In order to qualify for a teaching position at CLI, candidates are required to have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a four-year, fully accredited Chinese university. In addition, we consider a broad set of qualities that exemplify the ideal teacher, including not just education and work experience, but also friendliness, humor, emotional intelligence, and creativity. These factors are carefully measured through several rounds of interviews and lesson simulations.
CLI has received hundreds of applications from qualified teachers over the past several years for our limited teaching positions. Our team underpins everything we do at CLI.
Passion is what binds all of CLI’s administrators together – we love what we do. We have dedicated ourselves to building cultural bridges between China and the rest of the world. Each member of our international team has extensive China experience and profound professional and academic interest in the PRC. Our primary goal is to help you understand China and Chinese by sharing our knowledge and expertise with you in every way we can.
Click on our team member photos to read our individual China stories.
Passion is what binds all of CLI’s administrators together – we love what we do. We have dedicated ourselves to building cultural bridges between China and the rest of the world. Each member of our international team has extensive China experience and profound professional and academic interest in the PRC. Our primary goal is to help you understand China and Chinese by sharing our knowledge and expertise with you in every way we can.
Click on our team member photos to read our individual China stories.
Sunny is from Henan Province and has been teaching Chinese at CLI since 2010. She holds a BA in linguistics from CLI’s affiliate university, Guangxi Normal University. In addition to being Head of Teaching Staff at CLI, Sunny is the head teacher for CLI’s annual China Fieldwork Semester, held in Dali, Yunnan each spring semester and led by Dr. John Flower (PhD, University of Virginia), director of the Sidwell Friends School Chinese Studies Program. Sunny also travels extensively throughout China and the United States promoting various CLI language initiatives.
学生在学中文的过程中，最应该记住的东西是什么？What do you think is the most important thing for a student to remember when studying Chinese?
语用和语境，因为学习语言最终的目的就是使用它。很多时侯学生知道了词的意思，却不知道在什么场合用，在什么样的情况下用，往往会用错，所以语用和语境是学习中文中最应该记住的东西。
Students must know when and how to use Chinese words and phrases, because the ultimate purpose of learning a language is to use it. Students often know the meaning of a word, but don’t know exactly how and when to use it, so they often use words incorrectly. Therefore I think context is the most important thing for students to remember when studying Chinese.
Avril is from Bobai, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2005. She holds a BA from Guilin Electronic Technology University.
如果你带学生去桂林的一家餐馆吃饭，你会选择哪一家？你会推荐哪个菜？If you could take a student out to any restaurant in Guilin, which one would it be and what would you recommend he or she eat?
我会选择CLI附近的“越来越福”，我推荐“博白空心菜”。因为那是我能在桂林吃到的最正宗最好吃的我的家乡菜。
I would recommend he or she eat at Yuelai Yuefu, and the best dish is 博白空心菜 (Bóbái kōngxīncài). This is the most authentic and delicious dish from my hometown that I can get in Guilin.
Dayong is from Harbin, Heilongjiang and has been teaching Chinese since 2009. He holds a BA from Guangxi Normal University.
CLI带给你最宝贵的是什么？What is the most valuable thing you have learned at CLI?
世界很大，每个人都可以做你的老师。
At CLI, I’ve learned that the world is a big place – and every single person in it can be your teacher in some way.
June is from Dalian, Liaoning and has been teaching Chinese since 2012. She holds a BA in Chinese Language and Literature from Bohai University and an MA in Comparative Education from Guangxi Normal University.
CLI带给你最宝贵的是什么？What is the most valuable thing you have learned at CLI?
经验，CLI的学生都来自不同的国家，有不同的背景和经验。我喜欢跟他们沟通，这样可以开阔我的眼界。
The most valuable thing I’ve learned at CLI is experience. CLI students come from all over the world; they have different backgrounds and experiences. I like to talk with different students to learn different thoughts and perspectives.
Nancy is from Yangshuo, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2010. She holds a BA in language from Guangxi Normal University.
