English Teacher in China
Shanghai
April to August 2006
Background
In 2006, I taught ESL (English as a Second language) at a college in Shanghai for a 4 month period. This was my last little ‘project’ of a period that spanned a period of more than 3 years. I left South Africa in June of 2003 to go and teach ESL in Taiwan.
I stayed for 18 months in Taiwan and then decided to experience mainland China too. I stayed a period of 19 months in China, mainly working for one company called Delter-Telford International Business Institute.
I was fortunate to move around China with them, staying and teaching in 4 different provinces: Nanjing, Wuhu (Anhui), Liuzhou (Guangxi) and lastly Shanghai.
Shanghai is a huge city, both with regards to surface area and population. The public transport system is excellent and cheap, and I used every spare moment to explore the city. I also took my bicycle at times to explore and take photos. I had colleagues at the college who shared my passion for travel.
Shanghai is a city of contrast; Modern versus old and rich versus poor. It is a city that rarely sleeps.
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Huangpu river boat - Shanghai
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About Shanghai
Shanghai is a Chinese city located on the eastern coast of China, where the Yangtze River flows into the East China Sea. It is the most populous city proper in the world, with a population of more than 24 million as of 2014.
As one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of China, it is a global financial center and transport hub, with the world's busiest container port. Located in the Yangtze River Delta in East China, Shanghai sits on the south edge of the mouth of the Yangtze in the middle portion of the eastern Chinese coast.
As a major administrative, shipping and trading city, Shanghai grew in importance in the 19th century due to trade and recognition of its favorable port location and economic potential. The city was one of five treaty ports forced open to foreign trade following the British victory over China in the First Opium War.
In the 1990s, the economic reforms introduced by Deng Xiaoping, resulted in an intense re-development of the city, aiding the return of finance and foreign investment to the city.
Shanghai has been described as the "showpiece" of the booming economy of mainland China; renowned for its Lujiazui skyline, and museums and historic buildings, such as those along The Bund (Wikipedia).
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| Shanghai street scenery |
Home & Work
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| College where I taught at |
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| Two of the ESL teachers at our apartment block |
The Huangpu river & The Bund
The Bund or Waitan "outer bank" is a waterfront area in central Shanghai. The area centers on a section of Zhongshan Road (East-1 Zhongshan Road) within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing the high, modern skyscrapers of Pudong (Wikipedia).
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| Huangpu river scenery with Pudong skyline |
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| The Bund |
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| At the Bund - Pudong skyline behind me |
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| The Bund |
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| Huangpu riverboat & ship |
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| At the Bund - Pudong skyline behind me |
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| Huangpu river ferry at dusk with Pudong skyline in the background |
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| Huangpu river ferry at dusk with Pudong skyline in the background |
Shanghai old street
Shanghai Old Street, historically called Miaoqian Dajie, is an old business street that has a combination of tourist attractions, shops, entertainment, and cultural exhibits.
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| Giant tea pot |
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| Old Street |
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| Old Street |
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| Old Street |
Nanjing Lu
Nanjing Road (Nánjīng Lù) is the main shopping street of Shanghai, China. It is one of the world's busiest shopping streets.
The street is named after the city of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, which neighbors Shanghai (Wikipedia).
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| Nanjing road scenery |
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| Nanjing road advertisements |
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| Nanjing road Building advertisement |
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| Nanjing road scenery |
Informal business & street markets
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| Street tailor |
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| Watermelons for sale |
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| Clothes for sale |
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| Fruit and veg |
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| Seafood |
Street rest & relaxation
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| Businessman |
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| Chinese chess |
Housing & apartments
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| Apartment block |
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| Apartment block |
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| Old versus new |
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| Alley house |
Traffic & Transportation
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| Traffic |
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| Traffic |
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| Fixing a trike |
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| Gas delivery |
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| Shanghai transport |
Touristy spots & streets
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| Scott and another colleague |
Street food
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| Street food |
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| Street food |
Exploring Shanghai by bike
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Jacgui an Australian colleague trying to decipher a map…..
before GPS came out….we often cycled together to explore Shanghai.
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| BBQ sticks at a night market |
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| Huangpu river canal barges |
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| Huangpu river canal barge |
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| Vendor |
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| Vendor |
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| Canal housing |
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Cycling for exercise and adventure in Shanghai.
Behind me a barge on the Huangpu river. |
During my last 6 weeks in Shanghai, I managed and taught an English summer camp for 7 Korean teenagers.
We stayed at the top floor of a sky rise apartment block and I had to teach English and take them on educational outings.
I had a Chinese assistant, named Apple, who helped with all the arrangements and translation.
Outings
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| Boarding a train to downtown Shanghai |
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| Downtown Shanghai skyline |
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| Downtown Shanghai skyline |
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| Downtown Shanghai skyline |
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| Downtown Shanghai skyline |
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| Shanghai |
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| Relaxing at an ice-cream shop with my students |
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| Alex & John in a tourist tram - Nanjing Road |
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| Shanghai scenery |
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| Shanghai architecture |
Evening of Karaoke
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| Karaoke night - the name of the Karaoke 'bar' |
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| Kim singing his heart out |
Fun at home
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| View from our apartment |
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| View from our apartment |
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| Class time |
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| Kimchi - standard meal....6 weeks of this? |
BBQ on the roof
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| Rooftop BBQ with students |
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| Michael doing the BBQ |
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| Alex enjoying his food |
Farewell
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Group photo: L-R: Apple, Me, shy girl, Alex, Sydney, Kim, John and Clarke
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