A Bit of the Daily Grind:

Okay - so last you heard, I was having fashion issues at the office, and my boss Tan Cruse  (haha Tom Cruse get it? haha - made you smile) was trying to force feed me a sales pitch.  Okay - well, still waiting to have lunch with this American fellow - that hasn't happened yet, but I thought I might comment a bit on his behavior after I sort of... softly... got my way with the situation.  One thing I have absolutely learned in these situations is: as an American in a Chinese cultural setting - it is best to always be more sensitive as opposed to less.  Trying to predict behaviors of people also improves your reaction time - whether the situation is surprising to you - or not!

Let me begin by saying - the second day I arrived I was invited to the house of my boss's parents for dinner.  People - in the U.S. this is can be either a big deal or a no sweat situation.  But more often than not, being invited over for dinner here on this side of the pacific.... it seems to be a pretty big deal.  One thing to remember - is when invited over - never come empty handed!  Cruse was very casual... so this was a good sign, and also he was married - the wife was coming, and this was relieving to me... I shouldn't have to worry as much in that department.  I'm probably just interesting to them because I'm foreign.  Even though I'm doing my best to fit in  -  do as the locals do... sometimes, I can't help but behave a certain way because I am foreign.  Were I just another Chinese intern, I'm not so sure I would have been invited over for dinner, but this is kind of like, "look mom and dad, a foreigner who isn't Russian that can speak decent Chinese!"

So, that evening Cruse and his wife (who comes from Harbin in the far North) came to pick me up!  I had just got back to the hotel that day (15 minutes before they arrived) picking up cheese cake and brownies from the local Pacific Coffee Company.  Cruse noticed my bags and said... "oh , really you shouldn't have to worry, we are so relaxed, don't be nervous about my parents, we're really not that traditional, my wife is probably more tense than you are" - but let me tell you for giving first impressions, being the new kid in town at work, and having all eyes at me at the dinner table - I absolutely have high nerves and pretty much ignored what he was saying to make me chill out.  Dinner was fantastic, sometimes funny too... the parents wouldn't accept that I really actually understood Chinese (probably a generational thing) and would keep telling their kids (20-30's -Cruse included) that I needed more food... haha, and then they would look at me and smile and laugh, telling him "She understands what you're saying just ask her...?" lol

Dinner was over - and the cakes / brownies I brought were well received.  Of course they offered to open it to be polite, but I told them "No, -really no worries, eat it at your leisure, you can open it later if you like, I'm so full!"  Dinner was a success.

So when I went to work the very next day (remember they made me go to work only 3 days after arriving - I had not even moved into my apartment yet) and Cruse was very warm - im'ing me on "QQ" (like aol instant messenger with a Penguin lol )every so often.  Gradually as the last two weeks work on... his messages on QQ became less frequent, and after the incident from my last posting - the American business contact & Wendy talking to him - the im'ing completely stopped.  I'm quite sensitive I think, so I pick up on these things.  In fact, he didn't message me the rest of the week after that incident and rarely stopped by to say hi.

I am almost positive it is because I made him lose a bit face when he realized, I kind of know how to play ball when I feel strongly about something - for example I got my way, surprised him.  Not that the friendship between laoban (boss) and shixisheng (intern) has gone sour - in fact we had a meeting today with one visiting teacher of mine, and he was very warm again... but I analyzed his behaviors as a result of something.

Oscar the Bossman
Related to this: (in noticing people's behaviors towards me) Let me introduce to you Oscar - the head of our Shenzhen office - the big Laoban (big boss) - actually he's actually a smaller framed guy.  Very nice, but huge ego.  He asked me one time plopping himself in a chair next to my cubicle  "So Kailin, what is our business about?"  ... I go on explaining the implications of a brokerage in the business of importing/exporting goods and he started dropping English-bombs intermittently through my explanation.  I wasn't annoyed, but just trying to be helpful when I realized his English pronunciation of things was just not understandable, -at all.  So, of course once again, I am like a highlighted word on a piece of office paper in my office.  When I laugh, people wonder what's funny, if I say something curious, someone will randomly poke their head out of their cubicle like a cute little prarie dog and keep listening... lol  So I'm correcting Mr. Big Laoban Oscar's  indistinguishable English and Wendy smirks "haha Lan Laoshi"  - and then I notice the tone of Oscar's voice shrinks... I then realized, because Oscar is "Big Boss Man," it would be much much better if I was NOT Lan Laoshi "Teacher,"  because I was discrediting his English skills by doing so and furthermore making him lose a bit of face.  So, now I may much more attention to the tone of my voice and natural urges to be helpful... haha sometimes I guess when I think I'm helping - I'm really not!

