Eo Ire Itum

Today I went for a bike ride around the quiet part of the city. I'm becoming more and more relaxed riding my bike around Zhangzhou. It's safe as long as you ride slowly and on the pavement (NEVER on the roads!!!) I also get off my bike when I cross the road at the lights. You have to be very careful of the traffic in China because as a general rule it's complete and utter, unrelenting, maddening chaos. Although people do seem to drive much slower here than they do in Sydney.

Anyway, I rode from the college, down a fairly large street (nicknamed 'crazy street') that I'm very familiar with and to the little supermarket that we frequently shop at. I've found a great place to lock my bike, so it's quite safe to leave it outside.

I'm slowly familiarising my self with the lay out of the city and I'm also getting used to going out by my self, both on foot and on my bike. It's not easy going out by my self, but it's important to do so. I didn't realise how difficult it would be until I got here. I think usually when people go on holidays to a non-English speaking country, they have someone else with most of the time: friends, family, tour guides...either that or they're not in such an isolated city where the only people who speak English are English teachers and students! Getting out and about by your self in Zhanghou isn't easy and when you do it you just have to be daring, patient and very careful.

I've taken to ritualistically checking my change every time I buy something; a habit that I had in Australia but here it's harder because all of the flipping notes look the same! I have been ripped off a few times and have been too nice to say anything...although even if I did say something, they wouldn't understand me! If it's only Y1 or Y2 sometimes it's best to just let it go. The people in this little supermarket are very friendly and have never ripped me off, so I really like it in there.

I hope to get more confident riding my bike in the city and I'll keep venturing out further and further.