Boy.. I have to admit that plan A for this online travel journal was a frequently-updated, eloquent and insightful account of my time over here!

Plan B (for now) will be a manic attempt to sum up the last 2 weeks before you lose interest!!

I've been ice-cycling, doing Tai-Chi, and learning how to teach (along with a little mandarin) like a maniac. It's not uncommon to see people on this course staring out into open space; sleep deprevation is a curse..

(carrying on the I've been.. list) meeting a whole bunch of interesting people (95% Europeans) playing Snooker, I've eaten some of the worst food it is possible to concoct, seen Tianenmen Square, the Great Wall, the ming tombs (hideously unimpressive), watched absolutely mad guitar skills in the little bars of San Li Tun (the name fills me with dread, we've had too many confrontations/losses there, from the relative safety of a Taxi I saw a guy getting bottled and beaten, horrific...).

The weirdest aspects of life here are the little things; the constant 'pok poks' of fireworks in the distance gives a slight warzone ambience to China at this time of year, bargaining for everything is odd, since you walk away from a purchase never quite sure if you could have got it for half-price.

Having to throw toilet paper in the bin is gross, as are the nation-tendancy to smoke and spit absolutely everywhere are futher examples of this. :S

Overall, I'm very happy here, it's not easy ('but nothing i-is.. no..' (Blur)), but its amazing! I'm really looking forward to kareoke (called KTV here) tonight and snowboarding tomorrow.

It's pretty much guaranteed that I'll be teaching upper primary school (yes!!) and I have a feeling I'll be up north as well (lows of-25C, YES) I'll update soon, Plan A is coming into effect :p.

xx