Back from Zhuhai, and I'm going to put this page up really quick, so that people from TEFL can log in and message. Go to the bottom of this entry and add "comments".

I'll add more to the site later. I'm going to change these pages around a lot, but for now, I'm just going to post this message and give you guys the URL, so that you can post comments.

Who are these people?

We know who we are, the rest of you will have to suffer.

Click on the link below that says "continue reading..." for updates and emails from our classmates.

Should we post emails here?

Latest is from Beth! Welcome back from Shanghai!
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Mon, 15 Aug 2005 11:29:29 +0000

bonjour people

just a quick message to say hello to everyone now that I am safe back
in Zhuhai. Shanghai was an amazing city and I can't wait to go back there
and do some more exploring! I t was very strange arriving back into Zhuhai
and getting dropped off at GLV (had to meet Alex) knowing that none of you
guys were going to be around. Oh well move into my new home and begin the
next part of my journey tomorrow at TPR. Does anyone actually know why I
agreed to work there cause I have forgotten and all I can invisage is that
class of 17 kids ready to eat me alive! Aaaaaaaaaaah! Am sure I will come to
love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was really pleased to hear everyone is getting themselves sorted out
and for
those who are back in the states we all only ever a plane ride away.

Loads of big hugs
bethxxxxxxxxx
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Latest is from Brandon
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Fri, 12 Aug 2005 21:17:39 +0800

Hello all,
Figured I'd join the mass e-mailing...
I'm safe and sound in Shenzhen. Yesterday I moved into my new
apartment, I had been staying with Jeffery, the man who got the job
for me. He has quite a nice family :) My new place is much too big
for me. I have two bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a good sized living
room. I think I could live quite nicely in just the living room (and
so far I have been!). I'm thinking of trying to find a flatmate, but
I'll wait until I'm settled before I decide.
I spent the entire day wandering around the city, mainly looking for a
net cafe (which of course turned out to be right next door, but on the
third floor of a building so I didn't find it until around 8pm).
There is a Carrefour a block and a half one way and a Walmart an equal
distance the other, while crammed in between is a bizarre mix of
western style fast food places, malls, and narrow little alleys
crammed with people selling every conceivable object on the street.
I had a crazy idea after the third hour of walking as the dehydration
and heatstroke were beginning to set in... we should road trip to
Tibet. I heard you can buy one of the GM minivans for about $5,000.
Or better yet we do it Motorcycle Diaries style on a bunch of the
omnipresent scooters.
Anyone else feeling like TEFL and GLV massively spoiled us? I'm
exhausted from trying to use my three phrases of Chinese to get around
the city on my own. "Wo yao!" while pointing, "Bu yao!" while trying
to get away from the sketchy salesman, and "Bu zhong wen!" which I am
aware is not even a complete sentence.
Anyway, stay in touch all!

Brandon

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Update from Jennifer
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Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:03:42 +0800

Hello all,
Well you guys all remember how I choose to stay an extra day to enjoy the outing to the water park? Well, not only did I have a fabulous time at the water park (and I saw Brian there too), but I also avoided the typhoon that hit Qingdao. If I had left on Saturday I would have arrived in the middle of the storm. Instead I arrived safely at after midnight the night after the storm. At the water park, for the first time in my life I went on the slide that was the steepest. It was exhilirating. While waiting I thought about what people would say if the foreigner chickend out. So I did it. I know they probably would not have cared but in my mind I didn't want to get people talking. I think we all know how that can be, being foreigners in China. When I got out of the water I heard someone calling my name and there was David taking a picture of me. I later found out that it was video he had randomly taken and it turned out to be me. However, since I did not go to the post-trip barbeque I never saw it. Does anyone know how to contact David?

The train trip was long but not as bad as I expected it to be. I think it definitely helped to have a sleeper. I also met a friend who is the same age as me and trying to start his own business. He helped me with my luggage. I did get caught in the pouring rain in Guangzhou when I left the station to find some lunch and had to return in the rain. At least I had left my luggage in the station before venturing out.

Now I am at my school near Qingdao. My school is very big I feel like I should be a student, not a teacher. I suppose I will get used to it. Yesterday I made a trip into the city for one of my former student's birthday (one of my many little Chinese brothers). Two of them helped me carry my large amount of luggage to my school. Now I am just waiting for my room to be cleaned and then I can move my boxes one flight up and start unpacking. First I will probably clean my room again because I have learned that my standard of clean is very different from theirs. So if it is not to my satisfaction I will do it myself. After that I will enjoy the rest of my holiday by going to the beach, Qingdao to see my friends, and the Beer Festival when it starts. I may also do some more traveling but I may save that for a later time. After I get settled in my room I will be using the computer more often. For now I am in the International Office with the trusted key. Well I better get going to move my boxes.
Cheers from Qingdao,
Jennifer Royce

P.S. Why is it that Shireen and the other staff are not a part of these e-mails? Should they be? We want to keep in touch with them right? Just a thought. I will send this to them if no one minds.
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Update from Dayton
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Thu, 11 Aug 2005 23:29:26 -0700 (PDT)

Hi everyone!

Keith - thanks for sending the group email. What a great idea!

Just an update: I left Z the Saturday after classes were over via bus to Guanzhou. Very fortunately had some friends there to meet me. The main bus terminal in Guanzhou is only for the bravest traveler! Flew to Nanchang, capital of Jianxi province on Monday, met there by some people from the school, then on to Yichun. Yichun is a city of about 400,000-500,000. There MAY be a dozen people here who speak English, however all but 3 of them must be hiding.

