Arlene F. Martell

My Life at Hunan University of Science and Technology
Arlene F. Martell (U. S. A.)

China's 5000 year history, the variety of its customs and cultures, and its general mystique, have always pulled on the hearts and imagination of westerners. I feel fortunate to have been given the opportunity to teach in a Chinese University, to share in an exchange of culture and information. I turned down a job offer to teach Business English in Hangzhou and a position as a Director of Studies in Shanghai before accepting the Oral English teaching position at HNUST.

Many foreigners look for teaching assignment in the more developed cities of China.  Others choose their positions because their desire is to be near famous tourist attractions. Although the modern, developed cities of China hold a real fascination, I believe these foreigners are missing a large part of China's charm in its smaller cities and countrysides. And of course, in every country, big city residents are quite different from town dwellers! What a loss to be in China and not taste the flavor of town and small city life.

I first came to HNUST in February 2006. I still vividly remember not only how cold it was, but also how cold it stayed till May! I came from sunny San Antonio, Texas, and was not prepared for the low temperatures and blustery winds.  The warm greeting of my FAO, Colin Zhou, who arranged a dinner for me that first night, and the kindness of the long-time foreign teachers made me feel very welcomed.

The campus of HNUST is charmingly laid out. There is an atmosphere of serenity, peace and security here. Probably our most famous spot is our cherry blossom garden. People come from all over the province to soak in the delicate beauty of the pink, white and green blooms, each spring. And in summer the lotus garden gives this foreign heart a thrill! I love to walk across the little bridge, sit under the pagoda, and take pictures with my students amidst the beauty.

It's a fun time for me because many strangers approach me and I have many opportunities to help them enjoy their time in our garden a little more fully. The landscaping all around the campus is uniquely and skillfully designed. Whether I'm in a rose garden or just walking to the foreign studies building, I feel wrapped in beauty.  There have been and continue to be many improvements on campus – from new sidewalks to new teaching buildings and dormitories. This is certainly a delightful place to work and live.

My life on campus is also marked by convenience. There is a fruit and vegetable market that sells fresh, high quality food, daily. The vendors are kind and helpful.  They speak slowly so I can understand them. And several greet me by name! There is a new market near my apartment that sells a wide variety of goods. There are also two larger markets just outside our school gate. Small trams---a recent improvement---make travel around and between campuses much quicker and more convenient. And of course, there is almost always a bus outside the gate, loading people who wish to go to town.

I very much enjoy and appreciate my large apartment and all the comfort it affords me.  Here I must add my gratitude to our FAO, Colin Zhou, who always responds quickly when household problems arise. During my six terms here, I have made several improvements. I purchased a larger TV set and a good quality DVD player. I also made the furniture a little more American style by adding cushions to the couch and chairs and a thick foam mat to the bed. This term I acquired a second bookshelf and my favorite purchase, a massage lounge chair! I feel my apartment is a place of warm welcoming for friends and students alike.

My apartment is actually the hub of my social life. When I first came to China, I couldn't cook Chinese food, so my postgraduates would come over and cook for me.  I learned so much from them. Now I can cook many Chinese dishes, and often prepare meals for my friends. In all cultures, sharing food is a sign of acceptance, and caring. It signifies belonging.

For a great deal of my time here, I have held English movie night in my apartment.  Usually ten to fifteen girls come to eat lots of snacks, enjoy a sense of family and along the way, improve their oral English. I only wish my Chinese could improve as quickly as these students' English. In my first year here, I tried to have an English movie night for each class. Because the class had over thirty students, I divided the classes and held 16-18 movie nights each term. As I took on more responsibilities, I found it necessary to stop these movie nights. I often wish that I still had enough time to share time more equally with all my students. Still, at Christmas I put up and decorate a Christmas tree and invite all my students to enjoy its beauty, and listen to Christmas music. Of course there are many snacks and much fruit.

Speaking of Christmas music, one year I taught all my classes several holiday songs. Then we visited classes, approved before hand, and entertained the students favorite teaches and their classes.  One class was so enthusiastic about the activity that everyone bought a red and white Santa's hat – like mine - for their performance.  One class visited and was kindly greeted by the stuff of the foreign affairs office. Other classes sang in front of the market and several classes walked around the campus singing.  I'm really looking forward to doing this activity again this year.

