Diary

Christmas Day hello from Zhaoqing. Hope you are having a lovely Christmas Day. It's been cool here the last few nights (4*) but fine and sunny during the day. Lovely bright Christmas Day today.
Peter & Ling are in the gymnasium getting ready for their Christmas Play tonight. They've set up a human-sized crib on stage where tonight the Christmas story will be acted out - as each class sings a Christmas song. Should be a wonderful experience. Photos of the Play should be at www.china8.org >> photos >> Zhaoqing in a few days (...already at that site are photos of a great BBQ last Sunday with the kindergarten staff + photos of the crib outside our Canteen entrance...)

Good news from Australia: several friends, including 2 dear 18-year old cousins, are due in China in the next two months to work as English teachers/speakers. Our school here hopes to have 5 overseas teachers for the start of Semester 2 at the end of February. Many, many schools are looking for overseas teachers/speakers....

Our school holiday timetable has changed.....so....I'm now due to go to Hong Kong on the morning of Sunday December 30 (not Sat Dec 29) and return here on the afternoon of January 2 (not Jan 1). I'm due to stay at Notre Dame in Kowloon (ph: 27157263)

From February 2 to February 9, a group of teachers/staff from our school will be visiting Hong Kong. For nearly all of the group it will be their very first time to travel outside of the mainland. Originally I had hoped to find kind friends who would let a member of the group stay at their home. But now the group has grown to about 20, so it makes better sense for transport/communication etc if we stay together.....and I'm now trying to find a place... ....
If any friends would like to join us for a meal or outing some time during that week Feb 2-9, please let me know.

Back to class now ....it's a working day here! But not a problem....one long day of Christmas celebrations/songs/parties. Not a working day .....a Christmas Day!

Once again wishing you and your families a very Happy Christmas!
Thank you for a prayer.

One week today to Christmas. Many things happening:
* Last Thursday & Friday nights - at a restaurant opposite our school - saw the formal start of 2 English Corners for students in our local area, one night for primary, one night for secondary. DG. (One group of older students on Friday night told us they had just been on a school excursion to a place about 3 hours from Zhaoqing to see the world's 2nd largest rock. They knew that the largest rock is in Australia).

* Peter & Ling brought back from HK a most beautiful crib. It's now at the door of the school canteen where 700 or more people see it several times each day. Click here for photos

* All this week our English classes are being used to prepare for the Christmas Play at 7pm on Dec 25. Peter & Ling have put an enormous amount of work into the play and it promises to be a wonderful experience with each class singing a Christmas song, while a pageant is being acted out on stage.

* This Saturday, Dec 22, all 100 of our kindergarten students + staff + parents will be presenting a Christmas party at the local Dynasty Hotel.....singing Christmas songs + games etc. Co-hosts are Santa Claus (= Peter) and JW.

* On the morning of Christmas Day (a working day!) I'm due to give my "Open Class" , a common experience for all teachers here. About 40 visiting teachers will come from Zhaoqing and other places to attend. ......."I'm dreaming of a .... quiet .....Christmas"!

* All of the above make Peter, Ling & I most grateful to be in such a lively setting. The only thing to make us unhappy of late is the news from Palestine, the conspiracy of silence/non-action by world leaders and media people as so many Palestinians are slaughtered each day....in the land of the first Christmas. I recommend the following very powerful article:
Ten Things You Should Know about U.S. Policy in the Middle East

I'm due to go to Hong Kong on December 29, and return to Zhaoqing on January 1. In HK I'm due to stay at Notre Dame in Kowloon - (852) 27157263
During the Lunar New Year I also hope to be in HK for 2 weeks. During the first week (Feb 2-9) I will be helping to look after a group of about 10 English teachers from our school who are going to HK to take part in a number of English conversation gatherings. For nearly all of these teachers it will be their very first time outside of the mainland. If any of you would like to help arrange a meal/gathering for the group, I'd be most grateful. If any family, especially an English speaking family, could let one of the teachers stay at your home for that week....I'd be eternally grateful.

Two weeks to Christmas Day. I hope the approach of Christmas is a happy time for you. At our school here it's all hands to the pump in preparation for our Christmas Play at 7pm on December 25. Peter & Ling are the Director and Producer and have arranged for every class in the school to sing a Christmas song - as a Christmas pageant is acted out. The pageant will be on stage, students in the (huge) auditorium. Peter will walk around the groups with his guitar and lead the music.
Many other teachers are helping: English teachers are helping students to understand and pronounce the words....music teachers are helping prepare the singing....art teachers the props....a wonderful effort. Parents are also invited to attend. Please God it will be a great night.

