Guangzhou
I have had the privilege of working on one of my company's more prestigious projects in Guangzhou, China. I feel the need to summarize my experiences in a few paragraphs, so that I will not forget .
I have heard so much about China's greatness. And my forefathers being from China I have always wondered what it is like to be live and work in the land of my origins. Guangzhou is a busy city similar to HK but bigger. It is a place for cheap shopping and eating (I emphasize CHEAP!). I find the food so so, salty and oily, and they eat almost every living organism you can ever imagine. The shopping centers are huge, and it takes forever to walk through them. As a city, I suppose it will be similar to Shanghai and Shenzhen. Air quality is bad and traffic is horrible.
This trip was a week before Chinese New Year, and we happen to fly right in the midst of China’s worst snowstorms in 50 years. Heard that even Chengdu is snowing and tens of thousands of people were stuck in the train stations and highways unable to go home for Chinese New Year. Thankfully our project was not in the center of the action and we were able to escape the crowds. The weather though was worse than we expected it to be. It was 5 degrees and the clothes we brought were not enough. However within a few hours upon arriving, I began to love the cold air caressing my face. Especially when you have a hot drink, the warmth that you feel inside your body seems to compliment the outer cold shell of your body. It is a dynamic Yin and Yang that seems to be forever shifting. I love to wear winter wear and I love to see the different styles of winter wear that people wear, especially the ladies. I have not seen a plump Guangzhou local female the when I was there.
As for working, I can't say the same for the rest of China because I have not been, but for Guangzhou, I did not enjoy working with the local contractors and suppliers. Once they get the job and the dotted line is signed, their service standards start to drop. It is a pain because when you start to confront them, they will go on and on about their own stories and that wears you down. They can also lie with a straight face, and that sometimes leaves you wondering which party is telling the truth. Sometimes it ends up a shouting match and it is true in Guangzhou whoever talks the loudest will be heard. Well obviously you can't really trust their promises of quality delivery and a lot of close monitoring is required.
So that is Guangzhou in a few paragraphs. There are lots more to it but that is what I managed to experience so far given my limited free time on business trips there.
I have heard so much about China's greatness. And my forefathers being from China I have always wondered what it is like to be live and work in the land of my origins. Guangzhou is a busy city similar to HK but bigger. It is a place for cheap shopping and eating (I emphasize CHEAP!). I find the food so so, salty and oily, and they eat almost every living organism you can ever imagine. The shopping centers are huge, and it takes forever to walk through them. As a city, I suppose it will be similar to Shanghai and Shenzhen. Air quality is bad and traffic is horrible.
This trip was a week before Chinese New Year, and we happen to fly right in the midst of China’s worst snowstorms in 50 years. Heard that even Chengdu is snowing and tens of thousands of people were stuck in the train stations and highways unable to go home for Chinese New Year. Thankfully our project was not in the center of the action and we were able to escape the crowds. The weather though was worse than we expected it to be. It was 5 degrees and the clothes we brought were not enough. However within a few hours upon arriving, I began to love the cold air caressing my face. Especially when you have a hot drink, the warmth that you feel inside your body seems to compliment the outer cold shell of your body. It is a dynamic Yin and Yang that seems to be forever shifting. I love to wear winter wear and I love to see the different styles of winter wear that people wear, especially the ladies. I have not seen a plump Guangzhou local female the when I was there.
As for working, I can't say the same for the rest of China because I have not been, but for Guangzhou, I did not enjoy working with the local contractors and suppliers. Once they get the job and the dotted line is signed, their service standards start to drop. It is a pain because when you start to confront them, they will go on and on about their own stories and that wears you down. They can also lie with a straight face, and that sometimes leaves you wondering which party is telling the truth. Sometimes it ends up a shouting match and it is true in Guangzhou whoever talks the loudest will be heard. Well obviously you can't really trust their promises of quality delivery and a lot of close monitoring is required.
So that is Guangzhou in a few paragraphs. There are lots more to it but that is what I managed to experience so far given my limited free time on business trips there.
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