Just A Little Crazy

Part of My Job Here at Midea is Resolving all-sorts of random English-related issues. Here's one that CONSTANTLY Comes up and drives me crazy!

Chinese Companies...ESPECIALLY MIDEA love to put up these HUGE banners with catchy slogans. I don't know if this practice ties back to the "All Hail Mao" days.....but it's the most annoying part of my job. Chinese and English are sooo different....my coworkers refuse to accept it. Here are some slogans that I received today.....The translation is OK...it's just that Chinese has these abrupt choppy sentences that JUST DO NOT WORK WITH ENGLISH. I translate these damn things, and my coworkers always get angry because their Chinese version is so short and pretty, and my English version wont fit on the damn banner. FRUSTRATION!

1、全面开展全效率提升行动 着力打造家用空调利润新增长点

Promote comprehensive efficiency-advancing plan, aiming for new RAC profit source.

2、群策群力，同心同德，全面落实全效率提升行动

USING BRAIN-STROM, ALL PEOPLE UNITED to enforce the efficiency-advancing plan.

3、全员参与 全过程改善 全要素关注 全效率提升

ALL-INVOLING, procedure-improving; key components focusing
efficiency-advancing.

4、全员参与全效率 开源节流创效益 利润贡献1个亿

ALL-INVOLVING, UPDATING ADMINISTRATION & PROFIT,TRYING TO REACH MORE 100 MILLION NET PROFIT.

5、品质决定命运，效率主宰成败！

Quality is definitely for development; efficiency is the key component to win the future.

PS - I can't read Chinese, before I can do anything these phrases are translated for me and then I correct them.

Face On - Face Off

I've mentioned before how the concept of "face (respect)" is unique in Asian cultures. I am supposed to setup a class for the managers and was asked to interview them and place them into the proper training level. I told my colleague that it was pointless to make them come to our office just for a 5 minute interview....they have better things to do. We should just do it over the phone. My colleague answered saying that a phone interview would be a disaster. Since the managers sit next to all of their subordinates they would refuse to speak in English because they would be too ashamed. The managers whose English is weaker would just clam up. Being aware of this and constantly trying to "give respect (give face)" is critical to doing business in China.

Knee Deep In - - - (Mud)

To make matters worse, during the actual hiking trip I tried to take an unfortunate shortcut. I was too lazy to go around the dry river bank so I decided to go through it. I went about half-way in when suddenly I sunk knee-deep into the mud. When I tried to escape I fell on my hands as well. I was holding my cell phone in my hand so that got completely submerged. Ofcourse my friends were no help because they were rolling on the floor laughing.
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I learned my lesson.

As Awkward as it Gets

I don't know how......but for some reason I just ATTRACT trouble. Last weekend I was on the bus with a bunch of foreigners headed out to one of our weekly hiking destinations. I saw a whole troop of military men in full army garb, rifles, and completely soaked from head to toe because of the rain. Apparently these guys were not in a good mood. I decided to snap a few photos of them as the bus passed (Yes, I know, Idiot).....One of the military men spots me and starts shouting like a madman. Foreigner took a picture, foreigner took a picture!!! - Four guys blocked our bus from the front, one guy ran ahead to tell the commanding officer, and the last guy came onboard and started shouting at me in Chinese. Luckily, one of the girls on the bus flirted with him and got him to calm down.
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Do you see the kind of trouble I go through to take photos for this blog?!?!?

Just Chillaxin

I was walking back to my office after lunch today (had lunch at Mickey D's)....and I saw quite an amusing sight. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, so no picture. A full-sized 16 wheeler was parked off on the side of the road....UNDER IT, the driver put up a hammock and was casually taking a nap. When I say "Under It", I mean that literally....he was actually UNDER the frame of the truck, about 1 foot off the ground....on a hammock that was somehow tied to the frame of the truck. It's the kind of thing you'll only find in China.

Video Blogging - 4 VIDEOS

Just trying this video-blogging stuff out. Before anyone says anything: No, I am not obsessed with myself.
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A Boring Shot of the Office: Working on Saturday
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4812354058189619594
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Brief Rant on the Concept of Guanxi (relationship building)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8189892694195688702
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Talking about China and the Labor Situation
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4580815379413227533
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Just Chatting...about nothing.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5489139522437036899
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PLEASE TELL ME IF THESE WORK (Comment)

The Little Old Lady

The Little Old Lady and I