Peter & Ling have also made a musical discovery: a wireless mic that can be attached to a plug in the guitar, then broadcast by any size speaker (including our classroom mobile speakers) via another plug which goes into the microphone plug of the speaker. In other words a wireless electric guitar! Something Peter has always dreamed of...

Over the past 3 months I've been able to get a little time to edit my late Father's poems and wartime letters (from Palestine, Tobruk, El Elamein, New Guinea). I'm putting them on my other website under "Family Tree". When the editing is finished I hope to make a CD of the complete set and give it to the Australian War Memorial. Reading these poems & letters has been a powerful experience for me. You might like to check a few of the letters sometime: click here

I'm due to go to Hong Kong on December 29, and return to Zhaoqing on January 1. In HK I'm due to stay at Notre Dame in Kowloon - (852) 27157263

Hello again from Zhaoqing where it's now very warm again (23) after the cold weather (12) of two weeks ago. No white Christmas here. But we are getting ready for Christmas with all classes learning Christmas songs, and Peter & Ling preparing a Christmas Play for the school and other groups. Peter & Ling are also showing great media skills in their classes: making a video of the students singing with Peter & his guitar, then immediately playing back the video on the classroom t.v. Very popular with the students.

Last Friday's secondary sports day saw Peter running around like a gazelle and myself limping home with pulled muscles in both thighs. Pride before the fall! Many photos of both the primary and secondary sports days at: www.china8.org >> photos >> Zhaoqing.

On Saturday Peter & I went to a place called Wan Fo, about 90 minutes by bus from here, to visit 80+ year old Mr Ma whom some of you know. He has a sister in Tai O and a brother in New York. He's been in hospital for 2 weeks with chest trouble, but he is in excellent spirits and leaves the hospital each morning for an hour or so to go to his home for the breaking of bread with his friends.

The journey to Wan Fo is like all other journeys in China: non-stop construction everywhere. This time we also passed large strawberry farms, and a town dedicated to the processing of (mostly imported!) marble.
There's not one foreigner living in Wan Fo (population +50,000) ..... what a possibility for an English Corner!

And a discovery by Ling: a thermos pot for cooking. Put your stew or other items into it in the morning, bring to boil, turn off heat source, don't open till evening.....and at night you have a beautifully cooked stew (...it's been cooking all day...)

We are due to work Christmas week. I'm planning to go to Hong Kong on December 29 and return on January 1 DV

Last week's number one highlight was a trip by all of our primary school students & staff to Safari Park Zoo in Pan Yu, just south of Guangzhou (Canton). The trip took about 2 and a half hours - in 7 of the schools own buses. We left at 7am, with a snack box for everyone from our marvelous canteen (...2 pieces of raisin bread, 2 apples, 2 chicken wings). One of the school's 3 resident doctors accompanied us (...a doctor on every excursion...). Organization for the whole day was first class, even a lunch box for everyone right on time at the elephant show. Arrived home about 6.30pm after a memorable day.

I've been to Toronga Park Zoo in Sydney and to zoos in Brisbane and Hong Kong, but they are nothing compared with Pan Yu. It has to be one of the best zoos in the world. It is huge, it is clean, it is beautiful, it is fascinating.

There are 2 sections: the first is a bus tour through wild game country. You'd think you were in Africa. There are lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes, gazelle etc all roaming around free in large separated parks - and you drive through the middle of them (with doors and windows shut!).

Section 2 is for walking - like a normal zoo but giant size. With great shows: the elephant show, the crocodile show, the parrot show, the white tiger show - each attended several times a day by some 3-5,000 people, mainly students. Tremendous atmosphere.

Photos are better than words. Some 60 photos of the zoo are at: www.china8.org >> photos >> Zhaoqing >> 2001-11-22 Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee is nothing compared with the Thai Croc Show where men play with real crocs - see the photos!!

For me the Zoo said a lot about China's rapid modernization. 15 years ago I visited Canton zoo, which at that stage was the 2nd largest zoo in China. It was grotty, it was small, it was dirty, it had nothing. And now not far away is possibly the best zoo in the world!

Not forgetting the new roads, bridges, highways, freeways, buildings we saw on the journey. This region is the fastest growing area in the world. It makes growth in other countries seem like nothing. If you think I'm exaggerating, please come and see for yourself!

