So, I have not posted in a few days because my days seem to only get longer and my body only seems to get sleepier! I forgot how rough traveling is on your body. If you didn't already know, I am in China and will be spending a total of 2 months in Southeast Asia including China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Taiwan. The first part of my journey is a three week study tour through my university that is focused on Retail in China. This was a great opportunity for me to get some international retail exposure as I will be working for a large discount retailer in the U.S. beginning in September. The trip is three weeks of non stop company visits and some tourism. We are up between 5am and 8am every day and usually not back to our hotel until 7/8pm every night, when we try to go out and see the city. Our days range from 15-20 hours and I can honestly say I'm already exhausted and conserving all energy I have! I can't believe the trip is almost over and all the stuff we have seen. We will have visited a total of 6 cities all around China and seen a ton of regions and the difference between tier 1, 2, and 3 cities (on a 6 tier scale). This is the first time in Asia and I am constantly amazed and sometimes even shocked by what I am seeing and experiencing.
Today, we arrived in Shenzhen, which is in the Southeast of China and very close to Hong Kong, our next destination. Shenzhen is home to many factories that produce a lot of the stuff you are probably using or wearing right now. It is considered a Tier 1 city, i.e. the population is more than 10 million people. However, we are all a little disappointed by Shenzhen because we just came from Shanghai, literally the Paris of Asia. Shenzhen is known for pick pocketing and does not have the array of delicious American food restaurants as the larger, more developed cities we've been to. One of the biggest reasons we're in Shenzhen is to go to the Wal-Mart China headquarters and visit a factory of another company. I'm very interested to see exactly what a true Chinese factory looks like and if we're just being given a "show". I'm also interested to see what Wal-Mart has to say about their COO (Chief Operating Officer) and CFO (Chief Financial Officer) resigning just days ago. Hmm.
So, Shenzhen cannot hold a candle or even a match to Shanghai and all of us really miss it. Shanghai is the largest city in China with a population of 23 million people. Yes. 23.Million.People. Although I've been here for a bit, I still cannot even wrap my mind around the sheer SIZE of China. And just how many people live here. As a comparison, New York City has a population of 19 million people. However, this size of a city is not rare in China. They have 160 cities with populations over 1 million people. Crazy! Shanghai is the most desirable city in China for most people because of its size, development, opportunities, and lifestyle. It's a veyr international city and has a ton of different kinds of foods and communities. This is due to the International Settlement that was made up of many different, small settlements from multiple countries which governed themselves and their own areas. Two of the largest settlements are the British and French. The British owned The Bund area, which is right along the river in Shanghai while the French had the French Concession.
I just finished reading "Shanghai Girls" by Lisa See and learned about Shanghai in the 1930's and 1940's, during World War 2, the Japanese invasion, and finally, the revolution that would create the People's Republic of China and install communism in China. The book also covered Chinese immigration into the U.S. and how difficult it was to move to the "Land of Opportunities" for Chinese in the mid-1900's. I'm still embarrassed by some of the bad choices the U.S. has made in the past regarding other races and ethnicities, but that is a whole other post in itself!
Shanghai was just amazing. It had beautiful temples, great entertainment, nightlife, delicious food that was NOT Chinese food (I'm over it), and the best shopping (and knock offs) you could dream of! We went to a great Mexican restaurant on the first night and I had probably the best Chimichanga of my life, but that could be because I am not fairing well on the food here. I'm honestly an extremely picky eater, but China is the most difficult place I've ever had to eat. The food is...interesting. I basically feel like I'm on Fear Factor most of the time and most of us leave half the food untouched. The Chinese appetite and taste is just very different from anything Western. They eat off literally dessert plates and their meals consist of a huge variety of food that is barely recognizable by our group. I admit they have the portion sizing right, but I need and like hearty food instead of lots of veggies mixed with some weird meat and tons of more weird sauces and spices. The textures are what most of us are having issues with because things are mushy or jiggly or hard as a rock. It definitely has taken getting used to and most of us are thankful every time we pass a McDonalds, KFC, or Pizza Hut! I don't typically eat fast food at home, but here, it's a Godsend! Shanghai has the most amount and variety of American restaurants we've seen and allowed me to eat something other than KFC every single day. In China, they love their KFC chicken. In fact, KFC is doing way better than McDonalds! Another funny thing is that Pizza Hut is a fine dining experience in China. They don't do take out and serve wine and are actually nicely decorated. You also can get steaks, lasagna, and seafood! It's like a mini Cheesecake factory. Awesome. The other best part of Shanghai was the shopping. You probably already know that China is notorious for knock offs. Of everything. We have coined the phrase, "China is where IP (Intellectual Property) comes to die." We found these great markets that sell everything from designer underwear to knock off purses. And we went crazy. Haggling and bargaining is addictive and we became obsessed with it. The fact that we could get margins of 10 or 15% on products became almost a competition between us and we would run back to the group, trying to boast about our amazing deals and savvy negotiation strategies. Sometimes, we would pair up and go at it together, widdling down the prices until they hit, literally, rock bottom. Many of the shops were scared of our group, roaming the halls mercilessly, ready to do business and get the prices they would never offer another person. But, we were a sale for them and when you're dealing with a market with over 100 shops with the same crap, they are desperate to make some money, because no matter what, it'll be some sort of profit. You might be wondering, how the hell do they get away with selling knock offs that are actually realistic? Because the government does not care. This is a huge money making venture for many people in China and keeps many mouths fed and the economy running. And besides, those brands are making loads of money off of the huge, newly rich class in China. So, regardless of the fact that their intellectual property is being blatantly stolen, they are still making damn good money. This is either a very distorted win-win situation or a major ethical issue. What do you think?
