CHINA NEWS

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been back in China over a month as I write this. We have moved into Spring and the weather is very comfortable, not too hot and not too cold. However, it is often windy as Spring is the windy season. We had a little snow a few days ago. It was wet snow and only lasted for a little while before melting. But when I went out after it had stopped, I was shocked to see it was brown!! It had been very dry and windy and the dust in the atmosphere had been brought down by the snow. All the cars were filthy afterwards. Good business for car washers!

It was great to see many of you on the Sunday before I returned. With a family holiday in the middle of my trip home, unfortunately it only gave me one Sunday at the church. If I missed you, I’m sorry, and hope to catch you next time.

The school is progressing well. We have managed to open a new beginner’s class for 4 -5 year olds. 14 have paid which is great. So our numbers are up a little again. I have been asked to do some extra time at both kindergartens, which has taken my kindergarten hours up to 8.5 hours per week. So I’m quite busy at the moment.

I still teach the 12-year-old boy in my flat once a week and tomorrow I will be meeting a friend of the lady who does my cleaning, washing and cooking, as she wants to improve her oral English. She works in an international trading company and needs to speak English a lot as part of her job. If we get on, I will probably be teaching her one a week. Also, the principal of the new kindergarten I started teaching at would like me to teach her son as well. So there are many opportunities to teach.

Some of you will know about my hip problem. Well I have had 10 sessions of acupuncture treatment and am now off the painkillers, which is great. It is very strange having the acupuncture but not painful. I had about 20 needles in various parts from my lower back to my feet. I now know several people who have had treatment and all have experienced some improvement as a result. I’m now looking at getting one shoe made up as have one leg longer than the other! This will help me to walk straight without a limp.

If you fancy dropping me a line, my email address is alanhill2306@yahoo.co.uk Please don’t use the tinyworld email address while I’m in China.

Take care and best wishes to you all.

Alan Hill
23 March 2008