Many Chinas

Our first day in China, Sunday the 10th, was a pretty unbelievable day. Unbelievable in the sense that I  it was difficult to convince myself that I was actually in China. Getting on the plane in Paris I had a hard time seeing beyond the next ten hours, but getting off the plane in Shanghai the excitement finally hit me. We made it to China!

That first day was a blur. I went with some of my classmates to the Yu Gardens first thing. The area around the gardens was an interesting contrast of the old and new Chinas. The architecture represented the old, traditional, conservative China pre-globalization and neon lights. The stores that filled the buildings were a mix of old and new. Some shops were very traditional, while others were big multi-national chains. For example, we ate lunch at a local traditional dumpling restaurant that shared a staircase with a KFC. KFC had all the neon lights and brand images one would expect while we had to search to find the dumpling shop.

At the gardens, we were a hit attraction. When we stopped to take photos, the locals would also snap a picture. I found this interest surprising as we were certainly not the only tourists in the markets. I guess some of the locals are still getting used to seeing blonde hair and blue eyes in their shops.

We noticed that all the babies’ bottoms were hanging out of their pants. Shocking. We found out from Dr. Liu the next day that when babies in China are being potty-trained (at about 6 weeks old!) they don’t wear diapers. And for easy, on-the-spot “going,” their pants are crotchless. Talk about a cultural encounter.

After the gardens we walked down to the Bund where we saw more of China’s past catching up with its present. The old British concession buildings now house the big Chinese banks along with posh hotels and high-end shops. This remnant of China’s history has become a tourist attraction and a commercial hub. Across the river are the soaring towers of Citi and other big multi-national corporations. While we were walking down the Bund a little girl tugged on her mommy’s shirt pointed at me, like “Look, mom!” Again, we were not the only tourists in the area. Strange.

In addition to noting the contrast between old and new, we made two other observations while walking along the Bund. First, the streets in Shanghai are immaculately clean. In contrast to other major cities we know well, like New York, Washington, D.C., and Rio de Janeiro, the streets in Shanghai are extremely well kept. Second, the public bathrooms are holes in the ground. They are very clean holes in the ground, but, really, they are holes in the ground. Also, thirdly, McDonald’s is truly everywhere.

We were exhausted after walking along the Bund, but it was only about 5:00PM and we were determined not to let ourselves fall asleep yet! We decided to wander and see if we could find a place to eat along the way. We thought we would wander in the direction of the hotel so that if we didn’t find a place to eat we could ask the concierge at the hotel for a recommendation. Frank, our fearless leader, pointed out to us that the “Eiffel Tower”-shaped antenna on top of a building in the distance looked like the tower on top of a building next to our hotel. We found out later that such antennae are not uncommon in Shanghai and this was not a good landmark to choose. With the tower as our beacon, we began our journey. As it turns out, we were not journeying towards our hotel; we were, in fact, totally lost.

While we were lost and wandering through Shanghai, we got to see the full extent of the new, modern China springing up amongst older neighborhoods. There were run-down apartment buildings seemingly overrun by stray animals right next to brand new skyscrapers with impressive landscaping. The contrast on the ground, in the allies, off the beaten path was way more stark than we have otherwise seen.

While we were lost we also found a 7-11, which was the best kept 7-11 I’ve ever seen right next to a Starbucks. So far on this trip Starbucks and 7-11 have stood out to me as examples of the concept of Brand Management that we talked about in our Marketing class. These two establishments are extraordinarily consistent in their offerings. I’ve been to Starbucks in at least five countries now and it’s always the same. I don’t know why I’m surprised. 7-11 seemed more local-ized in their offering, especially in how bright, open, and clean the store was. In the US, I never have high expectations for a 7-11, but the store meets my expectations every time: they always have cold soda and bottled water, snacks, and a bathroom. It seems the Chinese customer – at least the Shanghainese customer – has higher expectations of a convenience store than the American customer. The cleanliness of the store paralleled the cleanliness of the city. I’m seeing a theme….

Finally we made it back to the hotel! Our walk through Shanghai was the best introduction to the city we could have hoped for, and it was partially accidental. The theme of many Chinas is one we will have to keep in mind as we travel to Qingdao and Beijing.

Defining Moments

In a week, I will leave with 26 students for China.  For many it will be their first time in Asia – and China.  I expect — and hope — that it will be an experience that I call “a defining moment” — so impactful that it remains with them for the rest of their lives.   Defining moments occur when we are taken outside of our comfort zone.  I have experienced personally, and observed, that new international experiences can be just that – it is a stretching experiences, frequently pushing us outside our comfort zone. It may be as simple as challenging the palate.  Sometimes the real learning doesn’t take place until after the fact, upon reflection. 

I think of how we from the west may draw the world map.  As shown below, we see it as Americas-centric.  It’s human nature that we form our perceptions and expectations based on what we read, hear, see, experience, and it becomes our norm.      

 

And then our norm is challenged – sometimes the challenge sneaks up on you; other times it is a full, frontal attack.  The experience in China is hopefully more of later.  And we begin to see the world, and our experiences , through the lens of others.   This is a defining moment – something that shakes our thinking, reshapes our view – turns the world upside down, giving a whole different perspective. 

 

Time will tell to what extent the coming weeks will be a defining moment for the students.   Stay tuned to hear how our experiences, what we hear, and see – challenges our world-view and pushes us outside the comfort zone.