Notes From Xi'an 西安随感

It seems that this week has marked a turn toward summer and a goodbye to winter- already hot and happy days here in Xi’an. However, I must apologize to those out there enjoying these warm Spring days who also have an understanding of the great art of poetry; as one afternoon at my desk this week, with the sun not far away and with a pen poised over a few Chinese characters, these very English words came streaming out. It was a pleasure to write, the apology above applies to the fact the same may not be able to be said about the time to read. First however, a quick note from James Fenton’s excellent ‘An Introduction to English Poetry‘: ” The voice is raised, and that is where poetry begins”. (2002: 10)
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These pictures represent a small glimpse into the workings, projects and characters of The Yellow River Soup Kitchen. Below this gallery are a couple of brief extracts and opportunities to continue reading, first, the founder’s enlightening thoughts on his and the projects motivations and growth, and second, some thoughtful observations from a visitor’s chance encounter. The Yellow River Soup Kitchen was established here in Xi’an in December 2005, it was the first Soup Kitchen in China.

*Each picture can be clicked through individually or a slideshow can be created by pressing the PicLens tab below. (The 3D link just goes to the designer’s site.)

[View with PicLens]

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[updated Jan. 2012] Reading and listening to so many negative, one-sided, manipulative, smug and condescending voices on things China recently (and they were just my own!), I feel like simply writing a brief note reminding myself of why I like living in Xi’an.

First and foremost, I like the people that surround me on a day-to-day basis, the Xi’anese. They are a matter-of-fact bunch, a straightforward lot, and a generally supportive and friendly collection of people. I generalise on the basis of the impressions that have been planted within me during the last three [5] years. I like Xi’an, I like the people and I like living here. [although there is too much traffic now and too many shopping malls] We of course must take into account the fact I am a Laowai (老外) and thus I am treated, generally, with a slightly friendlier and more helpful hand than some members of the Chinese community might experience. Though, this may also depend on the extent of each individual Laowai’s forbearance in the face of things China and Chinese. (more…)

Image from www.chinagaze.com

I have lived on the same street in Xi’an for nearly three years, in that time, on that street I have witnessed instances of people being pick-pocketed or in the process of having their pockets picked hundreds of times. I have never in all that time, seen anyone doing this job that is not a member of the Xinjiang community. A community, on this street, of some twenty or so people within a wider community of thousands. It was, from the beginning, usually a very young and small boy that floated amongst the commuters and students, with a chaperon near-by. That is still the case but there are also older youths involved in the process now and there are more groups of them.

These individuals are known by the regular community and are often noted by newer passers-by, as the pickpockets are so blatant in their attempts, but nothing is ever done. It is not uncommon to see an individual bending almost horizontally from the waist, stretching arm and fingers or scissors into a part opened handbag or pocket. I make no judgement about this in terms of motivation, blame, reasoning or excuse but simply observe and ask the question: How is it that this behaviour is allowed to so blatantly go on and particular from within a minority community, that stands out in their acts so obviously? It seems a question of attitude, law, policing and almost certainly culture and politics and who knows what within.

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Xi’an, Xi’an, Xi’an!

I liked it when I first arrived and I like it now. We can complain about this and that, I probably do, I certainly have, but I enjoy living here. I read somewhere recently someone bemoaning the lack of running opportunities here in Xi’an, or more specifically, the negatives about actually putting foot to tarmac in this fair city. They are, for sure, not far wrong in their appraisal; however, air pollution or not, regular bike riding and somewhat irregular running have allowed me to run up the 4 flights of stairs to my flat without a breath out of place and that’s not something I’ve always been able to do. I will now of course, after making such a statement, contract one horrible lung infection or other but hey ho! It is, a little, like riding these motorbike taxis here; I like them, I like it, it feels great but it could of course be the death of me. I will live that chance, so to speak. ps. If you’ve never hung out or been for a run at Shi Da’s campus/running track, it comes recommended. (more…)

Xi’an. Modern City, city of the ancients, city of technology, science and education, city of a city wall, city of the Buddha’s finger, city of Emperors, city of conquest, city of contradiction.

An ancient city of culture without culture, a contemporary culture sublimating a culture, a city finding balance in a future culture. The bright lights of a night city pagoda’s entertainment mall, wide freeways and san lun ches (三轮车s). Warmth, hospitality, overpricing, free drinks, lao wai (老外), differences and not a few similarities. Simplicity, clarity, haziness and pollution. Sixty in a class, extra curricula classes, never enough classes, I like my classes, I like my classmates, I like my school, I like my country. My country likes me.

River people, widowed people, homeless people, newly-housed people, proud people, loud people, peaceful people, people of a time, people of a place. Xi’an’s people. Silent people, singing people, walled-in people, self-determined people, educated people, un-educated people, realistic people, hopeful people. Different people.

