On June 29, they will depart for Chengdu, China, where they will undergo two months of training for two years' worth of teaching English at the university level to either medical students or teachers. While there, they will be expected to start projects that reflect their interests. McDowell is thinking about teaching yoga or starting an English conversational group. The Peace Corps will cover the cost of an apartment there for them as well as pay them $160 a month apiece to cover living expenses. At the end of their two-year stints, the Peace Corps will give each of them a $6,000 readjustment stipend. They opted for teaching through the Peace Corps rather than doing it again through a private school because of the opportunities offered by the government program, such as the chance of receiving fellowships for graduate study.
Christine D. McDowell and John B. Tecklenburg head to China as Peace Corps Volunteers
Couple head to China with Peace Corps
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE
sconstantine@repub.com
GRANBY - A local couple who have already taught English in South Korea are now China-bound with the Peace Corps.
Christine D. McDowell and John B. Tecklenburg, of Amherst Street, talked about their plans recently to take part in the federal program to encourage goodwill and help out developing countries.
"I think we'll have an opportunity to share how we live in the U.S. and learn how they live over there," Tecklenburg said. "People in those countries don't have much exposure to American culture per se. It will be great to tell them about ourselves rather than have them read about it in a book."
"I certainly won't be bored," McDowell said. "We've done this before so I'm not too nervous."
The couple, both 26, met while studying at Villanova University outside of Philadelphia. They have already spent a year teaching English to 3- to 12-year-olds in CheongJu in South Korea. Following their work in that country, they visited Beijing, which whetted their appetites for experiencing Chinese culture.
On June 29, they will depart for Chengdu, China, where they will undergo two months of training for two years' worth of teaching English at the university level to either medical students or teachers. While there, they will be expected to start projects that reflect their interests. McDowell is thinking about teaching yoga or starting an English conversational group.
The Peace Corps will cover the cost of an apartment there for them as well as pay them $160 a month apiece to cover living expenses. At the end of their two-year stints, the Peace Corps will give each of them a $6,000 readjustment stipend.
They opted for teaching through the Peace Corps rather than doing it again through a private school because of the opportunities offered by the government program, such as the chance of receiving fellowships for graduate study.
McDowell and Tecklenburg are starting to learn Mandarin Chinese on their own through the Rosetta Stone program, courtesy of the Peace Corps.
"It is an excellent language program. It will be helpful for sure," McDowell said.
Tecklenburg said he expects learning to decipher Chinese characters will be difficult but worth the effort.
McDowell and Tecklenburg are starting to learn Mandarin Chinese on their own through the Rosetta Stone program, courtesy of the Peace Corps.
