the scooter

Well i bought a e scooter. its faster than every other scooter on the roads (even 50cc petrol ones i overtake with ease) and it looks good and was sold to me with a range of 60km, i have covered 110km before i had to recharge the thing,, the battery is 4 car batterys in a sealed container, i have to haul them up to the 5th floor to recharge the things. and when they are out the alarm and the rear wheel lock dose not work. so the chains i have are the only thing securing it to the 3 inch metal poll out side.


look at the pic with the almost empty class (h1n1 was found in a school near us, so most kids stopped going to school for a little while) easy teaching....
also pics of a night out and scaffolding on the side of a building (it really is bamboo)
i will try and get more pics online soon.. i have to take nuer pics with liyangs phone as mine is out of action for a while (bought another one for temp usage but dose not have a camera on it, i also cant get my digi cam to link with my comp)

speak soon people

HAY HAY

hay all.. i have found a way to bypass the china firewall.. i have youtube, blogspot and even facebook. :-D

i am going to try and start up the blog again,, will write in once a week or so and update..

quick update now.
i have left kindergarten and moved to the private secondary schools... much more fun as people can speak english already, good fun.
i have moved house and been bitten 18 times in 2 days by mozzys. also brother came over and spent some time here,,,, all good fun.. any how

speak soon
love you all
mark

Dear all.

This will be my last blog entry. i just don't have the time or willpower to sit in an internet cafe or the in school's computer room and deal with the sweat and heat. I have been in here for around 2 mins now and can feel my t-shirt sticking to my back, and sweat not just on my brow but also in my hair.

My work is going well and I would recomend any one who wants to leave England to come and give this a try. Working in a school as an English teacher is pretty easy and with free accommodation, you only need to worry about food and entertainment. If you work in the cities you can expect to earn as much as 1.500GBP per month.. well 15,000rmb (depends what the exchange rate is when you travel).
China's a great place to come and stay for a year, you can even get 6 month contracts or just Summer work contracts so that'll be around 2 months. It's definitely worth a shot as the state of the UK isn't great. Apart from theft of unsecure property, i would say China has a very very low crime rate compared to the UK (bikes that arent securely chained to some thing immovable will go missing).


I wish you all the best and if you have any questions or just want to chat email me on mjbowman07@yahoo.co.uk.

Good bye from me, Liyang, Tata, and 24 kids.
Mark xxx

hello people



some images and a story or two about what i have been up to while liyang has been gone



images first.

we have a pic from my work. on the 4th floor you can look across the city and see mountains in the distance. its quite amazing really.



who want dried kiwi?????????



one image is of a small sweet that has been cut up to give to the kids. its about the size of a toe nail clipping now.



also one of liyang i found in my pink shirt.. why do my clothes look better on other people???? why???



ok, here's some intense reading now



so while liyang has been gone iv broken a couple of school rules. and i'll be breaking one or two more before liyang gets home (when ever that is) i'm happy the school cant log on to the blog or i would get in a some trouble for this.



a pupils dad invited me and 3 teachers that teach him over to his place for tea and some food.

so i met them nice and early on my day off and jumped in his black 4x4. after driving for 35-40 mins we arrived at the the guy's village estate (one house for the week and one for the weekend)



we got out the car and walked up to a big metal gate. he unbolted it and we all walked in. (the village outside was a bit tatty) inside was beautiful, a central courtyard with 2 buildings and a glass house that makes ones in England look feeble. it was maybe 30 foot long by 10 foot wide. the courtyard was well maintained with many plants, a nice tree over hanging a large pond that meanders through the whole of the walled off property, and a area under shade for sitting out and eating or reading a book. then walked into the main house. the building is a 2 storey building, i only saw parts of the downstairs, but it was amazing, with good furniture and a very homely feeling with built in bar and more tanks filled with fish (the tanks were either built into the wall or in one case was used as a divider to separate a studying room that had a nice desk and plenty of paper and pens and stuff.

the other building was used more for guests to stay in and relax.



then while being taken to eat at his restaurant. we stopped off at a bridge that had historical value (i though it was just a bridge but no no no, the original was dismantled and up inside a complex of buildings. i found this boring but there were some nice trees there. (dont know the name but the description should give it away if you know the one im on about) ((the trees were very large and had many many tiny leaves, maby 1 mm x 6mm. and millions of them. if you touch a stem then all the leaves on that stem fold up into the stem to appear as if there are no more leaves. even flys set it off.))

