International Teachers

Well, my life in Hubei province and in Wuhan, has been quite an experience! The firstthing I would like to mention is how I find Wuhan people nice and friendly! Since I lived here I’ve met many people who have given a lot to me. I remembered that one day I asked someone to help me with something, and this person told me that I should go and ask in this shop because the boss there knew how to help me. And when I arrived, this woman was very nice .She taught how to do it and even more I stay there for hours, sharing tea, talking, spending a very pleasant day!

Very often, the people I meet invite me to comein their house to share some time or a meal together, I find it very friendly! This summer I tried to make some dumplings and I have learnt how to play majiang with my friend’s family! My friend’s mother was very good at playing majiang even better than his father!

As everybody know, in summer, the weather in Wuhan is very hot, one of my friends had the idea to invite me to go in a mountain in Hubei Province, named Jiugongshan next to Xianning. It was much cooler up there, the scenery was beautiful and relaxing and I discovered Taiyicave. I also spent one weekend in Suizhou, I have been to hot springs there and enjoyed a nice promenade next to Pipao lake. Recently, I went to Liangzihu with some friends to savour some crabs, delicious! We took two different boats andarrived on an island where you can eat plenty of sea food, crabs, or water turtles!

I really have a lot of nice memories! In Jingzhou, I liked the museum very much, with his ancient houses from Tang Dynasty and a lot to learn about history!

I had the chance to discover the Yellow Crane Tower in a very special day. I was invited to a traditional weddingthere! I appreciateChinese traditions and customs in one of the most renowned towers, symbol of Wuhan and full of history! The architectureis spectacular and you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Yangtze River!

What I like particularly is to take the boat from Wuhan to Hankou, I like this view, the view of the Yangtze river, the view of this giant bridge, anytime I gothere and I feel so good, free, like flying! I took many pictures there at night, or during the day, all the colors change! And I even made a drawing of myself living in Wuhan, with this view on the background!

I also took the boat several times to go to Hankou and it’s always a pleasure to share this moment with my friends! I like this area very much! This summer, I was with a friend and I met “a swimming team” there. They told us that the 1st of October theywill cross the river and invited us to cross the river with them. To me, it was a great idea, and as l love swimming and China. It was a really good proposal. I couldn’t wait but my friend could not do it with me, and I was not courageous enough to do it without him. Therefore, I have to stay one more yearand it will be for next year!

Something that I like about China, and perhaps even more in Wuhan, is all this life around us, anytime! There is no Sunday, no day, no night, no summer, which people are moving, working, talking, dancing, living, anytime, anywhere…There is no season either. You can see people in the street dancing whenit’s winter and very cold! I find this really great, very different from what Iknow back home! And have you seen these Chinese traditional plays, right on the street. I find it full of life and very nice! The residents enjoy doing it and many people, most of themare retired, enjoy spending some hours watching it. Some of them carry theirown chairs fromhome! Not far from this place. There is a small garden in front of the Yangtze River. I went there perhaps three or four times and it’s always a new adventure for me. Sometimes I carry a book and just enjoy reading outside. However what I like the most is spending time with Chinese people, talking with them, listening to them singing, and they right there in front of me, just for the pleasure! I look at them playing cards or Majiang, drinking tea, and smoking cigarettes! They also like to meet foreigners and ask some questions about my life here, or back home. They always want to share something. I always enjoy being there!

I’m from a small city next to Marseille, and onething I can tell you, that if you go to the city center on a Sunday afternoon in winter, you will hardly meet any body! Funny, isn’t it?

Not to forget, in Wuhan, I discovered a new vegetable: Lotus roots! I like to eat the soup of lotus that people from wuhan do, and I will miss it when I go home! And I also have to mention: Reganmian, one of the most popular breakfast inWuhan! I like to eat these noodles with sesame sauce but not for breakfast,for lunch!