While Meredith was able to translate years of violin study into erhu skills, she has begun another, more unusual musical undertaking in Fuzhou - the leaf - as in the kind that grows on trees. If held up to the mouth and blown upon the right way, it can create complex melodies.

Her tutor has given leaf performances around the world, she says, and even played a solo concert accompanied by a Western orchestra in the US.

"I get the feeling that if I actually manage to learn, I might be one of the only Westerners in the world who can do it," Meredith says.

With her other friends, she shares meals or occasionally goes to KTV. Meredith has also enjoyed visiting rural homes, especially her ex-boyfriend's grandmother's house.

"I was going around admiring it, saying how cool it was because it was so small and seemed so old," she recalls.

"I was admiring how the roof had been built with long slabs of wood so you could see the tiles even from indoors and how the floors were all warped up. I really thought I was in a very ancient house."

Her boyfriend at the time also talked about how aged the structure was and mentioned his grandmother was considering moving into a new one. When she asked him exactly when the home was built, he told her - "1985".

She also was intrigued to visit a colleague's abandoned childhood home constructed of bamboo poles mortared with mud, she says.

Meredith says that like any wild ride, her time in Fuzhou has had its ups and downs, and frustrations and fascinations.

"Living here has really sparked my interest in Chinese culture and given me a real love and respect for China," she says. "I guess I enjoy complaining, but I'm still happy I came here. This place is quirky, and nothing is ever really what it seems."

Editor: Xu Xinlei

Source: China Daily