Saturday, July 16, 2011

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

1 comment:

  1. Whew! I'm glad to hear you got over the food poisoning. I think I have a pretty "steel" stomach, but I'm not even cocky enough to claim that I can handle the food of every Chinese city. Have fun and be safe in Shenzhen! Lots of love hun! Hopefully we'll cross paths when I get to the eastern hemisphere!

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