Tag Archives: communication

A Bit About Changzhou

Posted on 9 June 2010 by gypsy

Changzhou (常州) is more than a city (市 – shì) in Canadian terms. It is a union of five administrative districts consisting of towns, villages and rural settings contains of about three and a half million people (rén – 人). Changzhou city (Chángzhōushì – … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Changzhou, China, Chinese, chinese language, communicate, communication, ESL, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, Jiangsu, Mandarin, teaching esl, xinbei, YángGuāng HuāYuán, 阳光花园 | 1 Comment

People Watching in Changzhou

Posted on 8 June 2010 by gypsy

After being in China for three weeks, in 2006, Maureen and I were feeling quite comfortable with wandering down streets we had not yet seen. Rather than on focusing so much on the things we saw on our walks, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged authentic, Changzhou, China, communication, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, Jiangsu, people, portraits, teaching esl, xinbei, 常州 | Leave a comment

A Home is Where the Heart Is

Posted on 7 June 2010 by gypsy

This older couple is one of many I found as I walked throughout Changzhou who seemed to be comfortable together. The scene reaffirmed within me that it takes more than money to bring happiness into one’s life. At home in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blog, bókè, Changzhou, China, Chinese, chinese language, communicate, communication, ESL, ESL blog, foreign teacher, FT, home is where the heart is, Jiangsu, Mandarin, 博客 | 2 Comments

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

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

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