Conclusions on pre-trip concerns

Before we started our GPMBA voyage to China, my group discussed our pre-conceived notions of China. One of our first posts offered our “Top Five” lists of both the most anticipated and most concerning experiences in China. After having been in China for about a week and a half, I can now report back regarding my actual experiences with our concerns.

Food – I have not gone hungry in China, not even a little bit. Personally, I’m not the most squeamish or picky eater, but I am not the biggest fan of Chinese food in the US so food was a concern. Much to my delight, many of the traditional Chinese dishes have been delicious. I love dumplings, wonton soup, noodles, fresh fish, and vegetables. That’s not to say I haven’t tried some foods that are more exotic to my Western tongue like starfish or shrimp with the shells still on, but fortunately I have not gone hungry at all. Plus, there are PLENTY of American restaurants around (Pizza Hut is a much improved experience here than at home!).

Language barrier – I cannot say that this hasn’t been an issue because it has been a challenge sometimes. Fortunately, many of the Chinese I have encountered can speak a little bit of English and pictures, written addresses and some role play / acting has worked sufficiently. The Chinese people have been quite welcoming, patient and helpful in my experience. So, in all likelihood, the language difference has been more an internal frustration with myself for not having more Mandarin knowledge before coming to China.

Travel wear and jet lag – It was a very long journey here to China via Paris with a 5 hour layover. That cannot be sugarcoated. Fortunately, I was able to stay up on day 1 through to the evening, thus adjusting to the time faster. The full days of company visits and sightseeing are tiresome, as are the domestic travel days, but overall I think the jet lag has been bearable. I am, however, looking forward to settling in one place for more than a few days. Fortunately, we will be leaving for Paris very soon and will be there for nearly two months.

 So, in summary, many of our pre-trip concerns were valid, but were erased or mitigated by my actual experiences.

Language: Breaking Down the Barriers

Three days into our China journey, we have felt the full impact of the some of our concerns about the trip, namely language.  My lack of Mandarin language skills have crippled my ability to fully engage with the Chinese culture.  The difference in alphabet and the lack of commonality with other Romance languages (we all speak and read Spanish) have left me feeling silenced and unable to express myself . These feelings made me think about what is the purpose of language.  My thoughts focused on the social aspect.

Language exists as a social construct.  A shared language gives a sense of community.  It is through language that you are able to share values, aspirations, fears, and ultimately build relationships.  Relationship building is so important in high context cultures like China. Possessing language skills can give you an edge in developing relationships not only socially, but also in business.  As globalization accelerates, this is one reason to encourage language studies in the U.S. education system.

While in Shanghai, I have started using simple Mandarin phrases.  This has helped me to feel less like an outsider.  Considering the vastness of China, this is just a small start.  Keenton Chiang, Commercial Officer for the U.S. Commercial Service mentioned that visitors that only visit Shanghai or Beijing are not seeing the “real” China.  It is necessary to travel deeper into this country to experience the opportunities and problems that exist.  This travel can be further complicated by the  different dialects within China.  For example, in Shanghai you can hear Mandarin and Shanghainese.  Despite this, I believe trying to speak the language is appreciated. Francesco Sirna, CFO of Citibank, asserted that language is a conduit to understanding culture.

Here are a few Mandarin phrases to use on your trip to China;

你好  Ni Hao (knee how) – Hello

再見  Jian – Good-bye

上午  Zao - Morning

晚安  Wan An – Good Night

謝謝  Xie (shea shea) – Thank You

的     Shi (shuh) – Yes

無     Bu (boo) – No