I rarely if ever post articles, but with all the glitz and glam that seemingly surrounds this country, I thought this needed to be posted.
The Audacity of Chinese Frauds(Source: nytimes.com)
We have some private opinions on this country that have run contra to what the US media's tone over the last two years. The Wallstreet Journal has recently begun to change its stance, and it's now beginning to spread.
The article is from the New York Times, and if you haven't seen it, or are curious about some of the harsh realities out here, then I would recommend reading it.
Monday, May 30, 2011
2 Weddings & a Funeral
I'm pretty sure my creditors love me. 2 short years out here and this will be the second wedding I've flown back for. The funeral was real and terribly unfortunate, but today I am thrilled to be gearing up for a wonderful union.
It's scary in I will attend the first wedding of college friends, an undeniable marker of our continuing lives, and a pretty cool situation that I am lucky enough to be a part of. It also strengthens my determination to come back to the US permanently, and at this point in time I am very certain that I will return in a serious capacity within the next year and a half.
At this point we're all in, win or lose, and various other lame and overused cliches. I stand by my position that we should have come out here for 6 months, returned with a pilot for reality show, and come back to have this insanity taped and displayed to the TV masses. It could still work in some way, too much goes on here to go untold, and I want to give a shoutout to the Chinese who are reading this now and keeping an eye on me. No worries guys, I love it here. Street BBQ is great and I'm sure the Universiade games will go off without a hitch (speaking of which I'll go into greater depths about this Universiade thing soon).
It's scary in I will attend the first wedding of college friends, an undeniable marker of our continuing lives, and a pretty cool situation that I am lucky enough to be a part of. It also strengthens my determination to come back to the US permanently, and at this point in time I am very certain that I will return in a serious capacity within the next year and a half.
At this point we're all in, win or lose, and various other lame and overused cliches. I stand by my position that we should have come out here for 6 months, returned with a pilot for reality show, and come back to have this insanity taped and displayed to the TV masses. It could still work in some way, too much goes on here to go untold, and I want to give a shoutout to the Chinese who are reading this now and keeping an eye on me. No worries guys, I love it here. Street BBQ is great and I'm sure the Universiade games will go off without a hitch (speaking of which I'll go into greater depths about this Universiade thing soon).
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Riders on the Storm
Facing East from our apartment yesterday
It's raining (not in a Craigslist kind of way), and that'll put a damper on spirits. Like anything though there are two sides of anything. Rain is a little depressing, but like a smoke-stack scrubber, the rain takes a lot of the crap out of the air, and during a morning stroll to the corner store yesterday, for but a passing second, when I inhaled, I could have sworn it smelled just like Florida: clean, humid, tropical... I came to when the waft from our stagnant border river replaced any clean thoughts in my mind. But is was nice for a second.
Like my patriotism, my ability to withstand smell has grown in my time out here, and it makes you appreciate more the small things that can lighten your day. Paychecks help too, and for every one that seems more certain, a sure thing from a month ago seems like a far-fetched fantasy now.
There is a hesitation here when switching lanes, for fear of instability of that free space, so too in business, there is hesitation on the part of our clients, for whatever reasons. They see youth and ambition, coupled with the ability to actually get things done, and they seek to exploit as much free labor as possible. Aware of this, we grind forward, not much else to do really. The rain comes in and reminds us things here can be nice when the garbage clears.
Friday, May 20, 2011
The high-heeled woman
I really wish I had photo testimony or better yet, video of some of the incredibly hilarious things that happen around here.
Updated: Found it! from a year ago, but this has happened two more times since this was snapped. It's at my apartment in the fountain by the lobby
Really, almost everyday something makes you stop and wonder about the human race. I suppose it is no different in the US where we take pride in making fun of our non-coast dwelling compatriots for being terribly dim.
Aside from crossing highways, driving into fountains, and using storm drains as convenient public bathrooms, the high heel best analogizes Shenzhen in its relation to China and the rest of the world. A large majority of the women here wear high heels, both for work and at play. It seems to be a poorly understood piece of footwear here as many simply do not have the knack for it, or have chosen to shun all conventional wisdom for wearing a vastly different shoe and continue doing what worked for flat shoes. The result is a very obvious change in gait, and a lot of stumbling/struggling/falling.
We began to notice it less, but then also took in a lot of the things we thought the Chinese were "stupid" for doing on a consistent basis (lack of any traffic rules, bicycles carrying goods down the wrong side of the road, and a general anything goes policy), and tried to better understand it. It is no news that Shenzhen is a city that is an infantile 30 years old, but I suppose we never considered that a majority of the people living here have never lived in a city before, and that in fact many are from farming communities or rather small villages. They are not used to the culture of urban dwelling, had little if any introduction into it, and have simply chosen to take what worked before, and apply it here, deftly throwing common sense and personal well-being into the wind. I am simplifying it and sounding a bit arrogant, but really, it is astounding how often you see examples of it.
