Thrown together, torn apart. Without the tearing.

Today has been a day of... endings.

Of the nine people that started at the same time as me, three of them finished today. And it was strange.

Our director of studies, who has been at the school for three years (a lifetime in the transient world of contract teaching) finished today. And it was strange.

My summer school class, who I have taught 6 days out of seven for the last three weeks, finished today. And it was strange.

Three different endings in one day, each one final and finished, but without any of the big bang drama or massive earth shift you feel would be appropriate.

The three teachers who finished today - I said farewell in the staff meeting, we drank a toast... and that was that. They are no longer at the school. Sure, tonight we will go out with them and drink, um, at least a loaf worth of toast, but it's over. Very few tears, no thunder, no sudden bursting into song, nobody jumping out and saying "Wait, we've changed our minds!"

The director of studies - I said farewell in the staff meeting, we drank a toast. The last time I saw her, she came into my office this afternoon to talk about a decision I made that she didn't agree with. We spoke, I stood by my decision, she left. Last I spoke to her she was already half way to Hong Kong. We'll see her again in a while - she's coming back for a few days to show her folks around - but ultimately, it's over.

And the summer school class - A group of kids, 17-19, thrown together for two hours a day, for three weeks. Have to work together, have to do some difficult things together, have to 'bond'. And today, we finished class, I said goodbye. They hung around, we chatted, but finally, they all left. It's over.

Will any of us or them speak again? Maybe, but there's no way of really knowing.

Just people, pushed together, bonding through circumstance more than any real need to do so. And yet, I miss them all already.

Baby, it's two AM and I must be lonely

Having just gone to the pub, spent somewhere north of 200Y on other people's beer, walking home via McD's for a little preemptive hangover cure, walked past a security guard from around the corner, who I pass every day, washing himself (full on, having a shower) in the drain and outside tap of a restaurant. A strong reminder of how great the difference between rich and poor is.

When I consider that one our wages, we are still only in the first quintile in China, yet live a good standard of life, it brings home how little other people here earn.

A good perspective refresher - can't take things for granted. That said, this man - despite washing himself on the street - is alive and has a home. Also tells us that we shouldn't be scared - the worst that can happen is that we'll be alright.

That did not work at all.

A dissapointing evening rounded off with a useless trip to a bar. And so we find me, but only an hour later, back at home in front of the computer. Listless, lazy, languid, lethargic.

Pool parties, strange vibes, weird water

Half way through a party at the moment, have come home to drop stuff off en route from the pool to the bar. Strange vibrations in the air - bad, tense feelings. Not sure why, but able to admit that maybe it's just me. I'm definitely feeling irritable.

Hopefully a little sitting in a bar with loud music and gorgeous women and cold beer will soothe the sense of impending.... dread is too strong a word, I'll just leave it at impending.

Follow-up to follow. Up. Out.

Oh, and the most important thing

A truckload of personality.

The KMT and D party

Ripper of a party this weekend, complete with all the essentials for a storming good time, these being:





An eery glow around everybody.














One drunk Canadadian dressed as a terrorist (you don't even want to see the video clips we made)
















HORSEFACE!! Or, if you're Canadian, sloppy cheeks










A gorgeous Chinese girl and a very drunk Kiwi.


In advance, I'm sorry to all the Kiwis for what happened with Australia today. God, I hate losing to the ABs, but losing to the Aussie bastards is so much worse. Come on ABs and Boks - we have to stop Australia from winning the 3N.

Reading the blog

I'm not quite sure why, but China have decided to remove Blogger from their list of banned sites, which means that I can now get on and read all of the crap I've written in the year since I arrived in China. What a walk down memory lane, and suddenly I understand why everybody started (but finally stopped) emailing me and saying I was sounding like a depressed old bastard.

I think it's important to set the story straight here - I'm not depressed.

I am, however, getting older and older by the day, and certainly you wouldn't be the first to call me a bastard.

For those that don't know, I have signed on here for another year, which means at least one more year in Huizhou; but more prophetically, probably means a lot more years in China. I do like this place. A lot. And so, providing that the Chinese Government decides to agree that I am in fact a native English speaker, and I am also not a drug dealer (because that's what all of us Africans are), then I'm quite possibly going to stay here till I go slitty eyed.

On more... newsy news, I have just come back from a week spent in Kunming. Look up Kunming on any website, and it will tell you what a beautiful and amazing city it is, with many attractions for tourists and a vibrant and beautiful scenery. Bollocks. Kunming itself is as boring as curtains.

There is, however, a lot to do near Kunming, and Kunming makes a good base to go explore the absolutely beautiful Hunan countryside. Me, however, decided to spend my holiday huddled over my laptop preparing for next year, and so didn't actually see any of that. Still, I did get to eat a lot of Hunan food, which is incredible, so there's always a silver lining. Oh, and I am well excited about next year - I think we're in for exciting times at the school.

Not a lot else to talk about now, other than that it continues to be bloody hot here. I am way too hairy for this climate.

OOOOHHHH!!! And how could I forget! The bloody bok beauties! What legends those boys are! Except I was in Kunming when it happened, so I had nobody to celebrate with. I eventually drank myself off a chair in a small western restaurant/bar, while texting my poor New Zealand mate (on his birthday - ag shame) all kinds of abuse.

But enough, lest I use up all years worth of letters in one post.

Kisses.