After his “retirement” as a teacher in Ireland, Br Vincent Byrne began his second career teaching English in universities in China. Here he gives us information about the organization (AITECE) which facilitates entry to teach in China as well as a taste of his present supervisory role.
The Beginnings (1994)
In September 1994 I retired from teaching in Ireland and for my sabbatical enrolled in a course in Narooma, New South Wales, at a conference centre run by the Australian Province. The course ended at Christmas, by which time I had applied for a teaching post in China just to finish off the year. All the arrangements were made by Aitece in Hong Kong and the Brothers in La Salle and Hong Kong welcomed me as an occasional visitor on my visits from the mainland. I started in February '95 and continued teaching in various universities until my return to Ireland in July '04.
A New Role (2004)
Hugh McMahon, the Manager of Aitece, contacted me in Ireland and invited me to help him as a voluntary worker, and so with the approval of the Irish district and a warm welcome once more from the Brothers in HK I started in Feb. 05, helping to prepare teachers for China, meeting them at the airport and later visiting them on location.
A Recent Trip to Chongqing and Chengdu April 2006
An important part of the service offered by Aitece is to visit the teachers, especially newcomers, in their workplace, to sort out problems and provide support. On April 19 I went to Chongqing to visit eleven teachers working in two universities: Sichuan International Studies University (SISU) and Chongqing Technical and Business University (CTBU). The Foreign Affairs Office of SISU were informed of my visit and sent a car to meet me at the airport (8.30 pm) a standard procedure and bring me to an apartment on the campus where I stayed for the five days until Mon. 24th. The procedure for all visits is more or less the same.
First I met the teachers individually during their free class periods. This was followed by a meeting with the head of the Foreign Affairs Office (the Wai ban). That department is responsible for appointing teachers and providing all conditions as stated in the con tract. There was a welcoming lunch for all the Aitece teachers in SISU including myself, hosted by the head of the department. Later I had a meeting with the head of the department in his office. After assuring him that the teachers were satisfied with conditions, we discussed the supply for the coming year. Three were remaining, four had completed their contracts, and four were newly engaged . He expressed appreciation of the quality of service provided by Aitece teachers. Many are retired and have served in various educational organizations, some with Lasallian connections. Most are unmarried. Their outstanding qualities are usually commitment and experience. That evening, Thursday, I joined six of the teachers for their weekly prayer meeting in one of their apartments.
The next day I visited CTBU on the other side of the city, where there were four teachers, all of whom were remaining on and who would be joined by another teacher from England in the coming year. After interviews we were all brought to lunch. After lunch and a brief meeting with the Wai ban I was driven back across the city to SISU to my apartment. Later that evening I talked with a few teachers.
Saturday 22nd. The final event of the visit was a meeting of all the Aitece teachers from both campuses beginning at 3.00pm in one of the larger apartments. It started with Sunday Eucharist and was followed by an informal sharing of ideas and experiences often with story telling. Presence (witness) is the key concept since evangelization is not allowed. The story of St. Francis preaching a sermon by walking the streets of Assisi is one popular illustration but the application is much wider and involves accepting the witness of another culture. The evening finished with a celebratory dinner in a chosen restaurant. It is a bit reminiscent of the early church. Sunday 23rd.I was free, so the head of foreign affairs of SISU offered to provide an outing for me to a famous Buddhist Monastic settlement dating back to the 13th century and a wonderful exposition of Buddhist spirituality. It consists of huge figures carved from a mountainside in a series of grottoes. Each grotto portrays a theme from Buddhist teaching covering morality and spirituality. For me the most impressive was the grotto called "Parental Love' showing all aspects of parental love from birth. This precious monument, protected by UNICEF is near a small town called Dazu (Big Foot). My companion on the journey (apart from the driver) was a young member of the Foreign Affairs Department who was great company and very attentive. We became friends. The journey took almost six hours.
Next day Monday 24th my young companion of the previous day came at 10.00 am to bring me by car to the bus station for my journey to Chengdu. When we parted he told me he would miss me. I felt somehow I was a very privileged person after that. I wonder does he realize how much he helped me personally.
Five hours later I arrived in Chengdu at the gate of SichuanUniversity to be welcomed by Patrick Lynch cfc (Australian) and one of his students. Patrick and I proceeded to his apartment where with Dan Kister sj we celebrated the Eucharist and afterwards found accommodation for me and a restaurant for an evening meal for the three of us to celebrate.
Next day I met the V. Dean briefly and spent the rest of the morning with Patrick's student helping with his English while Patrick was in class. The student seemed to enjoy the opportunity to practise his English. It made me wonder a bit about life and people and the way the Holy Spirit works. The enjoyment that Chinese people get from contact and just being together is remarkable. Their company, especially that of the young, can be most stimulating and the teachers regard it as the most rewarding aspect of their work in China. After the three of us had lunch I left for the airport.
Brother Vincent Byrne fsc (Editor: Br Vincent can be contacted at La SalleCollege Kow/oon)
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