Hi, so now that we're here how's is every body getting on?  I'm in Shenzhen right down in Gaungdong in the south.  I haven't seen much of the city yet but the school is massive and pretty fancy.  The accommodation is ok, us girls have our own mini appartments with a bedroom, bathroom and living room.  The teachers have been friendly and I don't actually have to do lessons til next week cause the kids are doing some sort of military training.  There's not much to do in the evenings cause we're an hours bus ride from the city centre, will explore at the weekend.

If anyone wants to visit or meet up at the weekend let me know.  My email address is kate_hornblower, my skype is kate.hornblower, and my Chinese mobile no. is 13534016020.

Kate xxx

Er sorry that was meant to be kate_hornblower@hotmail.com, idiot, lol

heyyyy kate! i was just thinking that i hadn't heard from you and hoping you were ok! glad you're settling in :)

i am in wuzhou in guangxi province, right on the border with guangdong. people are more than welcome to visit me: for the next month i'm staying in a hotel and i have a twin room (so two beds) and just me sleeping in it! so i have a spare bed! and from october onwards i'll be in my apartment but i'm allowed guests there too, so it's all good :)

the placement is good so far, we don't start teaching for a MONTH!!! the kindergarten isn't ready yet, so we are having teacher training and trips organised. we are doing some lesson plans for them and tomorrow are participating in a parents meeting (in the style of a talent show...) it's been stressful to prepare for but we've settled on singing "you are my sunshine..." and then "if you're happy and you know it..." haha. they're very into everything happy happy happy here so that should go down well!

i hope everyone else is having positive experiences at the moment! i'm so sorry to those in xuyi who read this... :(

xxx

oh and:

skype: jessthecat88
email: jessica_catnach@hotmail.com
chinese mobile: 18777438082

:)

Why what's happened in Xuji?  I'm having a good time so far.  That identity cloaker thing buggered up my computer though so I took it off so haven't been on facebook for a while.  We're not too far away so will have to arrange a visit when everything's settled down. xxx 

I'm glad you're having a good time! We will indeed have to arrange a visit, in both directions! I think it's easy for me to get a coach to you :)

Emma, Kate and Melissa are in Xuyi, and the school doesn't even have running water... It doesn't have toilets so there's an alley to pee in, and the school didn't even have the contract! The school didn't know they had to pay them, so now they are getting paid by TTC and the school also thought they were proper, fully qualified teachers. Basically, it's a complete nightmare for them, and I feel so bad for them, especially when I think about how good I've got it here :S

Thanks for the support Jess! It's been pretty tough out here, I'm sure Kate has told you. But we are really glad you are having such a good time! Your school sounds great, as does the hotel!! Hopefully everyone else is having a similarly positive experience.... Hope the mosquitos are being kept at bay!