Guangxi Science and Technology Normal University (formally Liuzhou Teacher’s College) is offering special rates on its Mandarin courses for foreign students, making it among the cheapest in China. The university is fully accredited and has two campuses – one in Liuzhou and one in Laibin, the next city heading south towards Nanning. The Mandarin courses […]
A new driving school has opened in Shatang Village to the north of the city. A miniature traffic system including roads, sidewalks, bus stops and traffic signs has been inaugurated in Shatang Primary School (沙塘小学). Pupils are to have weekly lessons on ‘road safety’ given by local traffic police. Apparently, they haven’t considered teaching road […]
Today, I’m at home. Working at home, trying to deal with some theological and vinicultural issues. Someone has to do it. But I’m only trying, because I largely gave up. I can’t concentrate. There comes a time when battling against the odds just doesn’t add up. As I’ve mentioned before, I have the miserable misfortune […]
Over the last year or so, Chinese people have said this to me so often, especially recently. I’ve heard it twice today. It is beginning to irritate me. “Don’t think too much” It comes up in all sorts of contexts. My dear friend is going away for 18 months. I will miss her. I mention […]
I guess most people know, and all sensible guide books on China certainly mention it, that it is strongly recommended that people avoid train travel in the Spring Festival (especially in the few days before Chinese New Year’s Day) and at other public holidays such as May Day or October’s National Day. Less well known […]
Some more old Liuzhou. In the latter stages of the Cultural Revolution, partly to put an end to the in-fighting between different cliques in the Red Army and partly to satisfy Mao’s dream of total equality, nearly all young people of college age were sent off to the countryside to work alongside and learn from […]
It was been blissfully peaceful and quiet round here for the last two days. I live almost next door to one of the city’s larger high schools and it is extremely noisy. They start at about 7 am and keep up the racket until 11 pm. 7 days a week. Loudspeakers blare out pointless announcements, […]