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egwidener

Joined: 13 May 2007 Posts: 43 Location: China
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject: Teaching in Lijiang |
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I am considering accepting a position in Lijiang, Yunnan that pays well over the average.
Does anyone have any experience teaching in this town? Or has anyone heard from someone who is/was? |
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InTime
Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 1676 Location: CHINA-at-large
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 10:56 am Post subject: |
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I have a friend there who has there a:
*Chinese wife
*traditional "hutong-type" house
*a September job at tourism college |
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stillnosheep

Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Nice town, very pretty. Close to pretty spectacular scenery. |
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egwidener

Joined: 13 May 2007 Posts: 43 Location: China
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 10:33 am Post subject: |
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And clean air, from what I read...since arriving in a severely polluted city in technically Northern China, I (among other foreigners and locals alike) have had a constant cough. It'll be very nice to not have friends and family back in the States asking if I am sick whenever we speak. |
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egwidener

Joined: 13 May 2007 Posts: 43 Location: China
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 2:53 am Post subject: |
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I vaguely remember hearing once that this area was the one that inspired the mythical paradise on Earth known as Shangri-La...can anyone second this? |
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Steppenwolf
Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 4:49 am Post subject: |
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egwidener wrote: |
I vaguely remember hearing once that this area was the one that inspired the mythical paradise on Earth known as Shangri-La...can anyone second this? |
No, that's not true. I read Hilton's book and he says in no uncertain terms that his SHangri-La is a pure creation of his imagination. He does describe it as though it was in Tibet, not in China although one of the abbots in the monastery is a Chinese.
But you may care to know that the authorities have permitted a different town, ZHONGDIAN, to change its name to Shangri-La. IT is a Tibetan town in northern Yunnan situated at 3200 meters above sea level; 'Zhongdian" does not sound very inspiring and the Chinese seem to have forgotten the Tibetan place-name, Gyaltso (SP?) opf it although it still is home to a very large number of Tibetans. TIbetans in the area are relatively well-to-do, and there are many monks too. However, over the past few years tourism has come to town in a big way, so no doubt Shangri-La is quickly going the way of all those mass-tourism destinations such as Phuket or Bali albeit with mostly Chinese touroid hordes.
BUt I would recommend a visit there as well as a jaunt to Luhu Lake to the NE.
By the way, I consider Lijiang dangerously overcrowded in summer though the town's new borroughs seem to be less haunted by the masses. Your employer no doubt will house you and place you in classes in the new areas.
Make sure you get your legal documents! |
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egwidener

Joined: 13 May 2007 Posts: 43 Location: China
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:33 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for in info...and yeah, I heard about the tourist season...should be an interesting ride though... |
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lychee
Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 109
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:54 am Post subject: |
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If money is not your consideration, I could think of worst places to teach.
I noticed a tourism Uni or College when I was there last and I thought to myself, that would be such a great place to teach. So many tourists go there and you could give the students hands on experience.
Already my mind is racing with ideas.
Show them the different aspects of tourism . the commercial all those trinket shops and the Eco tourism.
If it is the Tourism Uni or college I would consider it. |
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Mister Al

Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 840 Location: In there
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 8:14 am Post subject: |
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Lijiang has two distinct parts. Old and New. The 'New' Town which I spent only a little time is fine. The 'Old' Town is the tourist trap but very pretty. However, after a day or three it gets a bit dull and samey. The service in many of the eateries is pretty cr*p - the place teems with people and they are all busyish, so no motivation. Having said all that, I too, could think of worse places to live/work. Overall. I think it's pretty good. So, for me the most important factor would be the quality of the work situation. |
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egwidener

Joined: 13 May 2007 Posts: 43 Location: China
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 9:30 am Post subject: |
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It's not a tourism Uni, it is an International Language School.
Thanks for the suggestions. Maybe I'll take a look at the tourism uni as well. |
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