Jinan  Aston

    


City:

Jinan is the capital of Shandong Province and has been a major urban center for thousands of years.  As early as the Tang Dynasty the city was already the social and cultural focal point of Shandong and this has continued up to the present day.  Today the city is a modern metropolis and one of the most intriguing cities of Eastern China due to its size and relative lack of Western influence.

     

The city sits at the base of the Tai Shan Mountains over one of the most concentrated natural spring areas of Asia.  The Yellow River passes just to the north of the city.  The surrounding region is one of the oldest settled and most traditional areas in the whole of China.  Fertile farmlands of the Yellow River delta and the river and spring systems generated in the nearby mountains allowed for settled agriculture, and then advanced civilization, to develop here at a very early date in human history.  The region has been a main center of Chinese civilization for more than three thousand years.

Today Jinan is a massive urban monster complete with frenzied markets, congested streets, vibrant atmosphere, and pollution.  The pace of life on the streets of Jinan can at times seem utterly incomprehensible as masses of people surge through traffic, bicycles, and the occasional farm animal.  This kind of madness can be bewildering to those who first arrive and it tends to leave a lasting impression.

 
 
The travel literature you read on Jinan does it no justice.  At first glance, or if you are merely passing through en route to tourist sites, the city may seem too frantic and complex for comfort.  It is after you spend some time here, to get to know the people and figure out the logic behind it all, that appreciation of the city and its inhabitants really begins to blossom.  Behind the surface can be discovered hidden hutong neighborhoods, quiet traditional alleyways, entire markets devoted to tea culture and exotic medicine, and some of the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in the country.  The people of Shandong are known throughout China as being a particularly friendly bunch and the life they bring to their city is what makes being here so special.

The climate of Jinan is a contentinal monsoon system with four distinct seasons.  Winters are cold but see little snow.  Summer is hot and humid with powerful thunderstorms coming through in the afternoons.  Spring and autumn tend to be rather short and the transition of seasons can feel rather abrupt.  Generally this is a dry region and most precipitation falls in the summer monsoon.

Jinan is the transportation hub of Shandong Province and has convenient links to the rest of Eastern China.  Beijing is 4 1/2 hours to the north and the beaches of Qingdao are about 3 1/2 hours away.  The UNESCO recognized Tai Shan and Confucius’ hometown of Qufu are each about an hour south. Very convenient and comfortable overnight trains will have you at destinations as diverse as Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan, Hohot, Changsha, Hangzhou, and Zhengzhou in the morning.  There is also a brand new airport with scheduled destinations throughout the country.

       


School:

Jinan Aston One
Jinan Aston One opened its doors at the turn of the millennium and is located very near Baotu Quan spring in the center of downtown.  This is the headquarters of the Jinan Aston system and the largest of the three schools with several thousand students, a small army of staff, and around 15 foreign teachers.  It is hear that high-quality ESL was introduced to the city and we continue to be the leader of English education in Shandong.  The school is 2-levels, with reception and office areas occupying the first floor.  Upstairs on the second floor is where classes are held in our numerous classrooms and there is a spacious waiting area and teachers’ lounge.  An extensive collection of resources is provided for teachers’ use in planning and teaching lessons.

    

Jinan Aston Two
Jinan Aston Two Opened in winter of 2003.  This location is just south of the main commercial district near Shandong Normal University.  We are up on one of the top floors of a modern office building and have a newly designed interior.  Spacious teachers’ facilities are available to relax and have respite on the busy weekends.  Aston’s Eastern China Regional Office is also located here at Aston Two.

Jinan Aston Three
Jinan Aston Three opened in autumn 2003 and has continued to build on the success of our other locations.  Aston Three is the smallest and most intimate of the three schools.  We are located in the historic western section of the city in an atmospheric neighborhood criss-crossed with hutongs and full of quaint shops and tree lined streets.


Apartments:

With a Western Teaching Staff numbering around 30 and schools in different locations throughout the city, Jinan Aston provides a range of accommodation for our foreign staff.  The common theme is very careful attention to the comfort and convenience of our staff.  The majority of our apartments are in a single building built specifically for our accommodation needs.  This is located in the eastern area of the city, not far from Shandong University.  This arrangement helps to create a significant sense of community amongst our teachers. It's usually not very difficult to find someone to chat with, plan lessons with or to rustle up a group of dinner companions, and many teachers find this makes the transition to living in China a lot easier than it might have been.  All of these apartments are complete with 2 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and bathroom and have solid heat and hot water.  We have relied on this arrangement since our opening and it has proved to be very successful for us and for our teachers.  These apartments are a 25 minute bus or bike ride from Aston One and a 20 minute bus or bike ride from Aston Two.  The area around is as lively as any in Jinan and there are hundreds upon hundreds of restaurants, markets, and shops in the vicinity.

On the east side of the city, closer to Astons One and Three we also rent individual apartments for our Western teachers.  While a bit away from the other teachers, the advantage of living here is a shorter commute to work and the central areas of Jinan.