Before embarking on my journey to China, I did not know what to expect. What would the Chinese people be like? Would my new job at Beijing Royal School be all that I hoped? How would my students behave? After over 6 months in China, I am now able to answer all of those questions with a huge sigh of relief. There are so many incredible things I have managed to experience in China and I will only be able to share a snapshot of them with you. Since my arrival in early September I have already been offered so many opportunities and had many new positive experiences.
在踏上我的中国之旅之前，我心中充满了对未知生活的不安和疑虑。中国人怎么样?在北京王府学校的新工作会一切如愿吗?学生们的行为举止如何?如今，半年时间转瞬即逝，我现在已经释然多了。不仅如此，从2016年9月初来中国至今，我还收获了许多前所未有的宝贵体验，很乐意在此和大家分享。
▲ Charlotte(右二)在王府学校参加秋季运动会
The entrance to Beijing Royal School is as grand and beautiful as the people within it. Although I have only been in China a short time I have already made friends with many people, both Chinese and Foreign. As the school offers an international education, that means not only do I get to experience Chinese culture but I get to learn from people from all over the world. In January, my lovely boss and friend, Belinda (夏伟燕) offered both me and my boyfriend the opportunity to visit to her home and learn how to make dumplings. Of course, as a foreigner I had no idea how to make this delicious Chinese specialty and was overwhelmed by how warm my colleagues were in making me feel at home. I already feel that I have made some great friendships that have truly contributed to my positive view of China. After this experience, I am proud to say that I made my own dumplings and was able to share this dish with my parents when I visited my home back in England. My time in China so far has made me realize the importance of learning. Not only knowledge from a book, but from the places we go and the people we spend our time with.
王府学校的大门设计恢弘壮观，校内的员工也同样高端大气。尽管来的时间不算长，我已经结交了几位好朋友，他们既有中国人，也有外国人。
王府是一所国际学校，在这里我既能体验到中国文化，也能结识到来自五湖四海的朋友。今年一月，我的主管夏伟燕老师邀请我和男友到她的家里做客，还亲手教我们制作中国传统美食——饺子。尽管这对于一个外国人来说比较困难，但是她的好客和诚意已经深深打动我们。能够结交新朋友也是我喜欢这里的原因之一。现在我可以自信地说，我已经会自己做饺子了，等返回英国故乡的时候，我会亲手做给我的父母吃。在中国的时光让我意识到学习的重要性，而且体验到除了书本，旅游、交友同样可以获得知识。
Chinese culture is highly focused on education as it is seen as a window to the world. I can see this attitude welded into my students, driving them to work as hard as they physically can in order to succeed. When I compare my experience of education to theirs – I cannot. From a foreign perspective the students here are like machines; able to handle large amounts of information and work in an ever structured manner. As the school continues to adapt and becomes more internationalized, I can see that the students will benefit from a fresh outlook. My students are creative and energetic, but like an old battery, we drain them with long hours and heavy textbooks. Although I understand that there are differences in Chinese education and culture, I still find it hard to accept this as a norm.
That said, in the short time I have been at the school there have been so many changes for the better and I am sure that as time passes even more will come. I only hope that one of them is allowing our students more time to be creative and express themselves so that we can help them to be prepared in their transition to university.
