Chengdu QSI

Teachermama · Post by **Teachermama** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:40 pm

Can anyone tell me anything about working at this school or living in Chengdu? I know quite a bit about qsi and I have Wikipedia for chengdu factoids. I am curious about what this individual school is like and how livable chengdu is. Thanks!

elizamina · Post by **elizamina** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:58 am

QSI is the fastest growing school in Chengdu. Next year, they're beginning the process to offer IBDP. The school is well resourced, with smart boards in every classroom and budgets for every teacher and department. Housing is good, but it's next to nothing, though supposedly a large mall is being built next to the housing.

Chengdu is... gross. The pollution is god awful and getting worse. In the past several months, there have been several hazardous air days. The whole city is horribly dusty and dirty from the constant, massive construction projects; you can expect the sidewalks, the plants, and everything else to be covered in layers of brown grime. And the traffic, due to the construction, is insane.

That being said, there are good Western restaurants and Western imports are in the supermarket, so you can have tastes of home, and there is a decently sized expat community, many of whom converge at the same few Western restaurants and pubs.

eion_padraig · Post by **eion_padraig** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 11:30 am

So Chengdu is just like other Chinese cities in terms of dirt and pollution.

The Chinese like to say that Chengdu's dogs bark at the sun when they see it because they see it so infrequently. It does sound like sunshine is at a premium.

I've been to Chengdu and Sichuan province before, but it's been so long it is probably radically different now. I did think it was an interesting city, though at the time the expat community lagged behind in size with what was found in the eastern Chinese cities.

Teachermama · Post by **Teachermama** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:17 pm

Thanks, both if you. That is helpful info. So are there any other IBDP candidates that QSI has? They have their three IB schools, and then this potential one...? On another note, I saw when I was snooping about that chengdu has an (unofficially organic) CSA. Is that common in China, or anywhere else in places that people are teaching?

elizamina · Post by **elizamina** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:46 am

There are no other IB candidates that I know of, but that doesn't mean there won't be. Check the schools in the 'stans and see what they're up to.

I've never heard of a CSA in Chengdu, but so-called organic food is available in a few of the supermarkets. This being China, I'm not sure how organic the food actually is.

Teachermama · Post by **Teachermama** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:18 am

Yeah, I have read all kinds of crazy things about food in china, but I heard about this project that seemed like a ray of hope. It was actually featured on NPR, of all things, a few years back. If you live in chengdu, probably worth checking out. I think they also rent out little plots if you want to grow your own stuff. They are not certified organic, preferring to rely on a trust/ transparency relationship with their members.
http://hummingfish.org/projects-archive ... -in-china/