Thumbs Up for the Middle Kingdom

A certain someone (CONNIE) mentioned to me that I am not objective in my blog and degrade China whenever possible. I would like to counter this arguement and say that I have expressed a lot of positive things: I absolutely love my trip here so far....I think the food is delicious.....I think the people are very friendly, hospitable, and generous.....and (with some flaws) the national government here DOES actually have the best interest of the people in mind.

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Additionally, I found this article that details 10 THINGS THAT THE CHINESE DO BETTER THAN WE DO.....it's written by a Canadian....and since those CANADIANS (our little brothers) are uncivilized savages some of this may not apply to us elegant, charming US citizens (the big brother). (<----- Just a Joke...Canadians please don't kill me) .

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The list includes:

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Informative stop lights

Cell Phones

Transit debit cards

Adult playgrounds

Anti-theft slipcovers

Daily banking

Wireless service bells

Parking data

Computer seating maps

Free hemming

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Read the FULL ARTICLE here:
http://aolnetscape.workopolis.com/servlet/Content/fasttrack/20041023/CHINATEN23?section=Technology

Tallest Man In China

You may have heard on the news that "World's Tallest Man Marries In China." Before there are any rumors circulating, I would just like to make it clear that THIS IS NOT ME. The photographs that have been posted are grainy so it's a little hard to tell....but rest assured, I have yet to tie the knot.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/worlds-tallest-man-marries-in-china/37304-2.html

PS - According to my most recent mental-notes.....I am the 9th tallest man in China. This is based on my personal observations of people in the street.

Amazon...You are so tricky...

I continuously write about how tricky the Chinese can be in their sales tactic....now it's time to laugh at our home-grown applie pie AMAZON. I received an e-mail from them stating "Amazon.com has new recommendations for you based on items you purchased or told us you own."
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THAT SOUNDS LEGIT. I ordered 4 China-related books before I left...so ofcourse I get recommendations for 5 more (2 dictidonaries, 2 grammar books, 1 text on classic Chinese Philosophy). Then they recommend a "Kingston Data Traveler 1 GB USB Flash Drive".....that kinda makes sense. I am travelling....I do have internet access....so their assumptions seem fitting. And then....to cap things off....apparently it is critical that I go out and buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. IS THIS SUPPOSED TO APPEAL TO MY SENSE OF ADVENTURE?? Silly Amazon....tricks are for kids. Long live Harry Potter.

Haggle Your Ass Off

After overpaying about 40% buying some merchandise (I paid $25USD extra) I have one piece of advice to offer. Haggle your ass off....as a white face you're going to have swarms of Cheap-a Cheap-a Look-a Look-a men attacking you selling every item on the face of the Earth. Need medieval weaponry...GOT IT, Remote Control Car...GOT IT, Windows VISTA (for $2 USD) GOT IT, Armani toilet paper...GOT IT (Well, not really)....you get the idea. The scenario will look something like this:

1) You'll be walking down the street and someone will approach you saying...GUCCI...ARMANI...WATCH...SUIT....BAG....Good Quality

2) Either say...BU YAO (I don't want)....walk away...or nod your head. yes

3) You will be taken down some creepy corridor side street....remember when you were taught not to take candy from strangers?.....disregard those rules. This guy will draw you into the shadiest of shady operations....I mean hidden doors, secret doorbells....TO THE BATCAVE!!! It's safe....but every natural sense in your body will start ringing and telling you are about to get mugged or assaulted.

4) There will be all sorts of merchandise lining the walls....every time you look at something he will say GOOD QUALITY...Triple A....I give you good price!! You will ask how much (They know these words in English) and for example...a bag will be quoted at approximately 800-1200RMB. This is a real BS price intended for idiots....it translates to about $100-$150USD. ($1USD = 7.8RMB)

5) Act horrified....Say too expensive (pronounced TIE GWAY LUH)...demand a discount. The storeowner will cut 30% off...now we're down to about 800 (from 1200). This is where it gets tricky....YOU WILL NOT BUY....NO MATTER WHAT...YOU WILL NOT BUY!!!!. Your mission in this setting is to see how far you will squeeze the price, and buy from the next shop.

6) My advice is to go 1/5 of this second quote. Some expats will tell you to shoot for 1/10 of the original price but I have not had much luck with this (It doesn't hurt to try). Tell them 150RMB (for a nice bag, maybe 200RMB if it's made from leather or some special material). They will act shocked and quickly shoot back with a price like 500RMB (from 800). NONSENSE!!! Stay Strong Grasshopper! Demand your price...and see how far down you can push them. - After 2-3 minutes of this back and forth....walk away. Most of the time they will chase after you.....but walk out and leave. Now you know the true value of this bag or a number that is a more reasonable ballpark estimate.

