So it turns out, XCU (you don't mind if I call it that, do you?) is pretty awesome. It's a university of about 13,000 students, outside the city of Xuchang, Henan. And when I say outside the city, I mean it! It was a day or two before I realized that the few shops and buildings in our neighborhood were not downtown, as I suspected. In reality, downtown is huge, and crazy. More on that later, of course =).
Campus itself is actually quite beautiful (especially compared with the rest of the town), with a hint of Chinese-ness everywhere. It's actually quite a bit like UF, other than that they are completely different. The school has been super nice to me since I got here, too. For example, because (surprise!) the freshmen here don't start class until October 9th, neither do I. And not only that, but since my contract said I would start today, they've already started paying me. So I'm essentially on a 3-week paid vacation. Awesome.For more pictures of life here, if you like, you can feel free to browse my Flickr account, which will hopefully be updated occasionally with photos of various sorts. For now, it is primarily populated with shots around campus.
5 comments:
Jackson, it sounds like a wonderful lifetime
experience. I think you will love it. Best wishes
and keep blogging!
Steve Dobson
Wow,three weeks. That should give you plenty of time to start your lesson plans. I hope you continue to discover and enjoy. The first thing I do every day is get up and see if there is a new entry in your blog. It is so exciting. I love your pictures, too. And you. Love, Mom
hey Jackson, thinking about coming out next year to teach(I am an MA lit been teaching ESL over here in Jerusalem for the last 30 years) do you think I should come? do they have apartments for a couple? thanks
Hey piglet-
The question you really should be asking is whether you want to come to work in China, I think. If you decide that you do, and that the small-city life is satisfactory, than here is a pretty normal small city, and the school will not try to cheat you, and will treat you well. They will welcome a couple with open arms.
However, before you decide to make the leap, you should read a few articles, particularly as a career ESL teacher. The university here is a pretty standard public university, so pay attention to that info in the links I will post, which come from the "Middle Kingdom Life" guide, which is actually a fairly good resource. I personally suggest reading essentially the whole thing before you make your decision, and while some of it is slightly more cynical than reality, it is still very useful information. As well, I have suggested to most people that I talk to that if you plan on living here, you should probably have an interest in learning some Chinese, or your life will probably be slightly difficult. Although, with 30 years in a foreign country, you probably know what I mean.
main page: http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/
particularly poignant article: http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/teaching-english-china.htm
Basically, I think you should read that whole guide. I only read it after I got here, but it is pretty good stuff. If you're into teaching in small-town China, though, I personally think Xuchang is great!
I had a very different experience after accepting a job earlier this summer and starting in the fall with the "awesome" Xuchang University. I was lied to by a certain Yangyang, who told me I could choose where to teach, in the International School, or the English majors. If I chose the International School, I could teach a literature course "Master Works of Literature." After travelling half of China from Heilongjiang province, I was told neither of these were possible. This was a prerequisite for me, since I hold two Masters degrees in Literature and don't wish to spend a year on Oral English.
But the bigger problem was the state of the apartment I was given to live in. Half of the equipment was broken or very old, holes in the walls, dirty, desk with broken drawers, last teacher's junk everywhere, dirty rag tucked in the folds of the coach, etc. I told them I would be travelling to Europe in August and September and this would give them ample time to repaint and replace some of the antiquated, broken equipment. I was promptly told to leave for complaining. They would "find another one."
This place is a shame to China and I'm hard pressed to understand what kind of juvenile, docile worm would say this is an "awesome" place. Who knows, maybe the students are great, but the administration is beyond evil. Yangyang, a twenty-something-nothing with no academic accomplishments aparently runs things. The Dean of the International School didn't respond to my emails outlining how I was lied to, lured halfway across China at my expense, promptly and arbitrarily fired by someone with no academic credentials. I could go into greater detail. I have photos of the apartment for anyone interested in a position at this school. Contact me at thomas_starky@yahoo.com
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