The Harbin Years

In my last post I explained why Hainan so you are maybe curious as to why Harbin? After all it is one of the coldest places in China. I suppose the truth was twofold, trust in the man who was employing me, and money I had to pay out up front. My internet searches had left me with two options, one of which was Harbin, with a company called Will Excel.

I chose the latter and it was a great choice. It called for me to have a month of TESOL training followed by six months of supervised and evaluated classroom experience. So, on the 4^th August 2007, I left Huan in Hainan and set off on my new journey. My first shock came when Dan, (my new boss), met me at Harbin airport at 5:30 in the afternoon and the temperature was 28°C, (82.4°F). That was a pleasant surprise. On the Monday after, we enjoyed a ‘Welcome Dinner’, a great evening, but a little warm. Temperatures were still high and there we were in a ‘Hot-Pot’ restaurant, each of us with our own little hot-pot, and only one free standing A/C unit to cool us all down! Then it was down to business.

Within a very short time I was wondering what on earth I had done, how was I ever going to become a teacher? Studying all day, homework every night, teaching in my first week too! Those first seven months were hard. I lost count of the number of nights I was up till two or three in the morning working on ‘lesson plans’. Luckily for me Huan had already joined me and was doing her best to keep me sane! Slowly however things got better. I realised that I actually loved teaching those eager Chinese students and life began to improve.

Then came winter! My God. I had never felt anything like it in my life. Temperatures would regularly go down to -35°C (-31°F). Walking to school with two pairs of long underwear, fur lined boots, nostrils freezing together was a new experience for me, and despite the fact she is from Harbin, for Huan too. Anyway we survived it and life carried on. In March 2003, I graduated, with distinction! For me, it was a very proud moment.

Life carried on, Huan and I got married in 2008, we had to go to Dalian as that is where her Hukou is registered. Of course, on returning to Harbin we had to have the ‘studio photographs!

I took and ‘passed’ my driving test and we bought our first car. I loved it. Huan made me sell it because we had a flat battery two or three times during the winter. Like all my cars since, it was a Chinese one, albeit designed by Pininfarina.

We even got used to the weather, so much so that by the last winter of 2014/2015, I was walking to school with no long underwear at all. My students thought I was crazy! During those nearly eight years I had a fantastic time. I worked with Will Excel’s partner school, Sunshine (abbreviated name) teaching all ages from three to fifty-nine. I moved up through Senior Teacher to Assistant Director Of Studies. Sunshine was not only all work, there were numerous trips, rafting, hiking, boat trips, many social functions, an annual Christmas party which I had the honour to MC every year.

The foreign teachers were also a great crowd, new teachers were always welcomed and leaving teachers seen off with a party. Some stayed for their minimum duration others are still there. Some got married to local Chinese girls, I even acted as the ‘celebrant / minister’ for some of their weddings. I have to say it was one of the best places and the best bunch of people I have ever worked with. I could have carried on, probably until I was 70, but decided that it would be prudent to retire.

So, that’s it for Harbin. I have many more memories and thousands more photos, if you want to know more, just drop me a message!