My first experience of China was a holiday in 2001, which I made with my husband Shane. We had always wanted to visit China, and we had a great time travelling around, visiting cities such as Beijing, Chengdu, Lijian, Dali and Guilin. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to come here for a longer period, so we resigned from our jobs, studied for a TESOL certificate and finally arrived in Shenyang in 2003.

Now, we are half way through our third year, so it seems a good time to sit back and reflect on the past couple of years and the many reasons why we have enjoyed our time here. Firstly, China has such a diverse range of scenery, culture, food and people that everyday we can see or learn something new. No day is ever boring, as Chinese daily life is so different to our western lifestyle that every little thing is interesting to us.

Secondly, I must mention the food, as eating is such an important part of life in China. I am always interested in the different foods which are eaten during the various festivals throughout the year, my favourite being moon cakes, especially the small fruit variety, they are so tasty. I also enjoy eating hotpot with friends, as it is a very sociable way to enjoy a meal.

The third reason we have enjoyed our stay so much concerns the people of Shenyang, from the students and teachers that we work with to the shopkeepers and taxi drivers. Everyone is so friendly and helpful and we have made some wonderful friends here, people are also very patient as we struggle to talk in Chinese, a language which I find difficult to master. Of course, this also applies to people in general in China. We have travelled to many places and have always been treated with the same kindness and helpfulness. Members of our family who have come to visit us in China have also commented on the friendliness of the people.

I could not finish without mentioning the weather in Shenyang (English people always talk about the weather, right?). My first winter here I could not believe how cold it was, as I had never experienced such freezing temperatures in my life. But now I enjoy the cold winters. Walking in the snow in Beiling Park followed by a nice warming hotpot would be a perfect winter afternoon in Shenyang.

So, wherever I may travel or live in the future, I will always carry with me treasured memories of Shenyang, its’ people and the wonderful time I have spent here.

Babs Wiltshire