Well the latest update for Hampsons here is if I `refuse to be sensible` - meaning do not grovellingly accept 2300 rmb salary, I will not be able to work at all at Hampson English, who will furthermore put me on the blacklist so I will-never-be-able-to-work-in-China-again. Hey ho worry eats me hourly. My full salary as promised would be useful but I already have another job lined up for after spring festival. I just need my bloody money! I have decided to bite the bullet and get my contract etc translated and activate the Bureau of Foreign Expert angle.

I received a phone call and series of emails yesterday from a european teacher who assured me there must have had been a `mistunderstanding` . I had not been lied to and swindled there was simply a mistake somewhere; and my money would definitely paid at some unspecified point in the future `maybe sometime after spring break`. The witholding of 30% of my salary was a `protocol` he had not heard of but must be for the good because Hampson is a very good firm and you can make a lot of money (for them at least) working for them. It actually sounds worse in a European accent. Never ceases to amaze me how such matters are described as `misunderstandings` by the ones who perpetrate ( or at least benefit from) the situation yet never by the ones who lose out. I think anyone and everyone who has been conned by Hampson English should report them to the Bureau of Foreign experts and make China at least do something about one of the foul scams in this place.