Welcome to EF Tianjin!

The first EF school in Tianjin was established in 2001 in the central Heping district and has since opened a second site in the more residential Hexi district.We are now also on our way to opening a third in the port city of Tangu. We have over 1000 students ranging from kindergarten to adults and numerous corporate clients, including Procter and Gamble, Kraft, Fed Ex and Sun Life Everbright to name but a few.

The staff here consists of 20 foreign and Chinese teachers and over 25 Chinese administrative staff.As teachers, we run the gamut of experience from over 25 years down to just a few months and so there is a great opportunity for teacher support and development and the atmosphere is one of a family – a slightly dysfunctional one at times, but a family none the less!

Our schools are extremely well equipped with resources and the working environment is professional, modern and friendly.EF produces its’ own textbooks from which the main bulk of the teaching is done.In addition to this, we run student ‘Life Clubs’ for which the teachers choose their own topics, so there is also great scope to experiment and get creative.

All prospective students are given a placement test by a foreign teacher before starting a course here, so as to assess their starting level and then the course consultants will help them to choose the course which is right for them.

Tianjin – An overview

Like Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing,Tianjin is a special municipality and therefore doesn’t belong to a province.This means that it has its’ own degree of autonomy.It has been nicknamed the ‘Shanghai of the North’ in reference to its’ foreign concession, port and European architecture.It is certainly one of the biggest cities in China, but despite this, it is best described as ‘the biggest small town in China’.It is incredibly safe here and the people are friendly, curious.Most importantly, there is a great sense of community.You will often find strangers calling out “Hello!” in the street or be faced with endless questions about yourself from taxi drivers, shop assistants and passers by.Even if you don’t speak Chinese, you’ll find that it is actually quite easy to get along with a sense of humour and a bit of sign language!

One of the other great attractions of Tianjin is its location. Situated in the northeast, approximately 120kms from Beijing, the city itself is large and sprawling, but Tianjin is still mainly rural which presents great opportunities for day trips to the Great Wall and various mountains and temples.

If you are flying to China, the nearest big international airport is Beijing, although Tianjin does have it’s own for domestic travel or flights to Korea and Japan.The train from Beijing takes just over an hour and is extremely efficient and easy to use.There is also a long distance bus, which runs directly from the airport to the centre of Tianjin.

For those travelling from within China, Tianjin is a major north to south train junction with extensive links to the north-eastern provinces and lines southwards to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shijiazhuang.

A city on the move.

The fortunes of Tianjin have always been inextricably linked to those of Beijing and this couldn’t be truer now, in view of the impending 2008 Olympics.In the 13th century when the Mongols established Beijing as the capital, Tianjin was an important grain storage point as it was shipped up the Yangtze River.Its’ importance grew with the remodelling of the Grand Canal as it became a major intersection for both inland and port navigation.By the mid 19th century Tianjin had become too great an opportunity as a trading post to be ignored, and so after the Treaty of Tianjin in 1858 there was an influx of British, French, closely followed by the Italians, Germans, Austro-Hungarians and Japanese.It is this influx which gives Tianjin its’ mix of Chinese and European flair.

Since 1949 Tianjin has been a centre for industry and the production of a wide variety of goods, including the ubiquitous Flying Pigeon bicycle, (whose reinforced crossbar was designed for carrying pigs!) and Seagull watches, both favoured in China for their good quality.However, this industrial base is also the cause of one the main downsides of living in China… pollution.There are some efforts in the run up to the Olympics to improve this, but it is, unfortunately a fact of life if you are serious about spending time here.

It seems that on a daily basis there is something new appearing on the horizon, be it a building, a restaurant or something as simple as a new western product on your supermarket shelf.For better or worse, it is this openness to change without losing the openness of the people that makes Tianjin unique.

Getting around

Taxis in Tianjin are numerous and cheap (8 yuan basic rate).There is a good bus network, which is also very cheap, but possibly tricky if you don’t read Chinese characters or know where you are going and the newly re-opened subway system is reliable.