7) When you walk into the next store you can immediately start haggling at a realistic price and put pressure on the seller.

8) The two things to remember are that CHINESE SALESMAN ARE EXCELLENT ACTORS. Also, MAKE SURE THE QUALITY is what you want. Check the seams, zippers, and materials. Leather will not burn. Silk will burn like the wick of a candle. Motion your hand as if you were holding a lighter and they will prove to you that the item is real. You got a good price....now make sure you're not buying a lemon when you want a lime.

BY THE WAY...$1 USD = 7.8RMB, 100RMB is almost exactly $13USD. That makes calculation easier.

ALSO - Haggling is used everywhere.....any outdoor market and also local malls. The only place that will not accomodate you is a Western Brand Store (Express....Guess...etc.). So don't be embarassed to tell the fruit vendor that you want that apple at 6 cents instead of 8 cents. (maybe a little dramatic of an example).

Even the government and police will haggle.......but that's a whoooooole other story. (One that I have not experienced personally)

Interview: Chinglish Style

I was asked by the AIESEC chapter in Guangzhou to come in and help them with interviews for candidates interested in going overseas. I must admit, I was not particularly interested in participating; nor did I want to spend a Sunday locked up in a closet-sized conference room.....but it turned out to be a really interesting experience.

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I have always been interested in the quality of talent coming out of Chinese universities. Ofcourse there's the Chinese stereotype that they are good at math, science, but lack communication skills and the ability to think creatively. Here's what I discovered:

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1) They are masters at memorization. Through their high school and university training education is very test-focused. Pass the English exams, get high marks on your finals, and you will be an ace. FAIL: and you will spend the rest of eternity plowing the fields in the Western province of Where-The-Hell-Am-I. Their interviews were memorized straight through...when I tried to ask a question they gave me a routine response that often lacked passion or enthusiasm. I asked one candidate his greatest weakness (He said he's a perfectionist)...I caught on to his tricks and asked him for ANOTHER weakness, (he said he has trouble working with people that are less motivated than him.) MASTER MEMORIZER

2) They are motivated and aggressive. They are hungry for opportunities. They have been drilled with the concept of 9% Year-over-year GDP growth and they want a piece of the pie. Sometimes they are naive in their ambitions (Such as the girl that did not care about money but wanted to open a small shop with paintings from all over the world)....but highly ambitious none-the-less.

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3) They are very China-Centric. As a communist nation China spends a lot of time patting itself on the back. Many of them had the desire to help their nation, to go overseas and bring back management concepts to local businesses. Some students did not want to work for Multi-National-Corporations (MNCs) because they felt like they had a responsibility towards the motherland. Others wanted to work in small businesses for the same reason.

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4) Their English is good....they are good communicators....and they love to sing. One guy and one girl broke out into song once we started discussing their hobbies. CHINESE LOVE TO SING. That's why Karaoke (Or Kala-OK) is HUGE in China...Everyone thinks they are a DIVA. I say...don't quit your day-jobs.

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5) They respect women, but still claim that China is traditional and believe that a man is preferrable in getting the job done. This is a real challenge.

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6) Overall - we have some serious candidates. Students that are the first generation to leave the farm and have tremendous external and internal pressure to succeed. They are ready to kick ass...they just don't have the experience.

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7) Most valuable piece of advice - ASKING DIRECT QUESTIONS: The candidates were all very honest and did not censor themselves...when asked about their ambitions or their views on women they expressed them openly instead of configuring them to what the HR rep wanted to hear. If you want good employees ask "How long are you planning on sticking around?", or "Where do you want to be in 5 years?" or "What other companies are you interviewing with and what is your top choice?" and they will give you an honest answer (Whether or not it's appropriate, or in their favor), instead of playing games. It's an important cultural difference.

Sorry about the long post.

Shoot - Chop Chop - OUCH!

The world knows that the USA is a country obsessed with guns and the right to bear arms. They find this amusing. I recently asked my roommate if guns are a problem in China. He immediately told me that guns are outlawed and there are very harsh punishments for anyone caught with them. So I asked him...."When people get murdered on the news....what weapon is used". He said....in the kind of tone that denotes something obvious....

"SWORDS"

To be fair...I think this was just an issue with translation.....but that didn't stop me from breaking out in laughter.

Creativity.....Is it true?

