How do you say “opportunity” in Cantonese?

2

June 12, 2016 by readlisaread

I will be traveling this summer– further afield than I have ever been– to a “small town” (population of just under 3 million) in the province of Shanxi, called Tai Yuan. (Yes, sounds, to the western ear, like Taiwan).  I will be teaching about Canadian culture and what going to Canadian school is like for a group of young people considering spending a year in our International Program.  This trip represents an expansion of our program, which will be running for the third year in Beijing, and adding Tai Yaun and 2 other sites as well.  Now, gentle reader, if you are considering grumbling and tut-tutting about Tax Payers’ Money, let me first assure you that you needn’t clutch your purse strings tighter to your chest, unless you are equally concerned for Chinese tax payers, and also you should know that that modest tuition we charge foreign learners (modest in comparison to all other countries) makes the program not only viable, but self-sustaining.  Our host sites are welcoming this contingent of Canadian teachers, with a view to encouraging more enrollment in our school district. We will teach 3 weeks of “sample school” from mid July, returning after the first week of August.

Researching the site of my upcoming adventure proved interesting.  I could find some good basic facts, like:

In addition to its position as an industrial giant, Taiyuan is also a centre of education and research, particularly in technology and applied science. Notable schools include Shanxi University (1902) and Taiyuan University of Technology, which originally was part of Shanxi University and became a separate institution in 1953.

In an attempt to understand possibilities of navigating the city, I found this wonderful bit of information– very Chinese style:

Screen Shot 2016-06-12 at 2.51.11 PM

Tai Yuan seems to be notable for its food, its industrial history, and its history in general.  The Fen river runs through it, and though we will be there in the rainy season, it looks to be mild, and by all accounts, we 5 Canadians in this particular contingent will be welcomed, and possibly even made a spectacle.  As the GirlChild said:  “You will be a GIANT there!  And blonde and blue eyed?  Oh no, they will be selling tickets.”

Adventure Level 11.

 

 


2 comments »

  1. Steven Read says:

    I hope you have a wonderful trip…what an excellent opportunity. If you get the chance try the Colorful 4 Ring Roller Coaster in Yingze Park; it looks like a blast.

  2. readlisaread says:

    Thank you for reading, Steven. Most people would not think a Roller Coaster would appeal to me, but I’ve been known to make an exception….

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