Katrina Beavan explored the much travelled paths of this South East Asian delight, and she shares a snapshot of what Vietnam has to offer.

A voyage to the cultural hub that is Vietnam has become quite popular in recent years, especially with Australians, and it's easy to see why. Not only is Vietnam filled with breath-taking scenery and mouth-watering cuisine, but it is a country rich in culture and history. Another draw card which makes this south East Asian parcel so irresistible is the cheap travel price tag. Accommodation, food, drinks and travel all comes at a reasonable price, making it a wishful destination for youth and students worldwide.

Both Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi, the country’s capital, have international airports and usually make a good starting point for holidaymakers. Located at either ends of the country, visitors usually make their way south or north before leaving or exploring neighbours Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. Ho Chi Minh City marked the beginning of this adventure, and housing 5,698,047 people of the 87,375,000 Vietnamese in total, it makes a daunting, but unmissable, beginning. The city is bustling with motorbikes and road rules are all but obsolete, if you’re looking for cheap drinks, good food and a party however, you can’t go past it. Main streets Nguyễn Thiệp and  phường Bến Nghé in District one are good places to start. For those who are partied out or crave a sight-seeing expedition or two, there are a handful of museums and pagodas scattered all through District one. If you’re short for time, The War Museum is definitely worth a look in and you will learn a fact or two whether you like it or not, maybe plan for a drink afterwards as the experience can be a little intense.

If you’ve had your fill of the city there is a travel agent on every corner, waiting to empty your pockets and shove you in the right direction (although tours and travel are inexpensive and shouldn’t lighten your wallet too much). Phu Quoc, an Island to the south, is said to be the next Phuket and is worth the visit. If you are heading north, beach side cities Mui Ne and Nahtrang are both must-sees, Mui Ne is for those who wish to relax by the pool with a cocktail, while Nahtrang for those who wish to dance the night away fuelled by three dollar jager bombs. Yet both places have natural beauties, Mui Ne’s red and white sand dunes are a special sight, but it’s the breathtaking Fairy Creek that’s a real gem. Seemingly brown and murky at first, turn the corner and you’re looking at a beautiful stream surrounded by a lush green valley and stunning red and white rock, basically a mini grand canyon (which makes for great photos too).

North of Mui Ne and Nahtrang is a city which boasts many a skilled craftsmen of Vietnam’s famous pursuit, tailoring. If you want clothes made, Hoi Ann is the place to go. Saved from war time devastation this beautifully city is both architecturally pleasing and frankly, adorable. Good quality tailored clothes are easy to come by, but remember you get what you pay for, so get ready to really loosen the purse strings, but not too much. Being accustomed to the cut-rate prices of everything else, you might get a shock, but keep in mind what a tailored suit would cost back home, that’s right- ain’t so expensive now is it? Try to squeeze in a cooking class at some point, as you will be dying to bring some of the many drool-worthy dishes you have sampled back home. My Son Temple is also worth a visit, but as to be expected- very touristy.

Touristy does not begin to describe the vibe at natural beauty Halong Bay however. This may be one of Vietnam’s biggest tourism draw card, made up of over 2000 islands, the bay lives up to its reputation by a mile. A night spent on a Traditional Junk Boat is the usual route for tourists, though for this, cheap tours are a giant no-no. More expensive tours will mean better food, better views, better safety and an all-round better experience. A kayaking tour is another option, but shop around, never forget you can barter for everything in this wonderful land, including tour packages. And pack your woollies, as the further north you journey, the chillier it gets.

West of Halong Bay, not far from the boarder of China, is the picturesque town of Sapa, once again a must see, the views are phenomenal. Rolling mountains covered in bright green staggered rice patty fields surround the town, simply asking to be explored, and explore it you shall! Organised treks in and around Sapa are a good way to see the minority tribes and mountain ranges, but remember to pack warm clothes! Sapa is freezing during winter time (December- February) and moderate for the rest of the year. The locals, true to Vietnamese style, will try to sell you anything and everything, being part and parcel with south East Asia though, you become accustomed to this as a normal everyday happening. Oh and did I mention it gets cold?