One other item from the past week: Peter & Ling have very kindly bought me a beautiful guitar and I look forward to using it in class. All previous guitars have been given away, mainly to prisoners, but this one, which I've named "pling" (=Peter+LING) will DV be around for quite a while.

In case I haven't mentioned before: Peter & family are famous musicians who've written their own songs and made their own CD's. Peter used to appear on HK TV on the "Enjoy Yourself Tonight" show. He & Ling also used to own and manage one of HK's most famous music restaurants: "Ned Kelly's Last Stand"!

Secondary School athletics meeting on Friday the 29th. This old man has been training and is looking forward to the 50 metre dash!

Tuesday morning hello from a cool but sunny Zhaoqing. Lovely day - just like Winter in Brisbane.

Football photos from last week are now at: www.china8.org >> photos >> Zhaoqing. At the same spot are photos of a hike last Sunday when Peter & I & a CAS Mother & Son went to the top of the mountains overlooking our school. Magnificent views - like being in a plane. The whole city can be seen - enclosed between the river and the mountains. No wonder this was the site for one of China's ancient capitals....an emperor lived here for a while..... an ancient city wall still stands.....the leading hotel is the Dynasty....

Also at the photo site are some photos from last month: Ling's birthday and Ling & Peter's anniversary + Peter & his guitar in the classroom. From now on I'll try to use the camera more often ....and keep the photos up to date....

One shot I'd love to take is of the secondary students, all dressed in their beautiful tracksuits, in long lines of pairs, jogging along the outside road each morning before breakfast. Not exactly optional but a great idea. Had to laugh the other day when a local walker, who sings opera at the top of his voice while he strolls, was taken off by the students who sang imitation opera as they jogged along. All right beside the foot of the hills. "Sound of Music" without Julie Andrews.

The school has had a few nibbles from overseas English speakers, but nothing definite. If you know of anyone who'd like to spend some time here - not necessarily teaching in front of a class, but helping small groups with English conversation - please let me know.

Had happy phone call to Mum last Sunday....she now enjoys daily tours outside in the sun in her wheelchair ...and knows every sporting score from the radio.

Good morning from Zhaoqing. Big football matches here at the moment with teams from many parts of China. Part of the national games week. Yesterday afternoon all our secondary students & staff went to to the main city sports stadium for 2 "interstate" games: Shanghai v Yunnan (6-1), and Guangdong v Sichuan (3-2). As far as my brain can recall, this was the very first time, in any country, that I've ever been to a top level Soccer game. Both games were good and kept the crowd of about 20,000 "on their toes", especially when Mexican waves broke out. The Shanghai team included 4 members of the national team which recently won its way to the World Cup. Only other foreigners in the crowd were 2 men from Sydney who were filming a documentary on Asian soccer. I took a photo of them which might be on this site by the end of the week DV.
Photos at: www.china8.org >> photos >> Zhaoqing >> 2001-11-13

Visitors last week were Daisy & Fanny from Notre Dame who stayed 2 nights in our school guest room, attended several classes and had 2 lovely meals at the Ho Fa Restaurant (fabulous dumplings!) - the second meal with Anthony & Peggy and family from HK (who then had a tour of the school). All visitors used to be associated with Notre Dame English Club/Corner - Daisy & Fanny were most loyal helpers, and Anthony & Peggy were students who met at the Corner....and got married last month! Thank you all for coming to Zhaoqing.

Peter & Ling have been to HK again and have been successful in getting one year visas. They have also picked up their laptop computer which had to go to Singapore to see the doctor.

Melbourne Cup day hello from Zhaoqing. I hope you are successful in your sweep. Mum has a horse ("The Horse Be With You"??!!). The race is live on HK TV which we receive here and I hope to watch it.

We've just had a long weekend (during which the students go home). A large part of my time was spent on the continuing saga of computer networking. Almost there. On Sunday morning a family from the school took Peter, Ling and me mountain hiking, make that climbing....to a spot with wonderful views of the city and surrounds. On our way down the mountain we managed to get lost, taking the wrong spur......this added to the fun and sure made our post-hike cup of tea was the most heavenly drop for a long time. With the tea we had a great lunch at a new restaurant (on top floor of a new department store) with more than 2,000 other people. The meal finished with a banana pancake made on site by an Indian chef from Madras (whose skill with dough ensured a large audience right through the day).

