The Flowering of an Oriental Florence

 How free can I be?

Wonder how it feels to be shut in a room for two weeks? I felt sorry for myself, with my internet , TV and great food.

Imagining solitary

for two years

in an Iranian jail.

This year has been one of confinements

hidden people

disappearing people

faded people

pale people

Which one are you?

How has life changed?

Are you living your best life?

Loving your best life?

Are you changing your life?

What did this about turn mean for you?

I though I had faded into obscurity

removed from further adventures

I thought rejection was imminent

Yet here I am

and in China I am not faded, just a bit wintery and pink

China is far from fading- its full of life

and living

as we wander in our masked splendour, hold out our wrists for temperature measurement

and smile

to be alive

I begin work on Thursday

...........

"We all have to care for each other" she said

 So here I am in China.

But I don't yet know what is out there as I came in the dark, traveled by bus in the dark and landed at my hotel.

People were wonderful- I understood nothing!

One woman, head to toe in PPE and pretty well faceless, helped me when she discovered I didn't know any person in Shanghai( poor me)

Her words" we all have to care for each other"

Great introduction to China.

Armed with thermometer, alcohol wipes and bleach tablets , I was parked in my room.. very nice room with huge window looking out over a river.

And there I stay

Internet would not connect and have had no connection to the outside world for 8 days.

My standby email of lisada75@me.com is the only email that works...

But I feel a sense of freedom now as I can open up my tiny world.

Not much to say- I jog, listening to amazing podcasts- Hannah Arendt and the Banality of Evil, Celtic History by Dan Carlin.. and i've got five more hours of that to go.

And I now can look forward to my coming year

and the people I will meet

and a whole new world!

First dispatch- The Orient of my desires

 New day

Last day

Florence flies into a new identity today. Such a long time coming.

Health checked, papers organised, VISA completed!

Florence flies away

Five months of character development  has almost proven to be overwhelming.

Today she flies into a new world- masked and gloved, and the hand sanitisers are within reach.

There is a certainly a nervous note , accompanying all

But

This time is different

Its a whole new world- a world that seems to  be on the brink

as if there is a waiting

for something

The weariness could be gone

Futures seem obscure

kinda hopeless

But its not

The eternal optimist in me has a few positive thoughts

But there is hardship

For me?

I'm one step closer