Thanks for the compliment. I actually did not mind that place you mentioned, but had to leave due to a visa issue. I was involved with a crappy recruiter in Guangzhou at the time, and I was misled in regard to the visa. It is why since then I have never trusted agents or recruiters anymore. The students at that university were actually quite nice, and a few of the teachers also. Two or three of the teachers were arrogant racists as you said. The accommodation (as you know) was also crap, but the university did not provide that, so I can't blame them.

I personally don't think I am the greatest English teacher, but as for oral English, yes, I am very good at teaching that. In contrast to what Beth said, if I was such a crap teacher then why was I always offered so much teaching work? Even at my own university I was offered tons of extra work. I declined, and explained to the Chinese teachers that I was semi-retired and did not want to work myself to death teaching English in China.

You are malcolm, mate. I ended up leaving too. Partly out of sheer frustration, and partly out of sheer boredom. I went home at the chinese new year break back to the UK, I was so bored and miserable. Winter in Zhongshan is not very pleasant at all, I came back and had been scammed on my pay, which brought me into a foul mood. I got out and got a better job eventually. I think the crappy recruiter in guangzhou in question is still going, he is from Maoming originally. Yes the students there were cool, as were some of the teachers. I actually miss some of the students there, and we would go to Zhuhai together to hang out sometimes. Yes a sad minority of the teachers were bellicose xenophobes. Yes, the accomodation needed to be improved, it got to the stage near the end I left as soon as I got my money and stayed a friends place for a couple of days.

I don't think I am the greatest teacher either, but like you I think I know oral english teaching now.It is something you learn on the job, of course, day 1 I knew bugger all.

Good luck sb.