Central College Abroad
Beijing
Posted June 4th, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
Well, what a tiring four days. Classes on Thursday ended, and our trip began. As to not bore you with details, it was a long, but restful trip. Trains, when one has a soft-sleeper, are obviously a delightful thing. We even had Burger King at the train station, so that was refreshing. We entered Beijing’s…
Recent Happenings
Posted April 24th, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
Been a while, eh? The weather here is becoming progressively hotter, but right now it’s still pretty pleasant. For our trip yesterday, we ended up having lovely weather later in the day. We departed the school at 7:00, which is an hour that should not exist, and drove two hours to an ancient canal town…
China?
Posted April 3rd, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
Sometimes, although not too often, I realize that I’m in China. That may sound quite strange (me being in China), but it’s true. I believe I’ve mentioned this previously, but life as a student here is much the same as it is at home. It’s only on days when I am out around the…
Shanghai
Posted March 20th, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
Well, this weekend was our first large trip. We departed Hangzhou on Friday after classes had finished, taking a bus, then a train, and finally the subway to our motel in Shanghai. We were located conveniently near several subway entrances, and quite near to several famous sites within the city, so that was nice. …
Daytripping
Posted March 5th, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
Well, roughly three weeks have passed. Student life here is much the same as it is at home, except, of course, we are in China. Classes are well underway, and people are improving their Chinese, so this is good. Some people are still rather timid about speaking outside a classroom setting, but I’m sure they’ll…
Progression
Posted February 23rd, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
Oh, hai, So, my jet lag has finally been conquered. I have a sleep schedule, eating schedule (still more-or-less all the time), and a class/work schedule. I currently have two internships. I am working at a magazine/newspaper editorial that services Hangzhou’s English-speaking citizenry, and am also teaching English to middle-schoolers. Exciting, right? Both internships are…
Acclimating
Posted February 16th, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
Orientation has more-or-less just begun, and everyone here is still getting acclimated to new sleeping schedules, food, and the overall shift in cultural environment. Although the change in diet can be physiologically difficult, I can say that everyone is enjoying the food. The streets that run near campus are replete with all varieties of food,…
The Waiting Game
Posted February 2nd, 2012 by Talbot in Hangzhou, China
So, those going to China have been waiting for quite some time. Speaking for those students at Central, it has been well over a month since last semester ended. This is not to say that I am bored; I am just restless. I am quite ready to depart for China, even though I am dreading…
Another fun Bike Tale
Posted November 28th, 2011 by Justin in Hangzhou, China
It was the first day of mid-term exams week and I had just finished my grammar quiz. Tomorrow was my spoken test and I knew I had to practice my pronunciation with a native speaker so I solicited my friend Juliet to help me out with my preparation; Juliet is her English name. She was…
Unpleasant Bicycle Rides
Posted November 2nd, 2011 by Justin in Hangzhou, China
Something that has always scared me since I’ve started studying here is riding a bike. Back home I thoroughly enjoy riding my bicycle. I will ride that thing everywhere, regardless of the weather or traffic conditions. Here in Hangzhou this is a different story. Four days a week I go to a daycare to teach…
