Saturday, October 26, 2013

Restrictions.... Comfort Food....

Apologies for the lack of updates, but I was on a work trip with my team in China.  I had to take them to take a look at our branches in the different cities over there.  That meant a jam packed nine days-  two nights in Shanghai, two nights in Wuxi, one night in Nanjing, one night in Yangzhou, a quick pass through Jin Jiang, one night in Wuxi and finally two nights in Shanghai.

Reason why I had to go Wuxi so many times is that my interior designer is there, my superior seems to like his work therefore we use him.  The difficulty with finding someone from the Motherland (China) and not from Hong Kong is that the build rules and regulations and different, so therefore we need a designer or project manager in Hong Kong to liase with him and find contractors for him on the Hong Kong side.  Well... so the contractors which we used for the reinstatement of our old restaurant is the same ones as the ones we were thinking of using for the new restaurant. I already had them messing me around for the reinstatement so I've been on edge using them for my baby.  So... I found plan b, simply a new contractor, how relieved I was when he was so willing, the way he works is the way I work- we get things done.  So wooo!!! happy dance one problem out the window.  

I haven't been Shanghai or done my restaurant rounds in China for a year and a half.  When I was younger I wasn't so keen on the whole thing, don't get me wrong I've always seen the good in China, I've never doubted the potential, but I never thought I could settle there, especially Shanghai.  I preferred second tier cities, with more visable roots, but with that you have the less educated people, with less manners, but hey they never got to experience and see the things I have or the majority of us have so you can't blame them.  I told my team before going up don't build up an image of China in your head, don't expect anything, don't stereotype so soon- at the end of the day we are still Chinese, be open minded don't restrict yourself to the possibilities.  We went up and they were so impressed with how China is, all the stereotypes they had were wrong, it was so much better than what they expected.  I came back from China, happy, happy cause of how much it has progressed and matured, people and area.  I'm a pretty adaptable person and two three years back I never thought I could say- yes I can stay there, but now I can say that I can.  Maybe I have matured and let go of those restrictions that I put up for myself so I couldn't adapt there.

Saying that I'm happy being home, I can get the build up of work which has accumulated since I've been away done.  

I was talking to someone today and i mentioned being fine with your own company.  I think its a good attribute to have, I've always been scared of being alone, this is the first time I've lived by myself, I just had to get over that first night or two and its actually very comforting being alone.  Over these few months I'm learning to be content with myself and my own company, so much I might start becoming a social recluse... which will actually never happen, cause with what I do I have to meet new people constantly and you know what I love doing that too! 

Ok... I was also trying to describe 'Comfort food' in Chinese and there is word or set of words which can really translate 'Comfort Food' correctly- how would you describe it in English or Chinese?


A lovely welcome to Shanghai

Should I? Shan't I? hmmmm....

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