No journey to Vietnam would be complete without a visit to the big smoke, capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. A more cultural experience than Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi has the temple of literature, one pillar pagoda, water puppetry and much more for the eager beavers. Make sure to sample as much food as possible, as well as the enchanting juices and cocktails, before you leave. Because when you get home you will miss it, the taste and the price. But that’s not all you’ll miss, when you get strange looks from your friends as you rave about “back in ‘nam” this and “back in ‘nam” that, you’ll realize, there’s just no place like it. But never fear, as soon as this happens it’ll be time to put on your bamboo conical thinking hat, have a drink, and plan you’re next holiday, with a rice paper roll in hand, of course.

Upon arrival in China foreigners are greeted with friendly smiles and inquisitive looks. This later reflects their dubious and somewhat comical display of hospitality. When travelling through China one must have the ability to laugh at this seemingly uncouth behavior. China is a beautiful and ancient country, rich in culture and diversity. One never knows what will happen next, its unpredictability is what attracts so many foreigners to this vibrant and vastly developing country. 

I arrived in China at the beginning of 2008 with the intentions of staying only for three weeks. One year later I found myself wonderfully lost in a completely different world, surrounded by foreigners from all walks of life, a breathtaking assortment of Chinese personalities and a brilliant mixture of history and culture.

I began teaching at an English Language School, English First, in Nanjing, (north of Shanghai, south of Beijing). There I met a young Australian man from Ballarat, who had travelled to China in the pursuit of love. When I sat down with him one sunny afternoon on the terrace of a Spanish bar not far from the hustle and bustle of the city centre he began to tell me an elaborate story that was definitely one to add to the memory bank.

Lenny had travelled to China just after his 21st birthday, young and naive; he completed a one year contract with this company and has spent the last two years developing his own school. He is now married and is thriving off his recent accomplishments.

“I love China’s unpredictability, creating a company in China hasn’t been easy, we have had all kinds of death and deportation threats from competing schools, but once you begin to master the art of Chinese business making, life becomes a lot easier, its all about giving face” he said with a confident smile.

“As a foreigner living in China, you must be able to overlook the bad-mannered behavior from the Chinese. Small inconveniences like going to the doctors and having five other patients listen to me telling the doctor what my problem is, then offering me advice on how I should solve it, should just be dusted off the shoulders as privacy in China is not an option for a foreigner,” he said with a laugh and carried on with his story.

China is one of the fastest developing countries in the world, when asked his opinion Lenny merely said, “China’s culture will never diminish, although the younger generation are now following the MTV pop culture, the people are too proud and although they are developing economically they will never stop being Chinese.”

“The Chinese are a force to be reckoned with; they are such interesting and lovely people on their own soil. You really have to spend some time here to start to even appreciate what this country has to offer,” he said.

“My wedding was pretty interesting, I was married on the 8th of August 2008 in Suzhou (south west of Nanjing) and it was like a game show. There was an MC with a disco ball and he had a boxing commentators voice happening the whole time throughout the ceremony..aaaaaand heeeers lennnnny!” he shouted with fond appreciation for the MC, “I’ve definitely come to the realization that China is my new home, I love everything China has to offer and although I miss Australia very much I have no plans to move back  just yet.”

Later that afternoon I took a stroll down town through the markets enjoying the variety of smells wafting in from the open fish markets, combined with the over powering whiff of incense and the strong pong of stinky tofu. Observing the magnificent display of high quality knock – off’s providing superb money incursions for the shop keepers, I met up with a friend who managed his own web designing company in Nanjing, Kevin Wise. 

Kevin’s aptitude for life in China was that of six years experience. This 29 year old from Hull in the north of England was fluent in mandarin and had no intentions of giving that up too quickly. His thick Yorkshire accent combined with a few sangria’s and half a pack of china’s finest cigarettes provided me with many hours of animated story telling and laughter.

“I was once, in a bar called Rick's and I was with a few friends getting drunk. I went to the toilet and got up against the end urinal. A little Chinese businessman in a suit came in and even though there were maybe four other unoccupied urinals, he decided to use the one next to mine. All the while he stood staring at my penis, really obvious like he was looking at my shoes,” he said.

“He then looks up and stares wide eyed at me and says in his best pigeon-English, "Wow, you penis, wery big!" I said, “Er, thanks?” I just zipped up my pants and got out of the toilet,” he continued.

“As I went to sit down, I saw the guy leave and go back to his friends, and even though I couldn't hear him, I just knew he was talking about me, because I could see him doing "And it was THIS big!" hand gestures,” Kevin concluded.

