I have lived in China since the end of 2008. Over a decade; in some ways, it feels like an age while in others, it is no time at all. Before I came to Shanghai, I had spent four years living in Hong Kong, during which time I was travelling to China regularly. I even visited Hong Kong as a 16-year old back in the final days of the 1980s; for as long as I can remember, Greater China has been a part of my life. 
	

During my time in China, I have seen some highs and lows. Among the highs, I met and married my wife, Heidi; I travelled to every province in mainland China; and I published my first book, From Chicken Feet To Crystal Baths. Catchy title, eh? That book told of my exploits on my trips as I went around China and the cultural differences I saw between China and the West as I did so. It is, of course, most definitely worth your time to read.
	

Having popped my literary cherry, I have always fancied writing another book, but was not quite sure what my topic should be. In the last few years, I have not travelled as much as I used to, and many of the cultural differences that once struck me as being notable, I have now gotten used to. 12 years in one place will do that to you. Any further musings would need to be on a different aspect of life in China, picking up on different themes; it does not get more different than becoming a parent for the first time, as I did when Heidi and my daughter Keira was born at the end of 2016. And so that became my literary focus.
	

My second book is Keira’s story, set against a Chinese backdrop; much like the first, it is again a mixture of highs and lows, fun and disappointment, surprise and recognition, understanding and confusion, both from a parenting perspective and then the cultural perspective on top. Of course I should stress that every pregnancy is different, and it is far too easy to generalise when in a country of 1.4 billion people, so some people here may have had different experiences; but I just want to share mine. Neither is necessarily right or wrong, but just different. 
Raising your first child is hard enough work under any circumstances, but add in the influence of 5000 years of culture to shape your efforts, and it becomes harder still. I think I am getting the hang of it, although there is always another surprise just around the corner. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

Ian Mote

Shanghai 2021