Free will, no will. Expansion, development, disrepair, has been repaired, still needs to be repaired. Newly built, not really built, needs to be rebuilt. Does matter, doesn’t matter. What matters? Food matters. This food, that food, what food, whose food? Our food. Have much, don’t have much, don’t want much, want what I haven’t got, got what I haven’t got. Warriors, borrowers, investors, debtors, jokers, jesters, trustees, trust hers, trust whose? Winning smiles, legs for miles, public trials and McDonalds selling  freedom fries.

Working life, lived life, living life, life of the past, life of the present, I like life. Xi’an’s life. Xi’an’s people. Zhong Lou, Nan Da Jie, Xiao Zhai, Bai Hui, Gao Xin, Chang’ An Lu. Happy people, sad people, living people. Xi’an’s people. We are those people.

What is it that makes people so self-concerned and so blinkered to the consequences of their actions? I don’t know but check out any road junction here in Xi’an and you’ll see the consequences. I have arrived back in Xi’an to discover that the road maintenance work on Chang An Nan Lu has nearly been completed. There is however a small stretch that remains without road markings and that includes a small side road junction with traffic lights still not turned on, the road at this point has space for about six lanes. I was stuck in an almighty traffic jam this week realising that though we were in the third (outside) lane going south, the three lanes further over were also going south, to put it another way all six lanes of traffic were going in the same direction! I thought for a second whether there was anywhere the oncoming traffic may have been re-routed to but realised there wasn’t, simply the cars behind had grown impatient and dived for the space to their left.

Now we were waiting as all six lanes of traffic funnelled back into one lane. The oncoming traffic was obviously causing a blockhead further down the road but because they in turn had become frustrated, buses and lorries had crossed over and were heading north on our side of the road. The situation then being: six lanes of traffic heading south, being met at some point by three lanes heading north, correctly on their side of the road, and two lanes of traffic heading north on our side of the road. This left one lane for all of our six lanes to funnel back into.

Needless to say, a journey that at that time of the day usually takes about one minute, took close to forty-five minutes. A couple of days later I was at the same junction on my bike and was faced with vehicles that were pointing as if to every point on a compass, in a vehicular state not dissimilar to one of Mr. Pollock’s most random of paintings. I actually tried to help out a bit, holding back a line of traffic for a minute to let two buses that were sitting perpendicular to a line of traffic pass through. However, no sooner had they moved out the way when three cars appeared on the wrong side of the road facing the line now freed by the departed buses, freedom was here a fleeting thing and only felt, not actually realized. I cycled off down the road.

I will finish this note with the observation that this kind of thing is not uncommon on the roads here, not always on this scale but scale is itself relative to circumstance- meaning: road junctions here are often a baffling, exceptionally frustrating, crazy mess of the most incomprehensible congestion, whether made of many or just a few vehicles. However, the majority involved do tend to stay remarkably calm and that I suppose, amongst the things that aren’t, is to their credit.

A return to Xi’an fraught with expectations and fear…, well may be I exaggerate a little, it was though a little intriguing to see how I was to find life here, having spent the longest period away for a few years. Being transported from down town London, by way of cars, aeroplanes, transit trains and buses, to the less salubrious environment of Yang Jia Cun, where I have lived for nearly 3 years (see below), was a little of a shock. Being surrounded again by the Chinese and particularly the street traders of the Cun didn’t sit so surely with my recently modelled arrogance and city street bravado of central London life: “ What am I doing here?”  I thought to myself.

However, within about a day the joys of life in Xi’an sunk in or at least some of the joys that I recognise did. The two most important being the openness with which the Chinese communicate with one another and that the reality of life for so many here quashes any pretension I had for an ambitious path within the school of bravado and arrogance- though of course some friends may disagree on that point!

So, whether it is observing a couple crouched at the roads edge chatting, workers animatedly passing the day together, pedestrians on the street spotting a friend or a brother in arms and sharing their delight in short sharp bursts of conversation and laughter, Xi’an is an uplifting place to be within. Secondly, having been amongst the metropolitan elite of London and the home county bourgeoisie of Surrey for a couple of months and having consumed a little of that finer air, I was momentarily somewhat laid off balance by the ‘in your face’ squalor of some parts of this fair city, that I now dwell within.

However, it does not take long for this very reality and the awareness of my own good fortune within this society to stop that arrogance dead in its tracks and immediately replace it with, if not a quite debilitating humility, certainly something of the sort. I am back in Xi’an, it may not be forever but while I am here I am probably learning more than I am aware of and certainly more than I can, at present, fully articulate.   

