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My blog

Home stay has ended and we are back in the hotel. Now, because the blogs haven’t been posted I am going to go through my photos and talk about what I have done.

First though we have our final project approaching. I was hoping to do one on perceptions Chinese and british people have about the future of the country. Generally I think Chinese people think their country will do great – british people not so much.  But because of inability to present well I am going to go for nationalism. A nice national anthem edited from 3 places and some other bits and pieces, hope to show you when Im in back in the UK :D

The Expo

One of the big events of the shanghai trip has been the World expo. Almost every country taking part, countless bueinsses and organisations as well. The Expo takes up a massive part of downtown shanghai, you have to get busses and ferries across the park and they cover the entire river. Hundreds of Thousands of visitors every day go to the world expo and the Chinese government takes it very seriously.

I didn’t know what to expect from the expo. The first experience I had was the heat, and security. To enter you need to have your bags scanned and general security provisions. I was stopped entering the expo. My Northumberland flag was not permitted – it was too big…..But my Union jack flag was fine and the same size. So that made my first experience of the expo a tad negative. I mean come on. It’s a flag! So my host student (Kevin) Had to take it to a security depo lock to be gotton back later.

The Shanghai world expo is called “Better city Better life” and each country builds a structure to show how they are encouraging better cities and what that country can offer. Kind of ironic as these structures are tore down at the end of the expo but still…

The first place we went was the UK. Citizens of a country pavilion get VIP access and have no need to queue to get in so we all got straight into the Expo. A Speech by the director (Northern Irish) about the UK pavilion I have to say – was really good. The UK pavillion’s aim is to change the perceptions of the Chinese to Britain. It is a giant structure of 7000 rods, it looks brilliant from the outside and every rod has a seed attached at the end to show how britains future lies combining the environment and nature….Soundsb great. Inside – not so great. It doesn’t show Britain, doesn’t look like Britain and ends really quickly. I would rate the outside 10/10 inside about 3/10 which sums up Britain I think. Brilliant on the outside, when your in…Not so much

We also visited many other countries. First day Sweden, Joint African  and carribbean, venezuala, Cuba, Spain and Germany. Combined queuing time of somewhere around 5 hours for it all! We joined the German pavilion at queue closing 7.30pm. We were last in the queue. We got into the pavilion at 10.00pm. It was a massive pavilion, I didn’t really enjoy it that much but the show at the end was good. Lots of little things as you go around to keep you entertained. Venezuala was one of the really good small pavilions, hammocks and showed veezuala in a good like. Sweden was crap, 45 minute queue out in 2 mins!

The 2^nd day we cottoned on to the whole VIP progress. Some Indians in the group and Pakistanis got us in VIP to those pavilions. Israel as well as we were conducing research (which we were, although into Europe) Poland due to one of the group being Polish. During the day it absolutely poured down, soooo heavily and everyone got soacked. We tried to take refueege in Polish pavilion but it took ages to get in, once in it was fairly nice and modern. Nice restaurant where we tried some polish beer was welcome break from the torrential rain and thunder and lightning.

Overall I have to say Israel and spain were the best ones we visited. The Spanish had a dramatic entrance dark with a flamenco dancing, videos of the country and really got you feeling it was spain. Although a giant baby at the end I didn’t understand. Israel was interesting, learnt a lot about Israel and the country. Flashing lights kept me entertained as well :D

Overall though the expo wasn’t that good. It was interesting, and a good experience but I would give it 6-7/10…Queuing took too long, it was so hot. I got tan lines where my sandles are….Some of the pavilions were really boring.

So the end of our 2 weeks in a business has arrived. I have to be honest, didnt enjoy it too much but it was interesting anyway. Found out that I do not really want to work in a Business and want to do something else with my life!

Over the past few days I have met lots of new people. The chinese people are very welcoming and people who are our age are no different. Enjoy western music, enjoy eating in western restaurants, and enjoy hanging out with their mates! Also, I have been to kareoke on this trip more times that probably my entire life back in the UK. Went the other day with a few British fellows and some Chinese friends, we sung our english songs and they sung their chinese songs (We have learnt a chinese song which a few of us could sing)

Okay, it is midnight in CHina and tomorrow we check out of our hotel. We get pre-briefed before we visit the World expo! (The world expo is a massive site where countries spend a few million on building a pavillion which is to promote what the country is about. The UK pavillion is a massive dandelion seed blowing in the wind! but more on that once ive been) Next week is staying with the host family, eating what they eat doing what they do and it should be very good.