学生在学中文的过程中，最应该记住的东西是什么？What do you think is the most important thing for a student to remember when studying Chinese?
要学以致用。
Students must take what have they learnt inside the classroom and practice it with Chinese speakers outside of class.
Katherine is from Guilin, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2012. She holds a BA in language from Guangxi University of Finance and Economics.
你最喜欢的中国节日是哪一个？What is your favorite Chinese holiday?
中秋节，因为中秋节的月亮非常圆, 圆圆的月亮是团圆的象征。“但愿人长久，千里共婵娟”这句诗也寄托了人们的美好愿望。
My favorite Chinese holiday is the Mid-Autumn festival because the moon on that night is very round, and a round moon is a symbol of reunion. There is a Chinese poem: “May we all be blessed with longevity. Though far apart, we are still able to share the beauty of the moon together.” This poem expresses feelings of hope and good wishes.
Ivory is from Xing’an, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2012. She holds a BA in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from Lijiang College of Guangxi Normal University.
你觉得桂林或桂林周边地区最有意思的旅游景点是什么？What do you think is the most interesting place to visit in or around Guilin?
我家，兴安：灵渠、水街、猫儿山、乐满地……这些大家都知道的，就不多说了。主要是现在正值兴安葡萄米粉节，各种葡萄品种的展览，以及各种小吃琳琅满目，幸福感油然而生！如果还能下葡萄园，采摘新鲜的葡萄，就更不用说了！
My hometown, Xing’an. We have the Ling river, Water Street, Mao’er Mountain, Merryland…. One of the main attractions is the “Rice Noodles and Grapes Festival”. We have many grape varieties being exhibited, and we have many traditional foods being sold in the streets – it would all definitely make you happy! If you can get into the vineyards to pick some fresh grapes, that would be even more awesome!
Wendy is from Weihai, Shandong and has been teaching Chinese since 2014. She holds a BA in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from Zaozhuang University and an MA in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics from Guangxi Normal University.
你最喜欢的中国节日是哪一个？What is your favorite Chinese holiday?
我最喜欢的中国节日是春节。春节是中国的传统节日，也是中国人最看重的一个节日。每逢春节，全家团圆。除夕夜大家一起包饺子，放鞭炮，看春节联欢晚会；初一早上拜年，收压岁钱，非常热闹。过了春节，我总觉得自己又大了一岁，肩上有更大的责任，这也激励我不断努力，让自己更加优秀。
My favorite Chinese holiday is Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).It is a traditional festival holiday, and probably the most important. Every New Year, families reunite. On New Year’s Eve, we all get together to make dumplings, light firecrackers, and watch the Spring Festival Gala on TV. The next morning we wish everyone a happy new year and children receive money as a traditional gift – it’s a festive day. After Spring Festival,I always feel another year older, with greater responsibility on my shoulders. This inspires me to continue working hard to make myself a more outstanding person.
Lee is from Guilin, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2012. He holds a BA from Guangxi Normal University.
你最喜欢的中文电影是什么？What is your favorite Chinese movie?
我最喜欢的中文电影是《中国合伙人》。因为这是部励志电影，它讲述了三个怀有热情和梦想的年轻人在高等学府燕京大学的校园内相遇，从此展开了他们长达三十年的友谊和梦想征途。
My favorite Chinese movie is “American Dreams in China”. This is an inspirational film that tells the story of the dreams and passions of three young people in higher education who meet at Yanjing University in Beijing. The film traces their lives over the course of thirty years as their friendships and dreams unfold.
Winona is from Anhui province and has been teaching Chinese since 2012. She holds a BA in Chinese from Changchun Normal University and an MA in Chinese Linguistics from Guangxi Normal University.
学生在学中文的过程中，最应该记住的东西是什么？What do you think is the most important thing for a student to remember when studying Chinese?
最应该记住的是拼音。拼音为日后的学习打下牢固的基础。
The most important thing to remember is pinyin. Mastering pinyin will set a concrete foundation for your Chinese learning.
