NEW CASTLE —
(John Nichols and his wife, Alison McNeal — New Castle residents and retired Slippery
Rock University professors — are spending a year teaching in China. They are sharing their adventures with readers of the New Castle News. Related photos can be found at the New Castle News website, ncnewsonline.com.)
In the 13th century, when Marco Polo traveled through China, he described the city of Hangzhou as “one of the most splendid in the world.”
So when I was offered an all-expense-paid weekend to go there, I took it. Alison was grading essays and had visited Hangzhou when she taught in Shanghai in 1997, so she passed on the trip.
The official reason for our visit was to show off employed foreign professors and experts because Hangzhou was hosting the 2011 Job Fair. Foreigners who were interested could apply for teaching positions at the nearly 100 institutions that had openings for the next school year. Nearly every one of the jobs required the applicant to teach up to six courses in their specialty so long as it was in the language of English.
For example, Nanjing Normal University had an opening for four positions to teach speaking, reading and writing in English. Qualifications included an master or bachelor of arts degree and teaching experience. The posted salary and benefits were round-trip airfare, medical insurance, university housing and an income of RMB 5,000 to 6,000 — about $900 a month. Other schools were offering the same thing, but with a doctorate, the monthly income went up to as high as RMB 13,000.
Compared to the United States those incomes would be incredibly low, but after factoring in free accommodations, no taxes and a lower cost of living, we know of people teaching here for years who boast they save more than they spend.
Moreover, they are doing what they love.
After putting in an appearance at the job fair, it was off to see a theme-park dance and music performance tracing the history of Hangzhou from the earliest times to today. Next a mountain valley area with tens of tea growing plantations, and finally to take a boat ride on West Lake, for which the city is well known. In between each stop were meals with piles and piles of good Chinese food.
The theme park was a combo miniature Disneyland and New Castle July fireworks celebration. Many people crowded into a space filled with food venders, acrobats, jugglers, but also artificial mountains and fake castles.
Employees were dressed in costumes as diverse as medieval warriors to traditional Chinese brides. Our reason for being there was the highlight event that was an over-the-top music extravaganza complete with laser beams, waterfalls, elaborate scenery and scores of dancers and singers. In unbelievable outfits they gave a 45-minute performance on a stage that was large enough to allow for horses to ride from one side to the other.
Many Chinese provinces are known for their specialty teas and the province in which Hangzhou is located is no exception. As our coach rode through the mountain valley where the tea was being grown, it was instructive to see the mostly women working their ways through the rows of tea bushes hand picking the tender leaves that would be made into teas sold all over the world.
The last event was a boat ride on West Lake. There are 36 lakes in China known as “west lake” but the one that hugs the Hangzhou shore is by far the most famous. On the back of the one RMB note is a picture of West Lake and the so-called floating Buddhas.
I can attest that the stone Buddhas are still there and are even more impressive when as night falls the light inside each stone statue gives off an eerie reflection.
So as our boat ride ended, we were treated to a beautiful sunset concluding a day filled with activities that supported Marco Polo’s belief that the city of Hangzhou is “one of the most splendid in the world.”
Features
Related Photos
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Some of the floating Buddhas in West Lake at Hangzhou.
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A scene from one of the musical numbers at the theater in Hangzhou.
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University personnel wait to accept applications and answer questions about their openings.
Discussion
July 8, 2011
A memorable trip to China’s Hangzhou
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