Last night we took our co-teachers out for a dinner. Typically there is a co-teacher for each foreign teacher. But this year, due to a number of other circumstances, there are four co-teachers being shared by the seven English-speaking foreign teachers. The eleven of us enjoyed a good meal out to a restaurant none of us had ever visited before, one quite close to the apartment. The idea was that we would take advantage of the co-teachers’ ability to communicate in Chinese in order to allow us to enjoy the meal in this restaurant where communication would otherwise have been a barrier.
Of course, it is always good for relationship between co-teachers and foreign teachers to socialise and leave school issues aside. We get to know each other differently. One part of the socialisation process that caught us by surprise was having me sit at the “head” of the table. As the oldest male person in the room, it was expected that I would take this position of honour. Of course it made for some hilarity among the foreign teachers who are more into “equality” in all of its forms.
Being in a comfortable location, away from the hustle and bustle of offices and main restaurant serving rooms, we were able to have some decent discussions. The young teacher next to me asked all kinds of questions about being a principal in Canada and how staff are evaluated. The reason behind his questions was due to the fact that we all will be “evaluated” in the coming weeks, Chinese teacher and foreign teacher alike. Maureen got to talk about parenting with the woman she sat beside, a woman who has a young child at home that is becoming, in the mother’s words, “a bit naughty.”
It is at times like this that barriers between cultures and races are broken. For example, one topic was about stereotyping. Our co-teachers assumed that people in Canada are all white people. Since one of the foreign teachers was from Alberta and was half Chinese, that stereotype was challenged. We explained how as foreigners, when we walk down the street in Changzhou or anywhere else in China, everyone knows we are foreigners. Yet, if they walked down the street of any Canadian city, everyone would assume that they were Canadian.
Besides building better relationships, these kind of gatherings help to cultivate friendships that are real. We still maintain friendships with co-teachers of the past and with other Chinese colleagues that we have had the opportunity to spend time with over a good meal.
Seems like China is a good fight for you guys. Glad you are having such a good time again. Keep up the blogging.
Yes, China does suit us well, I think. We are treated well and given a lot of respect as well as friendship. Still, the lack of ability to speak Mandarin is a big obstacle to an even better experience.
Mandarin,You are working on that now!
Well I think that dinner won’t be cheap!The two girls sit beside Maureen look familar and I know one of them well.She came to CIT at the same year as me .
Now correct me if I’m wrong,, But that table looked round,, How did you find the head of the table?
Well, you are right about the table being round. Unknowingly, I sat in a chair about at two o’clock from the viewpoint of entering the room. After a bit of discussion among the co-teachers I was moved to the 12 o’clock position, immediately opposite the door into the room (far end). Typically this would be against the window.
I want to ask Samson for his understandings about where the head of a table is found at a round table. Samson?
Thanks for sharing. I’m a manufacturing engineer of a machinery company in Changzhou. For a better career, I’m learing English. As I was born in Changzhou, I’m quite curious that how my hometown looks like in your foreigner’s opinion. So I googled”live in changzhou” and find your blog.
You are a very nice person.Hope you get a great experience in China. Would you please give some help in English learning?
Hi Simon. I have a new home for this blog which you will find at http://rglongpre.ca/saskatchewangypsies/ You will be able to see more current photos and posts about life in China for a laowai, especially a foreigner as a teacher. You can send me an e-mail (rgl@sasktel.net) if you want to ask me personal questions such as English language tutoring help.
As you asked the question, Is there a head of around table, I don’t know,but it do has difference of the different seat. Generally, Host(People who will pay the bill) sit just opposite the door,for he can see who’s coming and stand up for welcome. The most impotant guest will sit at the host’s right side, and the secondary immportant will sit at the host’s left side.The far person sit with the host, the less important he is. All above is just in official situation, eating with friends don’t need to consider it.