Over the past week Peter & Ling have visited more villages - some of which are specialty villages in areas like marble and wood. I didn't make the villages, but did make the local Blue Ribbon (Pabst) brewery which employs over 600 people and has been going for 10 years. There are over 500 breweries in China and competition for a growing market is keen.

Last Friday night I also had an English class for some local students who attend a college not far from our school. Hope to continue this each Friday night as a service to less well-off students.

Good morning from overcast and slightly cooler Zhaoqing. Yesterday we had our first rain for some weeks - much needed. Hope you are safe from storms, typhoons etc.

Melbourne Cup next week. Dear Mum knows many of the horses and even what State their from. She really enjoys listening to the radio and hears quite a lot of sport. My Melbourne Cup tip (I don't know even one name..): maybe something with a China connection or something that sounds like "ricci"??!!

Last Friday at lunchtime the school canteen put on its monthly buffet: as much as you can eat for 6 Yuan. In Hong Kong that price would be around $100. On Friday night I made contact with a group of technical students who are studying in a college just down the road. Hope to see them each week for a bit of English.

Peter and Ling have been continuing to help with community projects on Sat-Sun-Mon-Tues, teaching at the school here on Wed-Thurs-Frid. They are using Bingo (the game) with great success in their classes. Peter's expertise at the guitar is also a special attraction.....one class recently, at students' request, was spent on teaching students how to play the guitar.

My little English story-games are going well. Students can check their scores on notice board and at: www.china8.org >> learn English >> talking stories . Prizes coming up at Christmas for students with the most points.

Last Sunday night Peter & Ling selected a famous dumpling restaurant for a farewell to Florence who went back to HK this morning. Florence has been helping with English Corners (...if only we had a few more helpers...!), helping me with classes, and doing my corrections and computer entries. She has put all my scores into an Excel program - excellent! Just hope I can keep it going.... also hope Florence can come back again some day DV. She made many friends inside and outside the school. ..... Anyone who'd like to stay for a week or 50 is most, most welcome!

Tuesday morning hello.....have just had a delightful class with Kindergarten 4 (aged 5-6), singing "The Wheels on the Bus" and other songs + little conversation pieces ("where are going?", "what are doing?" etc). Next is primary 2A, then after lunch 4 secondary classes.
Last Wednesday nite saw the first staff social for the year, held in the spacious staff club room on top of the school golf shooting range frontage. Most enjoyable. Mainly karaoke and ball-room dancing. 40 years ago I knew most of the dances, but not now. I stayed seated until the very end when everyone got up for some P.E. (also known as Disco) and the Rabbit Dance (!). I really showed my age on the way home when unable to answer the question: "Did you E.Y.T.?".

Visitors this past week have been Florence (again helping with classes and joining Peter, Ling and me for English Corners) and Hugh (from A.I.T.E.C.E., which helps teachers and institutions find each other, and which kindly arranged my contract; see www.aitece.com). Hugh enjoyed his first visit to Zhaoqing and in his honor we had an evening dinner at the Golden Steak House, joined by Larry (teaching at Zhaoqing University) and Andrew (manager of the local Pabbst Brewery). Larry & Hugh are from the USA.
Andrew's plant employs 600 people (in 3 shifts of 8 hours) and one of his daily jobs is something that my late father and his departed friends would probably consider coming back to this life for: beer tasting.

Hugh reported how the Chinese Government is keen to have more foreign teachers (for English and many other subjects) in the poorer parts of the country (especially the West). At the moment AITECE has 50 teachers in China, and is looking for a further 100 teachers to fill requests from universities and colleges around the country. See www.aitece.com for more details.

Hugh also had a joke about a bloke from outback Australia making his first trip overseas. On arriving in Hong Kong his first words were: "Wow, look at all the New Australians"!

Peter & Ling recently spent much time visiting some poor villages to check about development projects. This past weekend they went to Hong Kong to renew their visa. Most of my weekend was spent on computer jobs.......getting and installing a network card for my laptop and getting and installing a second hand unit for our team to use.

Sympathy to Jennifer & sons in Pui O, Lantau, in death of their dear husband/father John whom I often used to visit in hospital. R.I.P.

I know you from my son, he is a primary school boy of CAS. As he went home, he talked a lot about you and I learned your "talking stories: Olympic" with him! He give me your web site http://www.china8.org. I read your diary all night, and I am very glad that you love the school CIS ,the students and our city Zhaoqing.

