A fond farewell

Today was my last day in the office. so we went out and partied and now...

I return to my apartment euphoric, humbled, and sad all at the same time. I have just finished my two month assignment. I am speechless. I don't know whether to yell in triumph or to shed a tear. So I do a bit of both. I was sent here to solidify the efforts spent by my predecessors and I have done so successfully. But along the way I fell in love with my coworkers. They are a new family to me and one that I care about dearly. They've accepted me with open arms and I feel a little bit guilty for leaving them. In my time here I have been able to offer them answers to their questions and purpose to their efforts. Together we put a face on two distant locations and two different dynamics that depend on each other to prosper.

After work we go to a KTV joint. That's a karaoke room if you don't know. It comes complete with maracas and tambourines and lots and lots of beer that's brought in by the bucket load.

Singing into our mics sharing sides of ourselves that we often keep from the office, I put my best rock mode forward and share my love for them in a very open way. We share many a gumbai, (I did 9 in a row at one point!) and I get hugs from everyone. There are over 30 people at the event and it solidifies for me the love and appreciation they have for me. I am a fortunate man.

I've worked hard, trained hard, and have helped as much as I've could, and tonight I get the chance to be appreciated for my efforts. Kevin gives a heart warming toast at one point and then I get a chance to say my peace. Saying goodbye is hard. handshakes become hugs and turn back to hand shakes again. Followed by one more hugs. It's a moment that will be hard to forget. Ever.

As happy as I am to be leaving, I know now that a little part of me will be staying here forever. As long as our crew is here so will a part of me and my love for my coworkers and the times we shared together, in work, in crisis, in play.

I thank the powers that be for this opportunity, for I have grown a wiser individual from it.


now I silently pack, listening to the moaning machines outside my balcony.

The Grand Finale

so long my friends....

Boo, silly!

Down the hall from our office door you'll find the Goldrush. A pub located on the second floor of the Pavilion hotel. They have decorations set up for Halloween and it's a good example of how American themes are misunderstood or incorrectly translated here. for example this hanging skeleton's scariness is betrayed by it's flopping hand. As if it were replying "Oh thstop"

Other examples of this are the slogans you see on t-shirts worn by the locals.

"wear sunglass"
"I'm flower let's girl"

or my personal favorite failed brand imitation
"GOOCI"

Halloween

Well it's Friday the 31st of October. Halloween in China. I was going to get dressed up today. I thought that maybe I'd go as a certain PDX coworker and wear shorts but then I realized that I would have to unpack my suitcases to find a pair and that would take way too much effort. Instead it's business as usual as I clear out my desk and tie up the loose ends on my last business day in Shenzhen. It has been a long two months. Today I am supposed to be in a spicy food eating competition. There are two fellas here, Stanley and Tommy, that have been wanting to duel and after hearing from people around here about my ability to stand the heat and enjoy the kitchen, they have invited me along. So instead of pistols at dawn, it's chopsticks at noon. I think this is a bad idea. I might have to fake an injury.
Tonight there is a sendoff party. I will finally get the opportunity to croon a few tunes with the gang. A KTV room has been obtained for several hours after work. I have been notified by a couple of employees here that they will come for me. Which is code for, my coworkers intend to Gumbai me till the water buffalo come home. So in part, this entry is a notice and warning to any following entries about tonight's affairs. As I am leaving tomorrow morning for the Hong Kong airport I will most likely report late this evening. I will try to collect as many photos as possible. This should be a fun day.

