Every week Shane, Shobana and I meet with a group of Chinese English teachers to help them practice their English. We usually have an informal conversation, lasting around 45 minutes, about anything ranging from teaching methods to hobbies to the Hukou (household registration) system. What's really great about these meetings is they are mutually beneficial- we help the teachers practice their spoken English, they teach us about China.
One meeting we discussed China's countryside and the many changes it has undergone within the past decade. You hear so much about migrant workers leaving the countryside to find work in cities. Prior to moving to Hunan, I had the naive notion that everyone dreams of someday moving to the big city for a better life. Hearing the perspective of families making a decent living in the countryside has, in many ways, rocked my world. Most of the teachers are middle-aged women who are married and have children. Among this segment of the population the feeling seems universal, at least at OYY: people prefer to live in the countryside.
They say life in the countryside has more freedom, physical and otherwise. There is more space for families to build their own homes. The greater space also means less restrictions, particularly with fireworks, which play a large role in life in China. We hear fireworks on a semi-daily basis. The teachers told us people set off fireworks for everything- happy things, sad things, mundane things. Nothing is too trite for fireworks. Perhaps when I finish this blog post that has remained unfinished for several months now, I will set off a few fireworks of my own.
The pace of life here is also special. The pace is slower, so there is more time for deep and meaningful conversations. This is something the women specifically mentioned. In the city, you are busy, always on the go. When people come home after work, they enter their apartments and are in for the night. Here interactions extend beyond the work hours. People often dance or sing karaoke together late into the evening. During holidays everyone remains near or at the school, because all their families live here too. Relationships are different, everything is shared. I love how all the teachers call each other sisters.
Apparently even the laws have changed to accommodate people living in the countryside so they can enjoy more rights such as medical insurance. This is something I will research more on my own.
I loved living in Beijing, but I'm also enjoying country living. The biggest difference I have experience so far is greeting. Here, I greet people. They greet me. We greet each other. The greeting of random strangers you pass on the street would not happen in Beijing. As a result I feel welcomed here, even loved. I need to give the countryside more credit. People are happy here, as am I.
One meeting we discussed China's countryside and the many changes it has undergone within the past decade. You hear so much about migrant workers leaving the countryside to find work in cities. Prior to moving to Hunan, I had the naive notion that everyone dreams of someday moving to the big city for a better life. Hearing the perspective of families making a decent living in the countryside has, in many ways, rocked my world. Most of the teachers are middle-aged women who are married and have children. Among this segment of the population the feeling seems universal, at least at OYY: people prefer to live in the countryside.
They say life in the countryside has more freedom, physical and otherwise. There is more space for families to build their own homes. The greater space also means less restrictions, particularly with fireworks, which play a large role in life in China. We hear fireworks on a semi-daily basis. The teachers told us people set off fireworks for everything- happy things, sad things, mundane things. Nothing is too trite for fireworks. Perhaps when I finish this blog post that has remained unfinished for several months now, I will set off a few fireworks of my own.
The pace of life here is also special. The pace is slower, so there is more time for deep and meaningful conversations. This is something the women specifically mentioned. In the city, you are busy, always on the go. When people come home after work, they enter their apartments and are in for the night. Here interactions extend beyond the work hours. People often dance or sing karaoke together late into the evening. During holidays everyone remains near or at the school, because all their families live here too. Relationships are different, everything is shared. I love how all the teachers call each other sisters.
Apparently even the laws have changed to accommodate people living in the countryside so they can enjoy more rights such as medical insurance. This is something I will research more on my own.
I loved living in Beijing, but I'm also enjoying country living. The biggest difference I have experience so far is greeting. Here, I greet people. They greet me. We greet each other. The greeting of random strangers you pass on the street would not happen in Beijing. As a result I feel welcomed here, even loved. I need to give the countryside more credit. People are happy here, as am I.
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| New Year's Day dinner with a student and her family |
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