However, the best way by far to get around, is by bicycle.Tianjin is a city where the bicycle is still the most popular form of transport for most people.The cycling lanes are wide and safe, and bikes are cheap to buy and maintain.You don’t even need to fix your own punctures as bicycle repairmen can be found on every street corner.

Things to do

There are a number of attractions worth seeing in Tianjin, both inside and outside of the city.

Wodadao – This area consists of five streets in the south of the city where the well-to-do of the early 20th century resided.The tree lined streets are reminiscent of Europe, with a range of architectural styles from Neo-Gothic to 1930’s Art Deco style villas and there are even some mock Tudor houses that wouldn’t go amiss in a sleepy English backwater!

   

Ancient Culture Street – This is a recreated traditional Chinese street which is full of traders selling anything from calligraphy and tea sets to paper cuts and chops (name seals).This is all very well if you are looking for some souvenirs to send home, but if you are looking for something a little more authentic you can visit the Tianhou Temple, which is tucked away peacefully in the middle of the area.Tainhou is the goddess of the sea and inside the temple you can throw and coins at the drum in the Drum Tower for good luck, and if you need more good fortune, strike the bell in the Bell Tower.There are also numerous frescoes and statues of gods to see here.

Monastery of Deep Compassion – This is Tianjin’s most important Buddhist temple.Situated in the north of the city, the temple houses many effigies of gods and goddesses, most notably the central statue of Shakyamuni Buddha flanked by 18 luohan (monks) and the huge multi-armed statue of Guanjin holding a number of Buddhist instruments.

Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall – Here, there is an exhibition, which charts the life of former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, who went to school in Tianjin (his books and classroom desk are enshrined here).On display are various pictures and memorabilia.

The Great Wall -– Part of the Great Wall is within the Tianjin municipality and so if you fancy a day trip out the city, you can jump on a bus and visit a part of the wall which is a little quieter and less overrun with tourists than the parts in Beijing. Water Park – If you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city the Water Park might be just the place.More than half of the park’s area is covered with water, which makes it a very peaceful and relaxing afternoon out.There are twelve small islands connected by arched bridges and weeping willows along the waters’ edge.If you catch it in the right season you will also see many lotus flowers in bloom.

Shopping

Antiques and Curios – If you want the authentic feel of the old China, one of the best places in Tianjin for a morning of roaming and bargaining, is the open air antiques market. Here, traders spread their goods on blankets around the hutong (narrow alleys) and you can find any number of unique souvenirs.Don’t be surprised to find an old accordion or horse headed violin nestling amongst the stamps, old bank notes, clocks, Mao tea sets and other Cultural Revolution memorabilia.

Clothes and Shoes - Tianjin is definitely a shoppers’ city with its’ two main pedestrianised shopping streets of Binjiang Dao and Heping Lu.When it comes to clothes and shoes there are various large departments stores and smaller independent shops which stock pretty much anything you could want, except… if you are tall, large or have big feet (over a Eur 39 for women or Eur 44 for men) you might be in trouble!However, having said that, there are many tailors and shoemakers who can knock up any number of outlandish outfits you may desire and they will fit like a treat!Or failing that, it is possible to get a wider range of sizes in Beijing.

Food - It is surprising to most people who come here how easy it is to get many Western products.There are several branches of the French supermarket chain Carre Four in Tianjin which stock imported products like pasta, baked beans, cheese, bacon, HP sauce, Lea and Perrins etc.These items are also available at the Heping supermarket near the Water Park (although always check the use by dates!)

However, if you really feel like splashing out, the best selection of western treats for my money is found at the Japanese department store, Isetan.It is a veritable Aladdin’s cave.So if you find yourself craving Marmite, good chocolate and any number of gastronomic goodies, head here (their store toilets are also fantastic!)

Books – Getting new English fiction can be difficult unless you are willing to go to Beijing.The Sheraton hotel has a good-sized library, (and a fantastic beauty spa, if you like a pampering and small foreign foods supermarket), which is maintained by the Tianjin International Community Centre.This has a variety of fairly up to date titles, but they tend to err on the side of airport fiction as most are donated by hotel guests and local expats.There are a couple of foreign bookstores, which stock a selection of good translations of European, American and Chinese classics, but if you are a serious reader, make sure you have lots of friends back home to send you the odd book parcel!