Chinese students are often discredited for being intelligent but not creative. The mantra states that years of communism and collective thinking have discouraged competitiveness and the drive for innovation. While this is true to some extent, I think that it's greatly exaggerated. Chinese students are some of the hardest-working and competitive students I have ever met. I thoroughly believe that the labor force here needs to be managed differently. They DO work better in teams, they DO need tasks defined more precisely. BUT, they are more aware of the "WESTERN WAY" of doing things than we give them credit for. They are eager to learn...and on many occassions they have schocked me with their level of creativity.

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For example....in my last class I printed sets of 5 photos with no clear storyline. I then asked them to describe the scene and come up with a detailed account. Some of the stories they came up with were phenomenal. Really clever and well-thought out.

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Anyone who thinks that China is doomed to be our manufacturing-slave forever....is in for a big surprise. It will take a while for the transition to occur....but the next generation of graduates from US universities will have to put up a fight.

Eye Movement

I met an interesting professor at Sun Yat Sen University. His name is also Ed and he is a Canadian English teacher focusing on the field of neurolinguistics. He taught me an interesting way of analyzing a students ability to speak proper English. He said that Chinese is a visual language (because of the characters). When a Chinese speaker talks they are constantly referring to the characters and the images associated with those characters. When they speak fluent Chinese they make this reference subconsciously. BUT....if they are speaking English and "fishing" for the right word, they will refer back to their Chinese vocabulary. They will imagine the word and their eyes will actually shift up and to the right as they visualize the image and translate. By assessing the frequency of the eye movements you can see how fluent a Chinese English speaker actually is. FASCINATING!

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The professor had much more to share, and said that he can analyze people and often knows when people are lying. He says the "tells" are very clear.

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I WONDER IF HE SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN VEGAS?

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Testing Testing 1-2-3

China does not like my blog. Last week I lost my connection to VIEW...and this week I lost my ability to POST. Thanks to google I've enabled a feature where I can e-mail blog postings and now I'm testing it. Sooooo......I can assure you that it's impossible to shut me up (I know you want to)

Fellow Ruskis

I met a bunch of Russians on my trip....I helped them get a good price on some watches they were being so we went out for the day. They are in China training for the crew team (I don't know why you need to do that in China). They were all huge...even the girls were nearly 6 feet tall. They were cool, but they were a big group and were too slow walking through the market, so I exchanged contact info and left.

Yuyuan Garden Marketplace

This is the Bazaar at Yuyuan Garden....you can buy anything you want here....nun-chucks (how do you spell that?)...swords...designer handbags....remote control cars....knockoff ipods....ANYTHING. It's amazing how talented the Chinese are when it comes to making bootlegged products....creative. I did notice though, that they could not replicate the touch-wheel on the IPODS....everything else looked identical (including the packaging), but they replaced the wheel with standard buttons.

BUSES

I love buses (they are a great way to tour a new city)....it's a shame that I can't use them in China. Everything is labelled in Chinese characters....so if I were to take one...odds are that I would never return.

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I am in no mood to walk around aimlessly looking for home.

There's No Place Like Home

Though I love Chinese food....I have to admit...sometimes there's nothing better than a greasy burger and soggy french fries. COMFORT FOODS. Every EXPAT I've met so far has the same craving on occasion. On the first day of my trip I saw the MOON DINER.....immediately there was a big grin on my face...I had to go.

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When I came inside it was very awkward....after spending 3 months in Shunde as one of the only foreigners, I was shocked to see this crowd. It was almost scary....I just kept staring at people, the same way that I get stared at when I walk through town.

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Even BUGS BUNNY was playing on the television.

Massage - Pain or Pleasure?

Every since I came here I've been anxious to go and get a massage. They are fairly cheap (about $20 USD for 90 minutes) and everyone I talk to says that it's the best possible feeling in the world. I was in an elevator recently and saw this sign. I hope that I don't end up in this place.

I don't know about you.....but after the massage I would prefer to walk home rather than crawl. I dont need anything placed in my ears......I don't need my arms contorted into strange positions....and I certainly dont need a 60 lb. chinese person trying to balance my 200+ lbs. on their knees. Thanks...but no thanks. I've learned some chinese...but before I go I will learn how to say...."No, don't put that there." and "Yes, that's really painful" and "Is it really supposed to hurt that much?" WISH ME LUCK

PS - Just a word of caution...when looking for a place to go....MASSAGE is legit...MASSAGEE (extra emphasis on the E) may get you into an awkward situation. I won't explain further.

