If in doubt, clap

The Chinese have this wonderful convention whereby if anybody claps then everybody claps. It avoids those weird John Redwood moments when you're not quite sure what's going on but you can look like you're in tune with it all, a part not apart. Rather embarrassingly, our classes clapped when we were first introduced; but, using this convention of clapping back, you don't really feel a complete tool at all. You clap them for clapping you (and then they clap back).

So it was today as well. After a few attempts which had been rained off, we were officially presented to the members of the school by Mr Hu and Mr Yin (our bosses) and various other school VIPs.

I'd imagined it being a bit like the May Day parade at Red Square with us looking down on the goosestepping battalions and up at the fly-past of Mig jets.

It was slightly lower key than that but there were hundreds of kids in military ranks before 'us dignatories' (I've never been one before - have I spelt it right?) and a detachment of white uniformed cadets who raised the Red Flag with great ceremony. We listened intently to the speeches and clapped each one earnestly (see what I mean about clapping?) until it was Mr Hu's turn to speak, half in English and half in Chinese. He introduced each of us by name and we each stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the school. And everyone clapped again. God, I love this place.