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Jiangnan Daxue
(Jiangnan University)
What a difference a year
can make in China. When we arrived here last year,
September of 2006, the campus was not very impressive.
Construction was everywhere.
Just a year ago this past
September the canals looked like they
had potential, but they were marred by ugly pipes and their banks
were a mess. Mud and dust ruled. Now that's all changed.
Finishing touches. Cutting carpet
and the last of the landscaping for the new library.
Since then, construction
and landscaping crews have been constantly at work, and every
week we have noticed improvements. Today the campus if feeling
very established. Pictures cannot do it justice,
nor do words like "charming" or "beautiful". Jiangnan
University is a serene oasis of peace and joy in an otherwise
chaotic and distressing world.
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The
new gymnasium. |
Security for a big event. |
A rubber track, Astroturf, and the roar of an imaginary
crowd...
This field was a surprise. Until
a recent bike trip I didn't know there was another sports
field on the campus.
Inspired by Yao Ming, the
students are crazy for basketball. My camera could only
capture about a quarter
of this practice court. Eight hoops no waiting.
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And of course this is what it is really
all about. PowerPoint helps a lot.
Oral English class at work.
The campus supermarket supplies most
daily needs.
It's a small bank on campus, but
adequate for the needs of students and teachers.
No matter where you are at Jiangnan
University, you're never far from a canal.
With a university this size it becomes
a town.
The entrance to one of many dorms.
The news stand and most of the stores
are open late.
In the local
village, about five minutes from the school by bike, is
a fresh produce market and a number of small shops - hardware store,
pharmacy, hair dressers, dry cleaners, and restaurants.
Ruth and GouGou picking out supplies.
No flies on this meat.
At night the village barbeques gets busy.
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The Man in China home
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