My husband is going to be based in Shenyang (NE China) for a couple of years from the end of March when his Russian job finishes. At the moment he's flitting between Shenyang, Rostov-on-Don (W Russia), and Kemerovo (Siberia). I believe he has actually managed to convince the people he is dealing with in China that as far as he is concerned, chicken feet and heads are NOT a delicacy! He says he is sick of chopsticks. Apparently it is no joke trying to break steamed fish off its body and onto your plate via a "lazy susan" in the middle of the table! He says he has also noticed how wary a lot of the people are when fraternising with westerners. I think there is a lot of "watching" going on. His job is part of an EC funded project, and I think there is quite a bit of bureaucracy involved. I think he is warming to the idea of working in China. He wasn't too keen at first, but seems to have settled into what is quite a varied ex-pat community. I think he said the guy who is his sort of deputy is a Spaniard. He even had to go to Brussels to be interviewed and approved for the job! He has lined himself a nice apartment up, and so he is quite set for going now. He's just got to wind up the Russian job, and then he's away. His problem is whether or not to pick up the car (1982/3 VW Golf and a good runner) that he's got garaged in Kyrghyzstan and drive it across the Gobi desert. He's calling in there next month sometime. I bet it will be to do with the car. Depends on what import permits the Chinese require. He will have residency, so he should be allowed to drive while he's there.

I'm looking forward to more of his "traveller's tales". Nothing has ever been as bad as far as he is concerned than the 18 months he spent working in Iran. They weren't allowed to play cards or drink. They got sick of darts and pool, and he had walked every hill in the area.

Andrea