Green for go, red for stop: we all know the drill. Not only that but we know to look both ways before crossing the street.

Rural China is anything but international. Foreigners are so uncommon that you may find yourself positively goggled at by small children and adults alike. And here, foreigners may find themselves restricted in ways they wouldn’t in large cities.

Bicycles were first brought to China by foreigners in the 1860’s. Because these bicycles had to be imported, they were very expensive and their use was confined to the foreign and the wealthy, who generally lived in foreign settlements, for about thirty years.