Living it up at hotel california...errr...Shanghai

The Radisson in Pudong was one of the COOLEST hotels that I've every stayed at. It was like the ultimate bachelor pad. Simple...elegant...PLUS there was an added bonus. After spending 3 months sleeping on a "bed" that's more like a wooden box with a comforter for padding.....the king-size bed in this room made it feel like I was floating. Now that I think about it....this room may have been the highlight of my trip to Shanghai. I loved it so much that I spent an entire day.....20+ hours just lounging around here (it was a rainy day).

iGallop

This may be the funniest, strangest, most awkward piece of exercise equipment that I've ever seen. If you follow the first link it actually looks reasonable at the brookstone store. Maybe it even works.....but you've got to see people trying this thing out. There is no way you can get on this thing without looking like a total fool.

http://www.brookstone.com/store/531707.html

The only thing funnier than seeing it in pictures is seeing a video from the commercial. I was rolling around on the floor when I watched this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDZnvkqClmA - DONT WATCH THIS AT WORK

The funny thing is....when I saw it at the mall it was in the window exposed to the public. I guess it's not that different from what they have here in China. The gym at my office has the machine in the bottom picture. I used it once after lunch and I almost had an "accident". You strap it on your stomach and it jiggles from side to side. I was going to take a video but my camera ran out of batteries. I'll go down again and do it (before lunch).

The Human Slingshot

This sight makes my mouth water.......China and handmade noodles!!!! Delicious. You've got to see how skillfully these guys handle this. They do the same thing in the factory cafeteria. All of the dough is made from scratch and done by hand. The result is that everything from dumplings to noodle soup tastes delicious.

DO NOT ENTER

My blog has officially been blocked by whatever "spider" crawls the web in China. I can publish, but I cannot access www.tallestmaninchia.blogspot.com . I'm not really sure what caused this...I've been trying my best to keep it professional and objective....but I guess my western philosophy is too corrupt for Chinese minds. On the bright side...I am not in prison, so I guess whatever I said is not that bad.

Bie Chipian Wo

My worst experience in China DEFINITELY has to do with the cab drivers. These guys really should take up roles in Chinese films because they are terrific actors. They will do anything and everything to shake out every last nickel and dime from a Lao Wai (foreigner). I've tried everything....giving them a stern look in the rear-view mirror.....reading a map as they drive.....trying to speak with them politely....trying to speak with them aggressively. None of it seems to work. 50% of the drivers still manage to rip me off.

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On the bright side.....when they do rip me off it's usually not much of an issue. For example I was recently charged 50RMB instead of 30 RMB because the jerk took me for a trip around town....when it comes down to it...it's about $2.50 more.

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While they're not as evil....they will also mess with locals if they are in a new city and don't know where to go. If you know how much it should cost....you could try and negotiate a fair off-the-meter. Especially for a long trip. In the evenings a 30 minute trip home from another city costs about 60RMB or $7.50

Entrepreneur 2

Given the decrepit state of Chinese bathrooms a new profitable venture has hit the streets.....TOILETS....Public bathrooms all over the place. You come into one of these places, pay 1-2RMB for admission and they'll be kind enough to provide toilet paper and let you do your thing.

Shanghai 3

Shanghai is the exchange and trade capital of China. It has some of the most modern and interesting architecture that I have ever seen.

Going Subterranean

The subways in Guangzhou and Shanghai are really great. So far, in all of the places that I've travelled (China and South America) I've never seen a subway system as crappy as the one in New York. Ofcourse most 3rd world stations were recently constructed while New York (the largest system in the world) has been around for 100+ years.

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The Chinese system is interesting. You pay depending on how long your trip is and which subway line you need to use. The machine dispenses an RFID enabled card which you just swipe over the entry terminal. On the way out you run the card into the exit terminal and it gets recyceld.

Photos of Shanghai

These are all pictures taken during the 20 minute walk from hotel to subway station. Now that I'm more comfortable in China I try to use public transportation as often as possible.

Enter the Entree

I didn't go for any dishes in the last post....instead I settled on this concoction

Some Strange Menu Items

PICTURE ONE

1) Steamed eels - i actually love this food.

2) Three taste soup - a bit strange....i wish they could have been a little more descriptive.

3) Rural chickens - as opposed to urban chickens? not sure if it's a live chicken?

4) Wild shrimps? - before they get served they go out for a night of partying and binge drinking.

5) Steamed tortoise - haven't tried this yet....really want to though

6) Grandma's tea

Photo 2 - Turtle, 1/2 Chicken and Pig Knuckle Soup - a strange combination

Photo 3 - barbecued bullfrog

Photo 4 - Barbecued Ostrich Meat