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By Ben Turner
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I've been to 16 countries in my lifetime. Most
have been traveling stops, sometimes up to a few months
at a time, but only in China have I worked and truly lived.
When traveling, one sees a little of everything and meets
dozens of people. In the end, however, as long as the traveling
from place to place continues, a profound cultural experience
is hard to come by. Ironically, until I began teaching English
at GLV, I had thought that such a free-moving existence
was the ideal way to experience different cultures.
Now that I'm back in the United States, I reflect upon
my experience in China sentimentally, and only fond memories
come to the surface. I think about the incredible hospitality
I received from nearly every single person I met, whether
it was in Zhuhai, Kunming, Lugu Lake, Xin-jiang, or Guangxi.
Especially in Zhuhai where I lived and worked, a stock
of guilt began to build up as I realized that I could
never repay the kindness so many friends, colleagues and
complete strangers bestowed upon me. I remember a particular
family in Zhuhai that was always eager to have me over
for dinner, where one day I would call the mother Auntie,
the next day Mama, and the next day Big Sister.
The kindness took on a new form within the teaching atmosphere
where most of my time was spent. Students had such a drive
to learn English, and that I could concentrate so exclusively
on helping them to succeed was ideal. The teacher-student
relationship that I maintained with all students, no matter
if they were 16 or 36 years old allowed for such sincere
exchanges. So many seemingly insignificant details about
life in China combine for me to create a life that I will
excitedly return to someday. To put them into words is
difficult, but I have a knowing that China and GLV are
now parts of my life, and this knowledge will make my
life a fuller one.
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