Meeting Foreigners!
One of my favourite pasttimes is meeting new people here in China. I remember, last year I was in Shanghai one evening and met a couple from Singapore. We had a wonderful chat right on the street, and exchanged business cards. The man said, “well, if you ever find yourself in Singapore, please give us a call”. In the past I would have laughed at such a gesture, thinking “yeah, when pigs fly”. But, living overseas puts you in the environment of meeting people from all walks of life and from all regions of the world. You finally believe that yes, it IS possible to travel to these countries and meet up again with such individuals, even if you met them just once. For, we all ‘share’ something – by adjusting to life overseas, we are all living outside our comfort zone, and catching another foreigner’s eye, taking a moment to chat… it all helps us to remember who we are, and where we come from.
Today, for instance, I was sitting outside the deli of our local Holiday Inn, enjoying a steaming hot latte, when the Executive Chef wandered over to my table. (I was there because they have ENGLISH newspapers and magazines!) After exchanging the usual greetings, I discovered he was a new arrival, having been posted to the Holiday Inn just one week ago! Now, I was the local and he was the visitor! I welcomed him warmly and gave him a quick rundown on some of Hangzhou’s amenities and famous sites. His name is Tony and he is from New Zealand. This is not his first time in China however – he spent the last two years in the Chinese industrial city of Chongqing. No comparison – Hangzhou wins, hands down!
Last evening, I spent an hour or two perusing the wares at one of Hangzhou’s delightful ‘night markets’, where one can purchase genuine ‘fake’ brandname watches, clothing, and even jewelry and ‘real’ antique reproductions for a song! I bumped into a businessman who had just scored a deal on a beautiful black leather carryon bag, which he was attempting to drag down one of the narrow aisles of the market. Turns out, he’s from Australia, heads up a large real estate development company here in Hangzhou, and is one of very few foreigners who can say he has been doing business in China for over 10 years. We talked for quite some time, as he has seen tremendous change and growth as a result of China’s recent development. Again, another exchange of business cards and the promise to be in touch – he comes to Hangzhou at least once a month, and promised to introduce me to the mayor! I then continued my ramblings through the market. Oh, yes, he also said that he and his wife are moving to Paris. Hmm, maybe I’ll go and visit….!
Tags: Travel
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