English Gibson - I'm pretty sure that is sarcasm, whatever. Yes, I am still in EFL, I dont intend to do anything else. As you may recall from my previous posts, I left China in June and I am working with a student organisation where I live in Eastbourne. I still stand by my comments about my Chinese employer too. Im still in regular email contact with two teachers there and they are still happy, being paid on time as per contracted terms. I hope China is still treating you well and life in the Middle Kingdom is good.

For the OP - I have just read through this thread and noticed Turnoi's comments about never seeing beggars. My experience was very different to that, (it was in 2006, maybe things have changed) but I encountered begging children pretty much everywhere I went. A number of the young beggars were also glue sniffing on the streets, but they were never aggressive. This never really bothered me, and I always felt safe travelling between small villages and towns without a guide. I found Africa very rewarding, a great experience and I would recommend it heartily.