I agree with most of what you say, Clyde, although maybe I wouldn't agree with how much it should affect one. Oh, one thing I wouldn't agree with you at all about, I think the food is ghastly, unhealthy, inasmuch as it can make you very ill, and is loaded with MSG. No problem, you can cook your own food.

I think you have sized up the leaders very well indeed; however, we shouldn't expect them to change because we deign to teach in China. Some other poster, Magister, I believe, said, being able to speak mandarin shouldn't be a prerequisite for the job; I never said it should be, but this is up to the people who control the schools, the Chinese. They could say 'fat girls only' referring to another post. All I am saying is that if you can chat to these leaders and teachers in their own language, life becomes a lot easier. I don't believe that if you set out to learn Chinese with the sole idea of getting on with people that this should be condemned as sucking up to. I would say it's sensible strategy.

You're a great writer and have given me food for thought.