Viva La Vivian
So I did mention the Sales lead who thought I was having a bad hair day to the point of making me go with her to the hair dresser.  This relationship at work is very interesting.  Never before have I met such a hot/cold woman before.  She is the sales lead, but she is also my intern 'trainer'.  These last couple days Jenny (the other newbee) and I have been studying our training manuals and then having afternoon sessions with miss Vivian.  When we had these sessions, I could hear the lyrics "your as cold ice" playing in the back of my mind.  She would ask us questions, but not until the 4rth failed attempt of trying to answer did I realize she was being coldy rhetorical... I wasn't actually supposed to be answering her. I would say something, and she'd be like "ya uh huh -" and then quickly continue.... sometimes as was thinking... but wait, we got hair massages together, I thought this meant something special between us?  Other times she would look at Jenny and say "Yeah, you need to memorize these states and cities, Caitlin already knows them all because she's American"  Jenny would sweetly nod her head, but I would feel kinda bad for her... I guess it's fair, I'm doing it all in Chinese, and Jenny is learning all my country's States, postal abbreviations, and capitals.

So when attending training, Miss Vivian was as cold as ice!  But so funny - she has quickly learned my coffee habit, and once in a while she would drop off a little instant coffee for me at my desk in the afternoon.  I thought... hmmm here's my chance!  The next morning I thought of a good olive branch "Hi Vivian - I'm at starbucks - can I get something for you?"  Okay, maybe sucking up a little bit, but you know?  Her hot / cold thing going on confuses the heck out of me... and I'm a woman, I should be able to understand my own breed.  She accepted!  -And the next day she got me one-cup drip coffees from Disneyland in a cute Minnie Mouse box.  Great Success (Borat accent LOL  ^.^)

Yuan Yuan
So the last latest greatest thing I have to say... is this time around - I'm making friends much much much much faster than I have in other cities - this is my method: get active.  By the cheesecake and brownies for your boss's family when invited to dinner, help Maya your coworker get Under Armor clothing by purchasing online and let her pay you back in cash, pass the olive branch to Vivian by thinking of getting her a Latte in the morning, offer help with English, if you go to a gym, try out a personal trainer!  All of these things have made me make some instant friends this time around.  My personal trainer - is one of the best investments I've made in the mainland.  First of all - not a waste of money, because I can't buy clothes and shoes due to lack of luggage space, and because I'm a chic I don't spend a whole lot of money on food.  Yuan Yuan, my personal trainer is in her late twenties, and on the third time we had a session (she's very professional btw) asked me to go out to dinner with her and other gym friends.  Great success again!  Also me and three other ladies have a little "I like to go to the gym everyday" click... it's kinda fun though =)  According to Cruse at my meeting with my teacher today.. I'm making good relationships already!

Other Awkward Moments:
-I went to the beach last weekend... I needed some sun because I don't want to turn office white.  I went for an hour and felt extremely awkward that I was the only one who WASN'T huddled under a shady umbrella... also the only one in a bikini... >;/ lol not sure if I want to go to the beach like that again.  Awkward moment.
-I thought I could add more positivity to my work environment, and make my coworkers feel comfortable about getting English help from me by posting an "English word of the day" on my QQ... at first I got great feedback, people commented and really liked it, Oscar was the first one to make a good comment using the English phrase I taught (I think it was "something up your sleeve")... the third day... people made comments and then Oscar said on QQ, something to the effect of  "yeah people, it's Monday... act like it!" - after that I felt like he thought I was creating some sort of distraction, so I stopped the English word of the day.  Awkward moment.
-Today as I was getting hot water for my Minnie Mouse Disneyland drip coffee from Vivian, Ella the front office lady just casually walks around the corner and smacks my butt... I was like 0_0.  I had no idea what to say... no Chinese girl every pulled that one before.  She thought it was really funny though.  Okay, so maybe my personal trainer is doing a decent job.. but Ella?  She's got me confused, doesn't look like someone who goes both ways..if you know what I mean, but also maybe she's just kidding? No idea... all I did was say.. hey!  Yeah... Awkward moment.

Nighty Night - past my bed time, gotta be up early again tomorrow!

