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Last summer, I had the opportunity to teach English as a second language to students in Fuyang, China. The language program was part of the China English Summer Camp 2004 program offered by APAC Education Connections.
Teaching in the city of Fuyang
Following an 11-hour flight from Vancouver, I, along with other teachers from Canada, arrived at Shanghai's large, noisy and busy airport. From there, we embarked on a three-hour drive to Hangzhou. At first glimpse, it seemed that a national pastime in China is to pass every vehicle on the road-no matter what side of the road you're on. As we drove, we commented on the bustle of the city and on its architecture. Everyone who passed was rushing to get somewhere, dashing past the beautiful trees and flowers flanking the roadways.
By the time we arrived at our hotel, I had been awake for 33 hours and would have been content to sleep on the floor. Fortunately, I had a comfortable bed, air conditioning and a true toilet, which, I was to discover, was something of a luxury.
The city of Fuyang is located in China's Zhejiang province, approximately 120 kilometres west of the capital city, Hangzhou, and 300 kilometres west of Shanghai. Our group of teachers was split between Hangzhou and Fuyang (population 600,000+). Hangzhou had fewer students participating in the English camp than did Fuyang, so only three teachers remained in the capital city.
The city of Fuyang is rich in history. The original settlement dates back to...