The plot thickens...

As it turns out, my professor has a daughter. I worked out as much when I was in his car on the first day and noticed a few dolls in the back seat. It wasn't until a few days ago I found out she happens to be 22.

An early phone chat and a little preliminary research (rumours in the dept.!) turned up that she also happens to be beautiful, charming, speaks a handful of languages and has a wonderful oriental accent (perhaps less than surprisingly). Needless to say, she sounded way out of my league.

So, when my professor called me up on tuesday and asked if I'd like to go with her to the leaving party of a French student she knew from her exchange there, I jumped at the chance! My French is highly spurious (A grade... at GCSE!) but the promise of european food (cheese, beer, wine!), a beautiful daughter and some international students was too good to miss!

The party was at an apartment near to people's square, a very plush affair with plasma tv, great view, and several rooms - very Canary Wharf. The international students were two very charming French couples (one below, our host is in the middle), a lovely Japanese girl, four very squeeky Koreans (also below), and the class chinese teacher (they all took chinese lessons together, and were omore or less at my standard, so we chatted bemusedly in our pigeon while the teacher and the daughter corrected our grammer!).

My first beer in China was, ironically, budweiser, but it still tasted good. Had lots of food and chatted to a long time to one of the French guys who's working in a nearby Chinese city for another month and a alf, who has invited daughter and myself to go and stay one weekend if we're free, which sounds awesome.

Afterwards the two of us headed over to see the Bund by night, were mobbed by beggers and kite salespeople, drank coconut juice and took blurry photos. Even by night the C19th British arcitecture looks drab, but the East side of the river is amazing in all the light. She has let on to me that her father plans to invite me to dinner one night - I've promised to act surprised - for a Chinese feast and some real Baijiu (Chinese spirit. Apparently her father is quite a drinker!). Can't wait!



Back row: Korean, Me, Daughter, Korean Korean
Front row: Host, Korean, Host's boyfriend (who has invited us to stay)



Beautiful people!