Caity

The Chinese Office - A Whole New World (to me ^.^)

Okay – I just need to vent a little bit.  I will write these notes in a very fluid manner.  Not only because these notes are my personal impressions of how it is to work in a Chinese office… but also because I’m pulling a regular 9-5 job here.  It is a very interesting experience let me tell you!

Like I said before learning Chinese language is one thing… functioning “appropriately” to fit in an environment where there are expectations of you is quite another.  Being the only American girl in a Chinese office setting is an interesting experience.  So along the way, let me mention to you a couple things I think are worth paying attention to.

First impressions are everything… as we say in the U.S., as is said in many other cultures I’m sure.  When I was first introduced to my colleges there was quite a clamor.  Oohs and aahs… sigh… in the U.S., I’m sure I wouldn’t cause such commotion.  I did the office rounds, did the handshakes…  “everybody, here is our new foreign worker！” Okay – so when that was over I was given a desk… and a notebook – pretty standard.  I still felt like I had to prove that I had worthy Chinese language skills Luckily – there is the QQ instant messenger on the screen… this is extremely helpful… I could type in Chinese and people would be like OMG   0_0  she actually read and write Chinese…. [of course my spoken – Chinese still has a couple problems - wenti’s…I gotta work on my tones and pronunciation.  I find that this late in the game it’s really  to get a little sloppy with my language because I want to communicate faster].

So my first impression overall was very good.  The first day I was here, I got to participate in our  下午茶 (afternoon teatime which usually consists of a group gathering around in the lunch room where everyone grabs a pair of kuaizi (chopsticks) and/or toothpicks and we share in a feast of dumplings)  this ritual usually happens around 2-3 pm.  Very nice,… my boss originally told me I can stroll in around 9 “we are so relaxed here, don’t worry about it, if you’re a couple minutes late no problem.. we all usually stroll in between 9-10… when I start having you make evening phone calls to the United States, you can come in at 11:00”

说起来很容易、做起来很难 “Saying it is easy, but doing it… not so easy“

So like I said – this way I started coming in oh – about 9:30-10.  Vivian the leading sales associate asks me one day… Caitlin how come you come in a little bit late today?  Oh – I was told that you guys were relaxed and kind of strolled in between 9-10 everyday.  Oh！ No! she said, I’m just politely reminding you that.. we like to come in at 9 o’clock.  We aren’t very strict here in the office, but of course there is nothing we can do about changing the times we must work.  VERY INTERESTING!  So now every day I along with the rest of the workers who belongs to this building stand in line (yes everybody gets to work at exactly nine) and wait for an elevator)

People, 9:00 definitely means nine o’clock.

Apparently it’s my Apparel

One more thing I’ve noticed is there is definitely NOT a Monkey-See-Monkey-Do concept I can use to learn how I am to behave appropriately, I can only go off of reactions, -because I'm different.  For a foreigner working in an officer environment: I can’t just look at the other ladies in the office and try to imitate the styles and appropriateness of what they are wearing.  Because I am foreign, I feel that everybody has this preconditioned sentiment towards me that I am an extroverted, sexual creature.  Maya behind me wore an off the should top yesterday with jeans; Ellen the front desk secretary is wearing a body-hugging (what looks like a cocktail dress) that is so high on her long slender legs that it would make any American man’s eyebrows raise thru the ceiling..  This, not to mention that all of them either where flip flops, sequined/rhinestone/lacy/strappy 3-4 inch high heel shoes everyday…  

So I thought well, maybe that means I can wear jeans, and the blouses I used to wear at my Operations internship in the U.S. at an Investment Banking firm (already a fairly conservative American business sector.)  but apparently not.  Comments I’ve received:

Day 1:  “oh so piaoliang 漂亮” “oh she’s so pretty” “uh oh, the boys in our office are going to have to watch out”  -Obviously these are not appropriate comments in an American office setting.  Liability becomes an issue.

