Hello All, for those reading this, I would like to say thank you, thank you for taking the decision in giving up a slice of your valuable time to read...well...about me. Maybe the opening alone to what is my first 'Beijing Blog Entry' is enough to put you off continuing further -those eager to digest more - your endurance is much appreciated.

Please note that the formalities of an introduction to Beijing and the 'settling in' period take up a proportioned size of this blog but be rest assured that subsequent entries will be a more highly charged account of events, hopefully of more interest to both you and I, as opposed to 'a day in the life of a nobody' kind of nonsense. Did I mention that your endurance is appreciated!?

So this, as those who know me well may have already guessed, is an experimental blog. By that, I mean it will be noticeable that I may be writing out of my general character (for those who know me well); although I am writing to the unknown reader for whom I am the unknown writer. It is something I have been keen to indulge in for a while now and we all have to start somewhere, so without further a do I present the following....

Just one more thing, serious feedback or even questions on what you've read would be welcomed, a blend of positive comments and constructive criticism would be my ideal, that way we can create a style that; firstly I will enjoy writing and secondly you will most likely continue to loathe reading. Many thanks.

A rather hazy, intoxicatingly polluted Beijing International Airport greeted my arrival some 7 weeks ago - slightly unnerving even though I was aware that Beijing is registered as 1 of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world. 7 weeks on and my lungs have adjusted somewhat (I simply try not to breathe as often as possible) and without glorifying the air quality too much - there are good and bad days but it is more than endurable.

Day 2 and I interviewed successfully for a job - yes, a paid job! Less than 24 hours since touchdown and I was employed; a joyous and in the same breath sorrowful relief / realisation that I was now in paid employment for the first time since June 2008 - my previous life was fun while it lasted. Now settled into my role; the job itself is within a Korean School, teaching English, to children between the ages of 5 - 18, through subjects; English, Math's, Science and Art.

The school is a private establishment of high quality and the myths of teaching jobs in China consisting of both exhaustive working hours and ridiculous class sizes have well and truly been quashed. In a proverbial nutshell, 'Teacher Jon' as I am addressed by my class, is finding work most enjoyable; the enjoyment funded firstly by the kids and then through my own energetic input.

Searching for an apartment ended with unrivalled success http://www.hotelboya.com/index.php/guestrooms.html?type=5 - see photos, but the process was a hard fought battle. Budget and Location; the two criteria that seemed to bemuse the estate agents, I am not quite sure which one of the two they couldn't quite get their heads around. I suppose that will remain a mystery for all eternity but in the end, a well located, slightly over budget residence was settled upon - hugs all round.

Yes, okay that is enough of the personal gibberish, you are most likely more interested in what Beijing - the capital of a nation that harbours 20% of the world's population is actually like. Well to answer that both briefly and ignorantly from my somewhat limited knowledge and experience, I would say, and this is not meant to sound negative - a huge cosmopolitan city with Chinese characters, on most occasions, replacing the conventional alphabet and certainly not a true representation of China as a whole. Well, rather a dull statement I know - I am sure you would expect just that from a city that is at the forefront of modern era globalisation.

Although having visited numerous cities around the globe, the only one I have had the pleasure of experiencing with any real depth is Rio de Janeiro, a city that I have nothing short of an obsession for. It is often the case that when we city break, we are on a time budget, allowing just enough opportunity to simply skim our destinations surface, follow the guide book trail and buy the t-shirt. It is no real surprise to me that my love for Rio has come from peering through those elusive cracks in the rocks.

Therefore I have no doubt that, over the course of my time here, by peering through Beijing's and its' surrounding cracks (not mentioning those of the men I witnessed in a rather 'over public' set of toilets not so long ago; I will find myself completely immersed in what is arguably the most ancient and traditional culture on the planet....

p.s I realised how incredibly wrong my public toilet experience may have read, so just to state that the cracks were those of straining men as they emptied their waste in non-concealed squatter toilets….I'm not sure that sounds any better? PLEASE WATCH THE FOLLOWING http://www.howcast.com/videos/22139-How-To-Use-a-Squat-Toilet