As for cut-short local Chinese, they haven't urinated in my direction to date-be pretty cross if they did, guffaw guffaw. How's your chum, San Mig, by the way?

Yep, I've been praised for my teaching and treated well in some places, whereas in other places I've disappointed my employers, resulting in them treating me badly. The trouble with teaching in China is that the playing field in terms of FT evaluation is not level. Chinese staff tend to sook up to their bosses, even the crappiest bosses among the latter. Rotten serfdom culture inherited from past generations. Anyways, I've no complaints - I've learned how to piss in their direction if required to do so by my sense of fairplay having been offended. I suppose it's the lying and backbiting that I look down on most, and will cause me to piss on them.
You mention SM - I don't think he would consider himself as my chum! I dunno how he is these days. Presumably, he's fine. As for Mancunian, he seems to have deserted the board, or else he is still posting under a new moniker. Hopefully he's fine too.
Exeter, yes a nice part of England. I drove down there all the way from Edinburgh to visit a haulier/warehouser on company business on one occasion. I remember drinking loads of lager in a local hotel there with my colleague, where we lodged for the night.