Hello from a fine and warm Zhaoqing. Hope you all are well and safe. I enjoyed hearing Mum's voice again last Sunday....sounding stronger each week. 55 years ago this morning she was delivering a baby....thank you Mum for all your TLC.....and...where do I apply for a senior's card?!
Yesterday was Ling's birthday...and Peter & Ling's wedding anniversary (31 years)...so we had a delightful dinner last night at the Zhaoqing Steak House, joined by one visitor and 2 of the staff...who were profoundly impressed by Peter & Ling's record of 16 children (4 + 12 fostered)!
Peter is now teaching only on Wed, Thurs & Friday....he & Ling spending other days doing community work.
To cover this change in the timetable, Peter & I both are now teaching in Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary.
Our visitor during the past few days is Florence, who has made our little team 4 again. We hope the number can gradually grow......with short and long stay visitors most, most welcome. Last Sat night the four of us were able to help one of the Secondary English teachers run a most enjoyable English Corner for the older students. If we have a few more members in our team, we can run such corners more often DV, in the school and outside.

Back to work now....6 classes today. Please note new phone number above...

Hello from a slightly cooler Zhaoqing .....after some storm rain last night (...first rain for a long time...lovely!)

Last week, during the National Day - Mid-Autumn holidays, Peter, Ling & I went to HK for a few days (about 4 hours by train or boat). I stayed at Notre Dame and enjoyed the fellowship (& meals!). Also spent quite a lot of time trying to find more teachers and helpers for Zhaoqing.

On Friday I returned to Zhaoqing and was accompanied by Rosa (one of Tung Chung's most loyal helpers). Rosa stayed here at the school 3 nights and we hope she can come again (bringing a few more friends next time). On Saturday I took her to the Ding Hu National Park, one of only 3 World Heritage Listed parks in China. It's about 20 minutes from the centre of Zhaoqing and has spectacular lakes, waterfalls and nature walks. On Sunday we went with Peter and Ling to the building where they have helped put in beautiful stainless steel windows to replace the old rotting wooden frames. Peter & Ling have also had the building painted and it is really beautiful. After that I took Rosa to the Seven Star Crag Lakes, our other main tourist attraction. Hope many more visitors can come soon! Rosa has a VCD of the park & the lakes - worth watching!

If anyone would like to have a telephone conversation using the internet (no phone bill!) I've got MSN, my address is: jdwomi@hotmail.com

Hello from Notre Dame College in Hong Kong where I'm enjoying a few days break during National Day & Mid-Autumn Holidays. Happy Mid-Autumn to all....hope you have many moon cakes...and enjoyed sight of lovely full-moon last night. Peter and Ling are also back in HK visiting their family. Our first month at Zhaoqing has gone very quickly!

This morning in the space of one hour I received 2 good news phone calls from Lantau Island people willing to go to Zhaoqing for a look-see and maybe stay longer or come back: one from a Filipino couple in Pui O and one from a Chinese lady in Tung Chung. All 3 are due to join me for the train trip to Zhaoqing this Friday. Anyone else??!! The more the merrier.....there are at least 8 schools in Zhaoqing urgently looking for English speakers to help their students practise English. There's free accommodation for people having a look-see! If you'd like to join the look-see party, please give me a phone call 27157263 before the train leaves! (....need a visa, which takes a day at least; train tickets can be obtained at the station on Friday...).

Smile from last week at school: Peter noticed one of his secondary students put his head down on the desk and doze. So Peter, "using all the talents God gave me" put 2 fingers just inside his mouth and, right beside the boy, made a loud sheep-dog whistle that could be heard in Beijing.....at which the dozer lifted from his place like a Long March Rocket....and after which the rest of the class spent the rest of the lesson trying to whistle like Peter!

Good News from Brisbane: LIONS WON THE GRAND FINAL AGAINST ESSENDONE (last E my addition).
Last Saturday, thanks to the internet, I was able to listen to the ABC radio commentary. Fantastic! Has anyone from the AFL ever thought of trying the game in China? Soccer is a rage here.....why not Aussie Rules? We could start at a certain well-known Zhaoqing school!!

Dear Mum listened to some of the Grand Final and knew the Lions won. Mum sounds brighter and brighter DG each Sunday when I phone her. Last Sunday when I told her I'd had a swim in the school pool she asked "where there any sharks?"!

