A very warm reception

Well, I’ve been living and working here at Xi’An Middle School for just a shade over two weeks now, and all I can say is that this place amazes me and continues to amaze me on almost a daily basis.

First of all, there’s the place itself: it’s a small city, almost! This place is titanic! This middle school is its own little bustling metropolis filled with classroom buildings, dormitories, dining halls, libraries, supermarkets, athletic facilities, and probably lots more that I haven’t even laid eyes upon.

Really, though, the physical layout of this place stands as but a distant second when I recount its impressive qualities. What truly impresses me about this school is the people I find here. The faculty here has been helpful to the point of it becoming embarrassing for me. Every teacher and administrator that has crossed my path within this establishment has bent over backwards to make me feel welcomed as is humanly possible and to make my transition into the life of an instructor in a Chinese boarding-school as smooth as can be. I’ve yet to meet any employee here who is not staggeringly considerate, accommodating and helpful (I can’t help but wonder if there might be some creepy “Stepford Wives” kind of thing going on here. I’ll keep you posted either way).

And then, there’s the students. The students I’ve met at Xi’An Middle School also rank highly on the list of “Nicest People I’ve Ever Met” right along with the teachers. The students here are polite, enthusiastic, eager, and – most of all – inquisitive. I am scarcely able to leave my apartment here on campus without being accosted by several curious students who want to chat me up with questions or tell me how much they enjoyed my class that morning (that’s not a complaint, mind you, I’m simply illustrating a point). It’s astounding, truly. The students are oftentimes very shy and I find it to be exceedingly difficult to get them to voluntarily practice their spoken English in class, but I also find that once I hit upon a topic of conversation that is of particular interest, it can be difficult for me to get a word in edgewise.

Meeting and living among the people I’ve encountered here in Xi’An (verily, in all parts of China) has been the highlight of this trip. My only concern is as to whether or not I am meriting such thoughtfulness and generosity; whether or not the quality of teaching that I am delivering is adequately expressing my appreciation for such attentive consideration and support. I will always think first of the individuals I’ve met during the past four weeks when I reminisce about my time spent in China, but, if nothing else, the kindness shown to me here will serve as practical motivation for me to assiduously hone my skills as a teacher and better serve the people who have done so much for me.