Over the past two years, I did learn a quite a bit - though mainly non-academic, and some, perhaps not really meaningful. But as I sit here and reflect on what I did over the past 2 years, I thought I would jot some things down. As I am likely to leave Beijing, and China to pursue my career, I feel a tinge of sadness, after all, Beijing has been a very enjoyable place to stay.
1. Forget that you're a foreigner - A lot of foreigners come here with a mindset that they are foreign and thus, should be treated in a "special" manner by the locals, or sometimes, they think that they are superior to the Chinese as China is still very much a developing country. If anything, that mindset would prevent you from truly being able to assimilate and adapt to the culture. It can be as simple as trying new food, or making friends, where you expect people to say/act in a certain way. That doesn't really work - come here with no expectations of how people will treat you.
2. Carry a pack of tissue with you - you really never know when you will use this. I would go into details, but let's not get too graphic or disgusting.
3. Looks and money get the girls - if you're planning to get laid, and get laid a lot, you had better either have the cash to flash or have muscles. Do take time to spend in the gym and eat sensibly, of the people I've noticed, if you're of Chinese heritage and you're tall and have muscles, it is much much easier for you to get some. There are some things that you'll never be able to change (black/blond hair, blue/black eyes, etc) but you can change whether you're in shape or not. In fact, if you're a Causasian and you're in good shape, you'll get it on even more.
However, Chinese girls are not necessarily whores. They're not all willing to jump into bed with you. Do respect them, if you want a quick lay, look for one willing to give you a quick lay, if she's not interested, move on. Don't assume that she wants to get freaky with you just because.... (I think this is applicable anywhere in the world)
4. Make good local friends - get to know a local friend, at least one very well. He/She will give you an opportunity to really explore Beijing from their perspective. As I've said before, the foreigner's Beijing and the local's Beijing can differ vastly. Also, it's an excellent way to pick up the language, if you have language partners, try to avoid sleeping with them - that messes things up and skews the relationship.
5. There's only so much clubbing that you can do - your money is better spent on traveling around Beijing and the rest of China. If anything, at least hit the major cities (including the tourist places). After a while, stumbling back at 4am after two bottles of Grey Goose gets pretty boring.
6. Don't whine about China - if you're frustrated and you feel yourself beginning to hate China, go somewhere else. Don't stay in China and be frustrated and tell people you hate it but you don't want to leave, that just doesn't make sense. Yes, admittedly China can be frustrating, but be adaptable and move along with the program.
7. Get a smart phone - whether an iPhone or Android, get one, nothing less (I don't know about Windows Mobile though, but most applications here are for either of the former operating systems). They have them really cheap here (RMB1,000 for a Xiaomi) so pick one up if you don't have one. If you don't have a smart phone, you're going to miss out on a lot of opportunities to connect and communicate with people here.
MBA Program
Don't expect anything, don't expect anything out of the academics, and don't expect anything for your career. Do your research and build your own networks. People you meet will tend to assume two things about you;
1. That you can speak Chinese
2. That you understand how to business in China
And the only way you're going to be able to do both of that is to immerse yourself thoroughly in China and experience it and work hard.
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Sy & Technikore - Where were you
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Friday, May 11, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
What now?
What now is exactly on my mind. If you come to Tsinghua SEM, you'll finished writing your thesis somewhere end-April, polish it up and it's due by the second week of May. Other than that, you don't really have much to do aside from looking for jobs. But if you start looking for jobs now, it's a little bit too late - most of the decent jobs have been pretty much taken and you are stuck looking for jobs that trickle through the Career Development Center (CDC).
If you're not too picky, a good place to start is on LinkedIn. Start applying for jobs through LinkedIn, I know classmates who seem to have had a pretty good hit rate on that; at least they're getting called for the first round interviews. But of course, some of the jobs seem pretty mediocre. I would seriously advise you to start looking for jobs sometime in August of your second year - at least prepare your cover letters and resumes and start networking. You can never start too early on that.
The other option is to look at NON-MBA jobs, such as jobs with IBM, P&G, and all the larger companies. You won't be able to join their specialized MBA programs/management programs, but you'll at least have some job of sorts. You won't earn a lot and you may not have the similar opportunities you would have had if you were on their programs. But that's a solid option to have.
