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[Ger]

Abstract (Document Summary)
Mr [David Comins], who stepped down as rector of Glasgow Academy at the end of June after 11 years' service, will spend the next three years teaching English and maths in one of China's busiest cities, Shenzhen, in the province of Guangdong.

"It suddenly came to me, round about Christmas last year, that it was time to move on. I felt I could do another year and I would have thoroughly enjoyed that, but I am sure that from the school's point of view and my family's point of view, 11 years is quite sufficient, " said Mr Comins, whose wife Anne, a modern languages teacher, is travelling with him and will also be teaching in China.

The couple decided to add to their adventure by travelling to China entirely by train. They left Glasgow Central on December 15, travelling on the Eurostar to Brussels and then on to Moscow, through Germany, Poland and Belarus.

Full Text (612 words)
(Copyright 2006 SMG Newspapers Ltd.)
AFTER 11 years as rector of one of Scotland's leading independent schools, David Comins might have been looking forward to a quiet retirement.

Instead, he is embarking on a journey back to the chalkface, which is taking him 6000 miles across two continents.

Mr Comins, who stepped down as rector of Glasgow Academy at the end of June after 11 years' service, will spend the next three years teaching English and maths in one of China's busiest cities, Shenzhen, in the province of Guangdong.

Mr Comins, 57, has been hired to teach pupils who want to study at universities in English-speaking countries such as the UK, Australia and Canada.

The move fulfils a long-held ambition to return to teaching, but also satisfies his urge to see more of the world before he finally retires in 2008 to live in Glasgow's west end.

"It suddenly came to me, round about Christmas last year, that it was time to move on. I felt I could do another year and I would have thoroughly enjoyed that, but I am sure that from the school's point of view and my family's point of view, 11 years is quite sufficient, " said Mr Comins, whose wife Anne, a modern languages teacher, is travelling with him and will also be teaching in China.

He added: "I wanted to go back to teaching because that is really my first love. I missed it when I was rector but I also wanted to travel and see a part of the world that I had never been to."

After enquiring about teaching overseas he was told by a number of sources that with his experience as a headteacher he could operate as an adviser to an education minister in a developing country.

However, he said his heart yearned to return to the chalkface and they decided on China after a chance meeting at a civic reception with Alex Mosson, the former lord provost of Glasgow.

"I told him about our plans and he recommended China. He said Glasgow had good links with China for more than 20 years, and when I mentioned it to my wife she said she fancied visiting, so China it was, " said Mr Comins.

After scouring trade magazines looking for situations vacant, the couple finally saw two ideal jobs advertised at the Shenzhen College of International Education, where pupils study GCSEs and A-levels to help them go to university in Britain and other Englishspeaking countries.

The couple decided to add to their adventure by travelling to China entirely by train. They left Glasgow Central on December 15, travelling on the Eurostar to Brussels and then on to Moscow, through Germany, Poland and Belarus.

From Moscow, they took the Trans-Mongolian express to Beijing, a day's travel from Shenzhen.

Mr Comin added: "The life that awaits us in China will also be an adventure, but one we are both looking forward to. It is a tremendous opportunity for us both and we are both delighted that we can continue to contribute in this way."

ORIENTAL LESSONS

Shenzhen in the Guangdong Province is one of China's newest cities, built on paddy fields over the past 25 years.

Sited on the Pearl River Delta the city is the gateway to the world's biggest manufacturing zone.

The city now covers more than 2020 sq km and has a population of over four million.

Guangdong province, up the Pearl river from Hong Kong, now contributes 10-per cent of China's economy, pours out one-third of China's exports and has pulled in onethird of China's total foreign investment.

Shenzhen's middle class now has the highest standard of living in China.

[Spiderman Too]

D-d-d-double post!

[Spiderman Too]

I recently saw the job ad; RMB25,000 per month + benefits!

[Pepsi-Bones]

To be honest with you I'm surprised why the guy has left a very well paid job at one of the best Schools in Glasgow to come and work in Shenzhen.

As I've said before newly qualified teachers and nursery nurses in their first year as qualified practitioners can get 20,000 RMB plus in International Schools in China. Plus Flights, plus free accommodation, plus Accident/ Health Insurance and Work / Residency paid for and arranged in advance all as part of the package. Not bad for kids who are in their early twenties.

25,000 RMB isn't extraordinary in this context ...and peanuts (in my opinion ) for someone who has been the Principal of a leading School in The UK for 11 years!

Who knows - he may have won the lotto or inherited a million!!!

Here's more about his background :

"Head & staff
Rector: David Comins, in post since 1994. Educated at Scarborough High School and Cambridge University (mathematics). Previously Deputy Head at Queen�s College, Taunton, and Head of Maths and Director of Studies at Glenalmond. "
Teaching staff: 85 full time, 7 part time. Annual turnover 2%. Average age 40.


I hope that Mr Comins finds a professional set up in Shenzhen - and that at least he gets paid regular holidays to go back-packing and exploring the real China. A heck of a difference from Bonnie Scotland !!

[Spiderman Too]

RMB25,000 was the advertised salary. With his qualifications and experience he may have negotiated a lot more.

Besides, it�s not just about the money, is it? If it was, none of us would be here, would we?

It�s about the adventure, the once-in-a-lifetime (for many) experience!

At 57 years of age maybe he feels that his life is in a rut?

Maybe he feels that he has given enough time and effort to his local community and time has come for him to do something for himself?

I�ll bet that, right now, he�s feeling more excitement than he has since his first child was born!

[vikdk]

Shenzen a once in a lifetime experience - why pick a place only 40 mins train ride away from the big HK apple - in my experience real once in a lifetime experiences occur in the kind of places where the bus don't go no further - me thinks there is more going on here than meets the eye (or the pocket)

[pc-pocket]