Can I be forgiven feeling that we experienced an era of particular manic magic where the castoffs of developed Western societies prowled classrooms as China's foreign language education crawled from its infancy? A time when 'institutes of higher learning' turned their poor children over to white-faced ex-models, 12 steppers, alimony escapees, and back-pack lotharios.

I do miss those days.

Yes indeed, Halcyon Days. I suppose though “it's an ill wind (that blows nobody any good)” and even octogenarian white married-to-Chinese men can demand their own prices at training centres, should they wish to work unofficially. Good to hear from you.