Hohhot Aston

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Hohhot occasionally spelled Huhehot or Huhhot, is the capital city of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China. The name "Hohhot" is Mongolian for "Blue City".

A significant amount of the city's population belongs to mixed ethnic origins, although many Mongolians, fluent in Mandarin, have kept their ancestral language alive.

Hohhot is one of the major tourist destinations of Inner Mongolia with the Dazhao Temple, the 5-Pagoda temple, and the ZhaoJun Tomb all high on the list of places to visit. However having visited many historic sites and climbed several famous mountains, you may be eager to experience Inner Mongolia’s grassland life. Thus, Xilamuren or Gegentula Grasslands would be a good choice of places to visit.

Lying about ninety kilometers (about 56 miles) north of Hohhot, Xilamuren Grassland is the first grassland tourist attraction opened in Hohhot. Xilamuren, which means 'yellow water' in Mongolian, is also known as Taihe after Puhui Temple, a Lama temple built in 1769 in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Gegentala Grassland is to the north of Hohhot, within the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is the largest and a unique Mongolian scenic spot bearing the Mongolian ethical features of China. In Mongolian 'Gegentala' means a summer resort or the place of grazing in summer. On the grassland, the weather is cool and the natural scenery is fascinating. With thriving grass and abundant water, the green of the grassland reaches out as far as your eyes can see. Colourful wild flowers and flocks of sheep that look like masses of cloud make the scene absolutely beautiful.

Besides the scenery of the Grasslands, visitors can also taste traditional Mongolian food and take part in local activities. While listening to the melodious toasting songs and appreciating traditional Mongolian dances, visitors have the opportunity to taste kumiss, roasted whole sheep and shouba rou (boiled mutton eaten with hands). In traditional Mongolian clothes, visitors can take part in horse races, wrestling and archery which have been popular in Inner Mongolia for thousands of years. At night, people sit around bonfires singing and dancing to their hearts' content. After one day's travel, the Mongol “ger”, which means home in Mongolian, provides accommodation for the tourist. All these experiences give visitors the true feeling of what life is like on the vast grassland.

Hohhot is within easy reach of Beijing (1 hour flight), the Hohhot Baita Airport serving some dozens of domestic other routes linking other major cities including, Guangzhou (Canton), Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xian and some cities inside Inner Mongolia such as Chifeng, Tongliao, Xilinhaote, Wulanhaote and Hailar, and also two international airlines with flights to Ulan Bator, Mongolia, and Chita, Russia.

School

Opened in the summer of 2007, Hohhot Aston is located in the centre of Hohhot on the 4th floor of the comfortable and modern “VIP building”. Situated in an open and stylish lay-out, the school has numerous classrooms, an impressive reception area, a “Movie” room, and comfortable teachers’ lounge. Teaching resources are vast and include all the standard Aston materials.

Hohhot Aston offers ongoing teacher training and a very supportive team of staff and Western Manager who are all eager to help new arrivals integrate into the community.

The school is recognised as the premier English training school in the city.

Apartments

Hohhot Aston provides comfortable，suitably and basically equipped apartments to meet the every day needs for their Western staff。They are usually on a shared basis，in normally a traditional 2 bedroomed apartment，although this does depend on the arrival and departure of staff, as on the odd ocasion you might end up with a place on your own。Located in the downtown part of the city, they are well situated for all your daily needs, including being only a few minutes walk from the school.

Teacher Testimonial

My china experience has certainly been an eventful one. There has never been a dull moment in the year I’ve spent in Hohhot. Although visibly Hohhot looks westernised, the city is very much still immersed in traditional Chinese and Mongolian Culture. This has given me a much better insight into the real China, much more I think than westernised Cities like Beijing or Shanghai.

Working for Aston English has been a real unique experience. This was my first time teaching, so naturally I was very nervous, however my manager’s and fellow teachers were always on hand to give advice or ideas for lessons, which made the transition into being an English teacher much easier. I have to say one of the best things about working for Aston Hohhot was my fellow co-workers. Never have I met a staff force of such hardworking, friendly and conscientious people. When I first arrived in china, it was a little difficult getting adjusted and settled as the language barrier posed a problem but my co-workers have always been happy to help me. Whether it be giving lesson advice, buying tickets or calling out a locksmith at 11 pm due to a snapped key in the apartment door! I owe them a great deal and I definitely would’ve been stuck without them on many occasions!

I really feel that I have learnt some valuable lessons in the year I’ve spent here. I have been totally immersed in a different culture, taught some great students, seen some of china’s beautiful scenery, learnt to speak mandarin with the help of my wonderful Chinese teacher, Arena and met some really great people. These combined have made this an experience that I am never likely to forget!

**Some advice, if you come to Hohhot over Winter, bring thermals, LOTS of thermals!!! Hohhot in 3 words: Freezing, Boiling, Bai’jiu.

Lauren, 2010

Videos & Web Resources

Watch School Video

"Hothot" on Flickr

"Hohhot" on YouTube

"Hohhot" on Picasa Hohhot City Guide

Teacher Testimonial

From day one I have been and felt warmly welcomed by the people of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Immersed in many cultures, you really get to flavor life through different ways, not just by the vast delicious culnery tastes, but also via the fashion and personal approaches to life. The city certainly shows many signs of a westernised look, but still carries a strong traditional theme of the many mixed local cultures, such as Chinese, Mongolian and the Muslim populations that exist here. As a smaller city compared to places like Beijing and Shanghai, you will find it quieter and less hectic or tourist centred, therefore I think I have seen a little more of the true China.

As this was my first English teaching role, I was understandably a little nervous and concerned to how I would adapt and adjust to the new life. All these feelings were soon removed from my thoughts, initially by the Foreign Manager and then more so on a daily basis by the team of friendly, warm, supportive and hardworking Chinese staff. The only way I can now describe them is that they are now like my family！Not only are they there throughout the working hours, on hand with suggestions, ideas and advice for the lessons, but also outside working hours. At any time, day or night, they seemed so willing to help me, be it for shopping, eating, getting lost somewhere and having to phone them after a night out to give directions to the taxi driver, they always seem to be ready to help! Without this family around me, the transition would have been so difficult, what with the language barrier, cultural differences and the challenge of the new job。In return though，they seem to want nothing back except my friendship，but I intend to repay their kindness over time, any way I can. The depth of my gratitude and many memories will last my lifetime.

As for the teaching, in one word: “fantastic”! I love the job, the kids, the support and environment I am in. The children are nearly always full of life and enthusiasm to learn, the school is bright, colorful and welcoming(massively made so by the frontline staff) Hohhot is well situated with great transport links to allow me to explore more of China in my spare time and has certainly opened my eyes to a whole new way of life。The weather is very easy to explain，as a previous teacher wrote：“Freezing and Boiling”！ In the winter you need many layers of thermals and in the summer，you need many pairs of shorts（dresses for the ladies）。

Top reasons to pick Hohhot Aston

• Affordable and inexpensive local food and cost of living
• Friendly, conscientious and supportive staff
• Prime location within reach of Beijing, Mongolia and Shanghai
• Range of activities including hiking up the magnificient mountains
• Aston is in a modern, provincial and traditional expanding city
• Hohhot has a mixed and diverse cultural community
• Traditional and local delicousies to suit all culinary tastes
• Hohhot is a buzzing, vibrant and thriving city suiting aspirational travellers
• Warm and bright summers
• Fresh and dry winter, with matching seasonal activities including snowboarding and skiing