The great Lao Tzu once said, “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” This adage will surely sum up what my life had been for the last five years while working, living and traveling in China.

 

Let me simplify by saying that I have lived with three T’s for all those years:

 

First,Traveling, my initial plan was to stay in China for a year but I found myself immersed and captivated by the country’s vastness and beauty so, I stayed.

 

Second,Teaching, as an English teacher by profession I’ve realized that no matter what I do, no matter how I try other jobs I still find myself going back to teaching. I’ve worked with language training schools for a while and I felt I wanted to be with a school having a regular curriculum; hence, Anqing Foreign Language School was an answer to my prayers. The school has dedicated teachers and staff and wonderful students! There is never a dull moment in class when you encounter students who are so enthusiastic to learn, when the class clown drives the class to a good laugh or when the class bully displays his latest prank. Not to mention the passive and the hyper-active students which I’m determined to reach out to every time. Nevertheless, they are just normal kids having the prime of their lives!

 

Third,Tenderfoot, yes, I am a newcomer, always a learner, since I hop from one city to another I know I got much to learn about the place and the people of Anqing. I haven’t seen much of the city but I can say that the city is pretty much urbanized; it’s not as laid back as other cities in the province. Simply put, life in Anqing is convenient.

 

Let me end by saying, everything we have in life is temporary, my stay in Anqing may be short-lived but as of the moment, this traveler has found a welcoming place to stay.

 

Ms. Mae Ann Adaci-Lipang