Yichun U. is a grade 2 or 3 university struggling to move up. Many new buildings, but few facilities inside. I think I can make a real difference to this school. So, even though the city and the school are just starting to develop, I'm glad I came - so far! I'm getting a new apartment here from the university, but it won't be ready for another 10 days, so I'm taking a quick trip back to Zhuhai (for about a week.) I am very interested in picking up some pointers from the evening GLV classes - especially those that teach pronunciation, reading ang writing. I'm thinking about starting something similar here. I guess I'll be seeing Beth, Brian & Ellie - I know they stayed to work .

One other idea - I think it would be great if we could all easily stay in touch some how. Anyone with more computer-ese than me want to set up a website?

Good luck and best wishes to everyome. Dayton

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Update II from Hiedi
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Fri, 12 Aug 2005 11:44:32 +1000 (EST)

Gday All

Just thought that I would send you all a quick message to let you know l am packed ready to make the next journey to Australia for the interview - been studying all week and hopefully by Monday will be ready to talk shop on Australian Foreign and Trade Policy.

It is hard to believe one week has passed since Zhuhai - l still feel like l can wake up and find you all in Room A405 - enjoying those lovely grammar lessons with Mitchie and the experiences of peer observations... It has been great having the two Anna's in town this week and to catch up also with Keith - so please let me know if you are in HK and will show you a good time. Have a new mobile phone and its the same no +852 95391000 so please give me a ring.

Hope all your adventures are going well on the mainland

Take care and keep smiling
Heids.
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Update from Anna C.
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Thu, 11 Aug 2005 08:17:17 -0700 (PDT)

Hey everyone,
I just arrived to Guilin after a short flight from
Hong Kong. Don't ask about what it looks like, it is
very dark from lack of street lights. I am actually
in a satelite city of Guilin called Yangshuo. I have
meet only a couple people who are the staff and one of
people I have talked on the phone with. I am room
which they call a hostel, pretty nice for hostel. So
far I might make up to Shanghai August 22 to visit
friends in the city. This of course if my work visa
is finished within a week. The car ride to the place
was interesting. I was basically alone with two
strange men I have just meet going down a dark country
road in China and the only people I know are all over
several hundred miles. But I am safe and sound here
in my room, which is good. I am trying to work how to
send photos, the internet connections is pretty slow
at the moment and I will try later. I need to get to
bed, talk to you soon.
Your friend,
Anna
PS Anna J can you email our housemates' email address,
so I can try to sned pics to them.
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From Keith:
------------------------>
Thu, 11 Aug 2005 04:55:43 -0400 (EDT)

Hi everyone!

Well, good to know that Lyall got back in one piece.
Anyways, I've been looking for a job in HK since
Monday and I've had several interviews, mostly with
kindergartens and language centres. I've had one
offer from one of the kindergartens, so I'm happy
about that. It's a 9-5 job with a couple of 20
minutes classes each day, 5 days a week. The pay is
HK$15,000 per month. This particular branch is new
and I visited it on my 2nd interview. The renovations
have not yet been completed and the school is still a
hazard but I can imagine it to be pretty nice once
everything's done.

Anyways, I don't think I have everybody's e-mail. I
was also not on Mei Ling's e-mail list, as I did not
get the photo that she sent to everybody. So could
somebody who has everybody's e-mail do something
please. Thanks.

Regards,
Keith
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Important update from Anna J
---------------->
Wed, 10 Aug 2005 06:48:15 +0100

I think that something went wrong with the last email telling you of my
new
address in Qingdao so here it is again. I will be there from the 20th
onwards and will be expecting post from you all!

Anna Jamieson
Big Apple Preschool
Building No.1 Kai Lun Garden
#68 Hai Kou Road
Lao Shan District
Qingdao
Shandong
PR China

Hope all is ok, keep in touch, Anna
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This one is from Lyall, the second update.
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From Lyall: Sat, 6 Aug 2005 20:16:28 -0800

Hi everyone,

Figured i'd let everyone know I made it back too the states. Expericing 28 hour day isnt fun though.
Agian it was great meeting everyone, and it was you all who made the class really entertaining for the month that we were there.
Too all those that I wasnt able to say farewell to before I left, I apologize and wish you the best on your endevours.
Also I agian want to thank Heidi for being an excellent tour guide and helping get back to kowloon. And to anyone who ends up staying in hong kong/ kowloon and needs a reasonable hotel that is of excellent quality, I suggest the BP International.
Anyways, everyone keep in touch and let us know how everything is going.

With best regards,
Lyall

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First Group Email sent by Heidi Perry:
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Sat, 6 Aug 2005 14:02:57 +1000 (EST)
Gday All

Greetings from HK... Just wanted to let you all know that after the stresses of a lost visa/passport and then problems with the zhuhai immigration department l arrived safe and sound last night.

Lyall was a fantastic travel buddy and really helped me lug around that case that was bigger than me - we dined at a cute japanese restaurant last night - a nice change from the canteen food.

It is surreal today to be sitting back at home - even though the course was intensive I loved the fact that I was blessed with such a fun group of people - that today it just seems strange that l just can't walk to GLV and see you all.

Please do keep in touch and lets aim for a reunion in the not so distant future.

Goodluck with your new jobs and l look forward to hearing about your teaching experiences.

Thankyou for your friendship, fun and frivolity

Cheers
Heidi