After a few wonderful days enjoying the beautiful and modern city of Shanghai and saying goodbye, we flew down to Shenzhen, sketch capital of the world. Soon, though, we will be driving over to Hong Kong, which is a Special Administration Region of China, meaning they have their own currency and govern themselves, but receive defense and protection from China. I'm super excited to go to Hong Kong and will soon post my upcoming adventures in Southeast Asia!
In the meantime, Stay Vibrant!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
What's Black, White, and Cute All-Over?
PANDAS!!!!
Today, we visited the Chengdu Panda Sanctuary and got to see, in person, pandas. For me, this was absolutely a dream come true. I grew up hearing the words extinction and the race to "save the pandas." Pandas were also one of those adorable animals every kid wanted to squeeze and I'm not afraid to say that I have spent hours on youtube watching adorable baby pandas. So, finding out that my group would be going to the official panda sanctuary was so exciting. I had seen videos on youtube also about people who got to play and sit with the pandas, which made me do my research. At the location I would be going to, the only option was to give a donation of 1000 RMB or, $150, to the sanctuary to take pictures with a panda on your lap. After all of my travels, I have learned one important thing: do NOT skimp on experiences. It's ok to go the cheaper route and stay in hostels, eat street vendor food, and travel second class...but never EVER give up the opportunity to do something that probably is once in a lifetime. Do you really need that overpriced pencil with a panda on top? Or, that set of coasters you think your mom might like? Or, the many useless souvenirs that most your friends and family will put on a shelf or in a drawer and forget about? The answers are all: no. Send your mom and dad a postcard and use that money to do something that you can remember with great pictures and great memories. This was one of them. I was all geared up with my make up done and my camera ready as we were hustled into the little area where they use your camera to take your picture with the panda. The panda is there munching on some bamboo that's been dipped into honey and the keepers just throw the panda on your lap and then swing him right off again probably less than a minute later. The panda I got to hold (and cuddle) was only 9 months old and chill as a cucumber. Later, my group decided they must drug the pandas a little so they don't freak out and don't get defensive, since this is a huge money-making venture for the sanctuary to be able to provide the best care for them. The panda was really floppy and kind of out of it. Hey, even pandas need a little Ambien or Xanax, I suppose! During the minute they give you, you have to decide if you want your picture to be of you staring at the panda or looking at the camera and you are just so excited and amazed it's happening you're smiling like a fool, rubbing his tummy, and holding him tight and realizing that's he's just as cuddly as you'd think! It was an amazing experience and I loved that my money was going right back to caring for these adorable and admirable creatures. Pandas have actually been around for 8 MILLION YEARS. Yeah, insane, right? Scientists believe they are important to understanding evolution and so it's very important to keep their species from extinction. Also, pandas have only and are only found in China, in just three regions. So, they are very special and unique animals. I was sad I didn't get to actually play with the panda, but there is hope! At the other sanctuary in China, you can donate money to get 5 minutes to play with a bunch of pandas in their own habitat. However, the cost is a whopping 5000 RMB or, $750. I say, screw a cruise, go for the pandas!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Welcome to the Future: China
For the past few days, I have been in Yingkou, which is this harbor/port city that's in Northeast China and a Tier 3 city. Basically, it's in the middle of nowhere and took a train and then a long bus ride to even get to. However, despite it's questionable locale, it's a city that is in the stages of development and wants to become a Tier 1 city on par with Beijing and others in China. Getting there was half the fun (ha) because we had to take a train that probably hadn't had Americans on it since, well, never. The stares we got as the 26 of us hung out in the train station with our large bags and me with my awesome hand-painted rice paddy hat and angry bird hanging from my backpack were priceless. You'd think they'd never see a group of white people before...oh wait, they hadn't! The town we were going to is actually the sister-city of Jacksonville and is where one of our professors had studied and taught, so they "rolled out the red carpet" for us. They welcomed us with a very formal visit and then we went to a banquet dinner with all of them where they proceeded to make toasts to us and inform us that we needed to "get drunk". Nothing like a good communist drunk fest. After the dinner was over and we were all warm with their welcome, we headed back to our hotel (which we found out was also kind of a brothel) and celebrated one of the guy's birthdays. I was so exhausted that I passed out before 9pm, but apparently the party was just getting started. These government officials actually showed up at the hotel, got the guy a massive cake, and bought everyone tons of drinks. One thing really popular here in China is KTV, a karaoke/club set-up. On the 4th floor of our hotel is this KTV thing and the group decided to rent it out with their new friends from the Communist Party! Unfortunately, I missed the whole thing. Fortunately, I did not have to wear my sunglasses inside and guzzle water in the morning. I do have to admit, I like a government you can drink with.
