Singing in the rain!

I've arrived!

It only took a car trip, two flights, a stop over in Frankfurt, a que through Chinese immigration, and another car trip, and i got to East China Normal University! My first impressions have been pretty good; as we drove from the airport we passed tree lined boulevards and pretty chinese suburbs, and then as we rouned a bend the main city just seemed to emerge out of the rain and mist, and the buildings suddenly started growing taller and taller! Massive blocks of apartments lined the highway as we headed further into town, the traffic became hectic, as cars, taxis and bikes vied for position in the road. And then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped as we turned off the main road and onto a quiet, pleasant and leafy campus. We're staying in a nice hotel which is actually on the campus, and backs right onto a small river. I haven't had too much chance to explore yet, it has been raining since we got here. I'm wishing that i had packed some warmer clothes and an umbrella, but it just gives me an excuse to go shopping!

I met many of the colleagues yesterday whom i had only corresponded with previously, and they took us for a wonderful meal last night. It is a from of amusement to them that i don't eat meat, but after they stopped laughing they explained to the waitress, and helped me to choose which dishes i should try! I had some lovely pigeon eggs soaked in tea, as well as plenty of vegetables, soup, and sticky rice! It was all very tasty! And then, as both Philip (my supervisor from Salford uni), and I were flagging, we got sent to bed at 8 o'clock! I'm not complaining, i slept for 11 hours last night, and feel a lot less jet lagged (despite my body thinking it is the early hours of the morning.... i should be out partying in Liverpool!).

A student called Ching has been assigned to take us to a museum and temple today, which i am looking forward to. But for now, I'm off to the supermarket to buy myself an umbrella!

I'll speak to you soon!

Anna x

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