Another teacher goes to China

I met briefly with another ESL teacher who is going to Shaoxing - she will be meeting up with the lady I am house sitting for.  They have been friends for years, and look forward to spending time together in China.


I had a funny experience last week when I was in South Australia.  I drove from Adelaide to Mt Gambier and back again (you can see some of my photos here.)  On the return journey I had to say overnight at Meningie (horrible motel, but awesome views of the lake!  Sunset and sunrise!)


I had planned to drive straight through but a major storm was brewing, so choose to remain there rather than drive on and risk driving through the heavy storm.  I set off the next morning at 7 am, and it allowed me to take a little time and look at Murray Bridge (the Princes Highway bypasses MB now), and also go into Hahndorf. 

Murray Bridge

Chinese fisherman and friend

I drove down to the river to take a few photos of there - I recall (vaguely) that I had been there as a child, so I was keen to see it. 

There beside the river were two men, and as I passed clicking with my camera, they waved and said "hello" - I looked a little closer as I waved back to see that both men were clearly of Asian origin.  I said "Are you from China?" and they replied "Yes", so I said "Ni  hao" (hello in Mandarin)

The response from them was more "ni hao's" and an excited speech in Mandarin that I did not understand.  "Tinboodong"

The older man (the fisherman - who had caught nothing at that point), spoke good English, but the younger man had little English.  It turns out they both come from Wuxi - not far really from where I was in Shaoxing.  It is closer to Shanghai.  They knew Shaoxing. 

Funny place to meet two Chinese guys who could have come from anywhere in that vast county!