Zhengzhou Aston

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Zhengzhou Aston
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Zhengzhou is the capital of Northern China’s Henan Province, and boasts a tremendously long and interesting history. Located in the center of the province, it borders Luoyang to the west, the Yellow River to the north, and Kaifang to the east. This region was the center of Chinese civilization for centuries; this history is still evident at sights in and around the city. Zhengzhou is an old and beautiful city with wide roads lined with tall trees towering over quaint shops.

Summers in Henan are hot and humid and winters can be cold with occasional snow. Spring and autumn bring fine weather. Most rain falls in the summer months and the rest of the year is very dry.

Zhengzhou has many attractions to keep a person busy. Henan people are proud of the history and culture of the province, and will be quick to tell you of many of the ancient dynasties that were founded in or controlled their empires from Henan. The origins of Tai Chi are in Henan with the ancient martial art being a very popular recreational activity in Zhengzhou. It is common to see people practicing Tai Chi in the early mornings in the parks around the school. The Shaolin Temple is located just outside of Zhengzhou and has been a hub of Buddhist and Kung Fu learning for many centuries.

The city has a surprisingly vibrant nightlife for inland China. There are great bar streets that cater to a wide variety of patrons. There is also lively club scene in Zhengzhou that can make for great fun on nights out, with each club owner trying outrageously to out do his competitors. There are quiet parks that attract many people after sunset where teachers spend their time playing Chinese chess or just appreciating the local culture. Foreigners can sometimes be seen walking in the streets, but there are noticeably less Westerners in Zhengzhou than many other major cities in China. Many of these residents are scattered between the many different schools around the city, studying Chinese language, martial arts, traditional painting, or some combination of these. This is one of the best cities in the country for language study with numerous established universities and programs.

The variety of restaurants in Zhengzhou is vast and continually expanding. Many of the owners of these restaurants come from different provinces, which is evident in the food that their individual establishment provides. Each province has dishes that are specific to that province, and diners in Zhengzhou can taste all the flavors that China has to offer. There are also a number of international restaurants in Zhengzhou offering Italian, Japanese, and Korean food just to mention a few. With a little bit of curiosity an epicurean can have a tasty time in Zhengzhou and exploring these possibilities with the locals has been a highlight of many people’s time here.

Zhengzhou’s traffic is heavy in the peak times of the day, thought here are many inexpensive taxis all over the city for easy commuting on the elevated highways. The inter city bus system is also well established.

Zhengzhou one of the best transportation hubs in the entire nation, with a large selection of traveling options between cities available. The city is located on a railroad junction that provides easy access to almost any part of China. Overnight trains will take you to places as varied as Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xian, and Qingdao – all ripe for exploration on days off. The airport is modern and located just on the outskirts of the city. There are a number of sights located around Zhengzhou, each offering something special for the casual traveler. The Loess Plateau of the northern regions and the green mountains of the south are all easily accessible as well.

School

Zhengzhou Aston is located in the heart of the city in the Government District, which is a clean, relatively quiet, and modern area. One of the city’s largest public parks is situated right behind the school with lakes, pagodas, and lots of old folks playing chess and doing tai chi.

Zhengzhou Aston English School is a small and growing school. Presently we have a Chinese Manager, a Western Manager, a full time Western teacher, two Chinese Teachers, an accountant, and three wonderful front desk staff.

There are around two hundred students in the school with a good number of adult students. This makes the school very intimate allowing the teachers the opportunity to bond with their students. But as Astons’ reputation grows, so do the number of students, and the reputation is growing fast.

Apartments

Currently, we have two apartments. While each of these has its own unique character, we have taken great care to ensure both are of high quality and suitable to our standards. We strive to find apartments that suit our teachers’ needs. We also try very hard to fulfill any individual requests of our teachers.

In most cities, you need to share an apartment with another teacher but in Zhengzhou Aston both of our apartments are singles. We will offer all our foreign teachers their own apartments. The buildings are new and the landlords are kind. The Chinese staff live very close to you, as well, so it’s quite easy to get their help any time you are in need.

Both apartments are located close to the school - they are only about 10-15 minutes away by bus. Everything you need is within a stone’s throw too: thousands of shops, restaurants, malls, cinemas, bars and clubs, beautiful parks, etc.

As a little side note, Zhengzhou Aston will provide free basic medical insurance to all its teachers on the following contracts:

6 Month		19, 23 and 28 hour contract
7.5 Month		19, 23 and 28 hour contract
12 Month		19, 23 and 28 hour contract
13.5 Month		19, 23 and 28 hour contract

Videos & Web Resources

 

Watch School Video

 

"Zhengzhou" on Flickr

 

"Zhengzhou" on YouTube

 

"Zhengzhou" on Picasa

 

Zhengzhou City Guide

 

Top reasons to pick Zhengzhou Aston

• Downtown location.
• A state-of-the-art school design.
• Our proximity to the Jinan Aston Schools enables us to be a part of their on-going training and development that provides excellent practical advice and support to our teaching staff.
• Cheap cost of living.
• A perfect place to learn Chinese language and culture.
• Jinan (4hrs) Xian (5hrs) Shanghai (4hrs)