Day 2:  (I had just got back from the gym – because lunch time to nap time takes two hours every day – I can’t eat for an entire hour nor can I sleep for one hour and wake up feeling refreshed… it is acceptable as far as I know currently to go to the gym for a little bit of time ) I return and take my hair out of a braid for a moment.  “oh my God, you hair is scaring me,” says Vivian… “but I just got back from the gym… I’m going to put it up in a second”…I reply ”No, I really think that you should come with me to the hair stylist after work today”  (little did I know that this meant 2-3 hours at the hair salon using Asian hair repair treatments and head massage therapy lol)

Day 4:  I wear a long dress… I thought okay… if Ellen can wear these skimpy little cocktail dresses to work, I can at least where this long (to my ankles), flowing (non-body hugging) dress with a shawl over the top.  By my American standards, quite conservative.  I walk into the lunch room, and pass MiuMiu and Shady (yes these are there English names).  And I hear “Oh my gosh so Sexy today” 0_0 “What?! – How is this sexy???” -I go and explain the details to them as to why I am not… definitely not sexy that day.  But  then Shady sarcastically says “It’s okay, actually that’s how we like it here LOL” ugh

Day 5 – about ready to give up…I pull out an old outfit, quite professional that I often wore at work in the Investment Banking job I mentioned before.  The first comment I get from Ellen… was “Oh this outfit is nice, actually it very much has Eastern Flavor”  Success… or so I thought.  I sit down at a meeting that evening for a training session and she says again re-analyzing my outfit “Wow, Eastern and Western customs are really different… your shirt is too low, too sexxy”  Not low by my standards.  At that moment I felt kind of like exploding and saying… “How do you get away with your short skirts every day?? Tell me???”

 My Hypothesis: Is my Chinese colleges have preconceptions about Western women formed by watching U.S. media "Sex and the City," "Friends," etc.  Comments about my appearance should be acceptable because I am a “direct-speaking / open-minded foreigner,” my hair is not allowed to frighten them, I should not wear high heels because by default I am already tall and wearing high heels makes me seem towering, Office assistant ladies are hired probably because they are attractive – paid to make the front desk look good – so strutting around in tight short things is completely acceptable, and – because I’m a foreigner  - expected to be a bit curvier – anything below my collar bone in terms of blouses is thought to be rather risqué…

Today:  What I’m doing today:  I am wearing black pants that are loose (non-tight skinny jeans.), black flats, a black tank top (not collar bone high, but nothing too low – I debated wearing it this morning), and a relaxed business jacket over, a small simple string of pearls, and a head band.  You can’t go wrong with pearls in business, they are not flashing.  My hair is curled, my makeup is simple.  To my fellow American women who might go through this process, it could be useful advice for trying to “fit-in” – that is the goal, after all, of my Chinese program…. To be taken seriously by my Chinese colleagues and it has definitely been a challenge. I’ll keep you posted if I learn of any of these other fashion faux pas.

In regards to what I do:

I am literally an “outsourced” American sales lead… how do you like that?  Ha, most Americans will perhaps complain that work is being outsourced to China, so I guess that makes me a strange case.  My first assignment was to connect with another American in China who owns a trading brokerage; the following is a conversation I had with my boyfriend trying to figure out how to best handle the situation：

Okay  - so get this I'm making American guanxi （connections） at Kosmos her at Kosmos right?

lankailin: okay -

lankailin: well... he gives me this business card of an American Business owner who owns a Trading Brokerage

lankailin: I give this guy a cold call... tell him who I am, What I'm doing here, who I'm working for etc... and politely ask him if I may exchange email addresses

lankailin: it works... he is willing to talk more..

lankailin: he is interested in learning more about what I do, and agrees to have a formal business lunch with me...

lankailin: then my boss comes around the corner and bombards with: okay... Wendy you go with Caitlin to this lunch.. （Wendy is the ‘Overseas Sales Manager’）

lankailin: "bring all of our company information..."

lankailin: we have a sales lead!

lankailin: ugh

lankailin: totally unprofessional I think

lankailin: in order to make business connections, you can't just make the assumption that they want your business... you have to lay foundations for relationships to make business connections

lankailin: otherwise... They see right thru it and think "this persons just out to get business from me... they don't care about me"

lankailin: and they just hang up the phone.

lankailin: ugh

lankailin: shasi wo!  (Shoot me now… )

Tim Hui: ummmmmmmm...

Tim Hui: sigh

lankailin: yeah...

lankailin: So I said politely to my boss:

lankailin: "I'm new at sales... but I tried to make a relationship for your company the best way I knew how, I have recommendations, but if you think I'm doing this wrong let me know"

lankailin: I told him - because it is a trading brokerage... he has potential business A LOT OF potential business for your company

lankailin: so... it's like... if you are fishing...

lankailin: you don't throw rocks at the pond, hoping you’re going to hit a fish

lankailin: and it will surface

lankailin: ... things don't get done that way, it is stupid.

lankailin: you have to be patient

lankailin: put your bait on the hook,

lankailin: wait for the fish to come to you

lankailin: he understood that...

lankailin: but he his an aggressive sales man...

lankailin: not my style

lankailin: but hopeful I can maneuver my way around it to do a good job for these people

lankailin: it's a good company, but you know?

