but whatever happened to unity among laowai?

Unity among laowai? don't make me laugh! I guess you're being ironic. Disunity among laowai would be nearer the mark.
And the last time I was at a social event, as it happened at a COMPULSORY university Christmas do I dreaded having to attend, I ended up cursing the indie Yank at the table. There was also an indie Aussie sat there, from a disreputable local agency, and a Chinese teacher. The afternoon had started off badly. It was 17 centigrade below 0 or so. We were assembled outside our apartment block waiting for the coach to arrive, which was supposed to transport us to the hotel. An FAO told us it wouldn't, and to walk to the main university gate. Another broken promise, surprise, surprise! I don't want to go on, as recalling the rest makes me mad. I never want to work at a big university with many FTs ever again. I'm sick of the sight of so many grovelling weasels massed together. But the biggest laugh was when the leader of the ELIC group, Dave, was ostracised by about 8 of his brethren. Tell you why, one of their group had been fired by the university. Guess what for? For having a romantic association with a female Chinese TEACHER. The young lad was half-Chinese, and Dave let the university get away with it! I'd have pulled out all 18 of my flock and gone on strike if I had been him. Without ELIC, they'd have been totally f'ed. They would never get 18 indie FT's like me to teach there in place of them. They'd have backed down for sure.