“This kind of thing happens to foreigner’s everyday in China, its just one more moment to add to the rest,” he said.

“Another time I was in a different bar and I saw a drunk Chinese guy being carried out by his friends, soaking wet, bleeding and with no trousers on. He had gone to the bathroom to take a shit, but was so drunk that he never pulled his pants down properly and shit over the back of his pants,” Kevin began.

“When he realized what had happened, he panicked and tried to take them off, only to trip over his pants, slip on the shit that was on the floor and smash his head against the toilet/wall. There was a queue of people waiting to use the toilet before the guard bashed on the door, only to find a Chinese man passed out on the floor, bleeding and covered in shit,” he said.

“The guards were just going to throw him out of the club, when they realized us foreigners were watching the scene, they quickly became embarrassed, issued the poor man with a fine and formally apologized to us “white foreigners” for the disturbance,” Kevin said while taking a swig of his sangria.

After my meeting with Kevin I had decided by then to continue with my quest for more interesting stories about experiences in China, occupying the minds of every foreign person in Nanjing.

So I jumped into one of the notoriously crazy taxi’s and braved a trip downtown, buzzing through traffic and dodging passer’s by, while listening with a giggle to the taxi driver cursing the country for being so populated, his only wish was that the roads weren’t so busy. Bless him I thought. He dropped me off at an expat bar, where I then met up with Tom Maddox.

Tom is a Director of Studies at an English school in Nanjing. This 25 year old Englishmen from Manchester is married to a local Chinese girl and has been living in China for almost three years. He shared many fond memories with me some of which stuck like a leech.

“I was in a bar, close to the bund in Shanghai and I was with a Chinese friend another colleague and another guy who was new to china and so didn't know about bar girls,” Tom began.

“So my colleague and the Chinese guy told him not to buy any girls drinks because they work there, so we sat down and ordered a couple of bottles of beer, and lo and behold this guy buys 1 bottle for this girl,” Tom continued.

“So in total we had had about four beers, we were just killing time before going to a concert, we then asked for the bill and it was 3000RMB! We said that it can't be right and asked to see the manager the boss came down and sat in between us, put his arms over our shoulders and said, "I am the boss of this bar, who are you?" "If you don't pay, you will disappear." "I don't care if you pay by cash, card, and US dollars, whatever." So we ended up paying a mixture of cash, credit cards and other currencies,” Tom said, as we all sat around the table stunned.

After and hour or so slipped by I then hopped back into a green taxi and was greeted by a broadly grinning middle aged taxi driver with horrible breath, who proceeded to drive at 100km per hour, while reading passages from the bible to me using one hand to hold the book and the other to steer the car.

We stopped at a set of traffic lights and I noticed a government official road sign that had a picture of a car on it with a giraffes head sticking out the top and a red circle around its head with a cross through the middle.

So in my broken Chinese I asked the rambling taxi driver what it meant and he said, “Miss this means you are not allowed to drive with a giraffe in your car.” I couldn’t help but laugh this rather obvious display of directness and honesty is a further exhibit of the Chinese culture and way of life.

By this time I had worked up somewhat of an appetite and asked the driver to take me somewhere I could find good cheap food, he kindly obliged and dropped me off on the side of a busy street and advised me to go to the fourth stall. I went to this stall and asked the old lady standing behind her table filled with meats and vegetables to create me something brilliant. She happily made me a delicious feast consisting of an assortment of meats and spices accompanied with bread and a bear all for approximately six dollars.

She sat beside me as I devoured my meal and simply said, “I am very happy you have decided to come to our country. We love having foreigners here and we love to learn from you. We welcome foreigners with open arms.”

Being a person who loves adventure and excitement, the time I spent in China has not only opened my eyes, but socially delivered me to a whole new outlook on life. Combined with its prosperous culture and unpredictable behavior, despite the variety of experiences foreigners have had when travelling through China. Foreigners have seemed to have developed an unknown love for this quirky and fun loving country. It is defiantly a destination travelers should add to the top of their list.

Irish born Paul Underwood embarked on the journey of a lifetime at 42, when he moved to China and began teaching at the international school in the former capital, Nanjing. Having fallen in love with Asia during his travels, he wanted to give back to the communities that welcomed him. “I have always tied in some volunteer work with my travels,” Paul said.