(i did get given some cut out of a tiger. apparently its expensive to buy as its signed and stamped by some one who did something with this bridge at some point. cant remember the story as i was sorta in a land all my own.) a few chinese asked to have there photo taken with me (im enjoying living htis way now, all those hugs and kisses)





After that we were taken to a temple.

very nice and old temple, free to enter, again some very long story about this, all i remember was that the trees were 1300 years old. (i know, i know, i was having a tree day.) and the guy (name unknown) used to climb trees like this when he was younger, oo oo oo also a seller hit a monk and the monks retaliated by shutting off one of the rooms for all but 2 days a month, and now the sellers are making less money.



then went on to his restaurant. where we were plasted with "grape wine", apparently i should have no problem finishing 2 bottles with him,,,,,,,,,, i did. by the end of the first bottle i was content to just sit there and enjoy the foods that were being brought out by all the staff. nooooo i had to finish the othere bottle with him, " you are english man, you drink. you ok, you are english man" the only sensible response was "oh god,, i really shouldn't i can all ready feel my head is lighter.. ok"

"good you are enlish man, you drink many, you need this" (points to his larger gut" any way then i was given a tour by one of the waiting staff, a very shy young women who didnt know any english and giggled when i said anything in chinese. this was good as it got me out of the line of site of my generous host.



after this i was shattered and wanted to go home, so being very polite i told a teacher, then it was decided to take us home, en route we stopped at a KTV, i cant spell the word so i'll describe it as a place you go to sign into a tv with the aid of a couple of microphones.



2 hours later i was on my way home.



i got home had a shower and felt a bit better. after sitting on the bed and getting ready for a 2 hour sleep to recharge, i got a phone call. i was expected at mike's house; a bbq was on the go and they knew i was alone. after refusing the invite several times to different people on the phone i eventually got dressed and jumped in a cab to mike's house.



the BBQ:

well it was very nice, more good food. more beers. english Bacardi and jack daniels that had been sent via UPS to mike. approaching 10pm i was totaly shattered and wanted to go home., i mentioned i was off and managed to be persuaded over to a little bar for 1 drink. i went there and had 1 drink. then left with several other people.



had a mcdonalds and somehow got talked into going to the scotland club. i went had a couple of drinks and we all sat round watching the professional dancers until 2-3am. they left, we used the different stages as dancing podiums. (2-3am we are the last ones there, even the police in riot gear have left), after a good work out on the stage we left. back out side it was hot and a feeling of being very happy wes among the group of 8 that was left. while walking from the front door of the club to the road (maybe 3 meters) it was decided that the 7 club (right next door to the scotland club) would be a good place to visit, it was open and fairly full, (the first time i've been in there) there were still dancers on poles and a lively atmosphere. (again a tree) we sat next to a plastic tree and one of the stages.



after a couple more hours we all left. (they closed)

and we walked (maybe staggered, memory isnt so good, i only have messages on my phone that i texted my self to remind me of what happend)

we ended up out side mcdonalds again, (24 hour) so we got more food.

finally arrived home after we woke up some taxi drivers and gave them a fetching story about being stranded miles from home (in english) we all went our own ways.



hit the pillow at 11am.



TATA or Caca as it is spelled, (but sounds like tata) has been to the vet today.

i had him castrated, i didnt realise they would do it infront of me, the 2 vets walked out back leaving me and tata in the front. i though it was to say good bye or somthing, oo no no no, they came back with 2 needles, first one fine. second one must of hit a bone or somthing as tata screeched and run away. leaving the vet holding a bent needle.

the cat got sleepy and finally fell asleep, still being new to this i figured they were letting me and the cat have final time together so the cat wouldn't be so worried.. nope. out came blades and needles and small sharp disposable knives and string, i said i had to buy some water. they were ammused by this. i sat outside for 20 odd mins then got called back in. it was 37c out in the sun and there i was, getting redder and redder and wetter and wetter with sweat. tata looked dead. tongue out to one side, blood all over his white fir. god, it was horrible. i was told the cat would be peeling for 8 hours.



