Essays need to be submitted to 2945421709@qq.com with the following:

1) Name(pen name)

2) Nationality

3) Occupation

4) Passport number

5) Contact details

6) Attachment of article as a .doc .docx

Foreigners have played a positive role in education and innovation in Jilin province and some have even established families and settled down here. So, we want to thank you for all your support and contributions to provincial development.

But, we also want to hear your personal stories here and about your personal feelings about the life and how you feel about the people, the attractions, the weather, and the food here.

These ideas are an integral part of the dialogue between expats living in Jilin and the foreigners who have been here. This conversation must be vivid, inspired, and interesting from a broader perspective, of people who have the passion and insight to communicate their stories in a unique way.

The "Jilin and I" bilingual writing competition is for expats who are working or studying in Jilin province or for those who have had some experiences here, with the provincial government information office, the education dept, or the people's association for friendship with foreign countries.

Suggested themes for the essay:

1) Impressions of one place, attraction, folk dances, or the weather.

2) A trip to one place or a tourist attraction.

3) A fondness for the weather or food or something else.

4) A short piece on your studies, work, or travel here.

5) Your story about Jilin friends, working life, or anything interesting.

These ideas can illustrate broader themes and do not have to be precise in sticking to the topic.

Each essay is to be no longer than 800-2,000 words in either English or Chinese.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all expats who are working or studying in Jilin or anyone who has a travel experience here, without age limit.

Deadline

Participants have a two-week period, Jan 3-20, during which time they can submit their essay for consideration. Those that score above a certain level will be shortlisted and posted on-line for evaluations. And, a jury will select the top entries from those that have gained the highest popular vote from the website.

Prizes

The essay contest has the following awards:

1) First Class (3 places)

2) Second Class (5 places)

3) Third Class (7 places)

4) Outstanding Essay ( 20 places)

All the winners will receive a certificate and will be invited for an expense-paid 5-day tour.

All the finalists writings will be published on a book as My Jilin Story.