I thought I would start this entry about China with a quote from Sun Tzu, the famous Chinese General who wrote "The Art of War" somewhere around 400 BC. I own 4 different translations of this book and, with the start of my work in China, I'm re-reading them again. Sun Tzu is well known for writing about the strategic aspects of actual warfare and many have pointed out the virtues of these writing as a means to understand how the Chinese approach business as well.
My first trip to China involved a visit to Shanghai - a city with a population of somewhere between 14 and 23 million people - making it larger than even Mexico City. For perspective - if it really is 23 million, that would make it slightly less than 3 times larger than New York City... pretty hard to get your head around. I stayed at a western brand hotel in "The Bund" section of the city and we were able to walk to and from our meetings, to restaurants for meals and for the small amount of sight-seeing that we had time for. The section of Shanghai we were in was very modern and there were lots of expensive (western) cars on the streets. It's obvious that China is spending tons on infrastructure and letting the world know that they are able to compete with the rest of the world in terms of up-to-date cities.
One of the many striking features of Shanghai was the traffic. There are lots of cars and lots and lots of scooters / motorcycles / mopeds and none of them believe that traffic lights are more than a suggestion. You had better diligently watch everything in every direction at every intersection or you might find yourself involved in an accident. I guess that if everyone knows that those are the "rules", chances of accidents are lessened but that does make the flow of traffic slower than it would be otherwise. In the video below - please keep in mind, there are traffic signals at that corner, as well as crosswalk signals for the pedestrians but it's obvious that they are not really considered to be important.
"Would you care for some duck tongues?"
Another striking feature is the food. I won't belabor this point but food in China is not what a Westerner would call "Chinese food". There is virtually no resemblance to what you would find in an Asian Buffet and what arrives at your table can be somewhat fantastic - think "here's your bowl of duck tongues Sir". Our hosts would describe to us what was in each dish (beef, duck, chicken, etc.) but you always wanted to ask the follow on question - "what part of the ______ is it?" That question is usually better left unasked!
The Shanghai Team
One other feature I'll mention (for this Blog) is trying to work through the 13 hour time difference. It takes ~17 hours to get to Shanghai (GRR - YYZ - PVG) and you arrive there the day after you left due to the International Dateline. I was in a complete state of disorientation on the first day after arriving and even though I had successfully drugged myself to sleep about 6 hours on the airplane, you are still messed up as your body tries to do life in its normal manner and you are living a schedule that is completely out of sync. It can be quite a battle! And just as you think you have started to win that battle - you return home and start it all over again. I definitely found it more difficult to adjust to the time difference at home, where things are familiar, that I did in China and Nancy had to suffer with my inability to sleep properly (midnight? - my body thinks it's 1:00 in the afternoon) for more than a week.
All of that said, I leave for Zhuzhou next Sunday and we'll let another adventure unfold itself. I'm truly trying to see these trips as opportunities to be seized - they are certainly taking me out of my comfort zone!
This Michigan Winter has been many things but I don't think many would disagree that "long" would be at least one an apt description of it. I am really tired of Winter and even though we're into the second week of March, it shows very little sign of relenting.
I am so anxious for Winter to end that I am (nearly) willing to believe the report that came back from Punxsutawney Phil (and a majority of his fellow groundhogs) that we would indeed have an early Spring - but we're already fast approaching the 6 weeks since his prognostication and as you can see by the current forecast, Winter isn't really doesn't seem ready to budge yet.
I will count myself fortunate that I didn't find myself stuck in an airport as a result of one of the many Winter storms that came through the Midwest and Northeast. I just missed one in Texas - the night before I arrived they had snow and ice and there were very few people on the roads that afternoon and evening. I'm really starting to pay attention to the most direct flight available when I travel for that reason - you can be stuck in Phoenix because your plane didn't make its connection from Connecticut. Hey, come to think of it, that wouldn't be so bad! Everyone talks about the weather and lately, it seems like we believe that the "strangeness" we have been dealing with is a sign of the Apocalypse. I can think of lots of other reasons to lean towards "The End Is Near" thinking but I always remember a picture my Grandfather had of their house in a small town not too far North of here with snow drifted so high, it nearly reached the top of the telephone poles across the road. I'm pretty sure he wasn't whining about the Apocalypse either - he was out there shoveling as fast as he could so the coal truck could make it up the driveway.
I will be thankful when the the grip of Winter is released and the longer days and the songs of migratory birds indicate it can't be too far away (or there are going to be some mighty unhappy - and cold - birds!) so I'll keep the faith and put on an extra layer of clothes for a couple more weeks. Come on Punxsutawney Phil, I'm counting on you!
My perfectionist tendencies are really at war with this idea for a new, shorter and more "off-the cuff" Blog. I like to do something that has, in my mind, more substance and a greater level of content but... that means I have found it very difficult to find the time required to produce said Blog.
Additionally, in the past I have been trying to produce two somewhat separate Blogs, one for the friends we have made while traveling and/or living overseas and one for friends and family here in North America. All of that is done and over (or done and dusted, if you prefer) and there will be, going forward, just this Blog.
Because I am announcing that I intend to make this Blog one with less content per posting and an overall reduced level of what I would describe as "perfection", I am hopeful that I can make more frequent postings and, in doing so transcend the required brevity (dare I describe it as the banality) of Facebook.
So, just to be clear - do I think this Blog will be full of Hemingway-esque prose? I do not. However, it should be more "full bodied" that a Facebook posting and (hopefully) a bit more entertaining.
If you do not want to receive this Blog, please send me an e-mail and say "I don't want to receive this Blog". I will not be (too) offended and will remove you from the "List". All social mediums these days require an "Opt Out" methodology and this Blog should be no exception.
I would like to cite as a Muse for this new Blog one Sharolyn Joy Newington, who has produced a very cool Blog about the life she shares with her husband (Josh) and their new adventures as transplants from Brisbane, Australia to Vancouver, British Columbia. Her Blog is excellent, with thoughtful writing and beautiful pictures and makes me smile and think - I would aspire to that as well.
So, here we go! I hope this works and that you find it worthy of your time to read and to provide me your feedback.
