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 paranoia on my part or if there is an occasion interest on what I have to say. The Chairman is in town and we have a new minister of censorship. Hmmm

The project is going to be an interesting one to work with. There is a lot of support needed in terms of getting and keeping volunteers. This is as much to do with how the sessions are run. Youth leaders and social workers back in the uk would have palpitations! The volunteers are basically high school kids who need volunteer credits to get into college and are not much older than the kids they are working with. The kids were very nice though and excited to see me.

Other activities have included celebrating un days for disability and for volunteers, going to a concert for the aforementioned (we shall say nothing about the amateur orchestra) and trying to learn Chinese. Let's just say I need more practise.

Busily writing the volunteer managers guide and starting a recruitment drive.

Off to Beijing next week where it is v cold. Guilin after that for a break. Need to go and buy some woolly socks now.

Supplemental (sound like Captain Picard!) - had a visit last night form the local party committee member - conspicuous by the large red star on his badge. Wanted to know who lived in my apartment (was clearly not impressed by the fact that it is occupied by one person only) - forms suitably completed - id documents checked and he went away happy ( I hope) . reassured that he was doing this for all 200 flats in my block (or it looked that way) - 1984 and all that.