Going to China!

Dear family and friends,

Many of you may have already heard that Anne and I are going to live in China for a year, starting this fall.  We will be teaching English at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) in Chengdu.  We are going as part of the BYU China Teachers Program.  My cousin and his wife, Robert and Janet Burside, did the same thing a few years ago; that is how we heard about the program. 

Chengdu is the fourth largest city in China – only 14 million people.

Unfortunately, Chengdu is not close to any of the better known cities or tourist sites in China.  But it is regarded as the home of the Giant Panda Bears.  (I was told that Chinese people think their country resembles the shape of a chicken – do you see it?  Chengdu is right in the middle of the gut – where the eggs originate.)  We hear it is hot/humid in the summer and cold in the winter.  Our apartment has a AC/heating unit, but the classrooms are not heated or air conditioned.

We are at BYU for two weeks of training the first of August.  Shortly thereafter, we will fly off to China.  There will be one other couple going with us to Chengdu.  They currently live near Bear Lake in one of the little towns around there.

We will teach two semesters, each 15 weeks long.  During the off-time and holidays (like Chinese New Year), we will have the ability to tour, but at our own expense.  The University will pay for our transportation to/from China, provide us with an apartment, and pay us enough to cover our food and other incidentals.  In January, all the BYU-sponsored teachers will meet in Hong Kong for a conference and to go to the temple.  There are about 80 people in the China Teachers Program (CTP).  You can check out the CTP program at /http://kennedy.byu.edu/chinateachers/#.

We have traded emails and have Skyped with the couple we will be replacing in Chengdu.  They have provided us with some pictures of where we will live.  I don’t think it is all that bad – much better than what we think Robert and Janet had.

We will live in the apartment in the building in the back, 2^nd story.

  Our bedroom, queen size bed (very hard, they tell us.)  

  Front room – all the comforts of home.

 

Kitchen – I understand we have to wash all our fruits and veggies in a Clorox solution.  We also drink bottled water – or suffer the consequences!

Bathroom with western-style toilet!  WooHoo!  Anne was worried we’d have a squat toilet, which is normal for most of China.

By the way, we were told that we could have visitors stay with us in our apartment for up to 30 days in case anyone wants to come visit us.  J

We have been busy filling out all the forms, contracts and other things necessary to get our visas.  Still, we have a problem with my visa.  I'm  listed as an "Accompanying Spouse".  Think of that - I'm a kept man! The problem is, I can't be paid with that type of visa. (BYU is actively working this problem.)

 We will have a young couple we know (no kids, no pets) live in our home while we are gone.  It is a win-win for everyone as we’ll have someone in our house taking care of it; they get cheaper housing than normal, and both their parents live in our ward.

We start tomorrow at 7:30 AM.  Pray for us, we'll need it! 

Clyde and Anne