Insights Into Cultural Understanding

I’m in the office of my client on the 14th floor over looking a very pretty scene - a green park (think of a smaller version of Central Park’s Meadow), canal waterway and busy street. I see trees, a cluster of evergreens, and two levels of buildings around the park. The lower lever look to be about 10 stories; the higher, very tall “skyscrapers” of approximately 20 to 30 stories. They go straight up without adornment and remind me of the building we used to live in in New York City at 75th and 2nd. Figuratively they are like sentinels. Again the streets we traveled on were very clean. By the way, right now they are playing a Chinese version of “One Moment in Time” on the sound system. The people working in the office are stylishly dressed (a lot of black, heels, fitted suits, really cool jeans and boots, and pony tails for the women and the men well like men every where. Though there is a language difference, I feel welcomed and am enjoying a cup of tea Sharon gave me.

This is Shen Zhen, an economic center of China with a few million people. We arrived by bus. My hosts and I had a stress free trip crossing the HK-China border and customs. They accompanied me from Hong Kong and made it so for me and I am appreciative. I am looking forward to delivering my training. I’ve been told that the participants will be mainly business men and women which makes sense given the locale. I leave tonight for the retreat center. I didn’t bring my laptop and there may not be a business office so you won’t be seeing any more blog entries from me until…

The China that I’ve seen is bustling, about the business of business. Husbands and wives often live in separate locations with their parents and maids taking care of their children. They see their children on a weekly/monthly basis. Very different from what I’ve been used to. Getting the guilts because of the work hours may be a cause for some frustration but not the parent-noia I experienced in the States. HK is crowded, fast paced on the streets with a lot of people..from who knows where. I was in the business office of the Metropole Hotel where I stayed last night and saw a man of African descent. I thought, I wonder where he’s from? “On cue” he began speaking on his computer’s Skype and I heard the loveliest cockney accent you can imagine.

The Chinese people I’ve met have a Chinese name and an English name. I was told that the English name can be given at birth along with the Chinese name, given by the person to her/himself when older, or be a translation of the Chinese name. I thought that the English name might be adopted for business reasons but there seems to be more to it than that.

In a moment, I’ll be going shopping. And that excursion will be my first time to check out the buy-ology since either my first trip to Taiwan or this one. Time for some fun before an intense and dedicated opportunity to be of
service with my skills.

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This is nothing about cultures unless it’s a throat culture.

I got a bacterial infection while in Taiwan and am just getting over it now. What I should have done but didn’t do I will now incorporate into my international travel practices: I will go online to http://www.cdc.gov/ to check out what immunizations a proactive traveler will have before their trip and what meds and other support things to take along. Well better late than never. I had my shots yesterday for my NEXT TRIP to Taiwan and China mainland along with antibiotics just in case… If your doctor does not advise you to do this when you tell him or her about your international trip, find another doctor or immunologist.

Travel healthy and have fun!

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