Unofficial SSIS Message Board

I’ve temporarily disabled the feature that requires logging in before you can view this message board so that new teachers who aren’t registered users yet can have a look. 

I will soon send out registration emails to new teachers. If you are a new teacher who does not receive a registration email by Wednesday 27 August, just send me an email message with your full name and SSIS email address and I’ll set you up. Either my school email ericmacknight AT ssis-suzhou DOT net or my personal email ericmacknight AT mac DOT com will do the job.

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Does anyone have information (as opposed to rumour) about how to acquire a truly high-speed internet connection in this town?

Filed under: Practical tips, Technology | Post a Comment »

I’m starting my fifth year at SSIS and in that time the single thing that bugs me about living in China is . . . the slow internet connection and the large number of sites that are blocked.

I don’t have an answer yet for the speed problems, but I finally took Will Moss’s advice and ponied up $39.95 for vpn (virtual private network) software. Installation was a little bit geeky; I had a problem at first, but tech support from WiTopia replied in one day and I straightened it out. 

Now I can read all the blogs I want without anonymous proxies that work sort of sometimes, and other times not at all. More than that: my RSS feeds and iTunes podcast subscriptions are all working now, too.

Speed? About the same; sometimes a little bit slower, but the fact that pages actually load more than offsets a minor slowdown for what is already a slow connection anyway.

If you’re interested, have a look at WiTopia’s site.

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Hi, this is Sophia Chen, HR Assistant of SSIS. A new teacher Pam Flick, who will work at our school since this September, send an email to HR asking for help. He wrote:”I’m trying to decide what we need to ship, but have many questions about what is available and what comes in the furnished apartment.  Do you have a North American ex-pat (preferably a teacher) that I could e-mail or call if they are here in the States?  I think this would be very helpful in our decision making.  Believe it or not, this is my third move overseas and I have never made a shipment before.  We always just bought what we needed on the local market.  I don’t know if this is adviseable in Suzhou.If you can help with one or two contacts that would be wonderful.”

If there are any teachers that can help, I am really very appreciated.

Filed under: Help Needed | 2 Comments »

Tracy Stewart put this in the daily announcements:

Teachers looking for an Apartment for next year I have signed a lease for an apartment in Lakeside Palace, but would really prefer a ground floor apartment.  It is a brand-new 2 bedroom/office, 1 bath, and  full western kitchen.  It is on the 16th floor with a view of the lake and the compound is beautiful and well kept.  It is located across from the Expo Center.  Let me know if you are interested.  Thanks.  Tracy Stewart tracystewart@ssis-suzhou.net or 15995446015

Filed under: Housing | Post a Comment »

I’m looking for an adult or responsible teen who can check in on my cats 2x per week over the summer holidays. My Ayi will be doing daily care, but I want another person…an English-speaking, Westerner who can email me…to visit occasionally and send me weekly updates. Certainly this is a job that can be split between multiple people, so if you or someone you know is available and willing, please email me at school.

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Sorry, I posted this in the wrong place so am posting it again~!

I have updated the Living in Suzhou Guide for new staff but it is about 40 pages long so doubt if existing staff will be given a printout - so…

if anyone is looking for the shoemaker’s card, tailors’ cards, sightseeing spots in chinese, hospital addressees/numbers, acupuncture/massage places, bus routes, restaurants, etc. then go to s: drive on the server, then “useful stuff” and it’s in the new “Living in Suzhou” Guide. Also there are some Ayi cards to print out if you need them.

Would also welcome suggestions for adding to it/improving it next year.

PS - great idea Eric, hope it catches on.

Kylie

Filed under: Healthcare, Nightlife, Practical tips, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel around Suzhou | Post a Comment »

I’m going in to Kowloon Hospital next Friday to have surgery to remove torn cartilage in my left knee. I had the same operation there last year on my right knee. If anyone else is suffering from the same problem or is contemplating surgery at Kowloon I’d be happy to share my experiences.

Filed under: Healthcare | Post a Comment »

WordPress has many ‘plug-ins’ that add various features. One of them, ‘Members Only’, allows you to set up WordPress so that only registered members can see the site. When you try to access the site, you get the login page; only after logging in do you see the site.

I had ‘Members Only’ activated for a day or so, but now I’ve turned it off. 

What do you think?

Should anyone who happens on the site be able to read the messages? This means you can read messages without having to log in first.

Or should the site be visible only to SSIS faculty and staff who log in? This means you have to put up with the inconvenience of logging in before you can even read messages.

Vote in the right-hand sidebar.

—Eric

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Heidi Carroll put this in a comment but I thought it deserved a separate post:

Kirsty & Kev’s baby has arrived! Felix Henry, 3.25kg, mother & baby doing well. Congratulations to the whole family.

Filed under: Personal Milestones | Post a Comment »