In the morning, we headed on a trip to this huge pre-planned city area for Yingkou. It was scary, intimidating, awe-inspiring, and creepy all at the same time. The night before we had dinner at this beautiful hotel and it had many detailed models in the lobby. These models were of the pre-planned city that Yingkou was basically building from the ground-up. It was like the models you see of new resorts and timeshares when they're trying to do a sales pitch, except much much better. The models had every detail and were absolutely beautiful. I did not realize at that point how many models I would end up seeing. This morning, we traveled to the actual site of this pre-planned city and drove into a ghost town. Towering apartment buildings and condos being built scattered the skyline and there were parks, buildings, and homes that stood there, perfect in their planning, empty. It was like someone came in, built a huge, modern city and forgot to invite the people. We visited the building that was really the sales center and saw the model for the entire city. It was planned right down to the kind of pipes they would use, their sanitation, water sources, electricity, everything. Every single aspect of this city was planned. Perfectly streamlined. Ultra-modern. And big enough to encompass at least 10-20 million people. Fun fact: the city of Yingkou currently only holds 2.38 million people. We then watched a video that probably was for potential investors. It was a full 3D movie that had epic music and showed almost Sims-like depictions of a bustling city with huge athletic events, a cultural center, plenty of shopping, tons of manufacturing, big businesses, huge residential areas, and perfectly landscaped parks. I felt like someone should have said, "Welcome to the Future." What I was looking at was a combination of Brave New World and Zenon: Girl from the 21st Century. The growth here was completely inorganic. Gone were the days of cities building up from new settlers and cultures and developing over time with historical roots. The Chinese government is the largest investor in this project (DUH! They own ALL the land in China, surprise surprise) and it seemed like one day decided, "Hey! Let's build a brand new city. What do you all think? Oh wait, we don't have to ask anyone! Cool." So, a city was built on a port in NE China that met every single modern expectation and need any city planner with an unlimited budget could imagine or want. The cool thing about a dictatorship/communist government, is that shit gets done. And fast. Now, if you want to do something that wasn't the government's idea, there may be some more red tape. However, the government doesn't have anyone to answer to. No Congress, no Senate, nothing that prevents them from just doing things. I.e. building a city from the ground up. The crazy part? What we saw was built only in 4 years and that land literally used to be rice paddies. And, they plan on having this mega city done, built, and filled within 5 years. Holy. Shit. The pure amount of progress China is taking is insane to me. Instead of baby steps to a developed nation, they are doing Olympic long-jumps, which I suppose is appropriate considering their recent hosting of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, so they had some good examples. If this had happened in America, we would've had tree-huggers chaining themselves to the bamboo and lobbyists and senators and interest groups and everyone in between petitioning against and perhaps for this testament to land development. It's enough work to get a Wal-Mart (ew), let alone a city built overnight in BFE.
So, what did I learn? China is big. Not only is it big, it has money to burn and it does not have anyone telling it what to do. China is kind of like someone who just won the lottery and discovered how much power they can wield and finds out they don't have to answer to anyone. I have a feeling that if this mega city model works, China will duplicate it all across the land. A huge majority of the people live in the East, so the government is trying to encourage people to move West and create new centers of commerce. I can see them building these crazy, pre-planned cities all over China. Here, if you build it, they will come. With 1.4 BILLION people. Hold on. Yes, 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE. I know, that's hard to take in. If you think about the amount of people we have in America who have an IQ over 130 (very superior intelligence), we're talking 2.5% of the population, or 7.75 million people. Now, look at China. They have 35 million people of superior intelligence. That is about 4.5 superior intelligence people to every single one of ours. The amount of potential is astounding and scary. So with their huge population and huge number of very very smart people, they can easily create and fill these cities. And their work ethic is unending. They are just getting started in their hey day and do not show any signs of slowing down. Their people value education and progress and are hungry for it. We, however, are sitting around with our bellies full and our minds empty. We have become complacent and feel entitled to what we have. There are those that work hard, understand the importance of education, and strive for progress in their jobs and communities, but that quality has been decreasing, and rapidly at that. To stay competitive in the global marketplace, we need to wake up and realize that to stay a world super power, we need to act like one. China is looking to move from manufacturing to services and will soon overtake the U.S. as not only the number one exporter in the world, but the number one importer as well. Meaning, they are not only making a ton of stuff, they are buying it too.
Americans are leaders and when we need to, we can create, build, innovate, and initiate things that lead and progress the world around us. Now, more than ever, we need to remember our strengths and encourage each other to not become stagnant in our growth. By taking advantage of new opportunities, and even creating them ourselves, we will continue to be a competitive force globally. Being forward thinking and planning for the future is vital to our success. So, I challenge you all. How can you contribute to our progress? How can you take your job or education into the future? China may be huge, but we're free. We have the freedom to say we want or do not want a pre-planned city popping up on our coastline, we have the freedom to pursue any career or educational tract we want, we have the freedom to make this country our own and pursue life, liberty, and happiness however we see fit. So, use that freedom, don't take it for granted, because there are approximately 1.4 billion people who have not heard that sweet freedom ring.
