Entering the Dragon - Into China

"Remember; the penalty for importing pornography into China is ... death."

Friendly advice from the headmistress of the school I'm teaching at in China

ENTERING THE DRAGON - INTO CHINA

Well, I've now crossed over the Gobi desert and arrived in China. Not sure if this email will get past the rather strict filtering they seem to impose here. I wrote an short piece on my blog criticising the Chinese government, and now every single entry on it has been deleted. So I'm afraid the story about Mongolian nightclubbing will have to wait for another day.

I've already started teaching, and have been doing so for the last few days. My class is very good, and quite obediant - very keen to learn. The other guys Tim, Lucy and Amy have been great. And my chinese teacher, Marie - who sits in the classroom with me - is a really good laugh and the same age as me, so we get on very well.

It is however, quite physically demanding. My working day begins in the classroom at 8.40am and ends at 9.00pm. After this I have to prepare lessons, and they race through the material I give them so I don't finish working till nearly midnight. Temperatures here have been ranging from 28 to 44 degrees centegrade over the last few days. I do have two hourlong breaks during the day, but my room and my classroom are each on the fourth floor on seperate buildings, so I have to ascend 24 flights of stairs every day.

I'm working at one of the best schools in the country, and when these kids grow up they are likely to be at quite senior positions in the government. I'm conscious that by many economic forecasts China will be the world's leading economic power in 25 years or so, so when these kids are adults in their prime they will be leading lights in one of the most powerful nations on earth.

But the kids are good to work with. I've been entertaining them with card tricks, which they seem to love. I was teaching them the "Okie Kokie" today, which ended in fits of laughter.

Anyway, thanks for all the emails - news stories are great as all the main broadcasters are blocked.

All the best

Mike