And, I don’t think there be such a thing as a Highway Code here?
22nd Jan
Today my year 9s and I wondered around the school pretending we were aliens and describing objects as if we’d never seen them before to gain a better understanding of perspective. Then we watched Edward Scissorhands whilst writing poetry. I wonder whether this ‘alien’ perspective thing is going to help me in Shanghai or whether I will ever shake the codes which are intrinsically and inescapably English (or thereabouts). Things like believing the green man when he flashes permission for me to cross the road. In the UK, yes, he no lie; in China, shit! A taxi back wheel just nearly sliced my achilles. The little green man, who is accompanied by a useful countdown function, does not seem to wield the same totalitarian control over the small space of road from my pavement to his.
Tonight I go for Korean food with people from work. This is a relief as the concoction I created last night with all my internet shopping (which I’m never doing again – far too easy to spend money on things I do not need; I bought a tray of parsley and don’t even like parsley; wine at the click of a button is also not a good idea for me) was not quite as tasty as I had imagined. It was only when I chewed the burned bits of couscous from the half melted spoon that I realised how powerful ginger is and how the amount I’d used equates to a fair few chillies, I reckon. Anyway, not to matter, the beast of a dish will wait until tomorrow and I’m sure there must be some rejuvenating quality to ginger that I’ll soon figure out – or my body will.
Speaking of bodies, I’d forgotten how sore one can get after a rather long bicycle ride – still, buns of steel and thighs like nutcrackers are the ultimate aim so I’ll persevere and ring that bicycle bell in vain to try and warn the oblivious Chinese that not looking either side of you when you walk across a road can be fatal (especially if they damage my lovely bike).
She went to Shanghai 