So far I've survived 2 weeks of teaching at Yangzhen No 1 Middle School. Loved the first week, not so keen on the second week and it's picking back up now I'm in my third.

The kids are pretty well behaved, alot better than in England anyway, but when you've got 50 students in one class, it makes things a little hard. With the amount of homework that's dumped onto them everyday plus constant exams their favourite hobby does tend to be sleeping - especially in class. I like to wake them up with a small jab to the shoulder!

There are a bunch of students here from Xinjiang in China (about 400 and there's 5000 students in total) and they are by far the best English students. They've been asking to eat lunch and to be friends with me and Thomas and have been telling us all about their region of China.....Xinjiang is an autonomous region in the North West of China (a bit like Tibet). Most of them are Muslim and so have a special canteen on campus and they also speak their own language called Uighur (uses Arabic script) in addition to Chinese. The students also tell me that it's the most beautiful part of China and I already have invitations to go there!

The teachers here are also really nice they've been really helpful and have been very kindly teaching us some Mandarin. It's not going too well at the moment - every time we try to say something we either get laughed at or completely blank looks! However the local fruit seller and I speak our own "Chinglish" and we get by OK - he gives me alot a fruit and I pay very little money!

So apart from that here are some highlights of the passed few weeks;

"Golden Pineapple" - As we're so far out of Beijing we stay in hostels at the weekennds and this was the first one we tried. It cost 20 yuan night (2 quid), the beds were planks of wood, the rooms were never cleaned (as proven by the yoghurt which had clealy been there for weeks) and the shower wouldn't drain. We were drunk enough not to care about the beds the first night but needless to say we won't be going back

"Lama Temple" - After recovering from a couple of bad hangovers, myself and Thomas went to visit the Lama Temple. This place of worship for Buddists was so serene and peaceful it made me forget completely that I was in the middle of this bustling metropolis of Beijing.

"Bob" - Walking to class one morning this Chinese guy is looking pretty lost and is staring at me as if I was going to be able to help him. As I get nearer it turns out he's another English teacher. He teaches the Junior classes and I teach Senior. He asks me if I can organise an oral english class for his junior students so I say "sure why not?". Little did I know that he wants it that very afternoon and it was for over 60 students! So I do my best and I sing my way through "head, shoulders, knees and toes" and they seemed to find it funny! After, Bob takes me to the best restaurant in Yangzhen and we drink ALOT of beer! He also invites us to KTV (karaoke) and a meal on Sunday after we get back from Beijing.

"Techno, Techno" - After the Golden Pineapple experience we decide to upgrade our sleeping arragements. Off to Wangfujing for some soft beds, plenty of space and showers that drain - heaven. On Friday night we meet up for some food at a local restaurant and then one of the girls gets a tip off via text about a techno party. We hop in a cab and show the address in Chinese characters and then off he whisks us to block 8. An awesome night was had by all, plenty of cocktails, sambucca and dancing up in the high rise buildings of Beijing - truely unforgettable!

"Epic Guitar Guy" - On Saturday we go for a few quite beers including the "local" bars ho now know our names! Our favourite is "epic guitar guy bar". I feel a description is unessecary but this guy really does play the most amazing guitar solos the world has ever seen! After the infamous "One Night in Beijing" solo we head home for an early-ish night. Check out my videos on here for the epic solo

"Military Museum" - On Sunday we head over to the Military Museum. I get quite excited when I see the familiar steeley grey of a warship so run off in that direction first. After looking at the ships and planes I went to have a look at the ancient history part which was pretty interesting. Other than that, the museum is pretty much filled with Chinese propoganda.

I'm heading off to Beijing this weekend for an 80s party and then we've just been told that we've got a week off next week thanks to student exams. Not sure where that'll take me but I'm thinking of heading up to Shenyang to visit some of the other people that are on the teaching programme.