In the morning, we headed on a trip to this huge pre-planned city area for Yingkou. It was scary, intimidating, awe-inspiring, and creepy all at the same time. The night before we had dinner at this beautiful hotel and it had many detailed models in the lobby. These models were of the pre-planned city that Yingkou was basically building from the ground-up. It was like the models you see of new resorts and timeshares when they're trying to do a sales pitch, except much much better. The models had every detail and were absolutely beautiful. I did not realize at that point how many models I would end up seeing. This morning, we traveled to the actual site of this pre-planned city and drove into a ghost town. Towering apartment buildings and condos being built scattered the skyline and there were parks, buildings, and homes that stood there, perfect in their planning, empty. It was like someone came in, built a huge, modern city and forgot to invite the people. We visited the building that was really the sales center and saw the model for the entire city. It was planned right down to the kind of pipes they would use, their sanitation, water sources, electricity, everything. Every single aspect of this city was planned. Perfectly streamlined. Ultra-modern. And big enough to encompass at least 10-20 million people. Fun fact: the city of Yingkou currently only holds 2.38 million people. We then watched a video that probably was for potential investors. It was a full 3D movie that had epic music and showed almost Sims-like depictions of a bustling city with huge athletic events, a cultural center, plenty of shopping, tons of manufacturing, big businesses, huge residential areas, and perfectly landscaped parks. I felt like someone should have said, "Welcome to the Future." What I was looking at was a combination of Brave New World and Zenon: Girl from the 21st Century. The growth here was completely inorganic. Gone were the days of cities building up from new settlers and cultures and developing over time with historical roots. The Chinese government is the largest investor in this project (DUH! They own ALL the land in China, surprise surprise) and it seemed like one day decided, "Hey! Let's build a brand new city. What do you all think? Oh wait, we don't have to ask anyone! Cool." So, a city was built on a port in NE China that met every single modern expectation and need any city planner with an unlimited budget could imagine or want. The cool thing about a dictatorship/communist government, is that shit gets done. And fast. Now, if you want to do something that wasn't the government's idea, there may be some more red tape. However, the government doesn't have anyone to answer to. No Congress, no Senate, nothing that prevents them from just doing things. I.e. building a city from the ground up. The crazy part? What we saw was built only in 4 years and that land literally used to be rice paddies. And, they plan on having this mega city done, built, and filled within 5 years. Holy. Shit. The pure amount of progress China is taking is insane to me. Instead of baby steps to a developed nation, they are doing Olympic long-jumps, which I suppose is appropriate considering their recent hosting of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, so they had some good examples. If this had happened in America, we would've had tree-huggers chaining themselves to the bamboo and lobbyists and senators and interest groups and everyone in between petitioning against and perhaps for this testament to land development. It's enough work to get a Wal-Mart (ew), let alone a city built overnight in BFE.
So, what did I learn? China is big. Not only is it big, it has money to burn and it does not have anyone telling it what to do. China is kind of like someone who just won the lottery and discovered how much power they can wield and finds out they don't have to answer to anyone. I have a feeling that if this mega city model works, China will duplicate it all across the land. A huge majority of the people live in the East, so the government is trying to encourage people to move West and create new centers of commerce. I can see them building these crazy, pre-planned cities all over China. Here, if you build it, they will come. With 1.4 BILLION people. Hold on. Yes, 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE. I know, that's hard to take in. If you think about the amount of people we have in America who have an IQ over 130 (very superior intelligence), we're talking 2.5% of the population, or 7.75 million people. Now, look at China. They have 35 million people of superior intelligence. That is about 4.5 superior intelligence people to every single one of ours. The amount of potential is astounding and scary. So with their huge population and huge number of very very smart people, they can easily create and fill these cities. And their work ethic is unending. They are just getting started in their hey day and do not show any signs of slowing down. Their people value education and progress and are hungry for it. We, however, are sitting around with our bellies full and our minds empty. We have become complacent and feel entitled to what we have. There are those that work hard, understand the importance of education, and strive for progress in their jobs and communities, but that quality has been decreasing, and rapidly at that. To stay competitive in the global marketplace, we need to wake up and realize that to stay a world super power, we need to act like one. China is looking to move from manufacturing to services and will soon overtake the U.S. as not only the number one exporter in the world, but the number one importer as well. Meaning, they are not only making a ton of stuff, they are buying it too.
Americans are leaders and when we need to, we can create, build, innovate, and initiate things that lead and progress the world around us. Now, more than ever, we need to remember our strengths and encourage each other to not become stagnant in our growth. By taking advantage of new opportunities, and even creating them ourselves, we will continue to be a competitive force globally. Being forward thinking and planning for the future is vital to our success. So, I challenge you all. How can you contribute to our progress? How can you take your job or education into the future? China may be huge, but we're free. We have the freedom to say we want or do not want a pre-planned city popping up on our coastline, we have the freedom to pursue any career or educational tract we want, we have the freedom to make this country our own and pursue life, liberty, and happiness however we see fit. So, use that freedom, don't take it for granted, because there are approximately 1.4 billion people who have not heard that sweet freedom ring.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Keep it Classy
When Marie Antoinette said, “Let them eat cake!” (or apparently did not say that at all…), the world shuddered at the idea of such a blatant admittance of the class system. The wealth of France was sitting in the hands of a very small percentage of the population and the rest were starving in the streets and apparently pissed about their lack of cake. Personally, I’m a much bigger fan of cupcakes, but I’ll get to that later. Anyway, it seems like throughout history we have been battling class systems and yet, when left to their own devices, class systems keep coming back. I would like to recall the 80/20 rule that has permeated so many different areas of my life…involvement, group projects, my wardrobe. The 80/20 rules basically means that 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people or products. For example, about 20% of my closet is worn 80% of the time, or, there are 20% of the people at my university doing 80% of the work. And in society, it always seems to end up where 20% of the people control 80% of the wealth. We continually try to play Robin Hood and create either three classes with an ideally large middle class or for socialism, no classes at all. We met with the Department of Consumption Economics, which we’re not really sure what exactly they do still, and got to see the role of the government in business in China. They basically told us that the government is using taxes to stimulate and create the middle class, which are the major consumers in China’s economy. However, this control is needed because as the Chinese are gaining more and more wealth, the amount of people who hold that wealth is small and they hold a lot of it. This is creating a larger and larger gap between classes, which is similar to what is happening in the U.S. today.