Sorry about the poor quality of this blog. Its very late, and we have been on a long trip all day. Missed our train, had to run, stand for an hour on a train. Anyway, so much to say later and show when I am back in the UK. I will update a blog tomorrow with things I have noticed in China and find very interesting!

God bless. Braden :D

 At the top is a picture of me and 2 helpers at the top of a mountain in Beijing. The one below it is a picture of the "oriental pearl tower" in shanghai and the one at the bottom is also the tower at night when it was lit up. That area is called the "Bund"

 The one in the middle is the flag at half mast because of national mourning day. In china 7 days after a tradgedy is mourning day where the country stops. The floods and landslides in western provines of china have meant the government has asked the people to fly the flag at half mast and events are suspended. Such as the events at the shanghai world expo.

So these are some pictures I have been able to upload :) Some more to follow

Before I post this blog I am just going to day this is one I have wrote on my first day in Shanghai but only just got my aptop to work. £250 4 year old laptop - sums it up really

-----------------------

Well, we have had our first full day in Shanghai and I can say it has been absolutely amazing. The people are brilliant.

We met our Chinese "peers" today, a word they all kept using and they are all really nice. They have to ask us to join them for the family stay over, some have been asked, some (like me) haven't yet don't know what that is a sign of or not....Ah well, they tought me some new chinese words and I tought them some british games to play with pen and paper. Dots and dashes was a favourite.

They all are realy obsessed with basketball, and we were going to play a game till I was called back by the helpers into the room as we had to prepare to deliver a class to the rest of the fellows. To "facilitate" a discussion, I find these really cringeworthy and they always seemed forced, although we do have some good discussions.

I am writing this on notepad as yet again, Chinese internet has let me down. First they block facebook and youtube then they just dont work?!

On the way around Shanghai the sights are amazing, the buildings are so tall and a new skyscraper is being built almost on every block! Give it a few weeks before new maps need to be redrawn for the city due to the speed of change. Every building seems to have neon lights broadcasting displays which look really beautiful. But you do have to think what a waste of electricity to play pretty patterns to foreigners.

For our tea today we ate in a Japanese restaurant. So that means my 2 meals have been in KFC and a Japanese restaurant, oh, the school we are at also provided us with a Subway lunch. Just that simple fact shows you how western Shanghai is.

Still though, breakfast was Chinese style in the hotel. Dumplings with spinach, warm orange juice (Which reminds me in KFC when I ordered a burger the drink was warm, apparantly it is unlucky to drink cold drinks.....so warm orange juice for breakfast is how the future superpower starts it's day. Which leads on nicely to the Japanese restaurant I was talking about, was the nicest food I have had in China so far. Kinda ironic, but for £3.50 I had the largest meal I have had, so filling, with the lushest bits of pork.

I know Im talking quite a lot about this meal but honestly. So. So. Nice.

Off the side of food, because Im kind of craving a kebab right now. I found out today, when with the Chinese friends, that my name in chinese "Bu rui" means Good carrot. Which is copied 100 times on my business card, so I shall be scribbling that out and looking for a new chinese name :)

I suppose I better say how these chinese friends come about. The BC have invited people from a school, they came into the group 40 of them and we were randomly split off into smaller groups. All the time though as stated before the chinese are looking for people to pick. Tomorrow we go off on a "City hunt" around Shanghai and our group has the topic of "architecture" which, to be honest, I am not that interested in. But seeing all the buildings around Shanghai should be good.

So this morning I crawled out of bed at half 7 and got ready for work, headed down for breakfast. Consisting of egg fried rice, green beans, jam on bread and warm orange juice. Although I am starting to get used to this breakfast I still really miss wheatabix. Cant. Find. It. Anywhere, and all the milk isnt pasturised either so it tastes minging....

Anyway, I am thinking I have told you a bit about the business revelations I have had. But I think I will go on a bit about how I get to work everyday and how to get back so you can see how amazing their transport system.

The Shanghai public transport system is all integrated, everything links to everything else. We get given a card (which is a little like the oyster card) but it uses radio signals. This can be swiped when going onto the subway and leaving and it works out your fare, also the same for busses but they charge a flat 2 yuan fare (Which is 20p) and the subway is never usually more than 5 or 6 yuan. So it is dead cheap.

