About me (海德)
Why "Ocean of Morality"? The blog's name is the translation of my Chinese name: 海德 or "Hai De", pronounced "Hider".
(...and yes, that IS me above left- I was cute once!)
On the left is a more recent picture. I'm in my 50s (just) and, until recently, was living and working as a teacher in China. I worked for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces for a total of 5 years, training Chinese teachers of English, before joining "Robert's School", a private language school in Kunming, where I worked for 8 happy years. When my son started Kindergarten, the weekend hours of Robert's School were less convenient and I joined Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (YUFE), where I worked until 2023. After a year of home-schooling JD, we all moved to the UK. I've been blogging since 2005 as a way of sharing my life with friends and family around the world.
(...and yes, that IS me above left- I was cute once!)
On the left is a more recent picture. I'm in my 50s (just) and, until recently, was living and working as a teacher in China. I worked for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces for a total of 5 years, training Chinese teachers of English, before joining "Robert's School", a private language school in Kunming, where I worked for 8 happy years. When my son started Kindergarten, the weekend hours of Robert's School were less convenient and I joined Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (YUFE), where I worked until 2023. After a year of home-schooling JD, we all moved to the UK. I've been blogging since 2005 as a way of sharing my life with friends and family around the world.
My likes include travel (I've visited nearly 100 countries), science-fiction (TV and film), music (80s, electronic, indie) and sports (running, swimming, badminton).
My dislikes include smoking, spitting, squat toilets and people who walk too slowly on the pavement (...I do like plenty of other things about China though, honest!)
My dislikes include smoking, spitting, squat toilets and people who walk too slowly on the pavement (...I do like plenty of other things about China though, honest!)
About Jiajia (朱佳佳)
At the ripe old age of 44 I met someone I could nervously call my first girlfriend! Jiajia was in her mid-thirties and lives in Kunming, owning a fashion store. Few women in China remain unmarried so "late in life", but Jiajia has a mind of her own - her independent and generous personality shone through, even when she was a student in my adult class back in 2007! We started seeing each other in 2009, got engaged in 2010, and married in 2011. In 2013 we added a new family member...
About J.D. (朱品修)
On 28th March 2013, our son, "J.D." was born. According to the doctors, there were at least three medical reasons why a smooth and successful birth should have been unlikely. But our gorgeous little boy has proven to be healthy, cute and remarkably relaxed. His full English name is "James David Hider" - named after my brothers and grandfather. His Chinese name is "Zhu Pin Xiu" which is somewhat difficult to translate, but something like "Student of moral character". Jiajia and I are proud and delighted parents, very much looking forward to seeing the little fellow grow and develop.
Spring 2022