We have a shrinking middle class, and even though the level of living is high and increasing, our class system is becoming a massive lower class and a group of very wealthy, very powerful individuals at the other end. The big question is…does the government step in? Do we take the cues from many other countries (many of which could be called “socialist”) and utilize taxes to define our class system? Or, do we laissez-faire and let whatever happens, happen? I can promise you I don’t know all the answers and I’m not 100% sure on my own opinion. It seems like this rule is something we cannot escape except for enforcing our own rules i.e. taxes. I’m a free market kind of gal, but I totally see the issue with having a few select people control everyone, then we’re talking a quazi-dictatorship with money the deciding power. I do believe that it’s important to encourage people to work hard, make a living, and have the opportunity to realize their own dreams. I also believe in the Chinese proverb (appropriate and ironic at the same time), “Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime.” I always learned that negative reinforcement and punishment are typically not the best ways to accomplish something. I see income taxes designed to “redistribute wealth” as a negative way to ensure a more balanced socioeconomic system. Starting working and understanding how much money actually leaves my paychecks comes as a shock to me. I feel kind of like a kindergarten mentality sometimes thinking, “Wait! I don’t want to share! That’s mine!” I think of all the hours I will spend in a cubicle and the hours I spent taking classes, studying, getting involved, in meetings, volunteering, and in general preparing myself so that I would be able to get a job in the first place. Then, to have this percentage taken away from me makes me sort of feel like someone is taking away one of the Barbies I spent months saving up for.
This is an ongoing problem that has been debated throughout time. It seems like the natural habit for societies and civilization is that a few people control the majority of the resources, power, and people. Does that mean this is the “natural” and “right” way of things? Probably not. In a Utopian society, sure. In a society that is not perfect and plagued by the universal human condition of greed, we add in a whole lot of other factors. However, is it our government’s responsibility to combat the greed of its people? Or is it the responsibility of others who can control themselves and must try to prevent the misuse of power? I wonder if everyone worked really hard and there was natural competition, if there wouldn’t be such a drastic gap between classes. As a member of this notorious “shrinking” middle class, I wonder what my fate will be. Will I be one of the lucky to join the small percentage of individuals who hold the wealth and power of the nation and perhaps even world in their grasp? If I am part of that group, how will I work to be generous and compassionate to ensure that I do my own duty as someone who is affluent and influential in this world? By having that level of power, it’s important to be a good leader too and to use it wisely. Or, will I be part of the growing mass of people (80% according to our rule) who only hold 20% of the wealth, thus powerless and usually disenfranchised. Throughout history, this mass of people has come together to fight wealth with people and when they really unite themselves, have won. (Much to Marie’s displeasure) So, perhaps some government regulation is needed to prevent the mass rebellion of the people and the mass corruption of those who lead us. Like for many things in life, I believe balance is the answer. I’m a Libra (regardless of that stupid Zodiac change) and am drawn towards a balance of opinions, ideas, and practices that make me feel like I’m incorporating all sides and thus getting the best of all worlds. Maybe being sensitive to the need for individuals to work hard and determine their own lifestyles while doing just enough to ensure there isn’t a drastic gap between different socioeconomic statuses is what our government should focus on. I see it as this: I like sharing my piece of the pie with others as long as I get a good majority of it as well as the first and last bites.
I will be posting my adventures on the Great Wall, being the only blonde for at least 500 miles in this “city”, and shot-glass sized KFC mashed potatoes very soon.
In the meantime, stay vibrant and keep it classy (or not, depending upon your own opinions)!
We have a shrinking middle class, and even though the level of living is high and increasing, our class system is becoming a massive lower class and a group of very wealthy, very powerful individuals at the other end. The big question is…does the government step in? Do we take the cues from many other countries (many of which could be called “socialist”) and utilize taxes to define our class system? Or, do we laissez-faire and let whatever happens, happen? I can promise you I don’t know all the answers and I’m not 100% sure on my own opinion. It seems like this rule is something we cannot escape except for enforcing our own rules i.e. taxes. I’m a free market kind of gal, but I totally see the issue with having a few select people control everyone, then we’re talking a quazi-dictatorship with money the deciding power. I do believe that it’s important to encourage people to work hard, make a living, and have the opportunity to realize their own dreams. I also believe in the Chinese proverb (appropriate and ironic at the same time), “Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime.” I always learned that negative reinforcement and punishment are typically not the best ways to accomplish something. I see income taxes designed to “redistribute wealth” as a negative way to ensure a more balanced socioeconomic system. Starting working and understanding how much money actually leaves my paychecks comes as a shock to me. I feel kind of like a kindergarten mentality sometimes thinking, “Wait! I don’t want to share! That’s mine!” I think of all the hours I will spend in a cubicle and the hours I spent taking classes, studying, getting involved, in meetings, volunteering, and in general preparing myself so that I would be able to get a job in the first place. Then, to have this percentage taken away from me makes me sort of feel like someone is taking away one of the Barbies I spent months saving up for.
