Tag Archives: China

Contrasts – Behind the Walls

Posted on 6 June 2010 by gypsy

This is one of the homes that are found within the gated community called Sunshine Gardens (yáng guāng huā yuán – 阳光花园) where we lived during our first two years in China (Zhōng guó – 中国) and where we will again live when return to Changzhou … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged běi, Changzhou, China, Chinese, chinese language, communicate, communication, dōng, ESL, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, hōng chǎn, Jiangsu, Mandarin, nán, pín kùn, Sunshine Garden, Sunshine Gardens, teaching esl, xī, xinbei, yǒu qián rén, Zhōng guó rén, 常州, 阳光花园 | Leave a comment

You Are Never Too Old to Work

Posted on 4 June 2010 by gypsy

The first September in Changzhou, we got to see how a group of women would take their small scythe-like tools in order to cut grass. This group of women were cutting the grass on the grounds of the Changzhou Software … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged begging, C.I.T., Changzhou, China, Chinese, chinese language, communicate, communication, ESL, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, gardening, grounds keeping, Jiangsu, jiao, Mandarin, qǐ tǎo, teaching esl, work ethic, xinbei, yuán, zì zūn, 乞讨, 元, 自尊, 角 | Leave a comment

Discovering Confidence in a Strange Land

Posted on 2 June 2010 by gypsy

With the passage of a few weeks in Changzhou and classes beginning to settle into some sort of routine, we found that we had a bit more time for wandering around the city. Remembering our first journey to the city … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Changzhou, China, Chinese, chinese language, communicate, communication, ESL, ESL blog, fàn diàn, FAO, foreign teacher, FT, Jiangsu, Mandarin, nán dà jiē, shì zhōng xīn, Sunshine Garden, teaching esl, xinbei, yáng guāng huā yuán, 南大街, 市中心, 阳光花园, 饭店 | 2 Comments

The Land of Silly

Posted on 1 June 2010 by gypsy

One of the greatest treasures that we took home from our first two years in China was the ability to laugh. Looking at life in China from the viewpoints of outsiders, there was so much that brought us laughter just … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Changzhou, China, Chinese, ESL blog, expats, foreign teacher, humour, Jiangsu, laughter, teaching esl, xinbei | Leave a comment

Pointless Productivity, or Life?

Posted on 28 May 2010 by gypsy

When we were in Changzhou, there was a lot of demolition activity and an unbelievable amount of new construction. It seemed as though Changzhou was in a race to become a modern, cosmopolitan centre. It seemed that everywhere one went, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged appearances, Changzhou, China, Chinese, communication, construction, demolition, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, Jiangsu, point of view, reconstruction, teaching esl, way of life, xinbei | 4 Comments

There Are Stories Behind The Faces

Posted on 27 May 2010 by gypsy

This is a look at some of our first students. Somehow, we both got to teach this group of students. I taught them History and Maureen taught them Conversational English. I guess you could say that they are typical second … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged C.I.T., Changzhou, China, Chinese, communication, ESL, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, Jiangsu, stories, students, teaching esl, xinbei | 2 Comments

Here Come the Freshmen To C.I.T.

Posted on 26 May 2010 by gypsy

The freshmen have arrived on campus! These photos were taken in September, 2006 when we first saw university freshmen do military training on campus. At the start of their university career, all freshmen students are required to participate in military … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged C.I.T., Changzhou, China, Chinese, ESL blog, foreign teacher, freshmen, FT, Jiangsu, military service, teaching esl, team-building, teamwork, xinbei | 1 Comment

Doing it the Old-Fashioned Way

Posted on 25 May 2010 by gypsy

I decided not to crop this photo in order to make the people larger as I think the effect of the whole photo says it all. What you are seeing here is exactly the way it was. Two men were … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Changzhou, China, Chinese, communicate, communication, demolition, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, Jiangsu, teaching esl, xinbei | Leave a comment

Sidewalk Seamstress

Posted on 24 May 2010 by gypsy

This is a scene from just outside of the gates of the main campus of C.I.T. Students don’t exactly come to university with deep pockets. Many students come from poor homes and the extra money just isn’t there. So services … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged C.I.T., China, Chinese, communication, economy, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, Jiangsu, poverty, seamstress, teaching esl, welfare, xinbei | 2 Comments

Things Aren’t Always As They Appear – Misperceptions

Posted on 23 May 2010 by gypsy

Here is a scene that we came upon during our second week in Changzhou, parents and grandparents at a set of school gates waiting to pick up their children at the end of a school day. When we came upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Changzhou, China, Chinese, chinese language, communication, ESL, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, imagination, Jiangsu, Mandarin, misperceptions, school, teaching esl, xinbei, 学校 | Leave a comment