Driving with Ivy

I'd like to take a moment to explain to you the hilarious adventure that is being chauffeured about town by my dear coworker Ivy. I have ridden in her car on several occasions. First off I'd like to say she is very brave to drive these mean streets of Shenzhen. Especially considering how much pride she takes in her new car. I'd imagine that a paint job and a fender would have a very short lifespan here. This is an easy observation to make. Just about every car I see has a gash or some kind of scuff mark on it. Even the nice cars don't go unblemished. It's not unusual to see Mercedes' and BMW's that look like Freddy Kruger has dragged his hand across the door panels.
The more and more I ride on these roads the more I can't help but compare the drivers here to ants. You ever see ants crawling into a hole? Walking right over each other with no regard to personal space? It's the same thing, vehicles constantly swerving left and right, fast and frantic. Then there's Ivy. She's like the tortoise. de-dump, de-dump... passing by the rabbit who's just crashed into a painted tunnel. People fly past her angrily honking, gesturing with their cars by swerving around her front end dangerously close. All the while she's talking to herself in mumbled disbelief and indignation. I don't know what she's saying because it's in Chinese but I get the gist. I stifle a giggle.
What really cracks me up is her refusal to multitask. Stop the car before rolling down the windows. Stop the car to turn on the air conditioning. Stop the car to honk at the guy who's trying to merge into our lane. What? Christ! keep going, we're merging Ivy. But no she has stopped on the express way and she's staring at this guy who's trying to avoid driving into a road crew and she's honking at him. Mumbling biting curses under her breath. God I want to laugh, but I must stay composed.
Leaving an underground parking garage Kevin, who's in the back seat with his wife, asks Ivy if she can help with the life support. The car's been parked for hours and the air inside is stale and suppressive. "Oh, windows!" raising a finger in the air to accompany the light bulb that has just flashed in her head. "Oh, ok, no." Apparently it's not good to roll down windows in a parking garage. I feel for Kevin because I am on the verge of jumping out of the now moving car. That horrible claustrophobia of stifling parked car heat is kicking in. If we don't get our windows rolled down soon I'm going to freak out. After several drawn out minutes in the parking garage, we took a couple of unfortunate turns, we emerge out into the street. She pulls into traffic and stops. "Oh, windows."
Cars honk.
Speaking of wrong turns, her sense of direction is a little screwy. I've been here for two months and I can tell where I am by using buildings as landmarks. But she is oblivious to this method of location detection. Instead we drive down streets as if she's never been on them before. Steady and stubborn, carefully analyzing the car in front of us. Many of the miles ridden in her car have been spent going the wrong way, lost, circling blocks over and over. Oops we're on the freeway now, hey there goes our off ramp, I think this is the sidewalk. In my mind if I miss a turn, I'll flip a euwie. Her solution is to keep going straight. All I can do is sit and look over my shoulder at the diminishing destination and mumble "um, um..."

All stereotypes aside, driving with Ivy is always an adventure. First and foremost I am lucky that she is willing to drive me around on her time off and be my guide. She is great fun and I'll hop a ride with her any day. I'll just try not to giggle.

Dude!

"I once ate a sandwhich this big!"

A brief word about business

When I first arrived here in China I was greeted by the saying, "We work hard and we play hard." Well up to this point I've talked only about the playing. Allow me a moment please, to talk about the work.

Back when I was 19 I decided to leave college for the uncertainties of radio trade school. At the time I was hellbent on becoming involved in any way possible with the musical airwaves that crisscrossed the country. In the meantime I made ends meet by working for my father in the box industry. Soon dreams of becoming the next Wolfman Jack bowed down to reality. It was the result of needing to make ends meet. With the subsequent bills of independence and a blossoming interest in this intriguing industry I found myself straying from my original dream to this day's reality. I quickly found a fondness and curiosity that enticed me to dedicate myself to the world of boxes. Packaging if you will.
Ever since the day that I was taught the value of a dollar I have been a hard worker. Working in my dad's plant when I was 13, surrounded by Mexican nationals separated from their families earning and saving for their families' futures, I always felt a need to prove myself. I was never going to be an easy going, privileged whetto. I decided from day one that I will work just as hard if not harder than anyone around me. I would not tolerate or accept any disrespect. I may be the boss's son but I'll run circles around you when it comes to any task given. I had started out wanting to earn enough money to buy a guitar and I ended up learning a lesson that has molded my life.
It is with this mantra that I have found myself working for my current employer Paccess. Through hard work and smart networking I have found employment with this company. One year into the gig they have decided to send me to their China office to help supervise and over see their current design department to make sure that they are running at a fluid level. I accept the challenge and find myself watching over a capable bunch that's knee deep in work looking at an impending avalanche of assignments. This is a good thing. I am able to add valued assistance and tutelage to my charge.
Today a prospective client came in to view our office and I was asked to make a presentation demonstrating our capabilities. There were 9 people all told. I was able to give such a knowledgeable and persuasive presentation that the client was left deciding just how much business they should bring us. If not some, all. Talking to this, at first, wary group, I was able to express myself in a highly knowledgeable way describing my companies attributes and capabilities with a comfort and ease that comes only with a total understanding of one's craft. It is moments like these that are cornerstones for one's career. An occasion to reflect upon. Understanding the efforts given, time spent, and sweat dedicated.

I have prided myself with the ability of setting goals and achieving them. I have done this consistently for the past several years and I currently find myself exceeding previous predictions. In work and in my personal life. This is good.


