The Chinese cuisine we ate everyday was not what we expected.

I flew to China for the first time, in 1986, to be a student of Mandarin for six months in Beijing.

Shortly after my arrival, I purchased a second-hand bicycle...

In the early 70's, I was the odd one to study Chinese in France. In those days, what inspired me, besides Pearl Buck's novels and "The Blue Lotus", was the challenge of a difficult language. I quickly became fascinated with Chinese characters ...

In the 80's, Northern China was bitterly cold in the winter, outdoors as much as indoors, despite central heating.

The day after my arrival in Beijing, my roommate flew in from the U.S. and, by coincidence, her name was also Anne. That greatly puzzled our new Chinese friends...

The AFS motto "Walk Together, Talk Together" is taken from the ancient Sanskrit proverb

Walk together, talk together,
all ye peoples of the earth;
then and only then
shall ye have peace.

It was used in AFS publications as early as 1952 and widely used in the 1960s. There were several songs.

At some point, I had to remind the Administration of my college that I was supposed to teach as well as study. All vacancies for English teachers were filled so they decided, with my consent, to set up a French class.

Chinese students were free to mingle with us but we were aware of being watched all the time.

From Rednecks to Red China is a collection of anecdotes related to my stay in Beijing in 1986, which I started to write in the late 90's. I was fortunate enough to be part of a brand new AFS programme with China, sixteen years after my year in high-school in Texas.