I am writing this from the UK because I had taken the decision to end my placement early. Things have happened so fast and I now find myself back home. New year was a good opportunity for me to play the tourist and visit local attractions - all of which have been really great. It also gave me time to think about being here. This is a very difficult place to be. Compared to most of my fellow VSO volunteers in other parts of the world my access to home comforts...

This weekend the preparation for Chinese New Year starts in earnest. With on week to go the frenzy of travel, shopping and general having a good time has begun. People have started travelling home. The so called Chunyun, (春运). If you have not been lucky in the lottery that is plane, train and coach tickets this can mean a 36 hour train journey with no seat. You do get discount though for not having a seat!. They tell be that there will be 3oo million journe...

I'll say one thing about the Chinese; they sure know how to celebrate! Firstly, having depressed you all with my last blog, I should say that the worst is over and I am back to enjoying my time here. I have a co-worker at last and an actual plan of what I will be (attempting) to acheive here. It is coming towards the end of the year here in China and the build up to new year is evident everywhere. A sea of red is emerging (the lucky colour here) and people are ...

As brick walls go this is a biggie. In VSO training they said that after 2-3 months we would hit a wall. After the initial excitement of arriving and settling in, we would reach a point of doubt. That's where I now find myself. Unfortunately the wall has arisen at Christmas time and at the point of being diagnosed with osteoarthritis (in both knees). So a mixture of severe knee pain, homesickness and crisis of ability means I am struggling hard to climb over this...

I visited a project in Foshan this week that meant driving out if the city and seeing some of what life is like in a small town. The experience was more like I had imagined it would be. Low rise and older buildings, street temples, pensioners sat playing mah Jong and the local Party committee men on the watch (we had to inform them of where we wer going to lunch). Lately I am spotting random men just sitting close by and watching. Don,t know if this is just paran...