I had watched the film The Last Emperor the evening before.
All of this was inbetween the time I spent teaching English during my time in Changchun. I had four classes which I taught most days during what they call the winter intensive period. Teaching is something I have never done before and I was racked with nerves on my first day. However, I soon got into the swing of things and really enjoyed my time there. The children I was teaching were a variety of ages but all keen to learn which made a big difference. I was very sad to say goodbye to them and my fellow teachers.
Now, I’m off to Beijing to start my journey towards Nepal.
