David Cunningham, a Knight, of Council 499 in Gosport is currently spending a year in China teaching English there.
David is publishing his diary here to enable us to visualize what life in China is like.

This photo was taken on a clear day (a rare event) from Gele mountain and shows Shapingba, one of the 9 areas of Chongqing. SISU University lies at the foot of Gele mountain.
My Pad is centre shot, the top flat, the one with washing hanging out-side. You will notice "The Mosquito Farm" in the fore-ground!

23-28 Aug 08
Orientation in Hong Kong. Excellent value, all arranged by AITECE (the umbrella organisation established by the Columbans to assist the placement of teachers in China); little stress.

29 Aug 08
Flight to Chongqing uneventful (Dragonair, very efficient). Picked up by Lou Xiao, assistant to the Waban (our administrative support). Driver from the airport to SISU made Neapolitan drivers (whom I had previously thought the worst in the world) seem timid by comparison. Residence: dirty, scruffy, no cutlery, cup, glass; just one vase! No telephone yet. Bath needed cleaning before shower possible. Excellent Chinese meal in refectory (far too much to eat) with other teachers. Key ring with 6 flat keys (all the same!) but no front door access key. Finally obtained one. Very hot and humid, but air conditioner works rapidly.

30 Aug 08
Canteen still locked/shut at 0800 - no breakfast! Raining, but heat less oppressive. Breakfast outside gate, noodles for 2 people, 6 Yuan (= 50p). Saw round the campus; tatty, much building. Everything seems to be "Maybe"! Dinner ashore with Wang Haiyuan, who is the liaison point of contact.

31 Aug 08
1st impressions of Chongqing: huge, shabby and run down (unlike Hong Kong). Continuous mist/fog/smog. Biggest metropolitan population in the world (32 million plus - really a collection of about nine cities), all living in high-rises, frenetic and very noisy - all the stores pump out different canned music to drown neighbours - and everyone babbles on top of that. The driving really is mad! Everyone jay-walks, all the traffic weaves without warning, but accidents seem surprisingly infrequent (only seen 2 so far!) Beer is good, so we will survive. Sunday Mass is at 0730 and it takes 40 minutes to get there by bus, so Sundays will involve an early start. It's all in Chinese, of course! Singing very powerful, but some hymns put to music of Western love songs!

Click Here to read the September 08 entries.