A note back on the streets of Xi’an and rainy streets they are to this week. The dry and, no matter what other hardened foreigners might say, humid city streets of Xi’an have been turned into May-soon washed, quagmiresque tributaries. In other words, it does not rain here much, it was just becomingly stiflingly hot but this week it has pretty much rained non-stop. However, being English and having recently re-engaged with my old running regime, I was happy to be out there jogging in the rain and not in the 25+ summer evening temperatures that I can never quite get used to.

Amazingly, or it would have been if I had only just arrived in Xi’an, as I have not it was actually to be expected, that on arrival at Shi Da’s running track I was to discover that I was one of only three on the track. Normally, this time of year and around that time of the evening, 9ish, there are literally hundreds strolling, walking the dog, chatting, romancing and even running around the track. Not to mention the soccer and badminton players, the Tai Qi exponents and the rhythmic line dancers taking up many of the other available spaces. The Chinese do not do going out in the rain.

I will take a moment to dwell on these dancers as they are always a joy to behold and I have watched them a few times in different locations this week. These dancers are not restricted to the wonderfully peaceful environs of Shi Da’s Campus sports ground but are to be found in public spaces all over the city. Someone has usually assembled some kind of music system that can actually create quite an imposing sound and through which it is not uncommon to even hear a little western dance music. A collection of women, often in there early 40′s and upwards, proceed to move in rhythmic harmony, legs and arms swirling in synchronised flourishes.

The core of regulars are usually joined by a few young hopefuls attempting to keep in step with their more mature partners. I like to occasionally observe these gatherings because whether they are middle-aged regulars or young track suited students there is a conspicuous lack of self-consciousness in their movements, no matter their ability, which is rather refreshing to behold.

Now, to continue on a different note but still with a rainy reference, I decided today to stand and contemplate one of the many minor road collisions that increasingly occur during this time of main road madness. A direct consequence of roads a plenty being ripped up in the name of the subway construction process, or as some say in preparation for the 60th anniversary of the Party. Of course, a greater number of accidents occurred in the torrential rain of this week.

Two cars had a minor coming together at the entrance of a two-lane road near my house, blocking one side completely. The cars on the side of the accident tailed up behind the two stationary vehicles at the front, while those on the other side continued to swing on down the road, access unimpeded. I had inside me at first a growing sense of frustration as I watched the two drivers just sit at the entrance of the road, paying no attention to the congestion they were creating behind them (not though an unusual fact). Then becoming increasingly annoyed at the way in which the oncoming traffic made no concession to those left stuck behind the two motionless vehicles. I wanted to get in the road, traffic attendant like, letting cars out here, holding others back there and generally getting the traffic moving on both sides.

However, as I continued watching I realized that even though nearly all the actions that took place were being decided upon on selfish grounds, the natural flow of life allowed a reasonable give and take of cars moving in both directions. People crossing the road, a stalled engine, a turn taken too wide, a traffic light further down the road, a U-turning vehicle all added to what became a natural flow of traffic up and down both sides of the road. A little stilted maybe, and on occasion more frustrating for one side than the other, but in the great scheme of things not a great deal less fluid, if at all, than would have been managed by a Chinese police officer standing there intentionally directing traffic. Apart from one of course, who had got those two cars moving in the first place.

[updated Jan.2012] It is about time I outlined what can be expected from a teacher’s life in Xi’an. The first point to note and to emphasize is that it offers the chance of a very good life. It is easy for a native English speaker to not only find work here but to be paid exceptionally well for doing something, in many cases, that they are not particularly well qualified to do.

There is a full spectrum of opportunities for teaching English in Xi’an. It is possible to teach in state or private schools, Kindergartens, Primary and Middle Schools, English Training Schools, Universities and Businesses; you can teach 1-1 classes, small group classes and huge classes up to 100. The choice, after some initial work undertaken from an Internet advert, will be up to you. So, what about workloads, money and all that stuff?

My only advice is that whatever job you initially take, take it on a short-term contract, generally recognised as being for 6 months [these s/t contracts are harder to find]. The obvious reason being that if you don’t like what you are doing you are not stuck within a contract, which may cause you some unnecessary visa problems if you want to get out of it. The age or level you may wish to teach is obviously your decision to make and will depend on what jobs you first come across.

A University appointment or a post at an English Training School offers the most straightforward introduction to teaching life in Xi’an. I will begin by discussing the later. A Training School basically means a foreign company with Chinese associates who operate classes of about 16 kids, for between 1- 2 hours, all day on Saturdays and Sundays and some evenings during the week.

These schools exist not simply because of the increased demand for learning English in China, but because Chinese children are put through the ringer when it comes to extra curricula study in all areas of their curriculum, something, but not all, to do with ordinarily having 50-90 classmates and not learning that much.

