Chongqing Aston

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Surrounded by water on 3 sides, Chongqing is situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. With beautiful hills and mountains the “Mountain City” has long been reputed for its wonderful scenery. Chongqing is one of the major cosmopolitan centres of inland China, the most economically important city in the southwest, and one of the biggest cities in the world. In 1997 the city and the surrounding region became a municipality in its own right, one of only four in China, a fact that the Chongqing people are fiercely proud of. The region receives relatively large numbers of international tourists and investment. In spite of this, life here is more casual, relaxed, and intimate than you would find living in major metropolitan areas elsewhere, due to the laid back nature of the Sichuan people.

The city is the starting point for the Yangtze River Cruise, which explores the stunning scenery of the Three Gorges. Other attractions include the UNSECO recognized Dazu Rock Carvings and the Gold Buddhist Mountain, a rich repository of diverse animals and plants. Ancient Ciqikou village lies within city limits and offers an opportunity to explore rustic streets, buy local handicrafts, and sample authentic Sichuan street food.

The climate is sub-tropical, with the two-season monsoonal variations typical of South Asia. Known as one of the “three furnaces” of China, (the other two being Wuhan and Nanjing), the summers are famously hot and the temperature can be as high as 40C (102F), but with great heat comes great air conditioning keeping the both the living and working conditions comfortable. Winter brings wet and mild weather. Snow is a true rarity and most days see the sky shift between fog and sunshine. The annual average temperature here is 18C, (64F), with lows of 6 to 8C, (42-46F) in winter and highs of 27 to 29C, (80-84F) in summer.

The city’s transport system is constantly improving, with the new bullet train to Chengdu or the new subway lines currently being built. Chongqing’s airport, bus, rail, and ferry service provide numerous ways to get in or out of the city and travel onwards throughout China. The international airport has daily flights to both domestic and international destinations. Most travelers arrive in Chongqing via bus or rail but a good portion depart via the Yangtze River on a scenic cruise to Wuhan or further points east. Chengdu is now 2 hours to the west (using the new bullet train) and Guiyang is 8 hours on an overnight train to the south.

The city itself is broken up into a number of districts by its winding rivers and mountainous topography. Each district is relatively autonomous from the others, and it is possible to live comfortably without vehicular transportation. If you need to move faster, you can catch a taxi, starting at just five yuan. For longer distances, take the bus or metro line for even less than a taxi.

China is the place for food, goes an old saying, but Sichuan is the place for flavor. Chongqing is famous for its hot Sichuan cuisine and world-famous hot pot dishes. Street vendors and restaurants alike feature exciting and spicy delicacies. Geography, climate, and the uniqueness of Sichuan’s people have given this region a unique style of cooking all its own. You will quickly notice abundant usage of homemade noodles, ginger, garlic, and various forms of chilies. The food here is usually spicy and very flavorful, and many find it to be among the most interesting cuisines of Asia. If you come to China in search of food, you’re looking at the right place.

School

Established in March 2006, Chongqing Aston School is one of the newest members of the Aston family and the second in the beautiful and historic Sichuan region.

As a young school in the Aston family we are growing rapidly with current student numbers at around 350. At Aston Chongqing we offer a variety of courses which differ slightly from other schools. The school is split between regular Children’s classes and Aplus (an interactive children’s class with provided touchscreen and interactive DVD’s). We also provide classes that focus on Conversation (where the teacher is given more freedom to discuss their interests), writing and VIP.

Situated on the 4th floor of the Post Office Building in the vibrant Shapingba District on the famous three Gorges Square, we are surrounded by world class shopping, eating and numerous entertainment options on all sides. Currently our staff team includes both Western and Chinese managers, four foreign teacher, and six Chinese teachers.

The front desk staff is the most charming in Aston as all five of the lovely young women speak English and are always ready to help. Formal Chinese language lessons are provided twice weekly by one of our qualified Chinese teachers.

The Teachers’ Lounge is a comfortable place to relax between classes or to plan lessons. Personal lockers, a microwave and internet access, as well as group working table all help to make it a professional and convenient environment. The school is climate controlled and comfortable in both summer and winter. We have a solid collection of resources available to our teachers for use in planning and teaching lessons.

There is a very experienced team of Foreign and Chinese staff working to grow and build Aston in Chongqing. We would like to expand our school with both new ideas and suggestions. There will be plenty of opportunity for teachers to progress to management positions and/or move to other schools in our city of Chongqing in the future.

Apartments

All of our foreign teachers’ accommodations are nearby; just off the main three Gorges square that is the heart of Shapingba. As you walk across the square to the school you can feel the energy as the hustle and flow of so many people go about their daily lives during your fifteen-minute stroll, (it really is an easy ten minutes but sometimes you have to wait for elevators), it would be quite difficult to get apartments closer to the school. Located all in the same complex the apartments, not only have their own private security, but residents also have access to a small private park where it is not uncommon to see people using the exercise equipment or playing Mahjong.

Chongqing Aston provides its foreign teaching staff some of the nicest accommodation in the Aston system. Apartments are modern in every way, close to the school, and in the heart of one of the most bustling urban districts in the nation. Internet and cable TV are already wired or you can choose to frequent one of the many internet bars in the area. Also, in addition our dedicated Apartment Manager Sara is always on call to help.

In addition to a truly fantastic collection of delicious and authentic local Chinese restaurants and shops nearby, the square provides easy access to Pizza Hut, KFC, a 24-hour McDonalds, Starbucks, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian food. Several steak houses and other Western style establishments are also popular in the area. If cooking at home is more your style there is a Carrefour (French owned Wal-Mart clone) in the square that stocks many Western style food items, (including Western toiletries, cheese, breads, and wines). Entertainment abounds with several clubs, KTV, western style bars, and numerous coffee houses all within minutes of Chongqing Aston and the apartments.

Videos & Web Resources

Watch School Video

"Chongqing" on Flickr

"Chongqing" on YouTube

"Chongqing" on Picasa

Chongqing City Guide

Top reasons to pick Chongqing Aston

• Famed as China’s ‘Mountain City’.
• Downtown location.
• Apartments in up market residential complexes.
• Situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers.
• A provincial capital and one of the biggest cities in the world with a population of over 30.23 million.
• The starting point for the Yangtze River Cruise.
• Liquid Fire: Savor some of the spiciest food on the planet in Chongqing's many hotpot places (a unique style of cooking all of its own).
• An engineering miracle or madness: enjoy a lazy riverboat ride through the surreal Three Gorges, and stand in awe of one of China's latest engineering feats, the mighty Three Gorges Dam. Emeishan: hike 10,000 feet, to the top of one of China's holy mountains and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Transportation hub with opportunities to travel- Chengdu (2hrs with new bullet train) Guiyang (8hrs) Xian (14hrs) 3 Gorges Dam (10hrs)