中国文化非常重视教育，他们认为教育是了解世界的窗口。这种观点也深深地植根于年轻人的意识中，我的学生们为了以后的前程都在拼命学习，相比自己的学生时代，我自感相形见绌。以一个外国人的视角看，中国学生真是太用功了，能够短期内系统性地掌握如此大量的知识。随着学校越来越国际化，学生们也受益良多。但是课业负担还是占据了学生们过度的精力，以至于他们难以有足够的“电量”去张开想象的翅膀，进行创意活动。尽管我理解东西方教育理念的不同，但还是很难接受这一点。
简言之，在我来到这里仅仅几个月的时间里，学校每天都在发生着日新月异的变化，我相信随着时间的推移，学校的发展会越来越好。我希望能多给学生们一些时间去发挥创意，让他们以自己的方式表达自我，加上老师们的引导，最终使他们迈入理想的高等学府。
One word that comes to mind when I think of BRS is “opportunity”. I have found BRS to be flexible, progressive and supportive. I have been an ESL Teacher for over 3 years and throughout this time have worked for different language schools. But, at no point would I have considered myself a part of the school the same way I do here. For a foreigner working in a different country career development can be difficult. However, in my office I am surrounded by teachers that have been supported by the school to go overseas and obtain their masters degrees, enroll on training courses or attend lectures given by prestigious professors. This shows that the school really does invest in its people, pushing them to meet their full potential. A good example of this is back in November of last year when I began running my own clubs for teachers: a Zumba Club and a Fitness Club. These are two things that I love to do and was encouraged by the school to share my passion with others. In addition to this, I have been involved in delivering a TOEFL Training Course to other teachers to promote cohesion among teachers and share our teaching experience with one another. The Chinese focus on education plays a part here and shows that not only the students are keen to learn but the teachers also strive for continuous personal development.
说起王府学校，一个词会立刻跳入我的脑海——机遇。我发现王府学校是一个有弹性、开明和鼓励人的地方。过去3年间，我曾在多家语言学校任职做ESL老师，但是从来没有哪一所学校像王府学校一样给我一种归属感。对于一个在异乡求职的外国人来说，谋求职业发展是很难的。但是，现在就在我的办公室里，许多老师都曾经通过学校资助获得过海外深造的机会，他们有些人取得了硕士学位，有些人接受了职业课程的培训，还有些人听过著名教授的培训课。一切都表明，王府学校重视培养人才，不惜成本帮助他们实现职业抱负。还有一个很好的例子。去年11月我在王府学校组织了两个面向老师的兴趣俱乐部：健身舞俱乐部和减肥俱乐部，这个想法得到了学校的大力支持。另外，我还开设了一门托福考试教师培训课程，这些活动不仅有效增进了教师之间的凝聚力，还藉此分享了彼此的教学经验。中国人重视教育渴望学习不仅体现在学生方面，老师亦是如此。
During my time traveling I have been lucky enough to visit 8 Asian countries, all of which have their own distinct culture and are unique in their own way. Of all of the places I have been, some of my favorites I have seen in the last 6 months in China. The famous food street in Wangfu Jing decorated with hanging lanterns, the hidden gems in the Hutongs and of course you can’t forget the breathtaking Great Wall, to name a few. Above all, the most memorable place would have to be the Summer Palace. While visiting I was moved by the rich history, beautiful scenery and attention to detail on every pagoda. When I reached the top of the Summer Palace to take in the view, I looked out across Kunming Lake and was reminded once more of the reason I came to China. The current season showcases the beauty of China, framing every building with pink blossoms and sunshine. If I am asked for advice on places to visit in Asia I would be sure to recommend this phenomenal site.
我曾有幸去过8个亚洲国家旅游，每个地方都有其独特的风土人情。中国无疑是我最喜欢的地方之一。有最负盛名挂满大红灯笼的王府井小吃一条街，隐匿在胡同深处的瑰宝，摄人心魄的万里长城等等。其中最令我难忘的是北京的颐和园，我被它悠久的历史、迷人的景色和精美绝伦的宝塔所深深折服。当我登到颐和园的最高点，俯瞰身下的昆明湖，很庆幸自己选择来到中国。3月的北京很美，盛开的樱花和温暖的阳光勾勒出这个城市的线条。如果你不知道选择哪个亚洲国家旅游，我会毫不犹豫地建议你来这个了不起的国家——中国。
For all of the things I have mentioned above and more, I would like to express my gratitude toward my new friends and Beijing Royal School for making me feel so welcome. I feel like I have become a part of the team and look forward to continuing with my career at BRS.
综上所述，我想对王府学校和我的朋友们再次表达我的感激之情，这里像家一样温暖，我期盼在这里继续我的职业生涯。
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