InsideOut Travel—Singing in Urumqi, Part 1

DESTINATION: URUMQI

By Catherine Barr

In December 2003, I handed in my notice to Ernst and Young London to go teach English in Urumqi, China, on the Silk Road, where I’m at now.

Now, I won't say that I “never wanted to teach,” this seems to be the cliché amongst hordes of other disillusioned employees and it’s not true. However, like others before me, the teaching English option was my first step to escape. My decision to move on from corporate life—or “move backwards,” depending on your value system, is another story, which I won't tell here.

The People

The day was a chill one in March. After transferring once in Beijing, my flight arrived in Urumqi International Airport. Like every other day since then, it was dry and bright.

<< disclaimer

Briefs

Just the Facts

Budget Travel How-to

Destinations

Cow Rules in Jaisalmer

Urumqi Karaoke, part 1

Urumqi Karaoke, part 2

Bolivian Llama Mama

Lingua Franca

I Pee Postcards

A Traveler's Life

Audrey's Song

Health

Traveler's First-Aid Kit

English Spoken Here

Faces of Puerto Rico

When in Home

Guidebook Writing

Links

InsideOut Free Newsletter:

	DESTINATION: URUMQI
	Singing Between the Desert and Mountains, Part 1
	By Catherine Barr In December 2003, I handed in my notice to Ernst and Young London to go teach English in Urumqi, China, on the Silk Road, where I’m at now. Now, I won't say that I “never wanted to teach,” this seems to be the cliché amongst hordes of other disillusioned employees and it’s not true. However, like others before me, the teaching English option was my first step to escape. My decision to move on from corporate life—or “move backwards,” depending on your value system, is another story, which I won't tell here. The People The day was a chill one in March. After transferring once in Beijing, my flight arrived in Urumqi International Airport. Like every other day since then, it was dry and bright.				Since then, I have moved in a huge apartment above the school’s other teachers, one of the perks of my teaching contract. Teachers have mixed feelings about living so close to each other. You can imagine the size of the grapevine—but I must admit I was, and still am, grateful for the easy access to other native-speakers. Urumqi must have between 20 to 40 English-speaking foreigners, out of a population of 2 million. It is as remote as a city can get on the planet, the furthest city in the world from the sea and hundreds of kilometers from any similar-sized city in every direction. In addition to being remote, it’s also a poorly known destination, so in terms of speaking fluent English, the 20-odd foreigners who live here are probably the only Anglophones you’ll meet in a whole year. “Before I knew what to do with myself, the bar staff hustled me into a sleek, panther-silent BMW. ” On my first singing soiree, I was barely settling into my new life. I had exhausted my people-to-meet options at school. My work colleagues were gracious and incredibly eclectic but they were all coupled-up and I was getting bored. The couple situation, though unintended, left me with a third-wheel inferiority complex. I needed to go out and make new friends who didn't want to go home and cuddle by 11 p.m. I had a mission. more >> << home << discuss article >>
	Copyright 2003-2004 InsideOut Travel Magazine << disclaimer