Jetting Educated

I got tapped on the shoulder after entering the shop. As I turned around, I was wondering if it was an assistant- but no, it was a fellow Westerner! She launched very enthusiastically in to asking where I was from and what I was doing in China. I, being a cynic, was wondering if she was going to try to sell me something. But actually she had stopped me because she's not seen any other Western people since she moved to Huadu from Australia. And that was three months ago... When she told me this I actually was not surprised. I'm sure the inner city has more of a cultural mix, whereas within the district I reside, nearly everyone is Chinese. Don't misjudge my feelings, I am not shocked that I am surrounded by Chinese people when I am living in China, but I can't lie that being a minority takes some getting used to. Before I arriving, my employer informed me that the Guangzhou based school is a great place to be and that I'd be housed near my place of work. W...

During the last couple of years I've worked in a few different countries- France, Finland, Czech and I am currently in China. Of the seven different jobs I've had, they have all been within walking distance from home, which includes the job I have now.. It only takes me 12 minutes to walk to work, but even in that short distance there are some interesting things to behold. During the last week, I've been taking some snaps on the way to work... Are the days numbered for streets like this? (I hope so) A lot of construction is going on in this area, as is probably in many parts of China. Its said to be an interesting time to be in China, 'because in a few years the country will have transformed'. Dirty side streets like this one will be replaced by more habitable accommodation, possibly. At the moment though, particularly near where I live, there's a lot of filth. An abundance of littering and dumping of refuse hinders progress being made to imp...

Ahh noodles! I could eat them every day. Actually, I do eat noodles most days here in China. I don't think I realised that I was such a fan until I found them being served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With such variety that Chinese food offers, I am pleased that I am most enamoured with the most common of foods. Noodles for breakfast However, one does need a break from noodles sometimes. I really like eating eggs back in England, as they are so versatile: fried, scrambled, poached, omelette, eggy bread and it goes on. So in an effort to have a relaxing Saturday with some homely food I decided to make some eggs. Then the trouble started. I'm sure it says 'Not the eggs you're looking for' but I can't read Chinese It began innocently enough; I was in the small supermarket picking up a few groceries and noticed these eggs that were nice and large. They were also a light blue colour which drew me in- how exotic! There was some suspicion c...