16 December 2009
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Features

Tom becomes a Shanghai TV star

Tom's Shanghai Diary 3

By Tom Edwards
Tom encounters a weird reptile in a chinese supermarket, warns of the perils of cheap DVD players and becomes the star of local televison!

Making life taste stranger

Weird supermarket reptile

In China the most mundane day to day things become unforgettable experiences. Like going to the supermarket the other day for the first time. Strange smells swarmed around me and it made me realise how clinical the supermarkets back home are in comparison.

It's not exactly your local Tesco and it was amusing to watch items leave my trolley faster than I could put them in. Although I've grown use to the constant curiosity of the Chinese people, having passers by scrutinise each and every item of my shopping was a little odd!

When I picked up a weird reptile to have a closer look, the man behind the counter pulled out a hug! e knife offering to behead the helpless creature for me! Although I'm no vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination, this is one Chinese delicacy I won't be sampling any time soon.

Crime doesn't pay!

Shanghai Royal Theatre

Pirate DVDs are readily available on the streets over here, even though the quality is awful. The lack of western TV must be getting to me, as I bought myself a cheap DVD player to satisfy my craving. However the measly 10 pound price tag should have been a warning, as when I attempted to plug the damn thing in, I got the worst electric shock of my life! Guess I've learnt my lesson there...

I went to the Shanghai Royal Theatre earlier this week, to see The Phantom of the Opera. I haven't seen so many westerners since I left the UK and found myself staring! For a moment it even felt like I could have been at the Birmingham Hippodrome, except for the Chinese subtitles on either side of the stage giving the game away. A fantastic, albeit slightly surreal experience!

15 seconds of fame

Allan with new neighbour Sarah

Although I've settled into the routine of teaching now, there's rarely a dull moment here even at work. For example, Fengxian Television came to do a feature on the school yesterday and filmed Allan and I talking to some of the teachers. If I'm not careful, this new found celebrity lifestyle will go to my head and inflate my already dangerously huge ego!

Britain, Britain, Britain

The other day I held a Little Britain screening which went down a storm with the students. I didn't expect them to understand much, but they loved it and laughed all the way through. I think I might have distorted the younger Chinese generation's view of British people forever! Oh well, I'm showing the Comic Relief Special next week...

Elsa and Helen

Another British teacher has moved into the apartment next door. Her name is Sarah and she's from Brighton. It'! s good to have a fellow Brit around and she's introduced me to a couple of her Chinese friends called Helen and Elsa. They have a company called Qian Yi Business Consultancy and are really kind people.

P-A-R-T-Y

I went to a party of theirs last night, which was very different from any party I've ever been to before. We played some embarrassing games, then the lights were dimmed and everyone started singing and praying. This wasn't religious in the conventional sense, but the Chinese are very spiritual when it comes to wishing for good luck and success in life.

Dancing in style

Then everyone placed small candles in a heart shape on the coffee table and then we were treated to an invigorating performance of some traditional Chinese dancing. Everyone here approaches everything they do with an extremely dedicated work ethic and this was no exception. They really threw themselves into it, to much well deserved applause.

It took a ! while, but I've finally found my feet here in Nanqiao (the place I'm living in). Technically it's only a suburb of Shanghai, and yet it feels more like a bustling town in its own right. I've even stumbled upon the Live Music Cafe, which has become my 'local' if you can call it that. What it lacks in Guinness it makes up for with a friendly atmosphere, so I suppose you have to make these sacrifices in life sometimes!

Just one Cornetto

Tom wows his new fans

Anyway, somewhere along the line I must have mentioned in a drunken state that I know about three guitar chords. Of course, now I get dragged up onto the stage to sing 'Wonderwall' 15 times a night. It's worth it though, because the manager always returns the favour by singing some Italian opera, complete with a grossly overstated orchestral backing track. Pavarotti eat your heart out!

