AH sulphur

New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND
Nice to be out of China being able to communicate with people is a bonus but still have a problem trying to understand the bus timetables.
Spent my first week with my ex- landlady Sonia in Auckland with her partner Andrew.
We went on a day trip to Waitakere Ranges where the views are wonderful over the bush, just a little chilly, we stopped for lunch with views over Auckland in the distance.

The following day we went up the Sky Tower Auckland the views are magnificent but very scary I had to sit on the floor in the lift there was no way I could look out of the glass paneled elevator with a glass panel on the floor.


Tauranga
I caught the Naked Bus to Tauranga where I was meeting my friend Don who I met in China. We were both hoping to get some work Kiwi Fruit pruning for a couple of weeks but it's very differcult getting on the pruning gangs plus it's quite late in the season, so at the moment I'm just taking it easy sightseeing and doing lots of running and cycling got to get fit it will be summer when I get to Perth.

Waterall

conclusion

I'm still considering whether I will go back to China!!
The conclusion I have come to is that the schools are pretty differcult to work for you take pot luck who ever needs staff you go for it you have no idea what you have in store and everyday is an adventure.
The work is quite easy 0900 -1130 then 3 hour brake for lunch and most of china has to nap for some reason. They really can't understand why foreigner don't like a sleep in the afternoon then back to work till 5 for a quick dinner maybe a swim in the lovely river after that if the weather is good.

Any excuse to withhold money, if you are sick or don't turn up to an volunteer English Corner they will keep as much as they can your best bet is to have everything written down even to the smallest details. They will make the rules up as they go along there is know doubt of that. They will tell you that you are great and your students love you until it comes to pay day then they will withhold some more money because there is a complaint.
The students are terrific and grateful that you are in their country helping them learn English but the students will complain and moan behind your back to everyone.

Most foreign teachers find it hard the first 4 months but once you are used to the Chinese way it can be very relaxing and fun with beautiful sights, smells and learning about their quirky culture.


This is the first time I have been able to do the blog myself as China blocked Blog the first week I was there so thanks to Andre I was able to keep you updated. Facebook was also blocked for the last 4 weeks and Hotmail to on the anniversary of Tiananmen Square.
The Chinese are not interested in their history so choose to ignore the terrible consequences of Chairman Mao and Communist rule in the early 20th century. This is a very touchy subject which is best steered away from for your own safety.


It was a pretty great experience and I met some fantastic people that I would never have met I am so glad I did it but not sure if I would go back again. I wish I new more about the Chinese culture before I went then I would have found it a bit easier.

new zea 2

Summer School Ghangzhou Mega City

Ghangzhou China



I left Yangshou on the 8th July and headed to Ghangzhou to stay with my friend Nichol and help her for a week at a Summer School. It’s great being in a city for a change it’s so much different than Yangshuo cinemas, metro and expensive western food. Ghangzhou is renown for markets where you can buy anything from food to electronic goods, great for export.

I spent 1 week helping at Summer School in an area outside Ghangzhou a very large school. The students are off school on summer holidays at moment so they hold summer camp to teach English, there was 30 students in our group who sleep at school and get entertained from 0800 to 2100. Mainly we would play games and songs trying to teach english which is quite differcult as the ages range from 6- 15 but still good fun.

One day we had a day trip and went round the park and museums. The museums were small but the items they had were amazing from the Qing, Jing dynasty. Pottery and jewellery only found in the 70’s and loads of pottery from and artifacts from BC.

3 more days to go speak when I get to New Zealand

Trip to Guilin

Guilin China

After weeks of bordom we decided to organise a trip to Guilin to visit some museums and parks. We aquired an annoying taxi driver who only wanted to take us where he wanted to go which was the Jade museum。Trying to explain that that was not our destination was extremely hard even with two chinese people in our party. Firstly we were taken to a park around one of the big hills which had a Buddist temple and some caves. Pretty amazing place they have statues carved out of the saligmits and as you walk down into the cave you were going through the various stages of Hell where they kill disenbowel people in very hrrible ways. I have never seen such explicit forms. Buddist monks have made the pilgrimage here for thousands of years. Then on the way out you visit the head monk for a blessing who then wanted 100 Yean off everyone. Typical.