Gina, from Guangxi Province, started interning at CLI while earning her Bachelors in Business and Teaching English from Guangxi Normal University. While working as an intern, she was attracted by CLI’s comfortable, familial atmosphere. As a Chinese teacher, she appreciates the mutual respect and understanding fostered by students in the CLI community. Gina admires the distinctive beauty of the Longsheng Rice Terraces and would like to visit the Greek Island Santorini one day.
Febie is from Jieyang in Guandong Province and has been teaching Chinese for more than 7 years. She holds a BA in Logistics from the Guangxi University for Nationalities. She loves China’s vastly diverse food culture believing that it gives very authentic insights into daily Chinese lifestyles.
Yung is from Henan and has been teaching Chinese since 2013. She holds a BA from Guilin University of Electronic Technology and an MA from Guangxi Normal University.
你是如何成为CLI一员的？
How did you end up at CLI?
知道CLI这所语言学校并成为其中的一员纯属一个巧合：2013年五月的一天，阳光明媚，我带着我的狗在师大足球场散步。碰巧一群外国学生在玩飞盘，于是我的狗就加入了它们。我在旁边看他们游戏的时候，其中一位学生走来和我交谈。在交谈中我知道了他们是CLI的学生，并进一步了解到了CLI这所学校。回去以后我在网上搜索关于CLI的信息，碰巧又看到CLI 正在网上发布招聘信息。于是经过投递简历、重重面试，我顺利成为CLI的一员。
I learned about CLI serendipitously: On a sunny day in May 2013, I took my dog for a walk in the GXNU football stadium. I ran into a group of foreign students playing Frisbee, and my dog decided to join them. One of the students came to talk with me and told me about CLI where they were studying. When I got home, I searched for information on the Internet about the CLI, and I saw they were hiring Chinese teachers. After sending my resume and going through a heavy interview, I successfully became a CLI teacher.
Ruza is from Hezhou, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2010. She holds a BA in teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from Guangxi Normal University.
CLI带给你最宝贵的是什么（比如知识、经验、或教育）？What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at CLI?
经验，CLI给了我很多可以了解不同国家的学生的机会，并在这些过程中不断的发现自己的问题，提升自己，提高自己的教学技能。
My experience at CLI has given me many opportunities to understand students from different countries. And these opportunities have allowed me to understand myself better and to make myself a better person and a better teacher.
Kolok is from Yulin, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2010. He holds a BA in Education from Guangxi Normal University.
你认为想掌握中文的学生为什么必来中国学习？Why do you think students come to China to learn Chinese?
学习一门外语更令人愉快的是学生有一些即时的满足感。学生可以在上完课的第二天去邮局邮寄信件到自己的家。实际上用一门外语完成任务要比在考试中得到高的分数更有成就感，这种即时性的满足感只有亲自在中国说中文才能感受的到。
Learning a foreign language is much more enjoyable for students when there is instant gratification. A student can use what they learned in a lesson about the post office to go and mail a letter home to their family that same day. Actually accomplishing a task in a foreign language can be much more rewarding than receiving a high grade on a test. This type of instant gratification can only be felt by speaking Chinese in China.
Jenny is from Jingmen, Hubei and has been teaching Chinese since 2013. She is earning her graduate’s degree in Educational Psychology from Guangxi Normal University.
你最喜欢的成语是哪一个？What is your favorite Chinese idiom?
有志者事竟成。
Where there is a will there is a way.
Abby is from Nanning, Guangxi and has been teaching Chinese since 2006. She holds a BA in Education from Guangxi Normal University.
你最喜欢的中文电影是什么？What is your favorite Chinese movie?
张艺谋导演，葛优、巩俐主演的电影《活着》。电影展现了中国不同的历史时期下普通百姓的生活。有些事看似荒唐，却真实存在。有喜有悲，有起有落，但这就是人生，活着就好。
“To Live” is a famous Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Ge You and Gong Li. The film shows ordinary Chinese people’s lives during different historical periods. Some things may seem hard to believe, but they’re actually realistic. There is happiness and sorrow, there are ups and downs, but this is life. Just be alive.