This is an ongoing problem that has been debated throughout time. It seems like the natural habit for societies and civilization is that a few people control the majority of the resources, power, and people. Does that mean this is the “natural” and “right” way of things? Probably not. In a Utopian society, sure. In a society that is not perfect and plagued by the universal human condition of greed, we add in a whole lot of other factors. However, is it our government’s responsibility to combat the greed of its people? Or is it the responsibility of others who can control themselves and must try to prevent the misuse of power? I wonder if everyone worked really hard and there was natural competition, if there wouldn’t be such a drastic gap between classes. As a member of this notorious “shrinking” middle class, I wonder what my fate will be. Will I be one of the lucky to join the small percentage of individuals who hold the wealth and power of the nation and perhaps even world in their grasp? If I am part of that group, how will I work to be generous and compassionate to ensure that I do my own duty as someone who is affluent and influential in this world? By having that level of power, it’s important to be a good leader too and to use it wisely. Or, will I be part of the growing mass of people (80% according to our rule) who only hold 20% of the wealth, thus powerless and usually disenfranchised. Throughout history, this mass of people has come together to fight wealth with people and when they really unite themselves, have won. (Much to Marie’s displeasure) So, perhaps some government regulation is needed to prevent the mass rebellion of the people and the mass corruption of those who lead us. Like for many things in life, I believe balance is the answer. I’m a Libra (regardless of that stupid Zodiac change) and am drawn towards a balance of opinions, ideas, and practices that make me feel like I’m incorporating all sides and thus getting the best of all worlds. Maybe being sensitive to the need for individuals to work hard and determine their own lifestyles while doing just enough to ensure there isn’t a drastic gap between different socioeconomic statuses is what our government should focus on. I see it as this: I like sharing my piece of the pie with others as long as I get a good majority of it as well as the first and last bites.
I will be posting my adventures on the Great Wall, being the only blonde for at least 500 miles in this “city”, and shot-glass sized KFC mashed potatoes very soon.
In the meantime, stay vibrant and keep it classy (or not, depending upon your own opinions)!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Can't Read My, No You Can't Reada My Poker Face
In China, the concept of Face is integral to its culture. You can give Face, get Face, show Face, or save Face. Face is your reputation, influenced by what you wear, how you act, how important you look, what technology you use, and what kind of car or bike you drive. In American culture, we all secretly worry about what other people think about us, in China culture, you must worry about what other people think about you. It’s a form of hubris that is socially accepted and encouraged. We Americans are so concerned with hiding the fact that we really are concerned with what other people think about us that we end up playing a vicious game of hide and seek while treading the line between living the lifestyle we want for ourselves and for the image is reflects upon us. Going to all of these meetings, I am learning quickly how to increase my “Face”. The leaders we meet with surround themselves with many assistants and like to bring as many “minions” with them to the meetings, regardless if they are interacting with us, relevant, or even, awake. We were in a meeting with the Beijing Modern Plaza, which was a huge shopping mall of about six levels that had everything from Lancome and Hugo Boss to toilet paper. The executives rolled in with a posse that rivaled Paris Hilton and there was a very specific way that we all needed to sit. They even had a videographer and a photographer to document our important visit. By us visiting them, we were giving them “Face” because we were honoring them with our visit. In return, they showed us “Face” by having so much pomp and circumstance during our visit. They also showed “Face” by having so many of their assistants and subordinates with them and having people taking video and pictures of us all, which makes them look all that much more important. The many assistants and other board members did not say one word and one guy even fell asleep, obviously just believing showing up was enough. One of my favorite parts of the visit? The guy who took photos of me and another girl with his cell phone camera. I guess they don’t get to see a black girl and a blonde girl next to each other very often!
One of my favorite visits was with Lenovo, which is the largest retailer of PC’s in china and has 10% global market share. The guy who spoke to us was a great pubic speaker and had a plethora of exciting and funny stories of his time in China. He was originally from Canada and has been in China for 10 years and has had many unique experiences and insights he shared with us. He told us about how in China, there are three signs of wealth. In the past, it was having a radio, a watch, and a bicycle. Now, it is having a cell phone, a computer, and an electric bicycle. Puts things in perceptive, eh? At first, I was disdainful of this idea and thought it was petty and silly. However, after thinking through it more, I saw the tradition and honor present in Chinese society. This “Face” isn’t about showboating; it is about reputation. And reputation in this society is the most important thing to achieve and maintain. What if Americans fessed up to caring what other people think? What if we valued reputation and showing respect to others and respecting ourselves? Many times, we claim, “I don’t care what other people think!”, but I truly believe we kind of should. The relationships between the people here are vital to them and by building strong reputations, they develop trust that makes business and professionalism personal and based upon experience. Perception is sometimes reality and wouldn’t we as Americans and as individuals trust each other more and feel more confident if we acted and dressed and lived in accordance to how we would want to be perceived? I realize I’ve adopted this idea since coming to college and joining a sorority. My boyfriend laughs because I always want to make sure my “Face” i.e. make-up is on before I leave the house and I’m dressed well and my hair is done. That may seem very high-maintenance to many, but I see it as putting my best self forward when I leave the house. My sorority taught me that you must be confident in yourself and I can honestly say I don’t know many people who are confident with greasy hair, sweatpants, and wrinkled clothing. You wouldn’t invite guests over to your house with an unclean bathroom, clothes on the floor, or the garbage overflowing…so why would you present the same image to the entire world everyday? I like the thought that my reputation matters and that I can earn “Face” to improve that reputation, which would be used to judge my character. We build this reputation in business by the work we have done, so it makes sense that we would continue to build our reputation in other parts of our life. Granted, they do emphasize things like what car you drive and what phone you use, but we kind of already do that. I won’t lie, I have a Mac not only because I adore my Mac and Apple products, but also because I like the image it reflects on me. I’m creative, modern, and like easy to use products. We all use, wear, and carry products that we believe align with our personalities and image, but are scared to really admit it. The Chinese are shameless in their pursuit of Face, so I say, admit it, America, and show us your Face.
