Hey Mum,

  Its been ages since i posted on your site but ive been reading all of your new additions as they arrive, it sounds like you are having a fantastic time still and have adjusted so well. I'm very impressed that you are still adding as much to it as when you started, I would have given up by now, so i'm very glad you havent as it is a great was of finding out everything you've been up to.

 Hope to speak to soon (I just this very moment have),

                                                                            Tom

Heyooo!!!

Was nice to speak to you on the phone yesterday, its been a fair while (again)! Your recent holiday sounds amazing, it must be nice to gain an such a diverse insight into life in China - something I'd imagine very few people truly see on short holidays.

I'm off for a run up Moel Siabod tonight, want to try and make it up and down in under one hour!

 Love and Kisses,

 Robert xxx

P.S. forward me Aunty Pam/ Kathy's address

Hey Mum!!!

Sorry for the delay in replying, things have been pretty busy in Bangor recently and I think this is the first time I've sat down in weeks!!!

I'm still free to speak every weekend, just give me the word and I'll pre book you in my lunchbreak schedule!

Dad and I might be heading up to the Lakes from Mon-Wed, I've got a few days off and hes getting cabin fever back in Grayshott so it should make for an interesting trip!! I'll get him climbing whether he likes it or not...(I'm guessing it'll be nearer the not).

Speak soon,

 Robert xxx

Hi Val,

You are very good at keeping your site updated! It is lovely to hear from you...it's like being there! I didn't realise it was such an adventure to go shopping to the local market! You are brave! Anyway, I hope you will learn a few things from your students so that you can cook a nice meal for us when you get back! Everything is going well here....We are thinking of you.....Take care. Love, Crystelle

Val

We had a very nice chat to Arthur (or Artuer as my french speaking wife Isabelle calls him) last night on the telephone. Looks like you are having great fun in Beijing - you are very adventurous.

Saw a picture of Rob on his website (believe you me I have heard a lot about Robert and Tommy over the years), what a remarkable resemblence to his dad. Does the resemblence extend into behaviour and mannerisms as well? If so he will be talking at 100 mph and continually barging into the offices of his colleagues during his working life and demanding that they drop everything to deal with his current crisis at work!!! 

 AG "Disaster strikes we have accidentally rounded to two instead of three decimal places on the Bangladeshi taka exchange rate when calculating the std product costs causing an error of $2000 and it has got to be fixed immediately, never mind what anybody else is currently working on"

Rest of Syngenta "Arth, its not really significant in a cost block of $3billion."

AG "Well it is to me and I am getting on a plane and heading straight out there right now"

 Apologies I do not mean to be rude - we badly miss his relentless enthusiasm, commitment to the cause and attention to detail. Hope that you enjoy the rest of your adventures. Best wishes Phil, Isa, Soph (ie), Vic (toria) and (O)Liv(ia) 

Hi Val

 I have just fed the spouse and baby and shovelled them off to grown up world. AAAAh little Tom !! Where has the time gone? Tim wanted to be off by nine so got them fed and watered in record time( sausages as you know!) and away they went. I'd say its a long way but compared to you it is just a stride. I am enjoying your postcards etc and the photos. What an experience you are having. You will want to do another gap year and it makes me wish I was braver and could do something like that. Never mind...once a wimp always a wimp is my motto! Anyway I am now off to start my lesson plans so will end here. Keep having fun

love Lesley X

Hey Mum!!!

 Your recent post-card is the best yet!!! Your story bears a strange resemblance to Nanny's experiences in Pwlhelli (Cymru - Chinese) and makes for a good fun read - as always its nice to hear all the silly little day to day situations you manage to get yourself into. Its also good to hear about the interaction with your students and everyone learning from eachother, I'd imagine its all too easy in the UK to get into ME=Teacher, YOU=Students mode and its good to see you using a more novel approach.

I'm back at home at the moment which is nice, although Tom and Dad are off tomorrow so I won't see them for long. Tom has bought some 38" waist jeans... I am speachless...

I'll update my own site a.s.a.p.

Lots of love,

 Robert xxx

Hi Val!

Love your website, it looks so professional..

As Jacq said: It's great to read about your experiences and compare them to ours. Although I must say, that you already seem to have done so much more than we have. That's the thing with teaching first grade, they don't show up until after mid-term-break. So we still have the military parade awaiting us.....I wonder whether it's going to be somewhat like yours?? Fortunately no roaches in our flats, just loads of sand from the desert and my flat was terribly dirty...As most were, it seems. So far we 've had a great time here. The waiban is very helpful as are most of the teachers we've met so far. I think we may even have to put off on some socializing!

Hope to see you in Kunming as weel. I'm thinking about doing a intensive Chinese language course during springbreak. Anyone else interested??

Keep in touch and hope to see you......anywhere in China.....sometime in the near future.

Marlies

Hey Mum!!!

 Was really good to speak to you on the phone the other day, its been too long! Kat is very nearly ready for the off now (still a few more hundred pounds to spend on equipment!!!) and we'll be heading back home tomorrow night after work.

 We've had an active few days, we ran the Snowdon hoseshoe in 2:30 after work (+in the dark) and 'walked' up Cadair Idris in 3:30 - we're having problems in finding longer walks because we're doing them too fast!

 Lots of Love,

 Robert xxx

HI Val,

sooooo good to see your website and to actually see You! Of course, we can mail and skype each other, but it's fun to read about your experiences and to compare them with my own. Your flat looks a lot better than mine by the way, but mine is cockroach-free (keep fingers crossed) for the time being... if you don't count the dead one which I haven't removed. Hopefully, this dead body will scare off his mates.

My first lessons went well too, I even did some singing (I shouldn't have said I liked singing..) and got a present today for Teacher's Day. Yes, the students are very charming and friendly, but oh dear it takes a lot of patience and creativity to teach them English. I guess my Chinese is even worse, but I'll start my lessons soon.

Ok, that's all for now, Val. Take care in Wenshan, if you feel bored or lonely, you know where to find me - welcome to Xingyi, it's just a 16 hour bus ride away...

Jackie B