As you may already know, Nov 11 is the annual festival for single people in China. Most Chinese bachelors, especially those in their late 20s or 30s, will feel extraordinary pressure to end their status of being single on this particular day. However, in contrast to many single Chinese people who want to get married, foreign bachelors in China seem rather to enjoy their single life.

British poet tells about his teaching days in China

Gordon J. L. Ramel. File photo

Gordon J. L. Ramel, 57, an Englishman from London, is now in his second year at Qujing Normal University Yunnan Province. He is in his fourth year in China and sixth in Asia, as he spent two years in Thailand. He spent two years as an English teacher in Huai'an Normal University in Jiangsu Province

Gordon J. L. Ramel——

I am not a rich foreigner, I own no property in England, only books. I have never been married or even close. I would love to have a Chinese girlfriend and would be happy to get married if it was good between us.

I am happy in China and enjoy teaching my Chinese undergraduates, and I plan to stay as long as they will let me. I do not speak any Chinese however, I am sorry about this. I am involved in a number of extra-curricular activities at my university, such as Drama Club, Friday Night Film Club and a TEM voluntary workshop and these do use up time.

I am a poet in my spare time, with five books of poetry on Kindle, and I have also written a novel and a science book. I also have a small garden where I grow some organic vegetables, and I am an amateur wildlife photographer, especially of birds. I enjoy cooking so I often share English meals with students on the weekends and teach them about cooking English cakes and cookies. In return they teach me about Chinese cooking.