“Hit me in the head with a shovel!”

That was the reaction from my friend Don Angelo when I told him I would be teaching broadcast journalism to college students in China for a year. From other friends and colleagues I received comments ranging from amazement that I would even accept such a job to congratulations on attempting this venture.

I will be teaching students at United International College in Zhuhai, China. It’s located about a hour’s ferry boat ride across the bay from Hong Kong. This college has an international focus so the students here are required to speak English. About 50% of the faculty come from foreign countries with Americans making up the overwhelming majority.

I found the job ad for a UIC on a professional web page and was intrigued by it. During my years at Channel 2 I always wanted to cover a story in China. Consider how much stuff around your house has a “Made In China” marking on it. Photographer Dave Harrington visited Ireland at one time to do a series of stories, but an Asian excursion never happened. The college’s ad called for professional media experience as well as college teaching experience. At least on paper I qualified on both counts with 30 years in television (20 years at Channel 2)and three full time semesters teaching broadcast-related classes at Buffalo State. Guess they liked what they saw because UIC offered me an interview.

The telephone interview was quite different than your typical academic one. Usually you’re asked questions like, “How do you engage students in critical thinking?” or “What is your research agenda?”. The UIC faculty interviewing me questioned how I’d be able to teach in a much different environment.(what they were eluding to but not saying specifically is that China is a Communist country!)One faculty member wondered if I’d get frustrated since English is a second language for UIC students. She cautioned that I’d probably see a lot of bad papers. I politely replied I’ve seen many bad papers from students whose main language was English!

I guess the faculty must have sensed that I had no “fairy tale delusions” about the position (and maybe even something to offer as well) because a month later they offered me a position as an Assistant Professor of International Journalism. Just as the interview process was different than the American style so, too, was the contract United International College sent me. The main difference-the salary was quoted in yuan, the Chinese currency. After “consulting” with an online calculator, my wife Debbie, and some colleagues with China experience, I decided to accept the position. My thinking is if I don’t I’ll always wonder “what if?” for the rest of my life.

So now the journey begins. I’ll have continuing reports here on wnymedia.net about my Asian experience. So stay tuned to see if an American from Western New York can make it in China.