Why butcher and disguise meat when it can easily be left in its original form?
Turtle Soup
Chicken Feet
Why speak cryptically when it is so much simpler to state exactly whats on your mind?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Chinese Practicality
Why waste money on a dryer when you have clotheslines? Everyone has underwear...no need to hide it.
Why butcher and disguise meat when it can easily be left in its original form?
Why speak cryptically when it is so much simpler to state exactly whats on your mind?
Why butcher and disguise meat when it can easily be left in its original form?
Why speak cryptically when it is so much simpler to state exactly whats on your mind?
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Subway Markets
The subway in Shanghai not only brings you around the city but is also the home of an underground village. Several stops around the city will lead you to an endless maze of underground shops. Aisles are packed with jewelry, clothing, silk, beads and antiques ready to be bargained away. These underground malls are so extensive that some even have sit down restaurants and museums. Simulated sky and lampposts light up some halls and shoppers and tourists hear the roar of the nearby subway as they wander through.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Many Functions of a Chinese Tricycle
A Moving Van
FedEx
A Taxi
A Pet Store
A Bed
A Florist
A Zoo
The Fast Food
Fast but not necessarily cheap. It is far cheaper to order 3-4 Chinese dishes than a single entree at a KFC, McDonald's or Pizza Hut. This price difference has allowed fast food restaurants to tap into a more luxurious market.
In China, Pizza Hut is considered to be an upscale and trendy place to eat. A meal at Pizza Hut is a definite splurge and can amount to $20-$30. To put this in perspective, these are some of the things you can buy with that amount of money:
The interior of the restaurant (yes, restaurant not parlour/joint/drive thru), is both elegant and glitzy. This is a place to take your boss to dinner or where to celebrate an anniversary. Reservations are almost always required especially on holidays like New Years where snaking lines form around whole city blocks.
In China, Pizza Hut is considered to be an upscale and trendy place to eat. A meal at Pizza Hut is a definite splurge and can amount to $20-$30. To put this in perspective, these are some of the things you can buy with that amount of money:
- a 2 hour massage
- custom made pants/shirt/dress
- 50 hours at an Internet cafe
- About 7 clothing items from a shopping market (depending on your bargaining skills)
- A train ticket from Beijing to Shanghai
The interior of the restaurant (yes, restaurant not parlour/joint/drive thru), is both elegant and glitzy. This is a place to take your boss to dinner or where to celebrate an anniversary. Reservations are almost always required especially on holidays like New Years where snaking lines form around whole city blocks.
The menu is incredibly diverse. Not only does Pizza Hut offer their traditional menu, but also items such as Crispy Shrimp Pizza, Atlantic Salmon Pizza, Baked Seafood in Pumpkin Mousse, Blueberry Milkshake with Coconut Jelly and Kimchi Pork Rice. Pizza Hut also offers an afternoon tea menu with an extensive selection of teas, desserts and snacks.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Night Vendors
As you stroll out of a club at 3 am and realize that you are starving, its best to avoid buying food from the night vendors that flock the bars waiting for drunk (and ignorant) tourists...
Doesn't look half bad, huh? But wait...what kind of meat is that anyway?
What you think it is: Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Beef
What it could be: Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Beef, Cat, Dog, Rat
What it probably is: Cat, Dog, Rat
Doesn't look half bad, huh? But wait...what kind of meat is that anyway?
What you think it is: Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Beef
What it could be: Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Beef, Cat, Dog, Rat
What it probably is: Cat, Dog, Rat
STAY AWAY FROM STREET MEAT...and save hours on the toilet seat.
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Lines
They don't exist. Don't bother waiting on line. You will be cut (aggressively). A line in China would be more appropriately defined as a race (with no rules). The pushiest get ahead. The most aggressive win. Get in there. Fight.
Before the Olympics, the Chinese government realized that this "no line" mentality was NOT accepted by western cultures. In efforts to assimilate the idea into Chinese culture, the government promoted advertisements about "how to stand in line". Standing in line "is fun! You get to meet new people!" the ads claimed.
While effective during the Olympics, the concept of "the line" was quickly forgotten. Back to the race.
Before the Olympics, the Chinese government realized that this "no line" mentality was NOT accepted by western cultures. In efforts to assimilate the idea into Chinese culture, the government promoted advertisements about "how to stand in line". Standing in line "is fun! You get to meet new people!" the ads claimed.
While effective during the Olympics, the concept of "the line" was quickly forgotten. Back to the race.
The Interview
Counter intuitively for Americans, when marketing oneself for a job, DO NOT boast. In the USA, interviews are times when it is acceptable to emphasize one's knowledge and skills and general awesomeness. You are "more than capable" for the job. Weaknesses? Hmmm...well I guess sometimes I [insert harmless/well prepared weakness].
Not the case in China. The more self-depricating one is, the more impressive he or she is to the interviewer. Degrading oneself shows modesty and humility. While it is important to show that you CAN do the job, do not go crazy on your numerous skills and strengths.
Not the case in China. The more self-depricating one is, the more impressive he or she is to the interviewer. Degrading oneself shows modesty and humility. While it is important to show that you CAN do the job, do not go crazy on your numerous skills and strengths.
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