Moving to China to teach and learn Mandarin was undoubtedly the best decision I had ever made - up to the point of choosing to marry my wonderful wife, of course. I loved the unique culture and fast-pace tempo of Shanghai - but when SARS hit the headlines, things changed rapidly. At the time I was a student at Hua Dong Shifen University taking intermediate Chinese language courses. SARS changed everything. Overnight most of the international students had boarded planes back home. The streets were - all of a sudden - deserted, and those who did venture out, did so under the protection of facemasks. The People's Government, fearing unrest, clamped down on everything and everyone. Doors were locked. Walls were erected. And rumors of riots in the countryside were rampant. It was a tense time to be living in China. I remember writing this article in the middle of the night, rushing to get it out by morning for the Canadian press. Tense times indeed...
