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As I boarded the ferry in Hong Kong last January, to begin the last part of my journey from Boston in the United States to Zhuhai, I shivered from the cold, damp and rain and I wondered to myself, "What are you doing? You don't know anyone in Zhuhai, you can't speak Chinese and you didn't even bring a coat!" I worried the entire boat ride that I was making a mistake by leaving my family and friends to come to this unknown and mysterious land.
But when I embarked from the ferry at Jiuzou Port , I was greeted by a friendly taxi driver who understood my Pinyin when I told him Ping He ( Gateway Language Village ) on Ningxie Lu. He not only drove me there he took me right up to the door and carried my suitcase into the building for me. I thought to myself, perhaps this won't be so bad after all. And it wasn't. From that moment on I felt I belonged in Zhuhai.
You see, I owned and operated a business in Boston , Massachusetts for 24 years. But after a serious illness and the events of 9/11 in New York , I decided I wanted to do something entirely different. I wanted travel to another country and help other people so I decided to come to Zhuhai to learn how to teach English. I chose Gateway Language Village (GLV) because of it's location on the sea in Guangdong . I liked the weather and the closeness to Hong Kong and Macau .
Zhuhai is a beautiful seaside city blessed with green mountains, blue sky, a constant ocean breeze and a peaceful and tranquil environment. There is such a variety of things to do in Zhuhai. I can take a walk on the beach, stroll down Lovers Road, go hiking in the quiet mountains, go shopping on the bustling streets of Gongbei, visit one of the many parks, spend an afternoon soaking at the Hot Springs, and eat at one of the many wonderful restaurants where I can eat not only Chinese food but a myriad of foods from many different countries from Indian, Thai, to American and French.
If I want some Chinese History I can visit Dr. Sun Yat Sen's former home in Zhongshan or the New Yuanming Palace with replicas of the Great Wall, Summer Palace with it's Stone Boat. . I love that I can walk to Macau or take a short boat ride to Hong Kong or Shenzhen for a day of shopping or exploring. Zhuhai
Other activities in Zhuhai include the lovely bucolic Simmey Tea Plantation where you can sip on an assortment of teas. Or, on hot summer days you can visit the Lost City Water Park or the Pearl Land Amusement Park in Tanjia. On my list of things to do this year is a visit to the Zhuhai Race Track and a tour of the many beautiful Zhuhai islands in the South China Sea .
Zhuhai offers a quality of life not available in most Chinese cities. The population is low and the pace of life is slower making the Zhuhai people friendly and helpful. I am always amazed when I walk down the streets and people call out "hello" to me. The children engage me in English conversation, even though their vocabulary is limited. I have felt very welcome in Zhuhai by everyone I have met. I have been learning Mandarin and most of the people laugh and smile when I practice on them. Sometimes they understand me, other times they don't. But they always try and I appreciate that.
Zhuhai truly is a Gateway to the rest of China and the world. As Ping Xue Hong, the owner of GLV says:
If you want to know China 's past you should visit Xian. If you want to know China 's present, you should go to Shanghai . If you want to know China 's future, you should come to Zhuhai!
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