The main thing is that I'm back in employment, other things pale into insignificance in comparison

Yeah, because breathing coal dust and thus endangering your health and being gawked at and scrutinized by locals is really good for your happiness, isn't it?

Well now you are there you will have to man up and tough it out the whole year, just like we all have had to in the past, no excuses...get on with it and then get out...best advice from an old zhong guo tong now elsewhere!

Cheers and beers....