So, what else is there to do? Well, you could explore Beijing especially if you like to take photos. Slightly before this time, it's a good 2 weeks of spring, where the weather is cool and not too hot, so go to places like 798, Nanlouguxiang or even Tianjin. Go with a partner, preferably one of the opposite sex, it's a lot more fun that way.
If you want to go to gym, there are 2 gyms located in Wudaokou, one at TUS Park and one at Lotus Center (I think it's Nirvana). Nirvana is the most expensive one and not as nice as the one at TUS Park. I think there's another gym at Wenjin International Hotel, but I'm not too sure about that. Choose TUS Park's gym at B1, it's pretty cheap and good. If you have decided to stay in Liudaokou, there's a Chinese gym at Jinma Dasha, where the Starbucks is. It's not too pricey and gets the job done.
If you like pool, there are several pool centers (I didn't know that they were pretty hard to find until I tried looking for them). The first one is around the corner from Ten Year Cafe. Walk from Ten Years Cafe towards Wudaokou in the small alley and on your left will be a hotel, the road will also split left at the hotel. Just walk down the left road until you come to a large building (it's literally 1 minute from the hotel, so it isn't that far). That's the first place, the second place is at thw Wudaokou Hotel (I think that's what it's called), where the cinema is (opposite Hualian). Next to the ICBC ATM's is the entrance, just go down to B1 again - this one is pretty nice, decent tables and cues, except it's way pricey, I think it's about RMB50 per hour. If you want to play 4-ball or Korean pool, there's one on the left side of the cinema called Dama Billards in the little alley (you have to enter a staircase and walk up 3 flights of stairs).
Alternatively, if you fancy playing computer games, just go to B1 of Huaqing, at the entrance next to the McDonald's in Wudaokou.
Come to think about it, there really isn't much to do in Wudakou.... you can always go to Propaganda/Solutions to pick up girls/boys. Any night will be a good night, just don't get drunk there, the dodgy alcohol they serve will make you sick, literally.
-----
Jaime said
"Thanks! I already read that book, it was really fun and interesting. Actually IB was not my first choice either. But, right now the construction industry situation is not that good, and I have experienced myself how architects are exploited for a misserable pay, so I thought that if I had to work that much I would better be payed well. Appart from these, I believe working in IB would be very challenging and would help me learn about how business are done. Sadly I don't really know how to break in... "
Hi Jaime... (thanks for being such a consistent reader, we should have coffee one day :) )
Well, truth be told, most jobs are somewhat horrible. To be honest though, I have rarely, if never, heard about architects going into investment banking. By and large, most non-finance people who go into finance tend to be engineers, physics, science etc. I may be wrong, but investment banking usually doesn't focus on hiring architects. If I'm not wrong, you once mentioned you're a PhD? I think it might be easier for you to transition into consulting instead of investment banking.
I know that you would like to be compensated as much as possible for your work done, we all do :) not that I'm trying to discourage you from going into investment banking, but you should consider other options and widen your focus a little bit.
1. The higher paying jobs are front office - sales, business development, client management - and not operational jobs. You need to keep this in mind when applying for jobs, while operations is a critical part of any business' success, operational people not only do not get paid that well, but also tend to have less recognition and career opportunities. Good operations people are hard to find, but employers tend to think that they are easily replaceable (perhaps when compared to a star busines developer/sales person etc)
2. Money can be made in any job, especially in niched industries - commodities, specialized manufacturing - you make more money when you're specialized in something and not just a generalist. However, having said that, it's interesting to note that the specialist that becomes a generalist makes even MORE money because they have technical skill (which is valuable) and are able to work across different roles (which is important), allowing them to transition to senior management.
3. Challenge has to be met by passion. If you want a challenging job, you need to be passionate about it, or you will never be able to take the stress, the challenges or even the hours that you need to put into it. While money is a strong motivator and people work for years in finance, most people in investment banking tend to move out after a couple of years, some go back to school, or go into a specialized finance job (PE/VF/HF is they're very good). Unless you're passionate about making money for the sake of money, you will be hard pressed to survive in any environment just because you want to make money.