His ongoing involvement with a particular orphanage in Cambodia struck my immediate attention.

Before reaching Cambodia, Paul rambled around Southeast Asia giving his time in sporadic bursts to those who could use a helping hand. He was particularly eager to assist children’s organizations.

“I have done days here and there at various orphanages and organizations that work with street kids, in a range of countries.  This is the first time that I have dedicated so much effort to one orphanage.  I normally just pop in or help for a day at different places,” he said.

During his sojourn to Cambodia

in 2002, Paul had established his routine of visiting an orphanage to deliver food and money, when he discovered a harrowing fraud, “In fact it was one such scam that led me to leaving one so called 'orphanage' and finding the one I am now heavily involved with,” Paul said.

“When I got there, there was a makeshift entrance and a desk. There were information sheets in Khmer and English detailing the 'work' the organization did. There were no pictures of kids. Beyond the entrance, I could see people poking their heads out of a few dwellings.”

This place was not like other group homes Paul had visited, where children were all around at play, work or study. Naturally, Paul asked where the children were.

“I was told they were on a day trip—I thought something was amiss, so I enquired as to when they would be coming back and was told that it would be later in the day. I replied that I was happy to stay and wait, feeling I was being led a merry dance.”

Each time Paul suggested he was more than willing to hang around and wait to see the children and give them food directly, the story changed.

First, they would be back tomorrow, then it seemed they were on a long trip that would last the weekend.

At this point, Paul was concerned and would not let the matter rest. He told the man at the desk he would be happy to pay a visit to the children, wherever they might be. When Paul was told they were “far away over the river,” he persisted, saying he had plenty of time to explore the countryside. The man at the desk finally said he could not remember the name of this remote place where the kids had been taken. Paul had wasted enough time. He left the orphanage, not caring to learn what hid behind that front.

As he related the story to us, the man who had been so relaxed only minutes before now wore an intent frown; his kind eyes revealed a deep sadness as he recounted his experience with exploitation.

Even more sinister than taking advantage of a foreigner’s altruism, other fraudulent operations involve gangs of children who are directly exploited to earn money, Kids begging outside the History Museum and the Waterfront are run by gangs—most likely from Vietnam. Infants, drugged to remain lethargic, cradled in the arms of tired, sad looking children capture the sympathies and money of passersby.

The table had grown quiet and reserved. Everyone was absorbed in their own thoughts as an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Paul offered a welcome diversion when he began to speak about his work with a legitimate orphanage and his two boys, adopted from Cambodia.

“When I visit I always take food, money and my time. I normally will spend time with the kids playing games and using that as a tool for teaching English,” he said.

“I always aim to engage with the adult workers to help improve their English; going with the cook to buy food, spending time talking with the other adults to find out what they need, talking with the Director about the larger projects, arranging tuition for kids, and just generally hanging out and use the opportunity for informal engagement as a way of improving everyone’s overall level of English,” he said.

Another thoughtful silence enveloped the group, which grew more intimate as he continued. The monumental responsibility this unassuming person took on in order to care for strangers was overwhelming; not just in terms of money he personally donated, but the time and effort he spent to improve these children’s lives. The rest of us silently agreed that we were not doing enough.

Modest as he is, Paul implied that he doesn’t do these things for praise or attention—he just believes it’s something that needs to be done, like having a daily shower. These countless acts of selfless human generosity ultimately go unnoticed by those around him; and so he does them without thinking, without weighing up the odds and without hesitation.

His ongoing work is to support a small orphanage in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. “It receives no government or NGO funding and only survives thanks to the generosity of visitors,” Paul said.

This ‘small orphanage’ is home to ninety-two children, six whom have AIDS; Thirty-one have lost their parents to abandonment or death. At least two have been raped, and twelve exploited in other ways. The children’s ages range from two to seventeen. It’s hard to comprehend such a troubled life.

The Director of the orphanage is a local property developer.  She donated a plot of land to be used to help kids from the village she grew up in. The orphanage is run by a number of volunteers who do a great job with limited resources. Luckily, an Australian benefactor raises the funds for big projects, such as building classrooms.

”But they are always in need of funds for food and utilities, as well as the day to day basics, like tooth brushes, cleaning materials, clothes, etcetera. Those ninety-two kids all need to be fed as well, of course.”

