When Mei Guan first came to the Plymouth Schools on October, 29. 2012 to start their first course in Chinese, she understood that she would probably have to return to China within three years. But after an extremely long and difficult application process to get an extension, Guan will be teaching in Plymouth for another three years.
PCSC superintendent, Daniel Tyree, had been exploring ways to offer Chinese language at Plymouth High School for several years. When the opportunity arose to partner with Valparaiso University in a cultural exchange program that would provide a highly qualified teacher, Tyree jumped at the chance. Guan had been teaching English in China at the university level for ten years.
Guan said, “I was sent to PHS by Hanban China through the CIVU (Confucius Institute of Valparaiso University).” The program is co-run by Valparaiso University and its partner university Zhejiang University of Technology. Guan explained that the university will no longer be her sponsor, but PCSC will sponsor her for a H1B visa. One of the components of the project is to introduce American students to the Chinese culture. “We have many culture classes and culture talks in class, so students can get to know more about China and the Chinese people.” Guan said.
To obtain the extended visa status, Guan had to compete with 230,000 other applicants from all over the world for employment positions in the United States for the only 85,000 job openings available. A part of the process is a lottery drawing.
The first year that the Chinese course was offered at PHS, 70 students enrolled. This past school year, that number increased to 100 students. An additional 50 students were enrolled in the Chinese language classes offered at Lincoln Junior High. Guan taught at both schools for the first two years.
Guan and her son, Ray, are able to keep in contact every day with family members in China by using the internet program Skype where they can see and talk to family members. Guan said they also use “we chat” and QQ (a popular Chinese IM program) as well. Guan’s parents now have a ten-year visa that will allow them to visit in the Unites States. Guan said, “The policy will allow my parents to come any time in the next ten years if we can afford the expensive fight tickets.”
Ray attended kindergarten and first grade at Washington Discovery Academy where he excelled academically and spoke English throughout the day. In order to make sure Ray will know both English and Chinese, Guan teaches him at home. She said, “We talk in Chinese at home and I try to make him write Chinese characters everyday.”
Guan expressed her appreciation for all the help from PCSC that she received to obtain her H1B working visa. She said, “I am grateful. I will do my best to let more people now about China and Chinese (language).”
Carol Anders Correspondent
