Grand Oriental Hotel. Dongguan

... I’m not sure what a helper is so I don’t want to comment until I’m sure but if it’s what I think then it’s no wonder they’re so soft. The academic ability range in the classes is no different to what I’m used to but what is different is the attitude of the students. Before coming here I had some strange notion that I’d be teaching highly academic and motivated students who could seriously challenge my knowledge ...

Gearing up for work<br><br>I had to attend a full week of meetings even though I don't actually start getting paid until the students turn up on September the 1st, the private system seems to have its quirks and foibles that are going to take a little bit of getting used to. The principal has sent everyone an e-mail saying that he expects us to be there, so I thought I&#8217;d better go.<br><br>The meetings were generally for an hour or so in the morning, the usual **** that ...

Our whole family was invited to go to Shenzhen for the day by our friend's classmate. He picked us up in his van from the ferry terminal and brought us to Happy Valley Amusentment Park. We experienced what happens on a holiday. Mr.Yin, our host and his daughter Eva went through the whole park with us. We were there for 12 hours and only got to ride 4 rides. We stayed late at the park so we ...

... full body massage after dinner last night. The full body massage consists of a room with three twin sized beds and you lay down on your back and the front of you gets massaged for an hour. This is an intense massage where you almost want to tell them that it hurts, but then you think that they are professionals and they know what they are doing. After that first hour, they ask you to ...

... Whilst in Hong Kong we went to Victoria peak via the steep tram and at the top of the peak a magnificent outlook awaited us. However, I wish we could have seen more of the view but the overcast clouds and pollution didn't help. We were also here for Tam's 25th bday. During the day we went to Yum Cha which was yummy and then hit the town with Boyle and Damo (mates from ...

... around, which is another change from HK. Many expats living the quiet life. Had bun with pork and shrimp dumplings - none of those anemic American shrimp here. Missed ferry we'd planned on taking, then back to Tsim Sha Tsui and Chungking Mansions for a late lunch at Taj Mahal: chicken chilli, chiken tika masala, raita, nan, rice. Great food. Chungking is one of the most interesting places in the world - we interacted at one time or another with people from Bagladesh ...

... cash, youthful male posers walking around shirtless to show off their willowy waists and hairless chests. But then suddenly the scene shimmered a bit before my eyes suddenly I saw a scene, a bit faded for being thirty years old - a school teacher, or a small-time dissident, a 'capitalist roader', maybe an old professor, wearing a dunce cap in the centre of a yelling, jeering crowd, being beaten to within an inch of his or her life. Then after the split second in which I seemed ...

... resignation, but above all else there is a grim determination to work, to make money, to do better and to succeed. Some of this derives from abject poverty and of course, not everyone is on an upward curve but you constantly see people repairing, innovating, making things with their hands from scrap, selling small amounts of home made or hand-crafted produce, doing vicious manual labour and then trying something different or ...

... off to the Stanley street markets. Which people apparently come to Hong Kong just to visit. I brought 2 pendants and a mobile phone holder. I wish I had brought more stuff but I guess that's why Ill have to go back! All very cheap!!! Then we went to the top of one of the mountains and were carried down by a Cog-Railway train, which was uncomfortable but fun. Anyhow Im off now for lunch and to see if I can hunt down those DVD's Nathan wants... I just got back from wandering around for a ...