People living here are like the poor girl wearing high heels not because she wants to, but because she should, just like living here. She choses to continue walking as she did before, rather than adjusting her stride and strike, and seems ok to struggle mightily, or perhaps ignorant of that fact. So too are the Chinese that move here from more rural settings.
I may sound like a stodgy British officer logging about how backwards the local conquered culture is, but we all seem to be in agreement here. Eh, we are no better I guess for eating at Macdonalds and drinking at Starbucks.
Updated: Found it! from a year ago, but this has happened two more times since this was snapped. It's at my apartment in the fountain by the lobby
Really, almost everyday something makes you stop and wonder about the human race. I suppose it is no different in the US where we take pride in making fun of our non-coast dwelling compatriots for being terribly dim.
Aside from crossing highways, driving into fountains, and using storm drains as convenient public bathrooms, the high heel best analogizes Shenzhen in its relation to China and the rest of the world. A large majority of the women here wear high heels, both for work and at play. It seems to be a poorly understood piece of footwear here as many simply do not have the knack for it, or have chosen to shun all conventional wisdom for wearing a vastly different shoe and continue doing what worked for flat shoes. The result is a very obvious change in gait, and a lot of stumbling/struggling/falling.
We began to notice it less, but then also took in a lot of the things we thought the Chinese were "stupid" for doing on a consistent basis (lack of any traffic rules, bicycles carrying goods down the wrong side of the road, and a general anything goes policy), and tried to better understand it. It is no news that Shenzhen is a city that is an infantile 30 years old, but I suppose we never considered that a majority of the people living here have never lived in a city before, and that in fact many are from farming communities or rather small villages. They are not used to the culture of urban dwelling, had little if any introduction into it, and have simply chosen to take what worked before, and apply it here, deftly throwing common sense and personal well-being into the wind. I am simplifying it and sounding a bit arrogant, but really, it is astounding how often you see examples of it.
People living here are like the poor girl wearing high heels not because she wants to, but because she should, just like living here. She choses to continue walking as she did before, rather than adjusting her stride and strike, and seems ok to struggle mightily, or perhaps ignorant of that fact. So too are the Chinese that move here from more rural settings.
I may sound like a stodgy British officer logging about how backwards the local conquered culture is, but we all seem to be in agreement here. Eh, we are no better I guess for eating at Macdonalds and drinking at Starbucks.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Full Plate
Our little blue planet continues its wobbly topspin and pushes this part of the world into its wet season. We have been graced a temporary respite from the heat, but the cost is a bit of cloud and rain. This season is starting to mimic our first summer, and I wonder how often the sun will grace us with its presence this summer.
The last few days some dormant clients have come back to life, and we found ourselves quickly with rather full plates. I suppose to any New Yorker, a few nights a month burning the oil until 2 or 3 am is standard, and to be honest, OPJ and I are not that far removed from that lifestyle either.
It's great to be busy though, I've got more than couple 15 hour flights coming up soon, so I'll have plenty of time to catch up on that pestering exhaustion thing.
Apologies for the photo-free post, I know text-only is not the most exhilarating thing to read online these days.
The last few days some dormant clients have come back to life, and we found ourselves quickly with rather full plates. I suppose to any New Yorker, a few nights a month burning the oil until 2 or 3 am is standard, and to be honest, OPJ and I are not that far removed from that lifestyle either.
It's great to be busy though, I've got more than couple 15 hour flights coming up soon, so I'll have plenty of time to catch up on that pestering exhaustion thing.
Apologies for the photo-free post, I know text-only is not the most exhilarating thing to read online these days.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Precipice
I'm a broken record I know, and perhaps a bit of a softy, but when it feels like 93 at 1 in the morning I curse southern China and praise air conditioning.
How long can a person(s) stand at a precipice in life? 1 week? 6 months? 2 years and running? How do you know when to walk away? Is your contingency plan all you thought it was or just poorly crafted from the get-go.
In a past life I was a pessimist, but what artsy angsty teen isn't? Having just finished the Soprano's DVD set, I can happily reflect on the follies and errors of high school, perhaps even in college. Where do I fall now? Probably right in the middle of the 25-30 demographic that likes button-down shirts and the Daily Show. Probably pretty damn boring, but optimistic in this time of American uncertainty.
But I'm out here, working, procrastinating, reflecting, and pushing to minimize my regrets and take full advantage of what is available here. The young American gone East is beaten to hell. Everyone and their cousin has spent time out here it seems, not everyone is doing what we are, but plenty are.
Which is why we need to be the best.
Good talk, back to Excel for me...
