Those of you that have been following my blog know that I love my job. An intercultural environment is truly at the heart of the vision of Sias. Consequently this university truly caters to the needs and the development of the foreign faculty. Western style food and accommodations, a large community of English speakers, cross cultural training, free Chinese classes, free foreign faculty trips within China…these are just a few ways that Sias seeks to take care of their staff. I seriously doubt there is any other school in China that offered a legitimate turkey dinner to its foreign faculty on Thanksgiving. By those that have travelled around China before coming to Sias, it has been called “a soft landing”. I don’t think that is my favorite part of Sias though. The students are warmhearted, generous, hardworking, and respectful. They have gone out of their way to welcome me to Sias and to China. The staff is young, diverse, and always looking for ways to be even more effective in the classroom. My bosses are knowledgeable and helpful. The teaching environment is very flexible, which has been extremely helpful for me as a first year teacher. I have many opportunities to assess and develop my own teaching, making adjustments through the process. I always receive the support I need from the leadership. Lastly, but importantly, it has been so incredibly easy to make friends here. I am privileged to have a family here in China and a home away from home.

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