I'm presently teaching at a school I'm not particularly happy with, to keep things succinct. I'm determined, however, to hang in there and make it to the end of my contract, which should be in February, '09. My primary motivation is to get a "release letter" so I won't have to go all the way home to get a new "Z" visa and, eventually, a new Residence Permit. I just read that there is a "new regulation" that took effect in May. It seems all FT's now need not only a release letter but also a "letter of recommendation." This letter, from what I've read, seems to be pretty much what it says it is. One's present school needs to recommend that you are suitable for continued employment in China. It needn't say you're great or anything. Just suitable. This might be paranoia on my part but I'm a little worried my current school, for no other reason than simple spite, won't give me the recommendation. Does anyone out there have any first-hand knowledge of this and how it works?