Rochie In China

Well its been about 2 weeks since my last update. Here's the latest. Its been an expensive exercise moving down here, roughly about 9500RMB. First 3000 for moving (plane and bus fares), 5000 for my trip to Hong Kong to change my Visa from student to work Visa, 400  for the moving company (cheap but comes with damages) and about 1000 to set up the new apartment.

Here’s the damage

(more things damaged but these are the most damaged)

G'day all,
I'm back in Taizhou with my Z visa everything went smoothly in Hong Kong, I am very busy at work now, because of summer intensive. We are into 6 days a week now, so I haven't had time for an update. We have the internet on at home now too. I'll post more when I get some free time.

Jamie (Rochie) Rochfort

I forgot to say thank you, fat bug. Thanks for the blog.:) Do you feel happy now? Finally i write something to show you I care about the blog you made it for me and I like it very much.      

I'm off to Hong Kong to get my new Z visa. The plane ticket is booked and I fly out from Taizhou on Monday the 12th of July at 10:40 I arrive in Shenzhen around 12:45 and then need to catch a bus to Hong Kong. I'm not sure how long it will take, so I will keep the updates coming. I hope to be back in Taizhou by Wednesday night. If everything goes smoothly then there should be no problem getting back Wednesday.

Jamie (Rochie) Rochfort

Our stuff arrived last night. The wu liu (transport) company sent our stuff to our apartment but didn't send anyone to unload it so they had to wait till I got home from work to unload it. All my bags had been written on in marker which I was a little annoyed at that. We went upstairs to unpack, first most important my computer. Just by looking at the box I was expecting damage and I was right the computer case was dinged up fairly bad. I was lucky I carried my Hard Drives with all my data with us. I fired it up and purred perfectly.

The seat on the exercise bike was a little broken, but not enough that I can't fix it. The mirror was broken and a also a picture I had but overall not any significant damage.

Pictures to come when I get internet at home.

Jamie (Rochie) Rochfort

I arrived safe and sound in Taizhou, I have just finished my first day at Taizhou EF. I'm very very impressed with the school. Update more when my computer arrives in Taizhou.

Jamie (Rochie) Rochfort

Last weekend was my last week teaching at EF Tangshan. It was good because telling my students the week before prevented sadness and tears. I had some students give me some gifts and I’m very thankful for them. I would really like to say thanks to all the students that gave me something. here are the gifts I have received from my students.

On the last day we got up at 6:30 and went down Wang Fu Jing street. A famous shopping street in the heart of Beijing. Walking down Wang Fu Jing street it is littered with Kappa Statues and displays for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Some of the statues were very good but some could of been better. There was a side walk painting of the world cup and standing at the right angle it looks as if it was buried under the pavers. Only problem is that its on a huge piece of board which deadens the effect. 

We woke up early around 6:30 and we got on the bus and headed to the Beijing Zoo. Here is a map with the path where we went.

After finishing up at the Forbidden City. We went out the front gate into Tiananmen Square. We wanted to wait for the lowering of the flag, but when we found out that it was lowered at 7:30pm we just decided to go off and do some shopping at Silk Street. I got to pick up some very cheep pants and some more socks.

On Monday afternoon after arriving in Beijing we ventured into the Forbidden City. This was my fourth time into the city, and it was good as I saw many things I had not yet seen. We arrived at the Forbidden City around 2pm at the north entrance. We entered from the north and went down along the East side of the city seeing some of the artefacts that were used by the Emperor and Empresses in the Qing and Ming Dynasties.

I just had a root canal done on my tooth and now it’s hurting like nothing else. I have been at the dentist all morning and it only cost me 96RMB (about 15 AUD) . The doctor was very good, apart from the pain she did a great job. I have to go back next week to finish it off.

I just spent two and a half days in Beijing will update this post when I have gone through the pictures.

Over the last 2 days I have had all the parents of all my students come into the school. I had them come into the last 20 minutes of my classes and I told them I was leaving Tangshan EF for bigger things. There were some teary eyes around the place. Some of these students I have taught for 21 months, since I started at EF Tangshan. Many bonds have been formed. I gave a letter to the parents with my contact info. I just hope some students and parents will keep in contact.

After giving them the news that I was leaving I had photos taken of all my classes and students. Which I will post here in order of the classes I have on the weekend.

As some of you know at the moment I’m currently studying at Hebei Polytechnic University (Hebei Li Gong Da Xue). I’m also undertaking a Degree from Griffith University Australia online. As well as working full time it is starting to get a little to much for me to handle. This means that I need to drop one of the things I’m currently doing. I have chosen to drop the Local University studies. This means that nothing is holding me to Tangshan. With this comes the opportunity to travel and see more of the wonderful world I call China.

On the way to Qinhuangdao

On Monday the 31st of May David, Wayne, Goku, James and I went to Qinhuangdao to check the hotel and area of the Tangshan EF 2010 Summer Camp. We left Tangshan EF at about 9:30am along the way we had a little hold up because of some road works and the car got swarmed by bees some pictures of them below. After getting through the hold up we stopped for a smoke break and some more fuel at a truck stop. James spotted an interesting Chinglish (Chinese English) sign which I couldn’t give up taking a photo of. Back in the car we ended up arriving at Qinhuangdao around 12:20. We drove around a little while before finding a seafood restaurant.

On The Way

Today the teachers were asked if they would like to go to Tangshan Golf Course to play some golf. I was the only teacher that went and I had a great time there. At 9:15 some of the TA’s were waiting at the bus stop, I called Linda and found out which bus stop they were waiting at so I had to run to the bus stop to catch number 13 bus. The bus got us to our stop 45 minutes after I got to the bus stop.