Thanks alot for the feedback guys, it really is apprciated.

cunning linguist - you've hit the nail on the head, that's exactly my situation. The student's major subjects are Logistics, Construction, Travel and Tourism, Buisness and International Business (Int'l bus. are the worst of the lot, who would have thought?) I've been told that I will be responsable for grades etc but if any of the students fail they can just pay the leaders to pass, whihc makes my entire position a bit redundant. "Practical" lessons involve me setting a task and the students talking in Chinese for 10 minutes, so I try to avoid this and talk to them directly, which is like pulling teeth. I try to relate to their majors, which I do not have a great deal of knowledge about, but just basic points, so for Construction I talk about buildings in London, for T&T I talk about famous landmarks and Business I try and do CV building and roleplays of meetings, to little avail. Yes, there are very good students who may have just had a bad day when the Gaokao came around, and I have all the time in the world for them, but 20 hours of just soul destroying nothingness is really getting to me. I want to learn Chinese and do things I like but after a full day I just want to lock myself in my room.

Chinese Whisperer - Thanks for the pep talk man. I need a little positive thinking. I keep thinking, this is china, i just need to chill out, but the whole situation is really getting to me. (PS I would kill for some proper British chips about now...)

ASD -I agree, life IS too short for this sort of thing, but for me it isnt all about the money. I've an ok salary here and some private work so that isn't really the issue.

turnoi - thanks for explaining the ins and outs of 'doing a runner', it's food for thought. "lazy self-styled kings and queens" = spot-on.

San Migs - I'm about an hour from the city center, i WISH i could enjoy all of the benefits of a never changing city.