How long can a person(s) stand at a precipice in life? 1 week? 6 months? 2 years and running? How do you know when to walk away? Is your contingency plan all you thought it was or just poorly crafted from the get-go.
In a past life I was a pessimist, but what artsy angsty teen isn't? Having just finished the Soprano's DVD set, I can happily reflect on the follies and errors of high school, perhaps even in college. Where do I fall now? Probably right in the middle of the 25-30 demographic that likes button-down shirts and the Daily Show. Probably pretty damn boring, but optimistic in this time of American uncertainty.
But I'm out here, working, procrastinating, reflecting, and pushing to minimize my regrets and take full advantage of what is available here. The young American gone East is beaten to hell. Everyone and their cousin has spent time out here it seems, not everyone is doing what we are, but plenty are.
Which is why we need to be the best.
Good talk, back to Excel for me...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
On Edge
OJ returned from Thailand & Hong Kong yesterday, and we got back into the swing of things again. The time away has allowed all of us to recharge a bit, and personally reflect on the status of clients and their respective progress. It's all a bit concerning, but not enough so that we cannot remain cautiously optimistic.
I suppose it can all be chalked up to the fact that the boots on the ground are young. Yes we have the gray-hairs that can and frequently do go to bat for us accompany the group on trips and to meetings, but at the end of the day, the memos going out to clients come from the young guys. Our clients, like any I'm sure, want to get as much as they can for free. This is neither new nor novel, and you cannot fault them for that, it is perhaps our own mistake for not being more aggressive on these deals, and that is something that only time will allow us to do.
That being said, we are also growing weary of the "it's Asia" excuse for the long and drawn-out nature of doing business out here. Whether it be Chinese holidays, random vacations, or God knows what else, things here do not move at the speed of business you or I are accustomed to, and the excuse goes back to our relative geography. It's unfortunate, and if anything I think it is a crutch that too many foreigners here rely on to allow for unnecessary delays, or at the very least, allow for small delays to compound into larger ones without much loss of sleep. This may be a safety device; one that keeps people here a bit less stressed out. Not really my area of expertise, but it's enough to be noted.
There are politics at play (internal mostly) within our deals that I cannot elaborate on, but the line we walk is fine and the edge is ever-present, and if I had another lame analogy I'd toss it in as well to complete the triumvirate.
Cautiously optimistic, keep trudging along, head always up if someone is looking my way.
PS: came across this article yesterday in my Osama-bin found news binge. If you like dogs and American ninjas, you'll dig this: href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/science/05dog.html?ref=asia">Americas ninja dogs
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Obligatory
It has been quiet here the past week as the May holiday came and went with nary a whisper. OJ was off to Thailand for some well-deserved R&R, and I took the time alone here to play a bit of soccer, play at-home doctor, and cook my very first steak (in China).
Also, they got Osama. woot.
Playing 2 hours of soccer with a piece of glass in your toe is not so high on the fun-scale, spending the entire following day trying to extract said piece of glass is even less fun, but the end result is a renewed ability to walk and continue playing sports. I'll just leave it at that. On a non-gross note, our new-look team is beginning to gel, and we are no longer having standoffish confrontations with our Chinese opponents. We've built up some solid street-cred and have even been asked to take photos with our opponents after games, and frequently get invited to play again. This is worlds better than before when I was playing angry parent, grabbing people by the arm and making them put down the bricks and rocks they gathered to pummel us with. Fisticuffs is ugly in general, but especially so out here, where our size leads them to think we have an unfair advantage, resulting in them seeking to gain the upper hand either with numbers and/or weapons. Yaay.
China is getting hot, work will ramp up again this week, and we begin our third and hopefully final summer out here full-time. Everything is going so much better than before, but as always, the ability to rest easy seems a bit further up ahead.
Also, they got Osama. woot.
Playing 2 hours of soccer with a piece of glass in your toe is not so high on the fun-scale, spending the entire following day trying to extract said piece of glass is even less fun, but the end result is a renewed ability to walk and continue playing sports. I'll just leave it at that. On a non-gross note, our new-look team is beginning to gel, and we are no longer having standoffish confrontations with our Chinese opponents. We've built up some solid street-cred and have even been asked to take photos with our opponents after games, and frequently get invited to play again. This is worlds better than before when I was playing angry parent, grabbing people by the arm and making them put down the bricks and rocks they gathered to pummel us with. Fisticuffs is ugly in general, but especially so out here, where our size leads them to think we have an unfair advantage, resulting in them seeking to gain the upper hand either with numbers and/or weapons. Yaay.
China is getting hot, work will ramp up again this week, and we begin our third and hopefully final summer out here full-time. Everything is going so much better than before, but as always, the ability to rest easy seems a bit further up ahead.
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