chris jones
Arriving in England as a Child, My sister and I lived with my Parents and two other younger siblings in South eastern area of greater London.
Our Family consisted or Two South-american born, and other two English by birth. Our parents were not perfect examples of parental responsibility or unity, yet my mother made things happen by developing strong personality traits to counterbalance a defunct Father
Armed Services
Royal Navy enrolment was a great way to find shiny new objects, friends and direction in character modeling. This experience proved beneficial though not as expected, so resigning 5 years later
Based in Bermuda at the time i had to be flown out to Brize Norton, Forces base in Oxfordshire, a fascinating and long haul flight proved an exhausting experience
I had hoped to finish the tour and see more of the west indies and Bermuda during ‘Naval exercises’ but that was not to be sadly.
Memorise of great islands and countries i visited lingers and from time to time, I reflect with satisfaction on these Places.
Bermuda: calm and local surroundings with friendly people offering to feed me often
Trinidad and Tobago: coconut, sun and reggae music all day
Gibraltar (the Rock): Monkeys on the mountain, great views of the Straights of gibraltar, Ships Dockyard and the Airport runway that extends to the sea, Warm spanish variant of hospitality
Skiathos Greece: Small quintessential fishing island, fresh foods and island beaches, white buildings, small community and views or other islands
brize norton
Arrival brize norton
Church brize norton
College and Further Education
Signing into a local college I.T course ”very different from the 6 week crash course in engineering” prior to leaving the RN.
Was another crucial change but I made progress consistently to achieve a national certificate of Information and Technology.
This set me up for a stable field Job with Granada services,Servicing home appliances and devices,TV, Stereo HiFi, tape recorders and finally microwaves.
This was new stuff and interesting i thrived here my abilities kept me on the road perfect for a young man, this was the life!
Traveling the south of england, popping in to homes meeting people and diagnosing faults, better still fixing them on the spot where ever possible.
Moving to Bank Support
Accepted to Sun-microsystems, the unix environment was a big step with lots to learn and real responsibilities, I was seconded to the London banks after training, placements at major banks JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, Natwest Markets, Barings and Barclays Banks.
The game was ramping up now.
Engagement in higher level of Enterprise super computers and security was a mainstay and critical to trading floor. Requirements were crucial for speed business was 24/7 x 360 days yearly this was captivating yet scary and explosive at times as traders were the most volatile individuals i ever met.
SUN- MICROSYSTEMS
Years later feeling ”Burn out” together with the September 11th, Twin towers, attack by Bin Laden, blew the worlds ideas on security right out the water,
Deterioration of businesses, banks initiated severe restructuring of jobs and recruitment fell through the floor, I was a recipient of that”
Options
Little as they were, I couldn’t find work in I.T particularly UNIX, Appreciating this and needs must I took on a field engineer position, Yes driving around the southeast of england servicing home equipment, ”deja vu’ was upon me.
Moving Abroad
Deciding change was not coming nearly as fast enough for me 6 months later, plans via a contact with a chinese national on her university studies. This gave rise to my desire to Make serious changes, out of UK and its dire situation.
To this day i still cannot definitively say why China became my destination, perhaps the unknown and my background as a Minority played a part?.
Arriving Hong Kong
Three suitcases and knapsack later I arrived at to HK the hob of Asia and a impressive city and island, transfers and other activities were necessary to enter China’s south border city Called Shenzhen
Education Teaching in China
Prior to leaving UK I Enrolled on a TEFL course in Brighton. Where I met 20 other applicants, a great experience bringing stronger reasons why traveling and teaching was a better option. everyone was excited yet uncertain of their future teaching abroad.
20 hrs of classes proved vital and online tutoring to completing the course and acquiring the much heralded Certificate to travel and begin.
Starting work in EF international school Shenzhen evolved and gave me leverage in the education fraternity,
Expected and encouraged to perform many activities, demos, displays, speeches, parent study evenings, saloon english corner, teachers travel groups around china’s guilin.
Later moving on to freelancing for Chinese, US, French, and Korean establishments in china, Guangdong.
The metro system was just beginning in 2006 so getting around was all by bus and taxi making things expensive and difficulty arriving in a timely manner to start classes and courses.
China has proved a Destination i return to time and again some due to a business, others due to the lifestyle and organize chaos that exists in everyday life.
But the common denominator is freedom to exercise my ideas and build something, whereas it is more difficult in UK expectations are higher and collateral is a must.
We in england stereotype, groups, ethnicity, religion, appearance and age which in turn removes opportunities, and puts pressure on individuals and groups. Though this also exists in china in other ways, the ability to prove yourself is free from many of these characteristics and criticalities, you have the chance to make things happen.
Blogging Now
This was born by follow this inert need to find new things and not be rooted by 9- 5 work, as a blogger now it required huge changes in my mindset and learning, But this time more of a organic choice and not one based on circumstances or external pressures, believe me this is a good position to find one’s self to be able to relinquishes all other binding contracts by employers.
Before I Close
As a Teenager Cycling was a great relief and freedom activity for me and my younger brother, we would get out the house start riding and continue hours later ending up in LONDON or Greenwich park, the other direction is Bromley, Farnborough, Oxted and Sevenoaks this we also navigated on bikes,our passion was both from natural freedom but predominantly from leaving quarrelling adults.
Thanks for Reading this introduction
I look to spend much time on this site developing it to reach many of you about biking, trails , experiences and more importantly to hear about what’s ticking in your neck of the woods.
Christopher