Now back to my apartment! I have celebrated many American holidays and Chinese Festivals in my home. I have not been with my family in America for any of the major holidays for five years. But just when I'm starting to feel a little lonely and missing my family and friends, my students come to the rescue. Yesterday was Thanksgiving---my favorite holiday--- and I felt like something was missing in my life. But from morning to night students text messaged me sincere and kind words. Two students that I have known since my first term did many things to make the day happy for me. These friends helped me recall why I am so grateful to be teaching at HNUST.

Christmas is another holiday that has been made more meaningful by my students.  A few days before Christmas, a student called to see if she could come to my apartment for help. We set a time, but when the doorbell rang, it was a different student standing outside my door. He simply told me to go to my bedroom and not come out until they called me. I had to chuckle, because I had no idea what they were up to. At last they allowed me to immerge, and standing in the middle of my living room was a sweet Christmas tree, complete with lights, decorations, cards and gifts. It was difficult to not cry tears of joy! During the two Christmases I have spent at HNUNT, my students have blessed me beyond words.  Besides the students, the foreign affairs office also strives to make Christmas delightful by taking us to a dinner and show at a lovely hotel.  They even serve turkey! The foreign studies department also holds spectacular Christmas parties.

I've also had Christmas parties in my apartment. One year there were over forty of us celebrating together. Scott, a former teacher here, was a great help setting up a truly western style party. He read the Christmas story, while we held small candles and sang moving songs.
My favorite Chinese festival is Mid-Autumn Day. Some of my fondest memories are of the friends I've shared this festival with. They exposed me to traditional holiday foods and they took me to Tsi Baishi Park to really celebrate. I enjoyed classic Chinese music, danced with the local people, and ate moon cakes as we paddled our little boats on the lake. I hold each of these former students as special and dear friends.
Besides my apartment being a place for socializing, it also doubles as an office. I have spent countless hours helping my students improve their pronunciation and prepare for exams and speech contests. I even held my own speech contest, complete with foreign judges and financial prizes, in my apartment. There seems to be a nearly endless stream of my students in and out of my apartment.

I sincerely enjoy my work at HNUST. I consider Oral English to be the equivalent of a lab class for Biology. The students learn many skills in their Basic English, Intensive Reading and Pronunciation classes. Then I get to present to the students a forum to practice what they've learned and I correct their mistakes. I spend many hours outside the classroom reading books and searching the Internet for fresh ideas.  There are only a few class topics that I use each year. I attempt to make each class fresh, interesting and enjoyable.

I have been given many opportunities to grow and improve outside the classroom. I have enjoyed many English corners. The variety of majors and classes represented always makes the time interesting. I've also been asked to judge everything from speeches to entertainment contests. These have brought enjoyable recreation into my life, along with the privilege of meeting many Chinese teachers from all our campuses.  But the opportunity that I am most grateful for is the honor of working for the last three years with students who wanted to represent HNUST in the CCTV Speech Contest.  Even though this task is time consuming and demanding, I enjoy feeling that I get to play a small part in helping our university shine. I have met several Chinese teachers – co - trainers during these times. Many will be my friends forever.  About these warm, welcoming ladies, I cannot say enough kind words. Being given these opportunities, and being so graciously accepted, has enriched my life and given me a sense that I am not only accepted but also valued.

Though I enjoy my life and work at HNUST, I think a few small changes would make life even better for the foreign teachers. When new foreign teachers arrive, it would be useful to give them a small handout or booklet with common Chinese words and phrases in English and Pinyin; along with important telephone numbers and bus and taxi information. Also, I'd like to see the announcements in the foreign studies building in English as well as Chinese. We foreign teachers are interested to know what activities are planned and what students have won awards. This change would let us feel more a part of the university.

Because I am a middle-aged woman, I would enjoy having more teachers my age working here. Our younger teachers are great. But friendships develop from common interests interests. Last term there was an American professor at Xiangtan University who became a close friend.  She made my life here more pleasant. In the West, being fifty or sixty or older is not considered too old. I hope HNUST will consider older applicants for teaching positions in the future.

The only thing I have not done enough of, is travel. I have enjoyed several trips to Guangzhou, where I saw my first living panda! My all time favorite city is Xi'an.  My time there piqued my interest in Chinese culture and history. I loved everything in this city from the Drum Tower to the fountain to the terracotta warriors to walking the wall and generally enjoying the beauty of the city! I would love to see our university plan more trips for us; so we can both enjoy and learn more about Chinese culture.

I have never regretted choosing HNUST over other positions. My students, the foreign affair office, the other foreign teachers and my special Chinese teacher friends have made this phase of my life one of the most interesting and meaningful episodes.  I look forward with hope to an ever-increasing time of usefulness and satisfaction at HNUST.