Now, this option is usually quite good because, as long as you choose a reputable company, you will get a visa, a guaranteed minimum wage per month, a flat to live in, return flights, and a bonus at the end of the contract [offers do differ eg. a higher wage may mean no flight]. The company will also probably have some experience of helping people integrate into life here. Moreover, this kind of teaching requires very little planning and marking and, most significantly, primarily takes place at the weekends. In fact, if you do take this option I would recommend that you only take the minimum contract at first, which is usually just at the weekend, because you will very quickly find other work opportunities which will pay more per hour (100+Yuan), than the roughly 65 Yuan your average contract based wage equates to.

So, to recap, one very common, though not always that professionally rewarding first step into teaching in Xi’an, is to take a basic 15-hour contract at an English training School (Aston English and English First are good places to start in Xi’an). These schools will give you about 4-6000 Yuan a month (15-25 hours a week), a visa and a flat, and a small bonus at the end of the contract. Plus these hours will almost solely be at the weekend, giving you time to start learning Chinese, check out the city, pick up extra work for a higher hourly rate, or just hang-out doing whatever it is you like to do or have always wanted to do.

The other main option is working for a University, which you will find advertised in abundance around the web. Xi’an offers a multitude of opportunities here as it has so many Universities. The Universities will need anything from a bit of speaking practice within a class of 100, to small group tuition, to specialized linguistic and literature teaching, or even the teaching of more specialized subject content. Strangely, the Universities don’t tend to pay as well as the private schools and training schools, and often require a lot more contact time, preparation and marking. You just have to decide what you are in it for.

Of course, teaching university students in many cases will be more stimulating than teaching young ones. However, the level of English, the motivation, the size of the classes, the standard of the university will all be factors that can make teaching Chinese University students a little frustrating, plus, unlike elsewhere, Universities want their pound of flesh when it comes to your commitment of time. Plus, young Chinese kids are a joy to be around. There will be though people with stories from across the spectrum, so read around, get a sense of what you are likely to be in for and sign a short term contract, you can always make a change later or stay on if you like it. [And don't forget whoever you come here with, once that contract and visa expires it will be very easy to find alternative teaching positions ]

The average hourly rate for freelance work is still about 100-125 Yuan, but can go up in some rather ridiculous circumstances to around 200 Yuan (some people really want a teacher). If you’re looking around at Beijing and Shanghai for example do not be put off by these rates, at 100 Yuan an hour here in Xi’an you will still be living a ridiculously easy life compared to the majority. You will, after initial acclimatization and depending on how many hours you choose to do, be able to save a good chunk of what you earn. Many of the teachers I come across here – who have been here a while – are able to save more than they would back at home, whether they come from Europe, Africa, the Americas or Australasia.

Also, unless you specifically find a rural school with a serious lack of funds or a legitimate voluntary work experience, do not be thinking: “Oh! The money’s not important, it’s just poor old developing China.” In the majority of situations, if you are not pocketing the money, the school’s manager or board of managers will be. If you are looking to just do a 3-6-12 month stint volunteering before heading back home then have a good look around, you don’t want to end up teaching some middle – class kids in Xi’an’s High Tech Zone. The links on my homepage to the ‘Yellow River Soup Kitchen’ and ‘The Library Project’ would offer you a first port-of-call for discovering legitimate voluntary opportunities around Xi’an, may be try and liaise with them first. I will also attempt to find out more about the organisations I have seen on the Internet advertising volunteer placements in Xi’an and will update this note accordingly. [the link is the update]

Teaching in Xi’an, whether for six months or for a few years, offers you the chance of a great life. Enjoy it. As a fellow teacher once noted: ‘Imagine receiving so many job offers you have to turn most of them down. Imagine a salary almost ten times higher than a native worker’s. Imagine a job that includes a free apartment, at least three weeks vacation and a plane ticket to return home. Imagine that this job requires no previous experience. Does this appear too good to be true? Not at all.’

You have the chance to choose your life a little here, as a friend and I often comment, it is like being retired with age on your side. Whether it’s just for a few months or for a few years it is a nice position to be in.

*[ I just came across this blog by Lawrence Smyth who discusses in an engaging way his early experiences of being in Xi'an as a teacher. For anybody thinking of coming here it is worth checking out, or worth checking out anyway whatever you are doing in Xi'an: www.teachingxian.blogspot.com (vpn/proxy needed) ]

**Here are just a few contacts, I will attempt to keep them up-to-date and add to them. I am not recommending them, just offering easy contacts, they are all private schools. There are just too many Universities in Xi’an to list here:

• Aston English School - A Popular English Training School
• English First- EF – Well Respected English Training School
• New Oriental English School - Kids to University students to Adults- (029) 87916969
• Royal International English School - Mostly Adults – 029-88315151 [link not working when last checked]
• Shane English School - Teachers Placed in Xi’an State Primary Schools – local mobile No. – 18602989696
• ToBest English - Teach English- hr@tobestenglish.com- (029) 62620000