My life is going round in another circle: In January 1985 when I arrived in HK, I lived here at Notre Dame (until mid-1995 when I went to Lantau). Now Notre Dame is my base again and I belong to the OMI community here. Good to be back
Maybe I can hi-jack some of the teachers from Notre Dame to go to Zhaoqing!

Hello from a fine and sunny Zhaoqing, where views of the hills, of the city, of the lakes, of the sunrise/sunset, moon and stars ..have to be experienced to be believed. Yesterday afternoon I joined Peter Barry for his daily swim in our Olympic pool (one of the cleanest in the world) with a fantastic view of mountains around us. Hope many more of you can visit here soon!

Over the past week we've heard of several more schools & colleges (now numbering about 8) that are urgently looking for foreigners (not necessarily teachers) to help with English. Paid jobs: about AUD$600 per month (HK$2,500) + free accommodation (+ help with airfare for trained teachers). Please spread the word and ask interested people to email me. Not difficult to live on AUD$700 last Sunday I had a haircut: AUD$0.90 (HK$3.50)!

Speaking of which (email): problems continue. Hotmail & china8 mail: "doesn't arrive", "can't be opened", "doesn't have any message content". I'm not sure what the problem is, but it's affecting many people here. Also our servers have been "down", both china8 and the school server (the latter thanks to a virus). Let' keep trying....

Great win by the Brisbane Lions last Saturday. I followed the whole game on the internet at a local internet cafe (with dozens of people asking me what sort of football do Lions and Tigers play). This Saturday is the Grand Final: come on Brisbane! For a while my computer had sound problems and I couldn't listen to the footie (or any other sound), but problem is now solved: Microsoft and Real Player were too much for my laptop to handle. Local guru advised me to delete Microsoft Media Player and now everything is fine. I especially enjoy ABC Radio live over the internet.

This week we are working 7 days straight (including Sat & Sunday).then next week, to celebrate National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival, there's a week's holiday (during which time Peter, Ling & I plan to return to Hong Kong for a break). Moon cakes are selling everywhere here, just as in HK (& each teacher yesterday received a lovely tin of moonquakes).

Mum is in good spirits, helped by a return to her custom of a wine each day. Each night when Peter, Ling and I have our regular prayer together we always remember our 3 Mums......also in the past week the Ruthenberg family in Brisbane, mourning the sudden loss of my cousin Mary on 19/9 after a heart attack. R.I.P.

Wishing you all a Happy Mid-Autumn. Hope you have a good view of the full moon next week.

Hello from very warm - 32c Zhaoqing. Hope you are safe from typhoons and terrorists. Last week's tragedy in the USA received immediate and blanket coverage in the media here. About 30 people from China and about 25 from Hong Kong are still missing, presumed dead. Please God something can be done to make airlines safer (e.g. a coded lock on the cockpit door!) and more can be done to promote justice and peace in the world.

As well as local media here, we also receive all 4 HK t.v. stations (2 Chinese, 2 English). For the past week Peter, Ling & I have been watching the HK news each night at 7.30.

Yesterday we enjoyed the visit of Luc to Zhaoqing. Luc has many photos to bring back memories of the school. He had a good tour of the school and sampled the fare at our canteen (...full meal, with soup, for only HK$3...= AUD$0.70). Last night he joined us for an after-dinner pre-news walk along the lovely water-catchment road at our front gate......through country side first, then to a mini-Hollywood of recent development where, at a place called the "Mongolian Hut" we enjoyed an outdoor drink....overlooking the lights of Zhaoqing. Luc stayed in our Guest Room (a self-contained unit the same size as our 2 other units). Visitors most welcome!!

The units are quite adequate, and come with a free daily cleaning and a free daily laundry service (which makes Ling especially happy!)

Luc also saw the little village, shopping centre, market area between the school and the station....where we can buy just about anything....including the most delicious (= sweet!) little watermelons.

After a "long week" last week (= 6 days straight) we now have a "short week" (5 days)....to let the boarders go home regularly. Peter & Ling very generously spent 2 of their 3 day weekend helping a local group paint their historical building. They well deserved their table tennis... and dip in the pool yesterday afternoon. I also had a great hit of table tennis, first with Peter and then with a number of 15-16 year old boys.

Sorry about my websites being off line for the last 2-3 days. The HK server crashed again. Please note my email is now jdwomi@hotmail.com (which I can access every day....unlike china8 which I cannot access when the server crashes). I suspect a number of emails got lost in the last few days. Sorry.

