Strangers are those outside the "circle" of family, good friends and any other social network in Chinese culture. It's where the individualist mind has a conflict with an otherwise collectivist pattern of society.

Hahaha! You spent too long in China, they are master-exponents of the bleeding obvious hahaha! only joking. Jokes aside, it's good to see you unabashed and back in full action. Maybe I won't have time for further posts at the moment, but I will be sure to send you an 'Esther in China' pic to warm the cockles of your heart. However, if you send in a real corker(chunk of grammar maybe) maybe I'll squeeze in a reply before we leave.