简体中文
Hainan is China's southernmost province, which began to establish itself 25 years ago.
Back then, the island was still underdeveloped, without the appeal to attract foreigners.
But there're some Americans who chose to go there and dedicate themselves to English education for two decades.
PKG
Eddie Stephen Mills, 54, used to have a decent job in an educational office in Alabama in the United States.
He never imagined one day he would come to Hainan and work here for 20 years.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) EDDIE STEPHEN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"Well, back in 1993, a person gave me an interesting choice of coming and helping starting a program. At that time, it was just a very different opportunity. Not many schools and organizations were holding a program in China at that time, so I thought it was a good idea, a good choice to make, to be one of the first ones to come in the teaching programs in China".
8That year, Eddie left for Hainan with his wife Cynthia Ann and their four children.
In the first three years, they worked in Hainan Foreign Languages Normal School in Wenchang, a small area near Haikou, capital of Hainan.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) EDDIE STEPHEN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"When we first arrived, you know, back in 20 years ago, Wenchang was a small town. It was not a city yet. People were friendly and kind, but there was, I think in December that year, the first city bus came, so from August, September, October and November, there was no bus in Wenchang, and the first city bus came on the Christmas Day, but now you go to Wenchang, buses are everywhere, very modern buildings are everywhere, we see the gradual growth in all cities in Hainan".
The couple found English education in Hainan still lagged behind other places, and decided to dedicate themselves to its improvement.
Between 1996 and 1997, Eddie visited various organizations in America to encourage teachers to come to China to help.
In 2010, he established the International Education Exchange Association, or IEEA, a bridge linking western teachers with local students.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) EDDIE STEPHEN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"In 2000, we formed the IEEA. And in 2001, we issued poverty-relief programs in different counties. We helped rebuild buildings in Baisha (County) and some other places. And then in 2003, we had our first English summer program we are doing right now".
Since the IEEA was set up, the couple have introduced more than 100 foreign teachers to Hainan, to hold various English workshops and classes for teachers and students, especially for those in rural areas.
(SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) CYNTHIA ANN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"My class is teaching phonics, and phonics is really teaching reading, and I'm trying to teach teachers the importance of why the students learn and read in a very young age. It helps their pronunciation. It helps their fluency of reading, and all of these work together to help their comprehension so they are able to understand much better".
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) LIN CHENGLIANG, Trainee:
"I think the training is very useful for our teaching, because we can learn a lot from this training program. The foreign teacher can teach our oral English and can help our pronunciation so that we can teach the students".
The couple became much busier after the association was founded, as they have to take care of other foreign teachers.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) EDDIE STEPHEN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"Very much, because when we first came, we just taught ourselves. Now that we had an association. I have to go to America every year to recruit teachers, and then when they come, I had to take care of them. But sometimes they get homesick, sometimes they feel like I don't know what to do, and so my wife will go to the new teacher and she will go to the classrooms with the new teacher. She will listen to other teachers' doing, and we will show them how to make change so that their lessons work. As you know in China students are very shy, so our teacher will be teaching, but there will be no response from the students, so our teachers will feel like they are doing a bad job, we have to help the teacher adjust. So it's very busy to help the new teachers, very busy".
Despite his busy life, Eddie says what they've done makes it all worthwhile.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) EDDIE STEPHEN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"Definitely more meaningful. Because when teachers go back with correct pronunciation, the students will go up having the pronunciation, so one day when they do come to a school like here in Qiongtai, their English level will already be at a qualified level. So we can help the teachers teach better. Every student in Hainan benefits from that".
In 2004, Eddie was selected as Hainan's first teacher to receive the National Friendship Award for his 10-odd years of education and poverty-relief.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) EDDIE STEPHEN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"Very great honor, it was an unbelievable experience. We got a lot of photos at time. And this is a very rare opportunity for westerners to have this great honor. Again I feel it is privileged to be here, it's honored to be here, and teaching in such a wonderful job, we enjoyed doing this, we've greatly admired this".
Three years later, Eddie received the Chinese Green Card, awarded to foreigners who contribute to China's development.
Despite all his children returning to America, Eddie and his wife have chosen to stay.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) EDDIE STEPHEN MILLS, American teacher in Hainan:
"We plan to stay a few more years for sure. I'll get some young people right now and they will be trained to help run my organization. Probably in another five years, we will continue to stay".
