Arriving on a Saturday morning in early October 2004, I was met at the station that housed many locals sleeping and waiting for their love ones or for their own journey to begin. The scene was that of an underground market meeting place with the local shops continuing the tradition of music pumping and sales assistants guarding the shop.

The atmosphere was alive as many of the travelers were from all part of the area and China. Many there were that of farmers and of young family members heading to the bigger city to make money, so that the family can support their child’s education in the future. Once again I was thrown back into the hype and hysteria of ‘LOOK, QUICK-LOOK FOREIGNER’. Not knowing were to go, I quickly called my representative and was told that they were on the way and to stay put. Looking up to the escalator I could see the array of Chinese heads moving forward as if they were factory workers on a production line.
Several minutes later the appearance of two Chinese and one foreigner arrived and I was greeted with hi and welcome to Wuxi.
Being dazzled of the sights and the sounds with the extra eyes following every move I made, we gathered into the taxi that took off quick and before long we arrived at my apartment building only ten minutes away and was also visible from the house. The biggest draw card was that of a dark green capital letter sign spelling the words ‘STARBUCKS COFFEE’, my eyes blinked and captured the image like a camera clicking away. This was going to be a landmark point, helping me find my way home before I become familiar with my bearings of the new hometown.

Opening the door to my apartment that was huge and consisting of two floors, my first thought was that I am going to be living in a fish tank and I was about to be the fish, but in reality, the fish tank was awaiting my appearance ten minutes away. Hurrying to dump my gear and for a split second looking at my house, we were on the move again; this time to the school.

* * * * *

With my short tour of how to get to the school, I noticed that I stood out like a sore thumb of being the new foreigner to grace the back streets. The locals for the past year were use to the usual foreigners that walked that way and to see fresh meat was a treat for them.

Remembering the way was a little hard as my stomach was consuming the aroma of food being cooked and the visual display too. I was hungry. Entering the park that was known as the short cut park, you could see the school that was positioned high above a building known as ‘Oriental Plaza’, but to me it looked more like a UFO.

Proceeding past the entrance, the four of us continued to a restaurant for a short brief lunch and to meet another foreign teacher. The restaurant was small but the food was great and everyone was friendly. As the lunch progressed and getting closer for the two teachers to attend class, we all toasted the final welcome drink of coke and headed to the UFO.

Entering the lift, pressing the thirty-second floor button, I imagined we were being transported to the mother ship just like that in Star Trek, but our captain was a young Chinese man who spoke good English, gave the vibe of a ladies man and went by the name of Alex. I was informed in the lift that many of the single girls were awaiting my arrival so that they could try their luck, but for them their luck was going to be bad luck. I had a big secret that they didn’t know of.

The size of the school was huge and the view was spectacular as the UFO was the roof of the building and supported three hundred and sixty degree views of Wuxi. Everyone was smiling and looked very friendly to meet the new foreign teacher. But what I didn’t know was that I also had to live up to previous expectations of the last Australian male teacher, who I replaced and was the apple of the girl’s hearts. Time passed and I eventually became more familiar with everyone and the reverse for them. Only time would tell if this new teacher was accepted and allowed to be part of the company umbrella.

* * * * *

As autumn wasn’t really present and winter was once again rolling in, but not with the heavy bitter wind like that of Qingdao. The streets were filling up with a lot of Christmas decorations on the department store shop fronts and the array of tacky but cheap decorations available for sale. I again was back in the moment of searching for better and brighter decorations than those of last years. One big bonus was that I already had my biggest present in the form of my partner who gave me the happiest gift of all and I was excited to be sharing it with them.

The street corner displays were another sight and I couldn’t help but declare with private thoughts that this years Christmas display goes to Grand Ocean Department Store. The blend of a western Christmas tree and fairytales filled with an array of lights, ornaments and the fine tunes of Christmas carols playing, which presented a showing of Snow White and the seven Dwarfs under its branches again made my idea of Christmas completely misunderstood. I did however thank the heavens for presenting snow and the cold temperature of winter again this year. Christmas this year was going to be full of color with the unveiling of special gifts of the heart and the organization of a Christmas lunch on Christmas Day at one of the foreign teacher’s house minus the annual dress up of Santa.

Even after being in China for over one year and heading into my second Christmas, nothing didn’t stop me from the thoughts of the family Christmas back home, but this time my family consisted of six foreign teacher’s, two Chinese friends, two ***** cats, one fluffy dog and my Chinese partner called George. I noticed that the heavy thinking of many was what did he say and did I hear right. Many of the teachers knew who my partner was, but for the others it was a great Christmas surprise.

Waking up with sunshine appearing through my single glazed windows, the sound of traffic beeping at other traffic, it was going to be just an ordinary day with the department stores, supermarkets and my understanding of Christmas traditions still under wraps. Heading outside into the full sun and feeling the chill of the wind blowing around my head planting the thought of being at home but in the summer heat. The winter in Wuxi felt like punishment from the big boys above for making fun of the Chinese version of Christmas celebrations and hoping that I would never forget what Wuxi is famous for, even though it wasn’t that wearing stripe shirts with poke-a-dot pants, trimmed with rabbit fur and carrying a bag that looked like an oversized head warmer either.

I was certainly entering a world of winter fashion, that looked more like a fashion runway containing mix-match colors, the over kill of fur and finally the prize of who had the most fantastic ‘I would not wear those’ boots. I automatically thought that the Shanghai fashion police would have a fun time handing out tickets and on the other hand, thinking British fashion icon Alexander McQueen and the late Versace would be in a heaven. I knew now where to shop and it was definitely going to be in style all the way of Gucci, Gucci and Gucci.

* * * * *

It wasn’t before long that Christmas/New Year had past and moving forward to the red celebrations. Everyone was planning what and where they would be going to celebrate the year of the coming *****. I for one was planned and counting down the weeks and hours. Once again the over flow of asking the students their plans, receiving the same answer was evident and the question so turned to the interest on knowing what the foreign teacher was up to and who I was going to be spending it with. I felt that having Georges picture on my desk at work was not enough evidence. The question was, were the students accepting my sexuality? Or was it just a question of they didn’t understand? and if they didn’t, they only had to go outside and look at the local men hugging each other.

Settling more and more into Wuxi life was beginning to get easier everyday thanks to the friends that I had made at work and knowing that every weekend Shanghai would open its arms and embrace this small little foreigner with a sample of western culture mixed with Chinese flare, except it felt more like a cup of green tea waiting for the hot water too cool before drinking.
Wuxi was just a small city waiting for the big band of Shanghai culture to roll into town and break some small local traditions and I for one, was also looking forward to the treasures that awaited me too.