I mean, all the buses and undergrouns trains havge air conditioning, they all have TVs which broadcast adverts, news and shows all the time and they are all modern. They are FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR better than ones in Northumberland and even London. I mean in London you dont even get signal on the underground, in Shanghai you get a wifi network provided free of charge. Another thing to notice, Line 1 was opened some 15 - 20 years ago. Now there are 9 lines in Shanghai and it is the largest underground system in the world.

So anyway, we get on line 1 transfer to line 9 and are there. Only problem like a 10 minute walk between these lines. What is also a problem is the trains are crowded. And since we are foreign me and pooja (Who I am working with) get continous stares, we play a game to try and spot other westerners or foreigners and it is quite difficult. Only around 1 or 2 others are seen on a morning commute.

So that is how I start my day to work every day, 40 minute commute on the underground. We finish work at 6.30pm, although it is very difficult and tiring to do that I am hoping next week it will be 5pm or 5.30 as we start the day at 7 and dont get back till half 7. 12 hour days. FML

Any questions ask :)

Oh yeah I forgot, it was 39 C as I bought my lunch. It actually hurt when I was walking and it felt like a blow torch was on my face from the breeze. Had a really nice cheese risotto for lunch though only 29 yuan. Compared to the sandwitch shop which costes 50 yuan!!

Tai gui la!! (To expensive)

- Braden

Okay. So the internet decided not to work in my room so this is a quick update.

Today I didnt go to my work placement. I woke up at half 7 and fell back asleep, at 1pm I woke up in a suit. Everyone is falling ill and becoming really tired and sick, lack of water, intense heat, lack of personal space and the group being split up meaning we never see each other are taking its toll.

Bright side, I bought a 2l bottle of really nice branded orange juice (minute maid) for 70p and I got a magnum ice lolly for 40p. So yey cheap things.

I know I keep saying I mean to upload pics, but I really do. I just never can on this thing so fb will be going mental when I get back.

Final thing, Chinese laptops do not use passwords, they have a fingerprint scan which you can log in with so no one can even guess your password to get access. It was so cool. And chinese pu blic transport is far nicer, cleaner and efficient than our 6 pound buses every half an hour....

- Braden :D

Okay. So the internet decided not to work in my room so this is a quick update.

Today I didnt go to my work placement. I woke up at half 7 and fell back asleep, at 1pm I woke up in a suit. Everyone is falling ill and becoming really tired and sick, lack of water, intense heat, lack of personal space and the group being split up meaning we never see each other are taking its toll.

Bright side, I bought a 2l bottle of really nice branded orange juice (minute maid) for 70p and I got a magnum ice lolly for 40p. So yey cheap things.

I know I keep saying I mean to upload pics, but I really do. I just never can on this thing so fb will be going mental when I get back.

Final thing, Chinese laptops do not use passwords, they have a fingerprint scan which you can log in with so no one can even guess your password to get access. It was so cool. And chinese pu blic transport is far nicer, cleaner and efficient than our 6 pound buses every half an hour....

- Braden :D

33 degrees, 40 minutes late for work. So a great start. We got lost on the Shanghai underground and the line we were on did not have an English translation of which stop we were at (all the new lines have English translations of announcements and writing) so we were trying to spot the characters. Didn't work and alas we were 40 minutes late.

So our first meeting today was about taxes in China, about how businesses work and the 2nd was about Human resources and how they keep their staff happy and pay their salaries. I will stick to the revelation pattern thing until I run out of decvent ones so here we go.

First off, Chinese taxes are not stupidly low. the tax rate is 25% on salaries, can reach up to 55% for high earners. Businesses are taxed at 30%, but of course companies can fiddle the system. It isnt as black and white as in the UK so many people do not announce their total reenues and pay their tax which is due. So although the tax rate is fairly similiar to western standards, their tax avoidance is much greater. And when hundreds of millions of Chinese live in poverty that money really should be paid.

2) Teamwork only started 5 years ago Yes, it is as crazy as it sounds. Teamwork is a Western conception we were told, and only introduced by Managers some 5 years ago in China due to the increasing number of people working here who had studied Management in Western countries. Previously, it was the worker and the boss. You did what your boss told you, now they have a more communal atmosphere and you can see it in the workplace and I think it works quite well.