To clarify, there is a difference between making money and making money for the sake of money. One wants to make money for material gain, the other just loves to make money for the fun of it.
4. The best way to learn how business is done is by doing a business, or working in a business where you are involved with the business. Not by doing an MBA or by working in an investment bank or by being a consultant. While you do learn about business in those three mentioned ways, you will only be able to see very focused areas, or have a very shallow exposure to actual business.
I would suggest (I might be wrong here), but if you wanted to learn about business, this is the route that you might consider doing. Given that you don't have a background in business, and you do need to learn the basics, consider the following.
i) Work in a commercial bank with their commercial loans department. Here, you will learn about the cash flow of the business and what goes in and out, more importantly you will have the opportunity to speak with 100s of CEOs and Finance managers about their financial requirements.
ii) I'm sure you've done this, but start reading blogs on entrepreneurship and business. There are plenty of them, do a quick search and subscribe to them. They will offer insight into different parts of business, sometimes, a very in-depth view as well.
iii) Do a business :)
-----
Clazzi - Love & Hate (Korean)
I'm told it sounds very 80's... but I think it's very nice.
On that note, you should watch the original Korean version of "My Sassy Girl".
If you're not too picky, a good place to start is on LinkedIn. Start applying for jobs through LinkedIn, I know classmates who seem to have had a pretty good hit rate on that; at least they're getting called for the first round interviews. But of course, some of the jobs seem pretty mediocre. I would seriously advise you to start looking for jobs sometime in August of your second year - at least prepare your cover letters and resumes and start networking. You can never start too early on that.
The other option is to look at NON-MBA jobs, such as jobs with IBM, P&G, and all the larger companies. You won't be able to join their specialized MBA programs/management programs, but you'll at least have some job of sorts. You won't earn a lot and you may not have the similar opportunities you would have had if you were on their programs. But that's a solid option to have.
So, what else is there to do? Well, you could explore Beijing especially if you like to take photos. Slightly before this time, it's a good 2 weeks of spring, where the weather is cool and not too hot, so go to places like 798, Nanlouguxiang or even Tianjin. Go with a partner, preferably one of the opposite sex, it's a lot more fun that way.
If you want to go to gym, there are 2 gyms located in Wudaokou, one at TUS Park and one at Lotus Center (I think it's Nirvana). Nirvana is the most expensive one and not as nice as the one at TUS Park. I think there's another gym at Wenjin International Hotel, but I'm not too sure about that. Choose TUS Park's gym at B1, it's pretty cheap and good. If you have decided to stay in Liudaokou, there's a Chinese gym at Jinma Dasha, where the Starbucks is. It's not too pricey and gets the job done.
If you like pool, there are several pool centers (I didn't know that they were pretty hard to find until I tried looking for them). The first one is around the corner from Ten Year Cafe. Walk from Ten Years Cafe towards Wudaokou in the small alley and on your left will be a hotel, the road will also split left at the hotel. Just walk down the left road until you come to a large building (it's literally 1 minute from the hotel, so it isn't that far). That's the first place, the second place is at thw Wudaokou Hotel (I think that's what it's called), where the cinema is (opposite Hualian). Next to the ICBC ATM's is the entrance, just go down to B1 again - this one is pretty nice, decent tables and cues, except it's way pricey, I think it's about RMB50 per hour. If you want to play 4-ball or Korean pool, there's one on the left side of the cinema called Dama Billards in the little alley (you have to enter a staircase and walk up 3 flights of stairs).
Alternatively, if you fancy playing computer games, just go to B1 of Huaqing, at the entrance next to the McDonald's in Wudaokou.
Come to think about it, there really isn't much to do in Wudakou.... you can always go to Propaganda/Solutions to pick up girls/boys. Any night will be a good night, just don't get drunk there, the dodgy alcohol they serve will make you sick, literally.
