Oasis Training Center (OTC) is an English and Computers training Center located in Western China. It is a two year post high school program. We have approx. 60 students each year including first year students and second year students. Many of our students come from the vocational high school that hosts our campus. We have a few older students that come from other provinces. Our students generally come from very poor families and don’t have the opportunity to go to college or University. For our students coming to OTC allows them to further their education and gain high English skills that will help them in their future career goals as translators, interpreters, teachers, and travel guides.

Our program includes such courses as:

• Character First
• Literature (which I taught all this last year)
• Grammar
• Phonics
• Computer Application (including Word, Excel, e-mail, Gimp, and typing.)
• Writing
• Geography
• Drama
• Business Jobs
• PE and more…

All of our classes are taught in English by American volunteer teachers.

A little about our city…

                 Ping Liang is located in the southeast of Gansu Province.

Some basic facts:

Population-- 200,000

 

Climate-- dry, four seasons but very short spring and fall, some snow in the winter and some rain in the spring and summer... mostly just dry. Although the lows get to be around 4c in the winter and 38c in the summer, Ping Liang's weather is quite a bit more mild than say Beijing.

 

Religion-- 40% muslim

Although the following statement found on a website I visted while trying to find information about PingLiang is just a little bit of an overstatement, I thought it is kind of interesting... 

"The city of Pingliang is a nature lover's paradise. Travelers coming to this city for a holiday can come in close contact with Mother Nature. The Kongtong Mountain is the biggest attraction of the city. You can hire a car and drive down to the mountain from the location of Ping Liang Hotel in Pingliang. Known as the holy site for Taoism, the mountain is the perfect place for seeking spiritual bliss while enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature. "

Don't let the seemingly not so small population size fool you, Ping Liang really has a small town feel. It has everything I need, but not much else. No real western restaurants, or entertainment.

Visit the site below for more information on tour sites in Gansu Province.

http://en.gsinvest.gov.cn/english/ewlblm/20060331185832-4.htm