Mum continues to sound better on the phone. But she is in a lot of pain and would very much like to go home to Heaven. So, on Sunday, when I said to her "You sound really well", quick as a flash she replied "Yea..that's the problem"!

Last Wednesday night and Thursday we enjoyed the visit of Nancy, John Chai and group. Thank you again, Nancy, for arranging the tour. It was great to see so many HK friends in Zhaoqing. The group can give a first hand account of life here. Photos of the group at our school are at: www.china8.org >> photos >> Zhaoqing
(Happy Birthday, Nancy on 16th!)

Dear Friends, hello from the Canadian-American School in Zhaoqing in China, where Peter & Ling Barry & I arrived last Friday after a lovely 4-hour boat trip from Hong Kong (in a 300-person "Cat" made in Fremantle).

The days before leaving were filled with packing and sorting out things + a lovely OMI Dinner & send off for me at Notre Dame College. I hope many OMI, Notre Dame, Lantau & overseas friends can visit us here - it's one of the loveliest places in China and the students are really keen to practise their English skills with visitors.

Actually, the school is more like a university in size: it has over 600 students, boys & girls, nearly all boarders, from Kindergarten to Secondary, a teaching and boarding staff of over 100, a fleet of buses, 2 swimming pools, a gymnasium, full-size athletics field with synthetic running track, golf shooting range (!), basketball courts etc.
No wonder when the students came back yesterday they were not sad: it's like a holiday camp!

School started yesterday. Peter has about 15 periods a week in Secondary, I have about 15 in Primary and Kindergarten. We don't have any boarding duties. The students are very friendly and ....want to speak English, unlike HK where getting students to speak English is often like getting blood out of stones. The school day is long, very long, to fit the boarding program: we report for work and punch in our cards (my first time ever!) at 7.45am......lunch is at 11.30am......then a long rest until 2pm when the students have a siesta...then class from 2.30 to 5.30. Possibly the siesta is a summer phenomenon only.

My first classes were with P.3 & P.2 - we did "The Bird Dance" to break the ice. I'll have each primary class once a week for conversational English. Peter has much the same in secondary. We are the only foreign teachers here. The staff have been most helpful in assisting us to find our feet. In fact, after one day of work, I feel as if I've been here for years! My first kindergarten class, this morning with 30 4-5 year olds, was one of the most pleasing classes I've ever had in my life: We acted out and learnt as we went "The Wheels on the Bus"....and I spoke not one word of Chinese....which is going to be my aim from now on in all classes.

All the teachers live at the school, in self-contained units. Peter & Ling's unit and my unit are next door. We meet each day, make that night (because of early rising) for the breaking of bread. All meals can be had at the giant 2-storey refectory where the food is very good and very cheap. Our units were not fully-furnished, so we've spent quite a bit of time shopping for everything from bed sheets to thermos flasks. I wish I'd had my camera last Friday night at the main Zhaoqing supermarket where two 6-foot Westerners could be seen side by side pushing 2 fully-laden shopping trolleys each with protruding mop, broom, extended dustpan etc!

The accommodation is not 5-star but quite o.k. after a few repairs here and there. There are units here at the school for visitors - at only c.HK$20 (=US$3) per night.

Peter & Ling's room and my room share the same direct phone (best time to ring is between 7pm & 9pm China time, which is 2 hours ahead of Australian Eastern time):
from Australia: 0011-86-758-2845498
from HK: 001-86-758-.....

School Office: (day time) 0011 or 001, then 86-758-2828999 (ask for MISTER Wu!)

The school website: www.cas.net.cn has many photos...just keep clicking at anything underlined...
All teachers here have 24 hour free internet access in their respective staff rooms.

The school is only 5 minutes walk from the main Zhaoqing railway station:
Daily train from HK leaves Kowloon at 14:30 and arrives at Zhaoqing at 18:50
Daily train from Zhaoqing leaves here at 9:17am and arrives Kowloon at 13:36

The daily boat from HK leaves at 8:15am and arrives here at 12.30pm
The daily boat from Zhaoqing leaves at c.2:30pm and arrives HK at c.6:30pm

Luc in HK will soon have a copy of our schedule until Lunar New Year. The school has long and short weeks to enable the students to return home regularly. At the start of October there's also a week's holiday for National Day, during which time Peter, Ling & I hope to have a break in HK.

Not forgetting our families: Peter's Mum and my Mum are in the same boat - needing nursing home care. I phoned Mum last Sunday and she sounded much better than the week before DG