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It is a small office with poor light. But when Mr. Kulich stepped in, it was instantly lightened by his vigorous and approachable manner.
Steven Kulich, 42, is a tall and handsome American with eye-catching thick beard. Away from Kansas, his hometown, which in his words is ??opposite to Shanghai in every aspects,?? he has been teaching in Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) for six years. With fluent Chinese, a group of Chinese friends, a sweet family and a prized job, he fares quite well in Shanghai.
??Its an active and exciting place,?? he said.??I'm fascinated by Kulich??s class.??
In fact, kulich is a real busy figure at SISU. His main subjects cover cross-cultural communication, advanced conversation and inter-cultural studies. And his students range from juniors, graduate students to college teachers.
Full as the schedules are, he is still glamorous enough to attract and satisfy the increasingly picky students. Once he talked about ??cultural shock?? to junior students. What he provided was not just facts or theories, but a series of gestures and motions. When he put his hand with the edge on the neck and moved slowly, he let the students guess what kind of feeling it expressed, and then the students knew it---I??ll kill you, and slowly.
??I'm always fascinated by Kulich??s class,?? Zhang Yinghua, a junior student said. ??What he taught is just interesting and unforgettable."
Sometimes, he will conduct some small tests and use videos to animate the whole class. ??No students feel sleepy in his class, although in some boring class they often like to doze a little,?? Wu Xiao, a class monitor, said.
??I like an active teaching style such as the Western self-discovery style,?? Kulich said. ??The class will be more effective if the students can really experience something and remember it.??
Model Husband and Father
Normally a person feels lucky not because he has made a pile, but because he can enjoy a sweet family. Kulich is such a lucky one. He has a German wife and two lovely daughters, one in primary school, the other still in the kindergarten.
As a devoted husband and father, he firstly chose to live in the ideal city: Shanghai. ??I want a modern city with good facilities for the family and international school for my children,?? he said.
Then, he won??t forget to see a movie with his wife every week. In addition, he found it quite enjoyable to go shopping with his wife although he hates long time shopping.
Even his everyday sport is related with his daughters. He takes his daughter by bike very quickly to school in the morning, and then rush back to the university. And in the afternoon he again rides her home.
When he is free, he teaches the girls English and a little Chinese. In order to help them to be more creative, he only gives them two hours to watch TV each week, and encourages them to do more drawing and game playing. Loving and strict, he proves to be a model father and husband.
When in China do as the Chinese do
Kulich is a flexible man. He can enjoy almost all the Chinese food, no matter whether it is cooked by a chef in a famous restaurant, or simply his wife??s ??masterpiece??.
He enjoys all kinds of music: classic, jazz, pop and traditional Chinese, everything is fit for his appetite.
When he first saw SISU, he felt disappointed because of the small campus. But now he thought it was beautiful, with the appearance of some new buildings. He speaks quite good Chinese. He knows how to use chopsticks. He likes bicycle, realizing it??s the most convenient way of traffic in such a crowded city as Shanghai.
Usually, foreigners go to some clubs for relaxation. But Kulich shows no interest in such places.
??Most foreigners go there because they don??t like the life here. They want a place to complain,?? Kulich said. ??But I always have good times, my life now is very much a part of the Shanghai style.??
Life dealing with cultures
Kulich teaches cross-cultural communication. And interestingly enough, his home is also inter-cultural. A German and an American living in China, they have to deal with three cultures every day. And Kulich is always enthusiastic about different cultures. Wherever he goes, China, Singapore, Indonesia, he just enjoys learning about the cultures.
Yet he learns not for the simple sake of learning, he tries to use his knowledge to help those who feel frustrated with the life here. In fact, he has been conducting cultural training seminars for some companies to help some overseas managers enjoy the culture and life in the city.
??If I can understand how to communicate effectively, and how to help other people communicate effectively, then I can be more successful in my job,?? Kulich said. ??I really hope to be a bridge between the two cultures."
from Shanghai Star
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