After the meeting, A high ranking member of the main office who happened to be present later asked me if I was a designer or really a salesman in disguise. I took it as a great compliment.

I'm here for one reason and that is career advancement. It seems to be working

Pictures from Shekou

Shekou during the day.

I would have loved this statue when I was ten.
These young people have tied their feet together. Team building. An homage to the Monkees? beats me.

This guy selling these two dogs reminded me of a Chinese Peter Lorre.

"Goodness, please"

Tea Pics

The real Mr. Tea

Tea sniffers

This tea is called "two dragons playing with a pearl". something like that. there are two types of tea wrapped around a lotus flower. When the tea ball is dropped into hot water the outer layer spreads open while the lotus flower's petals shoot straight up in bloom. This picture does not do the tea justice.

Mr Tea Likes Earl Gray Sucka!

Saturday, after enjoying a leisurely lunch sitting along side a slowly sliding river, I am off for some tea tasting. My companions are Kevin, his wife, and another coworker named Ivy. Ivy has been kind enough to take us out to the local tea market to do some tasting and buying. This particular location is a large building. Housing numerous shops that are more like wholesale outlets that sell tea to restaurants, clubs, and other businesses. In other words they stack'em deep and sell'em cheap. Ivy is quite the connoisseur and negotiator. And without her accompaniment and tutelage this experience would have never happened.

It begins with Ivy driving us across town.(which should be a whole other entry in itself ) We park underneath an expressway in a dingy lot, cross a sticky alley, pass some shirtless old men playing cards in a doorway, veer left and head straight up a decaying flight of stairs. Halfway along we are stopped by glass doors. We swing them open. Cold conditioned air pulls us in and the sweaty sour smells of the alley and old card players are left behind the now closing doors. Enter the tea market. (can I get a gong!)
This place is very similar in layout to the louhu shopping center. Aisles and aisles of tiny shops, 15ft wide by 5-10 ft deep, packed with bags and bags of tea. Bags waist high, standing upright by their own mass with pie tins sitting on top for sifting. It's enticingly odiferous. Shop keeps, mostly teenagers, hail you with, "hey mista want some tea, want some tea." I'm just waiting to hear "DVD movie?" Thankfully I don't.
Ivy hurries us along to a place she has in mind. we are taken to a shop tucked in a corner. There's a young couple running the store. Brother and sister perhaps. They smile kindly at Ivy and extend vigorous welcomes. They apparently know each other. 4 tiny stools about a foot in height are placed in front of a small counter. we are invited to sit and the older brother asks Ivy of our business. He says a few words to the sister and she's off collecting samples for us to try. He boils water while arranging several tea cups on a steel mesh tray. He does this with tongs. Sister delivers the first of many pie trays to come and we pass it around smelling, examining. He grabs a half fist load and places it in a bowl, pours hot water into it and strains it out. He does this three or four times before we taste. It is excellent. From that first sample until the last, the level of quality, texture, and flavor increases over and over again. I am informed of growing processes, the basic differences between the 4 main tea groups and many other interesting tidbits and factoids. I am surprised at how interesting tea is. Some teas are better fresh while others require time to ferment. Like wine, you could spend a fortune collecting certain types of teas.

Then I think, oh man, where's my manly dignity? I'm gushing over tea! Crap! I quickly attempt to console myself. In 7 more days I'll be home watching football and eating nachos. At this realization I feel better, then I casually ponder to myself, "I wonder if this jasmine tea will go well with bean dip?"

I finally go crazy and buy a few thousand milligrams. "Give me two of everything!"

Feeling the love

Tuesday morning finds me juggling many different emergencies at once. There's many fires to be put out and I'm frustrated beyond belief by my computer's disinterest in helping me out. I'm on the verge of punching my laptop when I'm interrupted by the secretary. Apparently I've received a package from the home office in Portland. I think, oh great what now? I am stopped in my grumbling tracks when I find that it's a care package sent by my close associates. There's a bottle of hot sauce, chocolate covered coffee beans, a bag of Sumatran roast from stumptown, a pack of red vines, 5 cd's of music, a tiny pumpkin, and a collage of my associates(dear friends) rocking out in all their glory. A crowd has gathered around me to see what I have received. And as I stand there taking it all in, someone says, "aw they miss you." I nod in agreement. Unable to speak at that moment.

Thank you so very much

It don't stop... the great picture show