老盅, is how am I known in China. I moved to China is 2004 and left in 2010 after six wonderfully exciting years teaching English and IT as well as travelling all-over the vast country.
I went ‘blind’ and the only Chinese I knew was a few lines from a famous song, Tian Mi Mi by a (long-since deceased) Theresa Tang from Taiwan. Because I knew nothing of the language I decided the best place would be as far from foreign influence as possible and so I took a job in Heilongjiang province, Suihua city. Talk about a culture shock! The only fear I had was the impending MINUS 35C winter that I knew was just weeks away. But I survived and followed my sweetheart to Qinhuangdao in Hebei province. Tanya had moved there because of a job offer with one of the most prestigious universities in the country. I had to work my contract out (which as it happened I didn’t – read the story in the Suihua section) but was soon on a train heading south and out of the ‘tundra’.
I decided to start The-Orient-Express.com ‘blog’ to save me from sending hundreds of emails every month. In the-oirient-express.com I made weekly entries of what was going on in my life but this soon expanded as my experiences did. It went from a simply diary with photos of China and Chinese people to then include lessons on speaking Chinese. It was a case of, ‘if only I had know that!’
I met literally hundreds of people as friends and still keep in touch with 100+ via QQ (The ‘MSN’ of China) which also helps to keep my Chinese skills up-to-date.
I left with a heavy heart but will return sometime soon.
If I could make it my permanent home then I would. Our son was born in Qinhuangdao – the first fully-foreign baby to have been delivered in the whole of Hebei so he’ll have fun explaining that to schoolteachers in years to come!
Enjoy China for what it is. Don’t take your values with you but be careful of your valuables.
