Liuyang, also known as “The City of Fireworks”

Liuyang, also known as “The City of Fireworks” is located in the Hunan Province and is about one hour away from Hunan’s capital, Changsha. Liuyang has a population of about 1.3 million but does not feel like it. It is quite spread out with the school being in the perfect location to walk to restaurants, parks, supermarkets and the river. It is a 10 minute taxi ride to the long distance bus station (only 12RMB) where you can make the trip the Zhangjiajie, Phoenix Town or to Changsha where you can access trains and an airport.

Food: The spicy local dishes coexist with western ones

Liuyang is in between a traditional Chinese city and a more modern one with many local and spicy dishes being served at Chinese restaurants here. However, you can also find some western food such as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and several independently owned coffee shops that are across the river from the school. There is even a small chain named the Brass Cafe that caters to western and Chinese taste and has two restaurants in town. They are across town from each other but both within walking distance of the school. We have found two pizza restaurants in town that are owned by foreigners, one being owned by an Italian man across the river that does a darn good authentic fire baked pizza. I believe it is called 'I Heart Pizza' but can't say for sure. If you ask the English teachers on campus, they will point you in the right direction. There is another pizza restaurant called DIY in town that is owned by a Polish man who hosts English corners and get togethers for all of the foreigners in Liuyang.

Overlooking Liuyang City in the distance

If you enjoy cooking, the apartment has a toaster oven, microwave and hotplate that you can use. There is a very large RT supermarket across town (about 25 minute walk) that sells imports such as pasta, (good) cheese, butter, cream, ice cream, cereal and decent instant coffee. We walk there about once a week to stock up on our western favorites as well as to explore town. It takes you past some interesting sculptures and ponds on the way and is fun to see the locals gather for Mahjong. There are also many smaller ones close to both the South and North gate of the school if you want to stock up on produce and less western items. Occasionally you'll even see avocados and limes there, pretty exciting! If you are not a fan of cooking, the school will give you a meal card so that you can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner for free at the school canteen.

The location and surroundings of the school are very nice

A pavilion on the campus

A path on the campus

The school itself is quite an amazing place to explore, offering numerous paths through a forest like setting. Walking and lounging in the hidden nooks around campus is one of the best ways to pass time. The school also offers several basketball courts, ping pong tables and a very old Confucius temple that is quite famous in these parts. If you are wanting to explore town, it is a quick walk to the river, and there are several mountains and parks close to the school that allow access to pagodas and scenic views of the city.

There are many stores, malls and food stalls all over town that can give one a full day of shopping, seeing a movie, reading at the local book store and then grabbing some food on the way home.

The town is within range of mini day trips such as Hu Yaobang's birthplace, The square of the Autumn Harvest Uprising and Dawei Mountain. We were fortunate enough to visit all of these places while staying here because the teacher's on campus are so friendly and invite you on such excursions with them. Dawei mountain has been our favorite with expansive forest and incredible hiking trails through bamboo groves. If you get the chance, absolutely go! It is about an hour and a half from Liuyang school; offers lake access, camping and the most stars we have seen since being in China.

Changsha is another great destination, offering western amenities such as Walmart, Carrefour and Starbucks (to name a few) as well as Mount Yuelu and Orange Island (which is home to the large statue of young Mao Ze Dong with his long hair blowing in the wind.

The people here

The teachers at the school are very welcoming and will want to be friendly with you. The English teachers as well as some of the Chinese teachers speak English quite well and will invite you on outings, to dinner and be very helpful in times of need. However, they will also ask you for a lot of favors that range from assisting their students with competitions and tutoring their children to helping them research lessons and apply for schools abroad. It is a give and take relationship usually. Occasionally it can feel that a lot is being asked of you, so it is good to assess what you are capable of before agreeing to help everyone. Be generous and willing to help where you can but know your boundaries.

Adults outside of the school may not have a lot of English but it is easy to get by with a translation app on your phone. Many people in Liuyang will stare and some will want a picture with you which is pretty normal if you are a foreigner in China. Most of the other foreigners here are for the fireworks business and a few other teachers from local schools in Liuyang. They often go to the Fireworks bar across the river on the weekends and occasionally plan picnics and parties with each other. It is easy to meet them if you are a social person and want the company. That said, there are not so many that you will see them around town without seeking them out. It is quite rare to bump into another foreigner while walking around.

The students are incredibly sweet and have quite high English levels, especially the seniors in the science building. They loving chatting in and out of the classroom and may even invite you out for meals with their families and friends on holidays. They are, without a doubt, my favorite thing about teaching at this school.

The weather here

In the summer, it is very hot and humid. Be prepared with summer clothes and lots of deodorant (they don't sell it here) if you are going to be here in the summer. Summer also brings some monsoon weather and it will rain at any time without notice, so it is best to keep an umbrella on you, even on the hottest of days. Lightning storms are common here in the winter and spring. In winter, it may snow a little in the but it is not common.