i got given a box and the vet made a nice little hole so i could make sure tata's head stayed in position. paid 100rmb and sent on my way. stupidly i chose the quickest way home, straight through the main gate. guarded by a load of police. with an in-built police station in campus...

the first cop looked and me and waved me over, he looked through the peep hole and saw what may as well have been a dead cat. he tried to send me away, telling me to get rid of the cat.



after being a pain in the ass english man, he sent me to the senior policemen... 2 of them in the office having a fag. i explained i took the cat to have a cut as i didnt want him to make love. they opened the box and one carefully poked tata. thank god, tata chose that moment to wake up, look around and roll onto his front so you couldn't see his tongue out or his eyes that weren't seeing anything. the cop laughed and nodded.



i got home to a cat that was fast asleep again. i put him on the bed and went out to let him sleep, checking on him 30 mins later to find he had wet the bed. i moved him back to the box. and went to clean up the bed. i heard a cardboard sound, i went to check on the cat to find him struggling to get up. i helped him only for him to fall on the floor and sleep. put him back on the bed and went to work. came back after 2 hours to find tata had......soiled... the bed and was halfway across the floor.

i have now given him water from the shower. (on the floor so he can drink at his own pace. bought a few day / week old cooked duck that he can have tomorrow for breakfast. he's now beside me sleeping, he's let me wash around the wound and clean him up a bit. poor cat was in such a state. i can see why in england they keep them in over night. you really shouldn't have to see your own pet go through that.



well, it's now 10pm and i'm off to bed. gotta work again tomorrow.. god, these 4 hour days are killing me :-D hehehehe i love my job. night night all



take care all



love mark

Owing to Paul's retardation please read the below blog before viewing these photos

[So the blog below is intended for these photos - Paul]

The great china firewall has blocked all blogspots. so my brother will be updating the blog from now on.



there are a few photos here. one is a picture of the family having a chinese tack out. TATA even has his own little bit to eat. the food was good, but not like the chinese take outs back in the uk.


as prommised, i have written down things that seem a little strange so i dont forget them, now here they are... :-)

i have said befor that when you walk around every one, even old ladies with the grand sons stop and stare at you. i didnt reallise just how much i stuck out untill a few days ago,
i was walking back from work, and just as i entered my estate, i noticed a man walking a dog,, a small bull dog like creature.

as i drew level with the dog it stopped walking and looked up, and stayed still even as the owner walked past it and tugged on the lead, it stayed put and watch me untill i walk about 30 odd paces past it. it was a shock to the system to even have a dog transfixed by your presents.

at the kinder garden where i work, a 2 year old always played with the water dispenser, so the head teacher in the class room, grabbed the child's finger and put it under the hot water part, then let some water trickle over the tiny finger,,,,,, this water comes out close to boiling, the child instantly started crying and ran away from the dispenser, i suppose it is a good lesson to learn, better to burn a finger than an arm, or a face, the kids hasn't been so close to the dispenser since.

generally the road sweepers are people. but every now and ten you get a motor sweeper, these sweepers are maybe double the size of the ones in the uk, and rather than just go around sweeping roads, these ones also play a relaxing pipe music. it took my back when the music from the distance came around a corner in the shape of a speaker from a road sweeper.

one photo is of a man and bike,,, or man and plastic bottle transporter. entertaining to see it drive past you :-)

anotehr is of a construction site.. not just a building but a block of buildings will go up at one time,,,

a few photos of me and some kids and dryed kiwi.. yummy
and of course to save money any sweets bought are cut up into tiney tiney bits to be given to the kids.. meaning a starburst sized chewy sweet can feed 8 or 9 kids.


ok thats what i have written down.. i will attempt to creat a new blog which i did on yahoo360. however that blog is not good. i need another one with more controle over what gose in, ie more than 1 photo at a time, simple navigation and add support are all needed, as well as being able to update from china..