One of my favorite visits was with Lenovo, which is the largest retailer of PC’s in china and has 10% global market share. The guy who spoke to us was a great pubic speaker and had a plethora of exciting and funny stories of his time in China. He was originally from Canada and has been in China for 10 years and has had many unique experiences and insights he shared with us. He told us about how in China, there are three signs of wealth. In the past, it was having a radio, a watch, and a bicycle. Now, it is having a cell phone, a computer, and an electric bicycle. Puts things in perceptive, eh? At first, I was disdainful of this idea and thought it was petty and silly. However, after thinking through it more, I saw the tradition and honor present in Chinese society. This “Face” isn’t about showboating; it is about reputation. And reputation in this society is the most important thing to achieve and maintain. What if Americans fessed up to caring what other people think? What if we valued reputation and showing respect to others and respecting ourselves? Many times, we claim, “I don’t care what other people think!”, but I truly believe we kind of should. The relationships between the people here are vital to them and by building strong reputations, they develop trust that makes business and professionalism personal and based upon experience. Perception is sometimes reality and wouldn’t we as Americans and as individuals trust each other more and feel more confident if we acted and dressed and lived in accordance to how we would want to be perceived? I realize I’ve adopted this idea since coming to college and joining a sorority. My boyfriend laughs because I always want to make sure my “Face” i.e. make-up is on before I leave the house and I’m dressed well and my hair is done. That may seem very high-maintenance to many, but I see it as putting my best self forward when I leave the house. My sorority taught me that you must be confident in yourself and I can honestly say I don’t know many people who are confident with greasy hair, sweatpants, and wrinkled clothing. You wouldn’t invite guests over to your house with an unclean bathroom, clothes on the floor, or the garbage overflowing…so why would you present the same image to the entire world everyday? I like the thought that my reputation matters and that I can earn “Face” to improve that reputation, which would be used to judge my character. We build this reputation in business by the work we have done, so it makes sense that we would continue to build our reputation in other parts of our life. Granted, they do emphasize things like what car you drive and what phone you use, but we kind of already do that. I won’t lie, I have a Mac not only because I adore my Mac and Apple products, but also because I like the image it reflects on me. I’m creative, modern, and like easy to use products. We all use, wear, and carry products that we believe align with our personalities and image, but are scared to really admit it. The Chinese are shameless in their pursuit of Face, so I say, admit it, America, and show us your Face.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Smog in my Blog
The jet lag has finally set in and I am more exhausted than words can say. I will just say quickly that I experienced full on, sun blocking, smog today and was amazed at how it could become a ceiling so close to the ground. We had a busy busy day with three company visits and dinner that reminded me why I'm such a picky eater. More updates to come tomorrow!
Stay Vibrant =)
Stay Vibrant =)
Monday, May 9, 2011
Green Tea Ice Cream and a Temperature Check
After a verrah verrah long flight that began a little bumpy (the "gentleman" behind me did not want my seat back, so he took the mature route and kicked my seat until I was kindly moved to another) and ended with nice people who spoke English, I was finally in Beijing. The airport was massive. I have been in a hell of a lot of airports and this one was the biggest I had ever seen. The ceiling was incredible and made out of wood beams with metal beams underneath them, allowing for skylights. The whole place was pristine and constantly being cleaned. I will admit, this began the breaking down of my preconceived notions about this supergiant country in the East. Remember, however, Beijing had a makeover that even Joan Rivers or that girl from the Hills couldn't outdo for the 2008 Olympics. I continued on to customs and had to pass through a threshold that actually took my temperature. I forget that us Westerners are walking biological warfare to many developing countries because our germs are bigger, faster, and stronger that the stuff they keep around. I recall a time in my childhood when I was even quarantined in a hospital in Canada because I had an ear infection and our bugs are apparently much more potent than theirs and they worried I would pass on my dreadful American strain to them. So, China is protecting its borders with mass temperature checks and we are protecting ours with a few M16's and a giant wall. China has a giant wall too (or so I've heard...), but it seems a lot more approachable than ours.
