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English corner in a park needs more expats to chat
By Xu Wenwen |
April 19, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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EVERY Sunday morning, rain or shine, hot or cold, windy or calm - and on the rare occasions it snows - dozens or hundreds of Hangzhou residents go to the No. 6 Park near the West Lake to speak English with each other.
Once a foreigner shows up, dozens of enthusiastic learners flock around him or her and start speaking. Mostly, they practice speaking with each other, but if they have an opportunity to converse with a foreign native English speaker, then going all the way to the park becomes even more worthwhile.
Hangzhou's biggest and oldest English corner is a loose gathering, there are no leaders and it's open to everybody.
There are no scheduled hours, but it usually begins in late morning and lasts until early afternoon.
One fan is an 84-year-old woman who identifies herself only as Ye and says she has seen the corner over many years. It started in the 1930s, stopped during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) and was revived in the 1980s. For 30 years, many insisted on visiting, not only for learning but also to help others learn.
Ninety-year-old Yu Huichun who walks with a crutch is a familiar figure to visitors because for 30 years he seldom missed a session. He invites many foreigners to go and extends his invitations throughout the week, any time he sees a foreigner in Hangzhou.
First, he asks if he or she is a native English speaker; second, he gives the time and location, and last, he ensures the visitor that anyone can leave at any time.
"Nine of 10 say no, but at least one will come," says Yu.
The old gentleman says some people are so enthusiastic about learning English that they get up early on Sundays, travel to the park and make small talk, in English, with other Chinese.
"But they really do need English speakers to guide them," he says.
Richard Dudley from the United Kingdom is a regular. The 51-year-old businessman and English teacher has been helping at the English corner for six years.
"Many foreigners come, but few persist. I keep on coming because it is rewarding," he says. "People don't just ask me simple questions like 'What's your name?' and 'How old are you?' They throw me questions about economics and politics, like 'What do you think about Obama's policies?'
"Their curiosity expands my own knowledge and drives me to come every week," Dudley says.
At the corner there's a slice of life: young and old, rich and poor, university students and professionals. Some know only a few English words, and some speak fairly well. But they all want to speak better.
Once a foreigner shows up, dozens of enthusiastic learners flock around him or her and start speaking. Mostly, they practice speaking with each other, but if they have an opportunity to converse with a foreign native English speaker, then going all the way to the park becomes even more worthwhile.
Hangzhou's biggest and oldest English corner is a loose gathering, there are no leaders and it's open to everybody.
There are no scheduled hours, but it usually begins in late morning and lasts until early afternoon.
One fan is an 84-year-old woman who identifies herself only as Ye and says she has seen the corner over many years. It started in the 1930s, stopped during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) and was revived in the 1980s. For 30 years, many insisted on visiting, not only for learning but also to help others learn.
Ninety-year-old Yu Huichun who walks with a crutch is a familiar figure to visitors because for 30 years he seldom missed a session. He invites many foreigners to go and extends his invitations throughout the week, any time he sees a foreigner in Hangzhou.
First, he asks if he or she is a native English speaker; second, he gives the time and location, and last, he ensures the visitor that anyone can leave at any time.
"Nine of 10 say no, but at least one will come," says Yu.
The old gentleman says some people are so enthusiastic about learning English that they get up early on Sundays, travel to the park and make small talk, in English, with other Chinese.
"But they really do need English speakers to guide them," he says.
Richard Dudley from the United Kingdom is a regular. The 51-year-old businessman and English teacher has been helping at the English corner for six years.
"Many foreigners come, but few persist. I keep on coming because it is rewarding," he says. "People don't just ask me simple questions like 'What's your name?' and 'How old are you?' They throw me questions about economics and politics, like 'What do you think about Obama's policies?'
"Their curiosity expands my own knowledge and drives me to come every week," Dudley says.
At the corner there's a slice of life: young and old, rich and poor, university students and professionals. Some know only a few English words, and some speak fairly well. But they all want to speak better.
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