[my apologies if the photos dont show up - I may need some practice at this - it's coming up all weird, so I am just parctising with three and will post the other photos separately - Paul]

Breast Health

adds

sorry boys and girls. im am adding some add's on the blog to create extra revenue, they should be relevant to the blog, but who knows a?? any how just to let you know i am aware of the adds that will be here in the next few days and have placed them there. also you may notice a few other changes, please ignore them, things will appear and disappear in the next few weeks as i try and bring more people in from the outside world to boost followers.. thanks for your understanding
mark

summer is here

well.

it is very hot here now.
my work dress now consists of a tshit, shorts and sandals. there isnt much space to san bath as its a concrete jungle out there but hay, its nice to walk to work in the heat, with a little breeze to stop you from over heating.

bad news:

after talking with a different teacher about what i will be teaching next as i hav run out of flash cards for book for, firstly i found out that i have 2 more books to do, and
i have found out that although most schools break up for summer, kindergartens dont, all we get is 10 days max for chinese new year. :-(

so no summer vacation for me....


on the bright side, when people come over i ill be in a stonger position to take time off,,, when mum gets here i will take a couple of days off and when paul arrives i will take more time off, so its not all bad.

yesterday and the day before i didt really eat much, i wasnt really in the mood for the same old food, but today i have got my appetite back and bought a load of fresh fruit, mango's, apples, melons, water melons, strawberry's, pineapple and a couple of things i dont know what they are,(at least not yet) coconut milk, fresh orange juice and apple juice and some sort of carrot juice that is surprisingly taisty, water with vitamins added and peanut m&m's.

my chinese has been persponed for a couple of weeks as i know what i need to get by at teh moment and i just need some time off, i am for getting words very quickly, even simple words like open door and close door,


i have walked the same rout to work for the passed 2 months, and even now when the grandparents see me the stop and have there kids stare at me, it is very disconcerting,

Puru, a english teacher form the Philipenes is in the process of setting up a bar as there is a lack of bars in the city for westoners. quite intresting that he can work his normal job and be able to work again at his own bar. nice idea really.

long time, no speak

sorry its been so long since i updated.


a few weeks ago i decided to go to the dentist as i think i need a filling.. i still havent gone, i will go after next pay day,,,,, (although i think i said that last month)

we have a new english teacher here and she has taken on 2 of the classes. one class that i didnt really want and one that i dont mind. so i now have a very easy 2 hour slot in 2 classes per day. very good.

the kinder garten principal invited me out for a meal, well i went and so did the othere english people in the kindergartens.
alice (top chinese teacher in othere kinder garten) tracy (top chinese teacher in my kinder garten) both pricipals and somone i didnt know.

(yesterday) we had a meal in a posh eatery and after the initial round of toasts and then some plates arrived, then more toasts, then more plates then more toasts and yet more plates, finaly with all of us full they ordered more beer for toasts, while no one mannaged to escape getting drunk i (after last weekend) managed to keep my self inorder and drink the bare minimum, half filled glasses, drinking tea instead of beer with the meal.,.,.,.,. but i still mannaged to consume a few drinks.


i was thinking yesterday of thinks to write here, but now im here i cant remmember what interestiong things have happend. so to that end i will log off and when somthing happens i will try and write it down so as to put it in here.,
hope you are all ok and will log on tomorow and cheak emails and possibly update if somthing hits me (or not if its a bus) :-)

take care all
with love, marko polo :-D

more pictures

just a quick up date. starting monday there is a new english teacher, so i will loose two of my classes and keep two. i have requested to get ride of my worst class where the students are a night mare and i will keep on of the best classes.

me and liyang looked at a new flat that has just been completed roughtly 10-15 seconds away from work. unfortunatly it was to small so we will stay in the current flat... the cat is wild and is scratching my in the mornings when i am trying to wake up.


any way apart from that all is well and teh city looks cleaner with no polution in the air.. :-)


below is a tipical picture of what liyang cooks 2 times a day, just out of view are 4 buns (manto) that are steam warmed and very taisty. the rice was couloured by blood i think and taisted the same, the otehre dishes, who knows. but they are good.




one of my lessons.. we walk round with a cut out of a person and stop- to look at that ever is on the card. and the kids shout it out,.,.,.,.,.,.,. can be interesting and good to kill some time




a school play, it didnt really end up going the way the teachers had planned it to. :-) such is life















a 1-2 year old getting instuctions from a mad english man on how to use a spoon.... first in one hand then the other then in niether hand then ask a chinese teacher what to do..





and lastly... right...... well..... below are pictures of a teaching dvd made by mcdonalds, also inclusive of advertisments and every thing you would expect.. (i think when ever you put money into those boxs in mcdonalds in england it gose to paying for videos like this for training kids, and making them want a cheesburger and fries....