A Shout Out To The Team Who Have Made Hutong School Matter

Since 2005 many amazing people have joined our team, leaving behind family, friends and familiarity to start a new life in China.To mark our 10th anniversary, we thought we'd take a moment to give a shout out to those members of staff who had a big impact on our company, but are no longer working for Hutong School.Because of the large number of wonderful people who we have worked with us, we were unable to include everybody but here's a representative sample of the team who have made Hutong School what it is today.

A Round Of Applause Please...

And Here's To Our Students - Without You We'd Just Be An Empty Hutong!

Since our first student, Julien Beaufreton, walked through our doors in August 2005, over 4000 others have followed in his footsteps.

Walk into a Hutong School classroom and you could meet people from 9 years old to over 80, who have come to us from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America, and beyond.

We've welcome celebrities and Royals (including HRH Princess Laura of Belgium), the head of the International Olympic Committee, and many interesting people from all walks of life.

A few 'typical Hutongers"

• Cody Sheehan and Matthieu Gaillard lit the Beijing music scene on fire by converting Chinese love ballads into screaming punk rock anthems.
   
• Krzyzstof Kazala arrived in Beijing with two months saving in his pocket. He quickly met the Chinese love of his life and then scored his dream job in Hong Kong.
   
• Ben Hurdis who, upon hearing that he couldn't pay his outstanding bill at Hutong School by credit card, rolled up the next day with 10,000 RMB in cash and coins, and patiently waited whilst it was counted out in front of him.
   
• Clément Marin, the one student brave (or foolish) enough to join Lao Guo for a dip in the icy waters of a lake in Beijing, mid winter. He lived to tell the tale.
   
• Ellen Klein Gunnewiek, who came to China to learn Chinese, and ended up falling in love with her French future husband, so had to start studying French as well!
   
• Tamara Gomes and Gonzalo Gregori - Spanish punk rock fans, Hutong School couple who have stayed on with amazing jobs in China.
   
• Matt Gueguen, whose catch phrase "my Kongful is powerful, I am French," frequently heard bellowed from taxi windows, has become part of Hutong School folklore
   
• Robbie, who whilst saving money by living off 4 RMB crepes, always came to the office with two, one for himself and one for the local beggar
   
• Donald McCrory, an English writer who arrived at Hutong School when he was 71 years old. Being so well traveled and an expert linguist he was able to speak to almost all of our diverse students in their own languages. 

Hutong School Students In Their Own Words

When I first arrived at the Hutong School, I immediately realized what separates it from all of the other schools: the staff. Everyone is very nice, welcoming, and engaged in your learning. The classes are very involved, and the group environment serves well for practicing speaking and dialogue. After just a few months, I was speaking Chinese well enough to be hired in a full time management position in Shanghai. I can't say enough about my experience!  

Maeve Roseveare

I was at Hutong School in Shanghai for three months doing an internship and Chinese classes. I arrived in Shanghai from South Korea. I suppose I expected it to be the same. However I was pleasantly surprised by the ‘organised chaos’ of China. I found the mix of east and west in Shanghai to be really refreshing, intriguing, and colourful. I loved the friendly atmosphere of Hutong School and their organization and willingness to help with absolutely everything. I loved exploring China and its rich history. Beijing was a highlight, as I loved the museums and historical sites. I look back at my time in China with fond memories. It was in China that I decided to start my own jewellery design company once I got home. I am now home and my business is almost up and running. It’s called Mae Mae (after mei mei in Chinese. A link to my name and the huge Asian influence in my designs). So really, China paved the way for my future in a huge way. I am also still studying Chinese here in Cape Town. 

Stephen Price

Studying Mandarin Chinese was one of the best decisions I made in college and it has paid off pretty well. Before going to Hutong School I studied Mandarin for around a year and a half, however it was during the intensive language program that my communication skills improved dramatically. Signing up for the intensive language program help me raise my competitive edge to the next level, allowing me to perform at my current job at a Chinese company. Besides all that, my experience in China was fantastic. I made several friends and explored places I thought I would never see. Studying Mandarin at the Hutong School is highly recommended! 

Lawrence Li

I was born in China but grew up overseas, so although I had a native command of Chinese and a strong understanding of Chinese culture in general, I had no idea of how to even begin looking for a job in China just 2 - 3 years ago. My participation in an internship program with a startup incubator through the Hutong School changed this: Not only did the program teach me how to think like an entrepreneur, it also gave me a good introduction to starting a career in china. I later secured a very challenging and interesting job in Beijing and I believe the referrals from my previous supervisors played an important role in this.  After 2.5 years of working in China, I have accumulated sufficient quality work experience to to pursue an MBA education at a top  5 US Business school this coming summer. Looking back I believe the Hutong school played an important role in kick starting my exciting 'China Career'. 

Lisa Luu 

Hutong School made coming to China for the first time so convenient, exciting and culturally immersing! I had great experiences both in their Beijing and Shanghai branches. The staff, teachers and students were absolutely lovely and I still keep in contact with many of them today. In the 6 months I was at Hutong in 2012, I went from absolute beginner to intermediate level Chinese.Since then, I work in Shanghai in a French-Chinese company and am absolutely loving the work, personal and cultural experiences I'm gaining in China!  

Stories From The Staff

We asked some of our current team members for their most 'memorable moments' at Hutong School.

Here are some of their stories...

Massimo - "Sunshine? A cupcake? Let's go on the rooftop!"

It only takes sunshine, a cupcake (more than one!) and a rooftop to make your day! Less than a month after arriving in Shanghai, I realized that my new colleagues and the people I have met at the school are more than just a bunch of people lost in China, it's your little family abroad! Smiles don't lie!

Beijing is well known for the delicious 家常菜. If we have something to celebrate we often eat at a Chinese restaurant. Students love to join, this place it therefore also called the ‘Hutong School Restaurant’ these days ;). Even Olivier, who works in Shanghai now, still misses these 家常菜 happenings, especially the Kung Pao Chicken.