We should give our teaching assistants a good cash present, cash in an envelope, and let it be opened in our presence! Then we will get our own reward by looking at her expression of delight after she has counted the 100 RMB bills!

I felt happy as a lark by doing so yesterday. Teaching assistants are just great and indispensable for foreign teachers at training centers. We make great money teaching for fun there, but unfortunately our young teaching assistants get paid low wages in comparison!

Best wishes to all those with a dream to nurture in this new year of the Fire Rooster.

2017 Is a Fire Rooster Year — What ”Fire Rooster Year” Means: In Chinese astrology, each zodiac year is not just associated with an animal sign, but also one of five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth.


Both the zodiac sign and the element shape the astrology of the year. For example, 2017 is a Fire Rooster year. Element-sign combinations recur every 60 years.


Here are some of the world's most famous Roosters:

Bob Marley (born 6 February 1945), a Wood Rooster
Jennifer Aniston (born February 11, 1969), an Earth Rooster
Jennifer Lopez (born July 24, 1969), an Earth Rooster
Britney Spears (born December 2, 1981), a Gold Rooster