In an effort to raise money for the orphanage, Paul will be running the Beijing marathon on May 16^th.

To a person with a truly philanthropic nature such as Paul, the work is never complete. Two years ago, Paul adopted two beautiful Cambodian boys from that very orphanage.

“I started researching and looking in earnest about five years ago. I was open to adopting from any country so I never had a plan that I would specifically adopt from Cambodia. But when I was there and I got on so well with the boys it fell into place.”

Paul and his family have since moved to China and the boys attend one of the finest international schools in the country, “The boys, even at their young age of five, are very independent and strong in themselves, so they have adjusted to life away from Cambodia very quickly and almost effortlessly,” he said. They go by the names of Ati and Ato. Their full names are ChangSongty and Chea Vitou.

“We do keep in touch with people they know from Cambodia and we also go back and visit the orphanage that they came from.  It is good for the boys to keep in touch with their roots and for me to keep helping the kids who are still there,” he said.

Paul did not offer a judgmental opinion when I asked him what he thought of celebrities such as Madonna adopting children from developing countries.

“That is a hard one to answer, not knowing the stories behind the adoptions. Generally speaking, I think it is great when people can offer a positive future with choices to young people who may not get it otherwise.  Cambodia is a beautiful country, but there is a lot of poverty and crime.  It is a dangerous country with little hope for a large section of its population,” Paul said.

This story of bravery, courage, defiance and determination has touched many hearts, and lives; our small band of travelers was led to believe they could each make a difference that night. Even if they are not made of millions, or in possession of a private jet, all it takes is effort and care to help others, which gives me hope.

As Paul placed his empty beer on the table, smiled and said without adornment, “Such is life, it’s the least I can do.” I think it’s safe to say we can take our hats off to this modern day hero.

http://web.me.com/helpingorphanages/Site/Welcome.html

As foreigner’s living in Nanjing most of us go about our business feeling safe, secure and untouchable. What would you do if your heightened sense of security in this city were to abruptly come to a halt? Would you stay, or would you go?  This was the question that haunted the minds of foreigners in Nanjing. Over a decade ago something so horrible shook this seemingly angelic town to its core, causing heart ache, devastation and fear among both the Chinese and the foreign community in Nanjing.

Sandra, Thorsten, Petra and Jurgen Pfrang were an expat family from Germany, who were working and living in Nanjing over a decade ago. Jurgen Hermann Pfrang was deputy general manager of Yaxing Benz Ltd., a Sino-German joint venture bus manufacturer based in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Him and his family had been living in Nanjing for quite some time and had started to call the city their home. Happily set on spending the rest of their lives here. 

On April 1st 2000 four desperate Chinese boys aged 18-23, broke into the Pfrang’s neighboring house. That house was under renovation so the boys climbed across into the Pfrang house. Jürgen Pfrang came across them and the scene erupted into a wild stabbing with Petra and the children becoming involved, all four were stabbed repeatedly. The security guards at the compound became aware of the situation when one of the boys tried to flee the scene. They surrounded the house and called the police. By the time the police entered the house all four family members had been stabbed to death.

The Intermediate People's Court in Nanjing granted the death penalty to all four jobless youths, who were convicted of murdering and robbing a German family. Some 300 people attended an open trial on the case held from May 19th to the 20th and the sentencing on the 21st. The four accused, Zhong Weiyang, Liu Guangyuan, Ding Shanyang, and Zhang Eryang, were all from Shuyang County, Jiangsu Province.

The Chinese government later sent officials to most of the German and international businesses and expressed their regret and "apologized" for this happening here in China / Nanjing. On the 2nd of April, BBC news released an article stating, “The crime - said to be one of the worst acts of violence against foreigners in modern China - shocked the expatriate community. The country is regarded as relatively safe for foreigners. Chinese authorities have voiced concern about the effects on foreign investment.”

10 years on I spoke with Julia Guesten, a German mother of two, who has been living in China since 1992, and a resident of Nanjing since 1996, Julia works for the German state of Baden-Württemberg,

“We were completely shocked it was pure disbelief, horror, sorrow, helplessness...

"And of course many were afraid.

"Our world as we had known it had collapsed, everyone had felt very safe in China and in Nanjing, maybe even too much so," she said

"All the compounds heightened their security with cameras and infrared systems that many people had bars installed onto their windows.”

