Having been here for just over a month, Aihua’s new Autumn intake teachers are already settled in and adopting to life in Beijing.
With everybody moved into their new apartments and sorted when it comes to their teaching schedules and classes, there’s much to look forward to during the next year.
Speaking as a new teacher at Aihua, I’m every day still overwhelmed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the Aihua personal, old teachers and Chinese staff. I’ve enjoyed and completed my two weeks training offered by the school, met and started teaching all my classes, made many friends, currently taking Chinese lessons with my fellow Aihua colleges and enjoy exploring Beijing and its magnificent sights in my time off. To tell you truth, it feels like I’ve been here for much longer than a month already!
I’ve appreciated a couple of Beijing’s landmark attractions on my days off and having explored all the streets and tried almost all the restaurants in my area, I’m personally very much looking forward to this week when I will have some time and the opportunity to explore some of the sights outside and around Beijing.
Aihua teachers will have a three-day holiday from September 19 to 21 for the Mid-Autumn festival, a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunisolar month – when the moon is supposed to be the brightest and fullest it’s been all year.
Believing the full moon to be a symbol of peace, prosperity, and family reunion, the festival is the considered to be the second most important after the Spring Festival to the Chinese culture.
Even though it’s known to be a busy and crowded time to travel with millions of Chinese natives visiting their family and friends during this time, a few brave Aihua teachers (hopefully including myself) will travel to some of the beautiful towns and parks around Beijing during the three-day holiday.
Others will stay at home to enjoy their off-days and prepare for their upcoming classes. Luckily there are a few places and events in Beijing that Aihua teachers can visit and attend to participate in the Chinese festival.
Some Aihua teachers have mentioned that they might visit the beautiful Beihai Park in the Xicheng District, just a short subway journey from the Baijio Amusement Park Subway Station close to Aihua’s headquarters, to take a cruise on the park’s lake to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and moon’s reflection on the water. Others are thinking of treating themselves to some good food and sweet tea under the full moon at the Minghui Teahouse at Dajue Temple or walking along Yangtaishan’s tree-lined path lit up by the moon in the Haidian District.
To those teachers who consider spending their off-days days in bed Skyping with friends and family back home and being as lazy as possible, a short walk to their closest supermarket might be worth the trouble. Beijing shops are currently overflowing with delicious mooncakes, a treat only commonly found in stores before and during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Mooncakes are round in shape and consist of a pastry skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling.
With its price usually ranging from 70 to 340 yuan for a box of four, these delicious pastries are widely available in markets and supermarkets in Beijing and around China this time of the year.
There’s a lot of things to do and see in Beijing, even more so during the cultural festivities like with the Mid-Autumn festival. And don’t forget to say (or at least try to pronounce) “中秋快乐” to those you pass on the subway or rub shoulders with on the buses! And a happy Mid-Autumn festival to you too! “