China.
It’s Friday afternoon 4pm, and I am Day 2 into my new job.
(Un)fortunately, it’s Moving Day for the company, as we’ve outgrown the existing office and will be moving to another temporary place before the real building is ready.
I’ve been busy twirling my pen since all the files are locked up in boxes and no one’s really doing any work. WHEW.
Tianjin city is lovely, and Vincent and I love the architecture and the weather so far.
There really is a Tier 2 city feeling here (less crowded, happier faces and faaaar less western faces).
We’ve more or less secured our apartment which overlooks the main river, which is really comforting at night. But there seems to be surprises again with the landlord, so like everything else in China, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that things go as planned…
Vincent and I also went to check out Beijing University where he’ll be at. My god, that is TRULY CHINA.
My poor Swiss’ hangout is on the stone-built dynasty-style houses where his classes will be. His lunch will be delivered by a woman on a bicycle balancing 20 Bento boxes, and his snack will be cut melons from the road side stalls. Thank God Vincent is a born traveler with a stomach-of-steel.
Otherwise, he’s thrilled by the prospect of being on a Flying Pigeon 飞燕 bicycle, riding around campus like a free bird. Let’s see how that goes in winter…
My office location, on the other hand, 45km away from the city. It is literally at the asshole of Tianjin, and stands in the face of North Korea if you look at the map. Heheh…
We’re in the Tianjin Economic Development Area (TEDA), basically like a special economic zone with tax incentive benefits.
Strangely enough, there is a TEDA Rugby Team and a huge bunch of expats (Danish. Americans, Japs, Koreans) living here. Then again, you see the factories of Novozymes, Nordisk, Nestle and Pepsi in the distance. It’s a strange and rather artificial congregation of foreigners, but I guess we’re all thrown into work after a while and life goes on.
The work at the Eco City is going to be tough. I didn’t quite see what the challenges were until I got here, but I guess in a government-private partnership, I shouldn’t expect any less.
Anyway, on a more personal front, it’s been so comforting to see blue skies outside office hours. It’s been marvellous and I’ve been seizing the opportunity to get out and explore the ‘hood as much as possible. :p
I’ve already been checking out the nature spots in the region, and there seems to be plenty. Tops on the list is Changbaishan – China’s largest reserve with absolutely breathtaking Alpine scenery. Tomorrow the plan is the bus my way to Huangyaguan – a part of the Great Wall North of Tianjin. I didn’t realise I’d been there before during the Great Wall Marathon, but always good to retrace the steps again! :p
There’re already so many sights and sounds (and smells!) of China that we’ve already been thrown hard into. You can’t miss it being in the middle of the Beijing city during jam hours. You think the MRT in Singapore at 6 is bad? Wait till you see Beijing’s…
Still, we’re not even at the tip of the iceberg for now. But I’m writing this probably in an effort to also prepare for what else there is to come.
Anyway, more in store. Toodles!
Little Roots in China 