Well well, I finally got back onto blogger, as it's been blocked here in China. Connection is shifty at best, so I am going to back post a bit, starting with my first week in China.

Here it is, May 22:

A 16 hr flight, 2 hr ferry and 1 hr car ride later, and I made it to Beijaio, a lovely city just outside of Guangzhou. It is peppered with palm trees, gardens and rivers, and has some mountains, too. I threw all my things in the hotel, and within hours I had to be at work the day I got there! I was surprised to learn a lot of the locals spoke Cantonese, which I speak, so it makes it easier to get around. However, in the workplace, very very few people speak Cantonese; the business language is Mandarin. So it is quite often that people have whole conversations and I'm completely in the dark as to what's going on.

The company I work for now, I learned, basically drives the entire economy of the area which it populates, and a significant portion of China's economy as well. Everywhere I go in this city, the company's logo is slapped on everything...from the appliances that they make, to the land and buildings they own (large portions).

That is another cultural difference I learned. Corporate life is very different here. They expect you to live, breathe, eat and sleep the company. You work long hours, come in before the boss and leave after they leave, and are expected to take all your work home to finish. In North America there is a huge separation between work and social life. Here, there is not. The company sponsors vacation getaways and weekend gatherings with coworkers to 'strengthen morale'. My personal opinion is no thanks on that part, but I am trying keeping an open mind.

The censorship of the media and internet makes it hard not to feel disconnected while in a strange and foreign place. However, there are some things that are contrary to popular belief. For example, Google does exist here, and so does Facebook, but it is only localized to China (so I cannot use it).

There are definite differences in the way things are done--like bus schedules don't exist, so you just show up and guess. What else...some things are very revolting to a Westerner, such as people spitting all over the streets very loudly. However, to dispel some of the negative stereotypes here--China is actually cleaner than I expected (MUCH cleaner than South America) and even parts of Chinatown in Toronto. People here are well-mannered and very respectful, and even though I live just outside a major city in a communist country, things are VERY Westernized. There are still McDonald's, Starbuck's (for all you addicts) and Wal-marts!

Here is another interesting detail. Since the cost of living is 1/6 of what it is back at home, I can live very comfortably here and afford things I could not at home. Foreigners apparently do earn more than locals (I haven't figured out why that is yet), and it gives a lot of leeway. Right now, I can afford to live in a gated community in a 2 bedroom bachelor overlooking golf course...something I could NEVER do back at home...so I'm just going to enjoy it while I can...haha because it's back to pauperdom when at home. See above picture for view from apt...

The thing I haven't really found on my radar so far is an alternative art scene...I think I may have to venture into the major city on the weekends for that. But I'm on it--don't think I can survive without art! And while I hide my red hair at work, it gets stared down on streets...people can't stop looking. And I don't think people here have ever seen a tattoo...or a punky chick. It's pretty funny :)

Well, that's it for now, more updates to come as time goes on!