This story is the continuation of my other story "Asian Adventures". It is not necessary to read that story to understand this one, but maybe it will give you an idea of the build up to this one.
----------------------------------
I returned to Australia and then began to apply for a position in China. Thought I may as well continue to travel and see the world while someone else was prepared to pay my way. About 2 months later I was off to China to see as much as I could of the place......
I arrived late in February at Pudong Airport, in Shanghai, and after doing the usual immigration stuff, etc.; I proceeded to the arrivals hall to wait for someone to collect me. I was astounding to see the many hundreds of faces, all waving an assortment of cards with names written in all sorts of languages. This was rather daunting at the same time, trying to locate the mysterious person holding a card with my name. As I walked through, and could not see my name held up, I realized that the airlines hand changed my flight and my connection from Hong Kong had actually got me to Shanghai an hour before I was expected.
Damn! I decided I might as well head outside and have a cigarette or three, as that was all I had left, and I was determined to give it up now that I was to teach in a school. After all, smoking is forbidden in schools in most places, and this would be a good time to stop.
About an hour later I began to watch as people come out from the original plane I was to have been on. Watching to see what names were held up, looking for a sign that someone could not find his or her intended arrival. Over the next 30 minutes or so I noticed one small built Chinese guy slow down and look back at me a few times, but as he never spoke, and I did not know who was to meet me, we never spoke. About an hour later I noticed this same guy and another were still standing at the arrival gate. I approached from the side, peered around and saw my name on their card. They were so shocked when I introduced myself to them, as they had not seen me come out the gate. After a few quick greetings we were off to a hotel to stay the night, before taking a six-hour road journey to my final destination.
At the hotel I was asked for my passport etc., so as to check in, and then they took me upstairs to my room and explained that as soon as I was cleaned up, to come down as there was to be an official welcome dinner for me. Now this was impressive. The shorter of the two guys (Sam) showed me the bathroom and told me how to work the taps etc., (guess he thought China was the only country with "running water") and asked was I going to have a bath. I told him yes, as soon as they left, but he just stood there. I did not know what was going on. I returned to the other room and both of them just looked me up and down and then offered me a smoke.
We sat and talked for a few moments and again Sam asked was I ready to have a bath. I reassured him that I would as soon as they left, but still they just looked at me and stayed put. After another 5 minutes or so, Sam approached me and said he would "help me get ready for my bath". Shit! What had I let myself in for?
I started to think back to my original application forms and how they asked "are you homosexual", etc., and also stating at the bottom that if you were, then do not bother to come to China. But what is happening here. I have two guys in my room wanting to help me undress and have a shower? I began to wonder if indeed one or both of them were set to share my room for the night. And there was only one large bed at that. I insisted that I was able to look after myself and that I would be down stairs shortly. They both reluctantly departed.
About an hour later I arrived down at the foyer and the two guys were waiting for me. They once again looked me up and down and commented on how "beautiful" I looked now that I was dressed in a suit and tie. Hmmmm, I was starting to get very concerned, who, or what was I dining with. As it turned out there were a mixture of both sexes and there were about 12 people at the table. I was officially welcomed and given a drink, and we were then receiving a large array of Chinese meals at the table. Back home I always loved Chinese meals, but here in China the food was certainly different.
We had some weird type of soup that looked like clear water, bean sprouts and tofu (doff), Peiking Duck, Pigeon, Chicken Feet and Duck Bills, along with an array of vegetables that I had never liked. Oh, and of course a bloody big fresh water fish (and I hate fish). But, there was a copious amount of (hot) beer to be drunk as well as Chinese Rice Wine, which probably tastes worse then mentholated spirits.
Being determined to make a good impression, I was not about to drink in my normal fashion (fast and hard till I drop heheh), so I just sipped away slowly. This turned out to be a waste of time, as Chinese love to drink, toast each other, and generally get drunk really quick, especially when their boss is paying. I found out late in the night that only Sam and the other guy (the school driver) were actually from the school. It seems that to greet me professionally and formally they must have a large number, so they arranged for friends to all come to supper to meet me.
By 11pm all the guys had their coats and ties off, so I joined the rest and did the same. The guys were all reasonably drunk and were now playing some sort of game like "paper, scissors, rock" and the loser had to drink down a large beer or wine. This went on for 2 hours or more until they were all babbling incoherently and rolling drunk.