In 1999, Bermudian Lowdru Robinson retired — or so he thought, but that was before his daughter Lolita Schmalenberg and her husband persuaded him to join them in China, where they are both involved in education.

Mr. Robinson had visited China previously to see the family, which includes four children, shortly after they moved from Canada, and he was impressed with its size and culture, but it was only after they moved to the Tianjin Economic Development Area (TEDA) that he agreed to return six years ago to begin a whole new career fulfilling the communist country’s insatiable demand for teachers of English.

As such, Mr. Robinson holds one of the Republic’s coveted “foreign expert” passbooks which allows him to live and work in China, and he could not be more delighted with his new surroundings.

TEDA, as it is popularly known, is an approximately 40 square kilometre area south of Beijing with a population of around 300,000 which Mr. Robinson describes as “the number one economic development area in China”.

Far from experiencing a culture shock, the former director of Community and Cultural Affairs is positively revelling in his new home, where he enjoys a high standard of living, eager students, unlimited opportunities to visit museums, art galleries and libraries, travel extensively and otherwise enjoy all of the amenities of Western life in a Far Eastern setting with prices far, far below Bermuda’s.

Acknowledging that the countryside is a different story, Mr. Robinson says that the cities are as big, bustling and developed as any in the West.

“Twenty years ago TEDA was only a small fishing village. Today it is one of the most modern places I have ever lived in. It has everything modern cities have, including skyscraper hotels with revolving restaurants on top. There is a brand new soccer stadium, where some of the Olympic games will be held next year, which is state of the art — the highest technology you can think of, and can hold the entire population of Bermuda. Motorola has the biggest factories producing cell phones, Samsung is also there, as well as many international pharmaceutical companies, so it is a centre of production, with many joint venture companies.”

There are also first-class malls and shops selling Western and Chinese goods, and the latest household appliances, computers and entertainment systems. The preferred clothing is western.

“The only thing I haven’t seen is Bermuda shorts,” Mr. Robinson says.

In terms of food, TEDA is totally cosmopolitan, with McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and pizza parlours thriving alongside Thai, Chinese and many other cuisines. The British supermarket chain, Tesco, has just partnered with Mr. Robinson’s local supermarket — the largest in the area, and which stocks food from all over the world, including the freshest of fresh fruit and vegetables.

“Many of the vegetables and fruits are very familiar to me, including mangoes, strawberries and papayas, which I buy all the time,” Mr. Robinson says. “Starbucks is about two blocks from my home, and a very popular place for westerners to meet and converse.”

Drug stores and pharmacies offer advice and products relevant to both western and Chinese medicine.

The transplanted Bermudian rents a fully-furnished, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condominium with dining room, living room, study, fully equipped kitchen, televisions, and all the trimmings for $200 a month.

“Wages are low, but so is the cost of living, which is five to ten times lower than Bermuda,” he says.

Because China’s manufacturing, export and commercial business is booming, English is the official business language in the cities, so everyone speaks it. In fact, Chinese children learn English from Grade 1 through university. Foreign nationals attend their own special schools, so Mr. Robinson’s students may include Taiwanese, Malaysians and Koreans.

With his background in education — he worked for 20 years in Canada before coming home to head up the Community and Cultural Affairs Department for another 20 years — Mr. Robinson is a busy man, and his students run the gamut from doctors and nurses to brokers, restaurant staff, businessmen and more.

Currently, he has been teaching the primary class at the TEDA International School, where his daughter is a guidance counsellor and his son-in-law heads the physical education department. In fact, Mrs. Schmalenberg replaced her father as the guidance counsellor.

Mr. Robinson has also taught English at Tiajin University of Commerce; to doctors and nurses at Tangu Hospital; and to new staff at Conoco-Phillips. When he returns he will be working with the Danish company Novonordisk, the world’s largest manufacturer of insulin products.

Teaching the students is a joy because they are all eager to learn, but he is especially fond of tutoring university students, and those who have passed English examinations.

“University students want to learn about Western culture and how we do things, and they are very interested in Western literature,” he says. “One of my students got the second highest mark in the university’s English literature examination, which was very rewarding.”

TEDA library, just minutes from his home, is a favourite haunt, and second to none.

“I have spent most of my life in libraries, and it is the most modern I have ever seen. The building is all glass, and the selection of books is excellent,” he says. “Shakespeare is my favourite author, as well as English writers. Shakespeare is quality literature. Just because something is old doesn’t mean it isn’t good,” he says.

Mr. Robinson may be living in the heart of a die-hard communist country, but forget any images of suppression, bugged accommodation, being followed, restricted travel, everyone wearing the same “uniform” of Chairman Mao jackets, or any of the other images westerners traditionally envisage when they think of the Republic of China. The Bermudian teacher says he has no sense of that in any phase of his city life. Just the opposite, in fact.

“China is the most market-driven, capitalist environment I have ever lived in. Doing good business and making a profit is the natural way of life in the cities. China has the biggest Foreign Service in the world, and the Chinese government is buying up businesses in the west. It has the largest surplus of American money of any country in the world, and when it comes to manufacturing things, it is the supermarket of the world. Eighty percent of Walmart’s goods are manufactured in China.”

The cities are very cosmopolitan — vibrant, bustling with all nationalities, and yes — with streets as traffic-clogged as any other city in the world, or possibly worse than many. Driving is almost a blood sport.

“I do have a problem with traffic,” Mr. Robinson admits. “Drivers don’t follow international traffic rules, and they all want to be first. Cars don’t stop on pedestrian crossings unless a policeman is there. In fact, the only ‘rule’ seems to be that he who honks first goes first. Bermuda has no traffic problems compared to China. Public transportation is excellent, and there is no shortage of taxis. I can go anywhere from where I live for $2.”

Tourism is big in China, and when he’s not teaching Mr. Robinson enjoys travelling all over the country and learning more about its history. He has explored such sights as the “ancient” and “modern” sides of Beijing, as well as, according to the late Chairman Mao, “becoming a man” by walking on the Great Wall.

“China at one time was the most developed country in the world after Egypt, and it is also the oldest continuous civilisation in the world,” he says. “My hobby is visiting museums and learning Chinese history and culture. My Chinese hero is Admiral Zheng He, who was sailing before Columbus, and in ships four times larger than Columbus used. He was famous for making seven great voyages, including down the coast of Africa and South America, and about one of which there is controversy as to whether or not Zheng He’s sailors arrived in America before Columbus.”

Like any country, China has its immigration policies, and even though Mr. Robinson is a respected “foreign expert” with the right of abode, were he to stop working he would normally have to leave. However, because his daughter and son-in-law have settled in the Republic and own their own home, he would be allowed to live with them should he finally retire. Living on his own as a retiree, however, would not be permitted. But Mr. Robinson is not thinking that far ahead yet. For now he is delighted with his new home and career, and all of the cultural opportunities it affords.

“I grew up in the West so I learned everything from a Western point of view. Now I am beginning to learn from the Eastern point of view, and it is amazing — not only the differences but the ‘firsts’. The Chinese were the first to discover paper, use block printing, invent gunpowder, and the first in many technical areas which were expanded upon by Western societies. What that shows you is that humans, no matter where they live, can respond and develop in their particular society to meet their needs.

While he has enjoyed revisiting his homeland, Mr. Robinson has had no interest in becoming embroiled in the two topics which seem to preoccupy his fellow citizens: politics and race.

“I see the world as a single country, and humans as living in this one country. There is only one race of people, and that is humans,” he says.

Lowdru’s road to China