So here it is fans, my final blog. Thank you for all the comments… you will miss it when it’s gone. My last week with CRCC Asia included the last day at work as well as lots of other lasts. A big thank you to the people I have worked with and I promise to stay in touch. A brief divergence for my thoughts on Chinese working habits. A lot of people doing jobs that involve not doing much. Favourite moments of mine include people sat in metro stations at a desk in the middle of nowhere (see to your right), and people that tell you when the light is green at a traffic light. As China becomes more affluent, and labour costs rise, it will be interesting to see … Continue reading

This week’s highlights included Hangzhou, temples, art and fashion,as I explored my cultural side.

On Friday, my supervisor was away, we had finished our week’s work, and I was leaving for Hangzhou so I was allowed the day off. I made use of the first few hours of the day, juxtaposing a traditional temple with contemporary art. Firstly, I made my way across the city to visit the Jade Buddha Temple. Outside, I was greeted by beggars as I tried to make my way in to the temple. I had to pay at two different points to see the whole temple and statues. Filled with Buddha sculptures in different states and little nuances like rubbing the fat Buddha’s belly for good luck, it is a kind of must see. I … Continue reading

The 2nd week was another eventful week in Shanghai. At the office, we worked on the new website content and material for a stunning brochure that will be sent out to 10,000 potential clients next month. I also recorded the English language welcome to clients calling up on the automated telephone service. Over the lunch breaks, I ventured into the Hongkou district to have a look around the surrounding areas. Down the side of a long street there were sellers with cloth laid out on the floor, selling various items from shoes to watches and phones. Hassle free (as it isn’t a tourist area), on a sunny day, it was very pleasant. I have also had a peak at the nearby Hongkou Football Stadium, home of the Shanghai Shenhua football … Continue reading

I am sitting at my desk in Shanghai with the ever present hum of traffic in the background. Looking back on a busy first week in the futuristic metropolis that is Shanghai, I have had a wonderful start to my trip. The week began on Thursday morning, when I landed in Shanghai Airport. Being first, I waited in the vast, clean arrivals lounge. I was picked up from the airport by CRCC Asia and taken to my home for the next month; an 18th floor serviced apartment in the district of XuHui. The accommodation, everyone has agreed, exceeds expectations. There are three spacious rooms and a good sized communal area.

The first two days were spent easing in to a vastly different environment. We ventured out into the local surroundings, … Continue reading