Anyways – the way I averted the situation – my boss Cruse had a talk with me saying he actually “only wanted Wendy there for safety reasons.”  Being a good 实习生 (intern), I agreed and went back to my cubicle lol.  But – then I raised my concern to Wendy who is in the cubicle behind me.  I explained to her that I have a simple understanding of American Business because of my cultural background, and that if Kosmos was using me to make these businesses have more trust in them as a Chinese company… I have a lot of suggestions, but because I am willing to do sales the way Kosmos does, I am willing to do it the company way.  Then Wendy listened… I told her, that shoving all of our company’s information into this person’s face was a perfect way to scare them away, but if we use ‘me’ to make friends first (anyways I am fascinated by this business in particular – an American business owner in China – 12 years of experience he said… this is a person I would like to know ANYWAY).  Wendy whispered to me… “I totally agree with you… let me talk to Cruse.。 But you’re right – it would be extremely awkward if I was a third wheel at this lunch.”  Wendy left for 10 minutes, came back to me… and rest assured all was settled the way I wanted.  I was lucky this time with my instincts I think.

Shenzhen!

Good morning everyone - Sorry for the two months' break from my blog writing.  Had a little bit of family 'stuff''事do handle.  But all is well now - and we are due for a serious coffee-catchup session.

I'm sitting in Starbucks right now at the basement of a mall that has an outdoor basement patio.  Shenzhen is a very modern place - known as one of the first cities to open after the 改革开放 opening-economic reforms.  So let me back up a little bit - I had to finish up my Spring semester in Nanjing after all... I had two thesis papers to write: one - on China's Adoption of International Financial Standards and how the benefits outweigh the costs... and two - The different political structures of the U.S. and China, and how that affects financial Journalism.  So I had indeed been a very very busy girl writing these 5,000 character essays and rehearsing Power Point Presentations.  Just the week after, I found out from my Internship Coordinator that he had an opening for me at an Import-Export Intermediary company in Shenzhen.  Even though this is not a Financial-Journalism internship as I had originally hoped for, it is still very interesting to have a 'hands-on' experience at how American companies who manufacture in China are getting things done... transportation wise.  So if anyone has a business that needs a hook-up for shipping to and from China cheaper and/or quicker, let me know! clklein1@asu.edu haha!

This office experience - let me tell you so much different than the office jobs I have worked at in the U.S.  People come in to work between 8-10.  As long as people work hard, they are not chastised for coming in exactly on time.  Also - eating lunch is a very big deal! I find that if people aren't drumming on their computer keyboards, answering piles of emails, or shouting across the hall getting orders done and talking with clients on the telephone - they are probably eating!  Another new custom - Nap time!  How do ya' like that folks an hour nap-time from 1-2... lights out!  Some of the workers even bring little cots with them and pull them out  for nap-time.  I must say - I definitely approve of nap time. lol

But so far so good - I like my coworkers, they are all very warm and outgoing, a young crowd.  My boss "Tan Cruse" haha, is only 33... so I find that the environment is young and lively.  It is only my first week at work, and I already have a gym buddy, and a girl that takes me out to get hair done.  All is well - oh, well not all  was well four days ago.  I had a little bit of food poisoning actually.  Went to the hospital, and had the "1-hour IV cure"  It works like a charm.  Went in, got hooked up to the fluids, and before you know it, good as new.  One word of advice: just because you already got used to the food in one Chinese city, doesn't mean you will be ready for the food in the next Chinese city.　Sad to say, despite the amount of time I have spent in China, I have not yet acquired the "steel stomach" that my Chinese friends all seem to have.  At least I was well taken care of.  My coworkers picked me up from my apartment, took me to the hospital, stayed with me there and then took me out to get some rice porridge.  One thing I have to say about the Chinese work environment is that personal and professional lives seem much more interrelated.  When I first arrived, they said, "Welcome to our big family 大家庭" - and after this little food incident, I can really say, they live up to it.

Outside of that, just settling in... new apartment right next to the office building downtown.  I like being a city girl =), but still getting settled, -will try and set up internet in my apartment today... had my luggage shipped from Nanjing just three days ago.  So it's been a process!  But a new page, so! - Now I'm ready for phase two... I plan on being better about blogging!   Life has calmed down a bit!  =)

你们的蓝凯琳 your lan kailin