“All the systems that were installed then are still in place. But I think today most foreigners feel very safe here. Compared to most countries, but we also live in a bubble because we do not read the daily press. If you read the papers and read about burglaries and attacks, which occur in a city the size of Nanjing on a daily basis, you are more aware of dangers,” she said.

In the wake of the murder’s Julia, with the help of other foreigner’s in Nanjing has helped set up the Pfrang association. The Pfrang Association was established in November 2000 in dedication to the Pfrang family, inspired by the desire to keep their memories alive. Since the city of Nanjing was the home of the family for many years, and their lives and work intertwined with the life of people in Nanjing and Jiangsu Province, the Association´s project is based here. It aims to help overcome social inequality, and thereby tries to break the cycle of poverty, lack of education, and crime.

A little snippet about the Pfrang association: ‘education a gift for life’

Together with Amity Foundation, the Pfrang Association has identified and contacted a range of schools in Lianshui and Guanyun, counties in northern Jiangsu Province offering impoverished children a full nine years of education, various scholarships and tuition fees.
The setup guarantees that all funds raised by donations are used exclusively to pay the fees for children who would otherwise never finish their school education. The Pfrang foundation’s selection criteria ensures that sponsorship’s reach the neediest, while monitoring makes sure that both these criteria and certain standards are met along the way.

In November 2004 the number of students sponsored by the Pfrang Association with the support of donors was 166. By the summer semester of 2007 they were able to send 250 students to school.

Julia and the Pfrang association hope to change the face of poverty to ensure the devastating and unfortunate events like the murder of the Pfrang family can never happen again, through offering education and support.

On the 24th of April 2010, the Pfrang association will be hosting their 10th annual charity gala at Nanjing International School. All proceeds will go towards the Pfrang association.

For more information about the Pfrang association or ways to make a donation please visit:
www.pfrang-association.org

Sandra, Thorsten, Petra and Jurgen Pfrang were an expat family from Germany, who were working and living in Nanjing over a decade ago. Jurgen Hermann Pfrang was deputy general manager of Yaxing Benz Ltd., a Sino-German joint venture bus manufacturer based in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Him and his family had been living in Nanjing for quite some time and had started to call the city their home. Happily set on spending the rest of their lives here.  

On April 1st 2000 four desperate Chinese boys aged 18-23, broke into the Pfrang’s neighboring house. That house was under renovation so the boys climbed across into the Pfrang house. Jürgen Pfrang came across them and the scene erupted into a wild stabbing with Petra and the children becoming involved, all four were stabbed repeatedly. The security guards at the compound became aware of the situation when one of the boys tried to flee the scene. They surrounded the house and called the police. By the time the police entered the house all four family members had been stabbed to death.

The Intermediate People's Court in Nanjing granted the death penalty to all four jobless youths, who were convicted of murdering and robbing a German family. Some 300 people attended an open trial on the case held from May 19th to the 20th and the sentencing on the 21st. The four accused, Zhong Weiyang, Liu Guangyuan, Ding Shanyang, and Zhang Eryang, were all from Shuyang County, Jiangsu Province. 

The Chinese government later sent officials to most of the German and international businesses and expressed their regret and "apologized" for this happening here in China / Nanjing. On the 2nd of April, BBC news released an article stating, “The crime - said to be one of the worst acts of violence against foreigners in modern China - shocked the expatriate community. The country is regarded as relatively safe for foreigners. Chinese authorities have voiced concern about the effects on foreign investment.”

10 years on I spoke with Julia Guesten, a German mother of two, who has been living in China since 1992, and a resident of Nanjing since 1996, Julia works for the German state of

Baden-Württemberg, “We were completely shocked. Disbelief, horror, sorrow, helplessness... And of course many were afraid. Our world as we had known it had collapsed. Everyone had felt very safe in China and in Nanjing. Maybe even too much so. All the compounds heightened their security with cameras and infrared systems. Many people had bars installed on their

windows.” 

“All the systems that were installed then are still in place. But I think today most foreigners feel very safe here. Compared to most countries, but we also live in a bubble because we do not read the daily press. If you read the papers and read about burglaries and attacks, which occur in a city the size of Nanjing on a daily basis, you are more aware of dangers,” she said.