-----
Jaime said
"Thanks! I already read that book, it was really fun and interesting. Actually IB was not my first choice either. But, right now the construction industry situation is not that good, and I have experienced myself how architects are exploited for a misserable pay, so I thought that if I had to work that much I would better be payed well. Appart from these, I believe working in IB would be very challenging and would help me learn about how business are done. Sadly I don't really know how to break in... "
Hi Jaime... (thanks for being such a consistent reader, we should have coffee one day :) )
Well, truth be told, most jobs are somewhat horrible. To be honest though, I have rarely, if never, heard about architects going into investment banking. By and large, most non-finance people who go into finance tend to be engineers, physics, science etc. I may be wrong, but investment banking usually doesn't focus on hiring architects. If I'm not wrong, you once mentioned you're a PhD? I think it might be easier for you to transition into consulting instead of investment banking.
I know that you would like to be compensated as much as possible for your work done, we all do :) not that I'm trying to discourage you from going into investment banking, but you should consider other options and widen your focus a little bit.
1. The higher paying jobs are front office - sales, business development, client management - and not operational jobs. You need to keep this in mind when applying for jobs, while operations is a critical part of any business' success, operational people not only do not get paid that well, but also tend to have less recognition and career opportunities. Good operations people are hard to find, but employers tend to think that they are easily replaceable (perhaps when compared to a star busines developer/sales person etc)
2. Money can be made in any job, especially in niched industries - commodities, specialized manufacturing - you make more money when you're specialized in something and not just a generalist. However, having said that, it's interesting to note that the specialist that becomes a generalist makes even MORE money because they have technical skill (which is valuable) and are able to work across different roles (which is important), allowing them to transition to senior management.
3. Challenge has to be met by passion. If you want a challenging job, you need to be passionate about it, or you will never be able to take the stress, the challenges or even the hours that you need to put into it. While money is a strong motivator and people work for years in finance, most people in investment banking tend to move out after a couple of years, some go back to school, or go into a specialized finance job (PE/VF/HF is they're very good). Unless you're passionate about making money for the sake of money, you will be hard pressed to survive in any environment just because you want to make money.
To clarify, there is a difference between making money and making money for the sake of money. One wants to make money for material gain, the other just loves to make money for the fun of it.
4. The best way to learn how business is done is by doing a business, or working in a business where you are involved with the business. Not by doing an MBA or by working in an investment bank or by being a consultant. While you do learn about business in those three mentioned ways, you will only be able to see very focused areas, or have a very shallow exposure to actual business.
I would suggest (I might be wrong here), but if you wanted to learn about business, this is the route that you might consider doing. Given that you don't have a background in business, and you do need to learn the basics, consider the following.
i) Work in a commercial bank with their commercial loans department. Here, you will learn about the cash flow of the business and what goes in and out, more importantly you will have the opportunity to speak with 100s of CEOs and Finance managers about their financial requirements.
ii) I'm sure you've done this, but start reading blogs on entrepreneurship and business. There are plenty of them, do a quick search and subscribe to them. They will offer insight into different parts of business, sometimes, a very in-depth view as well.
iii) Do a business :)
-----
Clazzi - Love & Hate (Korean)
I'm told it sounds very 80's... but I think it's very nice.
On that note, you should watch the original Korean version of "My Sassy Girl".
Monday, March 19, 2012
Sex in Beijing Part 1: Whoring
So, let's start this somewhat risque topic with a disclaimer. This may offend you if you think paid sex is dirty, and that hooking up for a one night stand is a bad thing that you will go to hell for. Also, from a male's perspective (not necessarily mine) - this post was assembled after interviews with several people who apparently, do know how to have a good time.
First, we'll talk about whoring today. Every guy is interested in that at a base level. Yes, it costs money, but yes, it's a sure thing, and yes, people do, do it, regardless of what they say.
But let's face it. You're in Beijing, there's only so much hanging out with the guys you want to do, sometimes, you just wanna get down and jiggy with it. But what can you do? Well, as a rule of thumb, Beijing has officially no vice - that's officially. Why? Because it's the capital city of China and they've got to keep it clean. And that's another reason why it's so safe to walk the streets at 3am as well.... alone.