Liuyang No.1 Middle School

The school looks more like a university than a middle school and this is because it is two schools with a lot of space between them. The school closest to the foreign apartment is the Science school and has seniors 1-3 as well as their dorms. It is a 15 minute walk to the other school which houses the Senior Art students and the juniors. Each class has between 45-55 students and can be hard to walk in. They all have a SMART board and several chalk boards that can be used for lessons as well as text books that you will be required to teach from.

There are typically only two foreign teachers on campus (though I have heard this is changing and there are likely to be many that teach numerous languages). These teachers split classes with one teaching senior 1 science students (12-19 classes a week) and the other teaches Juniors and Senior Art students (15-19 classes a week). The classes are 40 minutes long and use the same text that the English teachers use to create lessons. You can make your own lessons to keep the students engaged but it is best to use the book as a reference and do the book work occasionally. Typically one unit in the book will last two weeks so one week's lesson can reference the book and the following week can be a bit more improvised. The students love to learn new English games and are very diligent about book work when asked to do it. They can be shy when being asked to share/read aloud but otherwise, are eager to participate in Oral English Class and are VERY well disciplined.

On the walk between the science and the art school you will pass several koi ponds, a running track, numerous basketball courts, paths that meander and should be explored on free days, two canteens, numerous dorms and gardens of incredibly manicured flowers and large old trees. The students and teachers will wave and say hello to you as they walk by. If you find yourself on the main road when it is lunch time, get off of it quickly. They run to the canteen and it is best to not be in the way.

The Apartment

Apartment

The apartment is a bit old and shows its age. However, it is quite spacious and includes everything you need such as an office, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. It is a single story duplex style building of two apartments (one per foreign teacher or a couple) and is located next to the female student dormitories and the Confucius temple. Even though it is very close to the student housing, it is usually quiet at the apartment and the student's are very respectful of your privacy.

The apartment has 2 air conditioners/heater fans that are mounted on the walls in the office and bedroom. They may look old but they get the job done. It also has a washing machine in the bathroom and Internet connection w/wireless router. There is a computer you can use in one of the apartments and a desk, couch, closet.

My Experience

While living in China I have had the opportunity to work in two different locations and explore much the country. I have lived in a rural countryside town and have visited very busy, modern cities here. I must say that Liuyang is something in the middle and is perfect for someone that doesn't want to give up all of their Western amenities or ability to access large cities, but does not want to live in a fast placed location like Beijing or Shanghai.

The people here have been incredibly welcoming and helpful in every way possible and being someone that speaks very little Chinese, I can tell you that this type of assistance is incredibly beneficial.

The school will want you to stay for a year and in doing so, you will form lasting relationships with many of the families and teachers here. They will also offer you opportunities to make some extra money by tutoring for them and judging in annual English competitions. I strongly recommend this position to anybody applying to Buckland. This position will leave you with lifelong friends, a fondness for Chinese history (there is a lot in this town!), in awe of nature and with lots of fun memories that you'll look back on and smile about.

※  Frequently Asked Questions & Quick Facts

City Size: Small city located in the northeast Hunan Province with a pop. of 1.3 million.

Regional Climate: Subtropical climate zone. Annual average temp. is 17.3 degrees C. Sunny during the summer.

School Size: 5000 students, 300 teachers (apprx.), 30 English teachers (apprx.), 2 foreign teachers

Class Size: 45-55 students    Students' ages: 13-17   

Students Skill level: Senior level 1: Intermediate - lower intermediate.  Junior- Intermediate compared to other Juniors taught

Classrooms: Modern – computer, digital ceiling mounted projector, wall clock, 2 walls of blackboards, 4 doubled rows of desks, podium

Teacher's workload: 12-19 different classes, each with 45-55 students. You teach some classes weekly and others are bi-weekly, and teach an average of 3-5 classes per day, each lasting 40 minutes. A schedule is given by the FAO. Weekends are free. One lesson plan will last you one week.

Nearby places: Changsha (capital of Hunan), Fenghuang (Phoenix Town), Zhangjiajie (The famed Wulingyuan Scenic Area)

Things to do for fun: Mountain hiking, the school's "playground" (basketball, football, ping pong, badminton), shopping in town and along the walking street, fruit markets, parks, relaxing farmland, many restaurants, KTV's, night clubs, bars, movie theaters, weekly fireworks.

Things to bring: Deodorant, western medicine, western snacks, teaching books and tools such as flash cards, books in English and movies for yourself, and Chinese/English reference guide, souvenirs from home to give away and any natural toiletries you are attached to as many here have whitening agents and certain chemicals added.

Cost of Living: 500rmb if you eat at the canteen and buy cheap items from the supermarket 1,500rmb if you buy western food at the supermarket and eat out often.   ■