3) Foreigners get a much better deal – Foreigners get lower taxes, more allowances and better benefits in China. Their tax rate is around 5% lower due to higher allowances, and they are paid more. Say a worker gets paid 1,000 RMB a month, a foreign worker of the same job would be at 3,000 RMB a month. Foreigners also get discounts and money from the government if they take Chinese classes and move their families across. I think this is part of the make China more western and modern approach from the government.

4) China has more national holidays – China get 11 national days of holiday where everyone is allowed time off. Aka bank holidays, Britain gets 10. In total I believe Britain gets 21 holiday days including the bank holidays, in China it is around 10 – 20 on top, so an average of 15. So British holidays is 21, Chinese holidays off work 26. Although, this is a Multinational company in China, so for the poorest and average workers it will be far far less, but still, Chinese people get better holidays

5) Maternity, paternity, sick, overtime pay, all exist and more. I expected the chinese to have bad working conditions, even in businesses. But they don’t. They have sick leave of 6 days a year guaranteed at full pay, they get 3 months full maternity leave, some places get 30 day marriage allowance (In Shanghai it is 6 though) So yeah....Although, the working day is longer, 9am – 6pm so a 40 hour week, many places do more.

6) Officials can be corrupt. Relationships with officials need to be maintained in China, say an official likes you more they can give you more information so your business can do better. I have asked about bribes, but all were denied although I am sure something along these lines goes on across China.

So, this is my 6 new and hopefully interesting things about chinese business I have found out today and I hope you found this blog interesting, I will be writing another one tomorrow and hope to get pictures uploaded soon. Pooja (my fellow in Hays) is annoying me so I have to go!]

Bye

- Braden

33 degrees, 40 minutes late for work. So a great start. We got lost on the Shanghai underground and the line we were on did not have an English translation of which stop we were at (all the new lines have English translations of announcements and writing) so we were trying to spot the characters. Didn't work and alas we were 40 minutes late.

So our first meeting today was about taxes in China, about how businesses work and the 2nd was about Human resources and how they keep their staff happy and pay their salaries. I will stick to the revelation pattern thing until I run out of decvent ones so here we go.

First off, Chinese taxes are not stupidly low. the tax rate is 25% on salaries, can reach up to 55% for high earners. Businesses are taxed at 30%, but of course companies can fiddle the system. It isnt as black and white as in the UK so many people do not announce their total reenues and pay their tax which is due. So although the tax rate is fairly similiar to western standards, their tax avoidance is much greater. And when hundreds of millions of Chinese live in poverty that money really should be paid.

2) Teamwork only started 5 years ago Yes, it is as crazy as it sounds. Teamwork is a Western conception we were told, and only introduced by Managers some 5 years ago in China due to the increasing number of people working here who had studied Management in Western countries. Previously, it was the worker and the boss. You did what your boss told you, now they have a more communal atmosphere and you can see it in the workplace and I think it works quite well.

3) Foreigners get a much better deal – Foreigners get lower taxes, more allowances and better benefits in China. Their tax rate is around 5% lower due to higher allowances, and they are paid more. Say a worker gets paid 1,000 RMB a month, a foreign worker of the same job would be at 3,000 RMB a month. Foreigners also get discounts and money from the government if they take Chinese classes and move their families across. I think this is part of the make China more western and modern approach from the government.

4) China has more national holidays – China get 11 national days of holiday where everyone is allowed time off. Aka bank holidays, Britain gets 10. In total I believe Britain gets 21 holiday days including the bank holidays, in China it is around 10 – 20 on top, so an average of 15. So British holidays is 21, Chinese holidays off work 26. Although, this is a Multinational company in China, so for the poorest and average workers it will be far far less, but still, Chinese people get better holidays

5) Maternity, paternity, sick, overtime pay, all exist and more. I expected the chinese to have bad working conditions, even in businesses. But they don’t. They have sick leave of 6 days a year guaranteed at full pay, they get 3 months full maternity leave, some places get 30 day marriage allowance (In Shanghai it is 6 though) So yeah....Although, the working day is longer, 9am – 6pm so a 40 hour week, many places do more.

6) Officials can be corrupt. Relationships with officials need to be maintained in China, say an official likes you more they can give you more information so your business can do better. I have asked about bribes, but all were denied although I am sure something along these lines goes on across China.

So, this is my 6 new and hopefully interesting things about chinese business I have found out today and I hope you found this blog interesting, I will be writing another one tomorrow and hope to get pictures uploaded soon. Pooja (my fellow in Hays) is annoying me so I have to go!]

Bye

- Braden