Renewal

Two months in the US can pass quickly at time and drag on at others.  The same cannot be said for life in Shenzhen, where days melt together and within the blink of an eye, a month or more has passed. Upon touching down in Shenzhen, I wrapped up in warm clothing, thick socks, and employed a cheap space heater to keep warm at night.  We are now in mid-April and the 'real-feel' temp is often up around 90.  I believe that the weather imitates life here, moving just as fast.
Shenzhen continues to be our little company's home base, and we are working daily to carve out our piece of the pie.  Our constant frustration is the pace of business here, as is evidenced by the fact that three years on we are still here.  It is not the worst thing in the world, and has provided us with the challenge of adapting to a decidedly non-Western way of doing things.  This challenge is perhaps the greatest takeaway we will gain from our time here.  We are forced to keep busy and keep moving forward in the face of an obstinate work-culture. It is not emblematic of all work here, as businesses pop-up and disappear seemingly overnight, and is perhaps best explained by the fact that young foreigners with little track record, taking on large financial projects are often viewed rather skeptically.  What company (Western or Chinese) would want to hand over audited financials to a group of late 20's-mid 30's foreign businessmen?  No one likes to be left naked, and we have learned that to make any ground here requires a lot of ego stroking and soothe saying.
I do believe our patience is wearing thin however.  One might say that the shine has now worn off the China-play and while I know many who have found comfortable success here, our path has not been as fortunate.  It is not all doom and gloom though.  There are so many positives to take away, so much to bring home, and a lot of experience to carry on into the future, wherever that may lead.
We are tired and looking back West, but we are also hungry, still with that same hunger that brought us here.  We are wiser now.  

I will be posting regularly again, there is a lot to discuss on my little online journal.  I'm excited and a little nervous as well.  More to follow soon.