It's good that you have a wife who wants to stay in China since at the moment work is hard to come by in the West- difficult enough to get reestablished on ones own.

That wretched FEC seems to be one of the major bones of contention between FT and employer. I've heard of several reasons why schools like to hang on to it, besides the obvious 'making things difficult to change to another company.' I have this notion that it's often just bloody-mindedness plain and simple.

Anyway, thanks for all the info. I may well take the road you have- only one thing that'll make me hesitate is that in spite of ten years in China and fluent in the language i still can't stand Chinese food. When the the 'British Border Agency' cross examined my wife with 'what type of food does your husband like?' she had no hesitation in replying 'roast beef and yorkshire pudding, fish 'n' chips,steak pudding, kippers and Lincolnshire sausages.' Think I used to mutter in my sleep. Spose i'm a bit of a peasant but too long in the tooth to change now.