Heading towards Autumn

Well still here in sunny China I think we are nearly out of the rainy season and will be heading towards Autumn. The weather is very hot and humid night and day and I am sweating continuous but is a great way to burn calories。 My gin and tonics are going down well with no guilt feelings. Yangshuo itself is ok good bars but the spirits can be a bit pricey, western food is good sometimes you just need to feel like you have eaten something but is so hot that you aren't that hungry. I really do love the chinese food but it is impossible not to eat meat sometimes even the vegetarian food as little bits of meat in but to them its vegy. Chinese wine is good but you can get oz and french wine but very expensive. The school I work at has some really great students which we try and do various things with at weekends and evenings. We go barbcues, picnics, swimming and bike rides which are great fun I also enjoy playing ping pong with the students as they are so good. Yangshuo has a few western workers mostly English then Canadian, American, OZ and NZ. I am very surprised to see so many English workers. The English do not behave very well from what I have seen. My mad friend Seth was out riding his bike too fast and hit a pot hole came a cropper and broke his collar bone in two places, stitches in his knee and lost skin on his back knees and elbows, he was lucky he didn't hit his head. He went to the hospital but wanted to move to Guilin for the operation as it's supposed to be a better hospital. He's having op 17 June without insurance. The roads here are crazy and you really have to ride at 1 mph or you could end up in a serious accident which is not best for westerners in China no one obeys any laws and there is no insurance. These three little ducks live at a restaurant they just lounge around waiting for food thay are getting very fat and soon will be someones plate in the place they call home.

China Trail unfolds

Well I think I have been here about 3 weeks. What's new!The job I came to do finish the first week so haven't been working. It has rained every other day and I mean rain you get soaked to skin in no time so my mac from England has been very useful. We have had small floods and the rivers have been high so no swimming or boat rides. I have thought about changing my flight and heading off early to New Zealand but probably will stay now as I have a teaching job. It comes with accomadation and food and will pay 50 Yuen (5.00) per lesson which is ok will start with 2 lessons a day for the first week.I have been trying to keep fit so have been doing Badmington, Ping Pong, Cycling and running up my 5 flights of stairs, now that is a good workout. In the evening I like to go to the park to watch the older people dance in the dark with loud Chinese music it's very atmospheric. The food is great and I could eat all the time Dumplings, noodles and tofu are my favourite and there are good kebab places where everything is on skewers and cooks in front of you, chickens feet, pig penis and just about every part of every animals body is available but meat can get a bit pricey if you are on a budget.

Yangshuo

The view from the swimming pool Hong Kong is so high rise!

Well finally arrived after too many days travelling, arrived in HK on Sat night and stayed at a nice hotel on HK island. I think the trip took it out of me as I was feeling lousey and shakey. Had to stay an extra day to try and feel normal, decided to travel to Shenzhen of the Mon morning which was a taxi ride to train station then 40 min train to Shenzhen, through train staion and customs where I had to fill in 2 medical declaration forms and had my temp taken for swine flu. I then had to sit in the station for 5 hours to wait for my train.

It was in a hard sleeper which has 6 beds two lots of bunks. There was 3 chinese adults and one baby so quite hard to sleep. The journey took 12 hours and I arrived in Guilin at 0700 then a bus ride to Yangshuo 1 1/2 hours.

I love yangshuo the photos I've seen don't do it justice very atmospheric with the mountains appearing from behind every building and from around every corner. The roads are chaos, a free for all but seem to be pretty safe I don't think anyone could imagine this unless you've see it.

This is Owen College where I am based.

I've started learning chinese at my college which is good fun and everyone is very helpful.

I work 2 hrs Mon to Thurs which normally means a taxi ride to the sticks where the small schools are. You teach 2 classes for 40 mins the classes are mad because the children really don't understand alot so do not pay attention unless you are playing games but they do seem very sweet.

5 Days to go, can't wait!!
Leaving Poole on the bus Friday for Heathrow

Time is running out!!

Although things are running quite smooth I'm still pretty stressed.
I am dame excited though and just want to be China without the travelling. I have booked a nice hotel on Hong Kong island with a swimming pool and gym I think I will pretty tired so have treated myself before my 12 hr train journey to Yangshuo.

Yangshuo Schools

These are some of the schools I will be working at.

Yangshuo China

This is Yangshuo China in the floood of 2007

This is where I will be spending my time in china. What a fab place!!

March 10 2009

I've finally booked my tickets

Guilin China 8th may 2009

Auckland New zealand 21st july 2009

Perth Australia 5th Oct 2009

Tonga Polynesian Is 5 th Feb 2010

Vancouver Canada 1st march 2010

Home Heathrow 7 may 2010