Foreign teachers building closer ties with locals

When Magdalena Lowczynska arrived in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, to teach English at a local kindergarten in 2011, she hardly ever went out due to the language barrier and new environment.

After studying Mandarin and Chinese culture for one year at Shanxi University, the 31-year-old Pole has blended in with the local community.

She is also a frequent visitor to places near campus such as "little Hong Kong".

"It's a food market in Xuxi village (close to the university), where I always go for dinner. They (the vendors) already know me so I don't have to order as they all remember what I want," Lowczynska said.

Thanks to the university's preferential policy and treatment, more international students and expatriates have discovered the inland province as an ideal place for studying Chinese culture and enjoying folk customs.

Valerie Forster, an English teacher at the School of International Education and Exchange, said she was impressed by the hospitality and respect of the local people, and has built solid friendships with her former Chinese students, who often invite her to visit their hometowns across Shanxi.

"I have always felt a bond between myself and Chinese people for some reason that I couldn't explain. There was no plan but it progressed into something making me feel like China is my home," said Forster, who taught English in Germany for 26 years.

Forster said she was satisfied with the "decent treatment" she received at Shanxi University and had no complaints about the manageable workload of 18 classes a week.

The school has recruited 10 foreign teachers and provides apartments for them with modern furniture and Westernized kitchens, according to the foreign affairs office of the university.

"Hopefully, our efforts make the transition smoother for them to enjoy working and living here," said Guo Xujin, deputy director of the office.

The university is also looking to attract more foreign students by providing international scholarships in cooperation with the provincial government, said Yan Weiping, dean of the School of International Education and Exchange.

However, the Shanxi provincial education department has not approved any special funds for foreign student scholarships, while 23 other provinces and municipalities have done so, Yan said.

"Our goal is to be tuition-free for both undergraduate and graduate foreign students who apply for our degree programs after studying in the paid non-degree language course," Yan said.

Foreign students currently have to pay 5,000 yuan ($800) for one semester of a Chinese learning course and 800 yuan each month to live in the school dorms.

Anant Kumar of India, one of the university's approximately 60 international students, said it is a fair charge given that there are also free cultural lessons such as tai chi and calligraphy as well as the rich resources in the new school library.