Personal hygiene – It can be difficult to find good quality deodorant and most pharmacies and supermarkets do not stock tampons, as most Chinese women use sanitary napkins.You can find them if you look hard enough in the right places, but it is advisable to bring a good stock of this kind of stuff with you.

Recreation

Restaurants – There are too many good Chinese restaurants in Tianjin to mention here, but you can be sure to find any style of Chinese cooking with a menu to suit any wallet.One of the best ways to eat if you want to immerse yourself in Tianjin, is from one of the late night meat skewer barbeques, which appear on most street corners after dark.Here you can get delicious meat and vegetable skewers, shao bing (Chinese bread) and soups cooked in clay pots on the barbeque.

As far as international food goes, new restaurants are opening on a daily basis it seems. There are the unavoidable high street mega-chains such as MacDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays and Starbucks, but there are also a number of good independent restaurants offering tasty food. Some worth a mention are:-

YY Beer House – a great inexpensive Thai restaurant offering a wide selection of beers. A great place to visit during the Thai Water Splashing festival in the spring!

C’est la Vie -- pricey, but fantastic authentic French food for special occasions.

Bawarchi – great Indian food, cooked in a traditional Indian tandoor clay oven by Indian chefs.

Amazon Brazilian B.B.Q. Bar – does exactly what it says on the tin… and has an enthusiastic, if slightly kitsch Philippino band providing live music as you munch.

Bars – There are a number of expat bars catering to the visiting business community, most of which can be a little expensive (about 25 yuan for a bottle of beer) so the teachers’ favourites tend to be more rough and ready.The current favourites are:-

Jim’s Café - The teachers’ local.Jim’s is a bit like ‘Cheers’, in that everyone knows your name, mainly because of it’s namesake, Jim, one the Chinese teachers at the school.The food and beer is cheap (8 yuan for a large Tsing dao beer), the staff are great and speak good English,and there is a pool table… what more could you want?

Alibaba – Comes in a close second to Jim’s.Good western food, cheap beer and table football.There is also a newly constructed ‘Number 10 Downing Street’ themed private dining room for hire at the back.

The Tavern – more up-market and therefore slightly more pricey but a great place to hang out nonetheless.Run by the ever-welcoming British born Aussie, David, they have a good selection of draught beers and live music.

Nightlife - Tianjin is a big university city both for Chinese and foreign students so there are lots of places to go at night for dancing and other shenanigans.The music policy tends to be mostly Western and Chinese dance, pop and hip hop/R’n’B, so if you have more alternative tastes in music, the following are possibly not for you!However, some notables are Scarlet, Seven, New York Bar and the new Sitong bar in the Olympic building.

Alternatively, you can find a K-TV karaoke bar on every street corner, where you can rent a room and have your own private song murdering party!

Teachers must be native or near native speakers of English with a university degree and a TEFL certificate or equivalent. Teaching experience is an advantage but not essential. Teachers with out a formal TEFL certificate but good teaching experience will also be considered.

We offer to teachers with qualifications but no experience:

5,000rmb per month for first three months

5,500rmb per month for the next three months

6,000rmb for the 7th to 12th month.

Salary is negotiable for teachers with 1 or more year’s experience up to about 8000 per month.

We also provide

Return airfare

Medical insurance

Furnished, shared apartment (1 other teacher) or an accommodation allowance

Standard public holidays plus 10 days annual leave

Excellent career opportunities within the English First, Tianjin and greater English First network.

A pleasant working environment

Please send me your resume and photos if you are interested in the job.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Shane Ngan /Alan Goodwin

Tel: +8622-27309366

013612022210

Email:shane.ngan@englishfirst.com.cn maryli77328@hotmail.com

For more information on events and places to go, check out www.tianjinexpats.net www.ef.com.cn