Echo is from Baoding, Hebei in northern China. She grew up in a typical Chinese village, and although her hometown is near Beijing, its traditional essence has been preserved. Echo earned her BA and MA in Chinese Literature at Guangxi Normal University. She loves reading works of literature in both Chinese and English. Echo joined CLI in January 2010 and remains one of the longest-tenured members of the team. Echo played a major role in developing educational programs as CLI’s Head of Teaching Staff, and in 2014 she took on expanded responsibilities as CLI Co-Director. CLI is Echo’s window to the outside world. She knows Chinese culture well and considers herself to be very traditional in nature. At the same time, she is constantly seeking to learn about the different cultures and ways of thinking that students from all over the world bring to CLI.
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Anias was first introduced to Mandarin in high school when she began studying the language for fun. After a summer abroad in the northern coastal city of Qingdao, Anias vowed to return to the Middle Kingdom in order to improve her language skills and deepen her understanding of contemporary Chinese society. She moved to Guilin with CLI’s Teach in China program in fall 2016 and joined the CLI team as a Program Manager in summer 2017. Anias enjoys eating 麻辣烫 málàtàng, analyzing popular culture and biking through the Guilin countryside.
Molin is from Guilin, Guangxi and holds a BA in Education from Guangxi Normal University. She has worked for several domestic and international organizations developing programs to bring educators and travelers to China, and in 2010 she joined the CLI Team as a Chinese Instructor and Local Coordinator helping to arrange CLI’s China Seminars. Molin is fluent in Chinese, English, and Spanish. She has a passion for languages and traditional Chinese medicine. In her free time, Molin enjoys exploring the world’s diversity of cultures. Most recently, she has traveled to Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
With two sons in China and a third as the designer of CLI’s brand image, Nancy is Enrollment Director for a true family organization. She has visited China five times and continues to enjoy her daily interactions with CLI’s former, current and future students and partners. Her passion for cultural exchange and dedication to each student’s China experience are the foundation of CLI’s efforts. In addition to guiding individual students and institutional partners through the many steps that studying abroad in China entails, Nancy plays a central role in managing a range of administrative tasks.
Jeff first became captivated with Chinese language and culture during a family vacation to China in 2004 to visit his brother Bradford. It was this initial experience that led to several additional visits between 2004 and 2015 to work on a range of personal and professional projects. While in the United States Jeff is based in New York City, where he has excelled as a freelance photographer and videographer for nearly a decade. Jeff has produced visual media for a range of publications and organizations, including Forbes, Manhattan Magazine, Modern Luxury and the Tribeca Film Festival. Jeff is proficient in Mandarin and continues his Chinese studies during annual visits to Guilin.
Susan is originally from Yizhou, Guangxi, and she joined the CLI Team in spring 2014. Susan is passionate about enhancing the learning experience of CLI’s students and makes it a personal goal to see that every student’s needs are met. Susan holds a BA in Business English from Guangxi Normal University. Susan joined the CLI team in 2014 as Student Affairs Manager, leading everything from student orientations to weekly activities and monthly travel excursions. From September 2016 to May 2017, Susan was based at the University of Mary Washington in the United States where she contributed as Visiting Language Instructor, before returning to CLI in the summer of 2017 as Study Abroad Manager. Susan is an avid reader and an aspiring photographer and world traveler. She believes that “everyone is like a book with their own unique stories,” and getting to know people is the only way to truly know their story.
Originally from Maryland, Anne has lived in China for nearly 15 years. While teaching in Fujian Province in 2009, she began studying erhu and leaf whistle with a teacher who spoke no English. Fascinated by Chinese traditional music and hoping to communicate with her teacher directly, she started studying Chinese at a local university. From 2013-2015, she pursued an MA program taught entirely in Chinese at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and after graduation, she worked at a Shanghai-based education start-up for several years before joining the CLI team. Anne has traveled to 15 Chinese provinces and nearly 30 countries and loves helping CLI students discover China and the world. She holds a BA in English and French literature from the University of Maryland, College Park and is proficient in French and fluent in Chinese.
