Weinan Aston
| Article Index |
|---|
| Weinan Aston |
| School |
| Apartments |
| Resources |
| Top reasons |
| All Pages |
Weinan is located in Shaanxi Province, just east of the provincial capital of Xi'an. The city is small by Chinese standards having a population of only about 300,000 people. Being an historical city, Weinan shares its origins with the origin of the Chinese nation. The city has produced some very noticeable figures such as Cang Ji, who is responsible for development of Chinese writing, and Du Kang, who is credited for creating distilled liquor in China. The city and surrounding area are largely agricultural in nature; however, the city itself is developing rapidly.
The city is surrounded by lush areas of lakes and mountains. There are areas for fishing and hiking only 10 minutes away by taxi from the school and teachers’ apartments. Less than an hour away to the east is the famed Hua Shan Mountain Range. Hua Shan is the westernmost of China's 5 Sacred Daoist Mountains, and is well-known for its breath taking views, dangerously steep steps, and ancient mountain temples. To the east Xi'an is also about an hour away, and is the main center for travelers and activity in the region. The Terracotta Warriors and Tomb Qin Shi Huang lie just outside of town about halfway towards Xi’an.
Weinan has a large selection of Chinese restaurants located very near to the school and throughout the city. This is a culinary center for Shaanxi cuisine, which is one of the most interesting and exciting of the Chinese styles. Fresh noodles and Central Asian infused Northern Chinese food are available everywhere for any budget. Night markets abound enabling exploration of this fascinating food together with the local population. There is a KFC located in Weinan, however a wide variety of Western or foreign food is not locally available and is testimate to the lack of foreign influence many find refreshing about Weinan. The international restaurants of Xi’an, however, are easily accessible for a night out.
Weinan is a small city and has a limited amount of “Western-style” nightlife. Traditional Chinese night markets and tea houses are much more common than familiar clubs and bars. This is a place to come and live the local culture and the change of pace is one of the main attractions of life here. There are only a handful of ex-pats living within the city and these foreign residents generally develop very close friendships among themselves and with the local population.
A point to note is that Weinan is smaller than most cities with ESL opportunities in China, and as such an experience here gives teachers a unique opportunity to see a side of China that most foreigners never get to see. English is not widely spoken giving our dedicated teachers an amazing advantage in learning to communicate in Chinese. This also means that foreigners here quickly become well known and often are treated as local celebrities. Combined with the respect Chinese traditionally afford teachers, Weinan Aston teachers in particular can expect to be continually met with curiosity, interest, and extreme friendliness.