It has been non-stop since Christmas and thank you to my friends who so kindly remembered my birthday on NYE. Given the performance of the Aussie cricket team I figure my 1/2 century is looking good...however.....It is now time to start counting backwards!!

Had a great birthday. The school bought me a magnificent cake which arrived beautifully boxed. No half measures when it comes to presentation in China! Of course I have included the photos for you all to drool over!! Quite exciting as I can't recall when I last had a birthday cake and my students insisted that they light the candles, sing me Happy Birthday, make a wish etc - like when I was a child. They also smeared my face with the icing telling me it was customary in China to wish me good luck and happiness for the future??!!?? Not too sure about that one but we had fun so what the heck!!

I had to teach on my birthday...first time in many years..and thought I had kept it a secret till I arrived at my 0730 am class and had 75 students stand up and sing Happy Birthday. The students were very generous as usual and I received some lovely, heartfelt gifts and cards. For example, one student made me a crossstitch of a Chinese opera heroine. It was her first attempt and she has been busily trying to get it finished for weeks (unbeknown to me) so I was very honoured that she gave it to me. Another student put together the start of a photo album of my time in Baise for me to add to. They had put a lot of thought into their gifts and all given me things that would not be heavy to carry home for which I am most grateful given the cost of excess baggage.

Chinese do not celebrate NYE as we do but they were interested to know what we get up to. I gave them an abridged version and many of them watched the fireworks in Sydney on television and told me they were beautiful (I haven't seen them!). However I did see Tasmania made the news here in China complete with photos of snow on Mt Wellington!!!!! You better improve that weather before next month - I want to experience some summer weather!!!

Well I am off out this afternoon and then for dinner tonight with my senior FAO and his family to celebrate the new calender year!! I told you the Chinese will always find a reason to celebrate even as they are counting down to their own New Year festivities and the Spring Festival - probably one of their biggest events for the year.

Bye for now and I will probably update again on Monday or Tuesday