USE THE LINKS BELOW, OR TO THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE TO SEE TOM'S PREVIOUS DIARIES - AND TAKE A LOOK AT HIS PHOTO GALLERIES>>>

last updated: 06/05/05

Have Your Say

Enjoying Tom's Shanghai Diary? Tell us here.

Matt
Im considering to move there for my final year at the university thus I found Tom's diary hugely helpfull and interesting. Same minded lad, fresh eye on surrounded reality and lots of usefull info. Thanks a lot mate! Matthew, Chichester

Erik
You were very lucky to get to go to China. That high school was huge!!

Dave
I have just come back from 3 months in China> I recognise many of the experiances and sights. Like you I was constantly caught out by the contradictions of China.

gaurav
ya really it was a gr8 experiance to know aut ur life well best of luck and keep discovering different things as the life evolve

Neil Breakwell
Just stumbled on Toms diary, and having worked in China several times i cam empathise with it totally. Myself Wife and daughters left Walsall 3 weeks ago and am now living in Pudong area of Shanghai. I work in one of the huge skyscrapers mentionen in Tom's earlier diary. Shanghai is really a fantastic city, about as far away from Walsal as you can.Anyway good luck Tom.

Lisa R
why?

Echo
Enjoying Tom's Shanghai Diary?--Yes,very much.And I think the diary is filled with interest.

Rigena
Ted, not everyone here likes the way he lives in. Most of us have no choic to study as hard as possible.We have a population of 1300,000,000 and it's certainly that we will face fierce competition.

Eimear Scannell
Sounds brilliant! Am heading over to Shanghai myself in August and it's such a relief to be able to follow Tom on his journey. I'm more excited now than last week. Thanks

kate tombs
I work with Tom's mother, Alison, so had heard that Tom was going to China. I am so impressed by the diaries, compulsive reading. It gave me inspiration that his friend Alan is also teaching, perhaps there is time for me to travel! Well done Tom, keep sending those diairies.

Ross Simpson Brown
Quite brilliant in its low-key assumption of Chinese daily life. Tom steps cautiously but is very clearly a clever and discerning young man. He wants to know about this extremely different culture and is young and intelligent enough to eschew (possibly not even know about) the traditional English expatriate condemnations about 'lazy, unreliable and indifferent locals'. Good luck to you Tom, and your teaching fraternity. The inquisitive young Chinese will get good value from you. Cheers from Ross Brown, Oslo and New Zealand

stu smith
as toms nieghbour,adviser (not that he ever listens) and older pal i am very pleased to see he has made so much use of his time there.. if you dont know tom then you are missing out on a very special and adaptable person.he could sell sand to and arab,whilst also being sincere and honest.. good look tom and hopefully you will get the coverage you deserve.. stu michelle mitch maddy.

Tom James
next time your in that live music cafe, make sure you do a rendition of "this is my time" a punk-pop classic. Nice to see your having fun mate.

Chris J
A I am seriously considering coming to China to do something similar, your diary is an invaluable resource. Thank you

Ed Cound
As Tom's good friend and occasional backing singer I am of course loving his diaries and the pictures are fab. They make me wish I was there with him, sharing his adventures just as we have done in the past. Its great to see that Tom's English charm is standing him in good stead in lands far away... What an absolute diamond! Rock on Kid!

alfred nyamongo
I see you are on the ball...get rolling and get us more juice. Looking foward to reading more of your experience. Enjoy yourself and have fun. By the way what you drinking in place of British beer?

james bow
Tom was the barman in our local pub in uk an never fails to astound me, keep it up mate, your brill, what a character !!!!!!!!

allan grey
I'm loving Tom's diary as I am the old Aussie he mentions from time to time. He is saving me heaps of time because I just refer his page to my friends - his experiences are mine too - except for his singing, he is being modest,he is hugely popular at the 'Music Cafe' and he knows more than one song! ag

Rhean Jones
Hello Tom, as a fellow resident of Stourbridge I have been following your journal of life in China with fascination. I visited China about 15 years ago, it's really interesting to see from your experiences how much more open Chinese society is becoming. Good luck, I shall await the next instalment with real interest