Introductions

aghh.. missed a few welcome ceremonies again. LT used to put on her qipao for those and that's how I remembered them... Anyways, Ladies, please forgive my rudeness for this late welcome/bienvenue.

Drinks are on Stil and watch out for Georges... we're still potty-training him
 

Velcome aboard, ladies. Drinks are indeed on Stil, but take little notice of Noles. I am a parfait gentleman!!

Nolefan, you look as adorable in that qipao as Stil does...a round of drinks for the newbies and those two hairy hostesses .

I am a parfait gentleman!!

All icecream and froth - no substance. 

We're not back to less-than-half-dressed men again, are we?  Isn't the Santa enough?  I haven't been alone THAT long.  

...go west young woman!...

Thank you for the recomendations! I will certainly take them into consideration when planning my trips in 2008!

...HEY LADY KATE! FORMER CHEERLEADER HERE! I'm not blond either, but I am a shorty...

Hello and welcome!!! It is nice to meet you... You are coming to Dalian? Have you ever been to Dalian before? Well, if not (or even if you have...), then you are in for a treat. It is wonderful here with all the great people , food, and shopping!

Lady Kate

Welcome Chloe and Lady Kate. Next round is on you both  Post away and you'll get a key to a special Ladies' Lounge where all the best drinks and chipendales are! (and much much more!!!).

Thank you! I can't wait (rubs hands in glee...)

...anyhow, I think I win the award for youngest member, yes? I'll be 19 in a few weeks woooooooo

I bequeath the mantle of "youngest member" to you, my dear. Wear it well!

*I was just assuming that I was the youngest member here...*

Hello, all! I've spent a few days lurking to get to know you all, and now it's time to introduce myself. Yikes! What can I say? I'm not too old, not too young, have 3 sons and am planning to be in China December 2008. Why the delay? I am completing my second Master's degree (secodary education) November 2008, and I want to have as many credentials as possible before embarking on a new adventure. The first Master's is a business degree. Currently, I am a substitute teacher, which either means I'm a glutton for punishment or an adrenaline junkie. I love teaching, and love having a mischief-maker in class. They keep things interesting, don't they?

I will be taking my TEFL course in January because I want to know more about working with English Language Learners. Living in the great state of Colorado, I feel this will be an asset to my future career as a high school educator. Any recommendations you have as far as jobs and cities are more than welcome. Please ask any questions you have of me, and I'll do my best to answer.

Greetings and salutations We actually have a member who saves dragons, so you should be able to hit it off.
The best advice I can give is this: go buy Lonely Planet's China guide and study it. I would also recommend that you, unless you already speak Chinese, take a Chinese 101 course. I worked as an FT at EF in Nanchang and, based solely on that experience, I would not recommend EF as a workplace. Unless if by "glutton for punishment" you mean that you desire secretly to walk up to Evander Holyfield and call him a nancyboy, because the result of doing that would be more enjoyable than working for EF.
Aside from that, I think I will leave the good advice to the more experienced and grizzled veterans here.

Welcome Fire-Dragon.  Another Anne McCaffrey fan?  Will you be bringing your children with you? There are quite a few of us who are not too old, not too young - although you will find the definition of both states changes here quite drastically.

China is an amazing experience.

Hey there fire dragon.  If in trouble, I am sure I could save you.

My Uni hires people with Masters, they are a business Uni so they hire people with business degrees.  Send them a resume.  Won't need a TEFL course if you work here.  You already have classroom experience.  Just learn to talk 's l o w l y' and you will be fine.

Missouri University - Dalian Branch Campus should get to them ok - Here is link.
http://chinacampus.missouristate.edu/facultystaff.htm

Hi FD!! (yeah, we do tend to be quick to shorten names around here)  Welcome aboard!!

Welcome,

Have a round on Con.  He's ignoring our scrabble game again, so I'm sure he's not paying attention to this either.   

These are some of the nicest, and strangest people you'll ever hope to meet.  They've already got me typing scandalous things at 6 in the am when I can't sleep.  Wish I could figure out how the sodium pentothal gets through the keyboard . . .