After my medical "interrogation", I "queued" up to have my Chinese Visa checked and my passport stamped. I didn't realize how big "big" meant when I first arrived at the Peking International Airport, but when a shuttle tram had to escort me to the baggage claim, I got a clue. The 2008 Olympics catapulted Beijing into this epicenter of tourism, commerce, and industry more so than ever before. This airport was only the beginning of what I am learning and will learn about how powerful China really is. Beijing is becoming not only the epicenter and hub of Asia, but the Eastern Hemisphere and perhaps, at some point, the modern world. Walking out of the airport, hopping on a shuttle that would take me close to my hotel, and spending an hour in the morning rush hour of Beijing, reality set in. This wasn't the China I had honestly grown up believing in. Admittedly, my ideas of China came from Mulan the Disney movie and reading those Royal Diaries in 7th grade when I was younger and stories of an impoverished, third world country struggling underneath Communism's oppression. I expected pagados everywhere, starving shanty towns on the side of the road, girls in robes with their feet bound, and talking dragons. Driving into the city, I saw skyscrapers, neatly maintained landscaping, people busy getting to work, and a sprawling metropolis that looked similar to any other major city...but much much bigger. Ok, there were some lanterns hanging in front of businesses, but other than that and the Chinese symbols adorning the buildings, the stereotypical China I had expected was nowhere to be seen.
I know, however, that China is big. Very very VERY big. And Beijing is a completely different city because of the influence and impact of the 2008 Olympics. I have yet to wander into the countryside, the suburbs, and villages that may not paint the same picture of China for me. That is exactly what I plan to find out over these next two months. To see both the good, bad, and ugly of Asia to better understand their history and what it might mean for their future. China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with Beijing itself dating back over 3,000 years. How has it survived for so long and what can myself as an American and world citizen learn from them? They were once one of the most powerful civilizations and now, 3,000 years later, we see their development into a world power once again. They do say history always repeats itself...so where does that leave us?
Once I arrived at my destination, I had to find my hotel. Well, it seems directions aren't as easy as go down, take a left, it'll be on your right. Especially when English isn't widely spoken or understood. I was tired, hungry, and carrying three bags on my person, so I wasn't in the mood for a Chinese scavenger hunt to find my hotel. After doing a weird form of sign language with a few people, a man was nice enough to call the hotel and walk me around the block to it. My usual American paranoia made me think he must want to take me down a dark alley (in the light of day) and run off with all my possessions after chopping me into little pieces. Instead, he wished me a wonderful trip and waved to me as I went into my hotel. I could jump to conclusions and believe he would stalk me even though the hotel has insane security and probably a few hundred people staying there. I am learning throughout my travels that most people are generally nice and it's actually us Americans who believe everyone is out to get us with movies like Taken rather than people actually being out to get us. I always err on the side of caution, but traveling is no fun if you are scared of the locals.
My aching shoulders, rumbling tummy, and sleepy eyes were all worth it when I came upon my hotel. It was gorgeous inside and they even had my room ready at 8am in the morning, now that is customer service. I walked into my room and marveled at the wood floors, huge window, and giant flat screen TV. One thing I've come to love about hotels in other countries is their pursuit of being more sustainable. This hotel made you put your key into the wall to receive power so that you cannot just leave the room with everything running. Can you imagine how much energy we would save if we did this in every single hotel across America? Then, hotel prices would also be cheaper because we're not being charged for wasted energy too. Sustainability and capitalism combined is a beautiful thing.
I settled in and then headed out for some grub and was directed to a shopping mall next to my hotel. The basement floor had many restaurants and my eye caught on the pizza place because I wasn't feeling brave enough to have real Chinese food, whatever that even means. After my pizza that tasted as American as Pizza Hut, I decided to be courageous and try Green tea ice cream at the Dairy Queen stand. I also decided that I do not like Green tea flavored ice cream. At least I tried it, right? (I have a feeling I will be repeating that phrase quite a bit in the next two months!)
Now, I am awaiting my other group members and going to try to sync my system up to this crazy, 12 hour time change.
Until next time, stay vibrant!
At the Beginning
So, here I am. As cliche as it sounds, I never thought I'd be where I am right now. Literally. I never thought I'd be in sitting in the Los Angeles airport heading to Asia for two months after my college undergraduate graduation. I really thought I'd be off traveling Europe again or the United States. However, I am backpacking across the continent on a combination of a school study tour, my own Southeast Asia adventures solo, and a tour with my parents. Hell, I never even thought I'd fit all of my crap in a giant backpack! I never thought I'd be starting work in September in Minneapolis, i.e. the frigid North at anything having to do with Retail after my exhausting experience folding flimsy pieces of material at Victoria's Secret when I was 18. However, I will start a career (gosh, that's a big girl word) at Target Headquarters and will be a Business Analyst basically creating what you see on the shelves and in the store. Pretty cool if I am assigned stationary or purses, not as fun if it's toilet paper or adult diapers, but I've never been of the practical sort. Most of all, I never thought I'd have a serious boyfriend at 22 and 1/2 who was willing to move my Southern butt from Florida to Minnesota and stopping at every restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Drives and random roadside attractions while singing along to country music and playing punch buggy no punch back. However, I have found someone that amazing and insane and his name is Stephen and the kicker? He likes all of those things, it's not even because I made him.
So, here I am. My plane boards in 20 minutes and after a 12 hours 40 minute flight I will be in the capital of the People's Republic of China: Beijing. I am arriving at 5:20am, so hopefully I will be able to pass out when I arrive and await the other members of my school group.
I'm going on an adventure and I really hope you will join me.
Stay Vibrant!
So, here I am. My plane boards in 20 minutes and after a 12 hours 40 minute flight I will be in the capital of the People's Republic of China: Beijing. I am arriving at 5:20am, so hopefully I will be able to pass out when I arrive and await the other members of my school group.
I'm going on an adventure and I really hope you will join me.
Stay Vibrant!
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