I got my haircut by a great foreign hairdresser in my home! Great price, great service and she travels a bit around Kunming she said. My husband ended up getting his hair cut too and we were both very happy. :) PM me if you are still looking.

Funnily enough, I just read this article today about the growing number of Christians in China.... interesting read:

www.economist.com/[...]

Would love to see Lao Tzu, Confucius and Jesus in a debate on religion in China :)

Australian parents are pretty laid back raising their children...and most things really - must be in our DNA ! We let our kids walk around with no shoes all day and night, babies and toddlers swim in seas filled with poisonous and deadly creatures.... In our case, I think our landscape and relaxed culture has informed our parenting style.

Of course, I am not so naive to think my help would be more sought after than a wad of cash! However, i do indeed need to jump through these academic hoops to complete the practical component of the course. :/ As mentioned, i have to complete course work associated with my "volunteer experience" .

However as you said, I would actually like to think I could do something positive and meaningful for an organisation... or am I being too idealistic?

Thanks guys, @Magnifico - yep have trawled the forums to find most websites and orgs mentioned no longer up and running or not really relevant. I need something here in town rather than rural.

@Alien I do have to do tasks and assignments related to the volunteering, so just donating money isn't what I'm looking for.

I might follow @laotou's advice and get a letter drafted in Chinese by someone and do a bit of a mail out.

Thanks :)