Tania graduated with a BA in Arabic and Chinese from the University of Leeds in 2016. She spent two years studying in Taiwan and Egypt as part of her undergraduate program. She is very interested in Chinese traditional theater and studied an intensive course in Beijing Opera at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. She also obtained third prize in the 14th “Chinese Bridge” Language Proficiency competition in the UK in 2015. Before joining the CLI team, Tania worked with international students in her role as a student ambassador and social assistant working for the University of Leeds. Tania believes that one of the best things about working at CLI is meeting people from all over the world and the opportunity to be immersed in Chinese language and culture.
Nikki is from Guilin, Guangxi. She holds a BA in Business English from Guangxi Normal University. After graduation, Nikki started her career in education as a Chinese teacher at Malang State University in Indonesia. In August 2016, Nikki joined the CLI team as Student Affairs Manager. She is excited to help students better understand CLI and provide a comfortable environment during your time in Guilin.
While studying Chinese at Tsinghua University in 2009, Robert recognized the growing need for an intensive Chinese language program that combined best practices from China and the West. He has since dedicated himself to helping develop the Chinese Language Institute into a global leader in Chinese language and cultural studies. Robert graduated summa cum laude from Virginia Tech with a BA in Political Science and Communication and holds an MBA/MA joint master’s degree from the Wharton School and Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Robert is proficient in Spanish and fluent in Chinese.
With over 12 years on the ground in China and 15 working in higher education, Bradford brings a depth of experience unique among Americans in China. Bradford is the longest serving foreign professor at Guangxi Normal University, CLI’s university partner. In 2012, he was promoted to the university’s Director of International Staff, making him one of a select few American university administrators in China. Bradford holds a BA in Philosophy from Lewis and Clark College and an MA in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language on a fully funded fellowship from Hanban, the parent organization behind the Confucius Institute. Starting September 2019, Bradford is working toward a PhD in Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where his focus is on applied linguistics and cognitive science. Bradford is fluent in Mandarin.
Summer is from Guilin, Guangxi. She holds a BA in language and an MA in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from Guangxi Normal University. Summer started her career in education as a Chinese teacher with China’s prestigious Hanban organization. During this time, Summer taught at the Ministry of Education in Thailand and the C&C Language Center in the Philippines. In 2014, she joined the CLI Team. As Student Activities Manager, Summer is responsible for organizing the out-of-class component of CLI’s language learning system. She also continues to teach class and loves to talk to students, answer their questions, and help them experience the best of CLI, Guilin, and the Mandarin language.
Lea is originally from Maryland and has since ventured to more than 12 countries. In 2011, she had the opportunity to study abroad with CLI and found inspiration in its welcoming community and Guilin’s idyllic landscape. In addition to her experience in China, Lea studied for a semester in Granada, Spain and for eight weeks in Cairo, Egypt before graduating from Howard University summa cum laude. As an Outreach Manager based in CLI’s DC office, Lea is committed to sharing study abroad opportunities with as many students as she can so that everyone has a chance to experience the beauty and culture of China.
Tristan is from Guilin, Guangxi, and holds a BA in English from the Guilin Institute of Tourism. Tristan worked as a tour guide for four years before moving to the famous city of Hangzhou to work as a manager for an international hotel. He returned to his hometown four years later to continue working in the hotel industry as a general manager. Tristan became CLI’s Property Manager in 2012 and has been helping deliver high quality and comfortable study abroad experiences to students from all over the world. Tristan is a true soccer fanatic and frequently organizes pick-up games on the weekends with CLI students and Chinese locals.
Xiaoyang is the architect of CLI’s original website, which served as the virtual gateway to CLI until 2014, and he single-handedly built the CLI Center’s extensive wireless network. Xiaoyang has been on the team since CLI’s early days, and he has been instrumental in making sure CLI stays ahead of the tech curve. Xiaoyang is from Hechi, Guangxi, and holds a BA in Computer Application from Guilin Air Force Academy.
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