Even though Beijing isn't Shanghai, or close to Dongguan (apparently the sex capital of China, or rather, the whoring capital of China), you can still negotiate for love at certain places.
i. KTV - there are KTVs and then there are KTVs! KTVs tend to have female companionship. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to get laid. Most KTVs tend to keep it pretty clean - above the belt. However, they are not cheap, if you head to a Chinese KTV, you're paying RMB100/RMB200/RMB300 or for the companionship of the lady. If you head to a Korean-style KTV, a night out would cost a minimum of RMB3000 (room, some alcohol and some ladies). But again, nothing below the belt. Some KTVs allow negotiations to be made between you and your lady privately, while others do have a pool of girls that are willing to get down for the right price. You could always ask the manager whether it's possible for you to take the girl home and he/she might point you out to which girls are open for negotiations. From what I hear negotiations are usually around RMB 1,000 (Korean KTVs) and around RMB600 onwards for Chinese KTVs.
ii. Name cards - every once in a while, you'll get name cards slipped under your door. Especially so if you're staying in a cheap hotel. There's a picture of an alluring girl and a number to call. I have been told that, never ever call those numbers. Simply because the girls that come look nothing like the girls in the picture - false advertising. And also, sometimes the girl shows up with some guys to jack your shit, so not safe and not advisable.
iii. Clubs - so, what do you do if you really want to get it on in a relatively safe way? Well, there are several options, if you have a thing for Mongolian girls, go to a bar called Maggie's at Ritan Park, if you like Chinese girls go to Xiu at Park Hyatt and if you like Russians, go to Chocolate which is on the otherside of Ritan Park. There, it's up to you to go up and approach girls, of course, you should do it discreetly incase you approach a girl that ISN'T interested in negotiating her love. At Maggie's, just about every other girl is open to ideas, at Xiu, look for those standing around the fringes of the bar by themselves, and at Chocolate, I've got no idea. I'm told that the price ranges from RMB 800 to RMB 1,200 per night. Go later and you might get it cheaper.
iv. Barber shops - yes, seriously, barber shops. Again, I'm told that you should look for barber shops with plenty of girls sitting around dressed in short skirts. I'm not sure how the system works, but I think you negotiate somewhat while sitting down in the chair with a girl's hands up your pants and you may move it to the back of the shop where there's a nice little bed for you. I think the price ranges around RMB 300 to RMB 400. I couldn't find anybody reliable to tell me.
v. Girls on the street - they seem scarce but not that scarce. My friends tend to get approached by girls on the street every once in a while, especially at key nightspots late at night. What more can I say about this? You may check Houhai, 3.3 and other areas. But I doubt there's a sure fire way to be able to single out the girls that are wiling to sell some love for the night until they approach you. Prices start at RMB 600 to RMB 1,000, but you can always negotiate it down, especially if it's late at night. I suspect it's because they would like to make some money before everybody heads home to sleep.
vi. Outcalls - outcalls or so they're called, is basically a home delivery service. In a way, the name cards is an outcall, however, if you're going this route, you should probably get a reliable number and delivery. Search hard enough on the Internet (hint: forums) and you might be able to get a few numbers of people who might be able to assist you in your search for love, lust and pleasure. You've got to becareful again, for reasons like being jacked come into mind, but in general they have more to fear than you do - because the police would be more than happy to come and tear them apart. I think prices are around RMB600.
vii. Taxi drivers - get a reliable taxi driver, preferably a black cab driver that you use every day and isn't going to jack your shit, and he will probably be able to arrange it for you. Courtesy of my black cab driver, he's been offering me a 21 year old student from Hebei who will show me the meaning of love for RMB400 an hour. Please keep in mind I haven't accepted his offer and have no intention of doing so. Of course, you will get taxi drivers that offer you all kinds of shit when you're stumbling out drunk from Vics or Spark, but I really advise you against taking their offers unless you REALLY know them well.
And there you have it, the several ways you (a guy) can whore in Beijing. Keep it real, keep it safe and remember to use a condom.
-----
Buzz, Barry Diston & Stevie D feat. Jess Palmer - Alone
Download
Definitely worth listening to. It's a remix of.. Alone? Can't remember who did the original, but this version is good.
And since I haven't posted something for a while, here's another song. A favorite of mine
Al Storm - Move Those Feet
First, we'll talk about whoring today. Every guy is interested in that at a base level. Yes, it costs money, but yes, it's a sure thing, and yes, people do, do it, regardless of what they say.
But let's face it. You're in Beijing, there's only so much hanging out with the guys you want to do, sometimes, you just wanna get down and jiggy with it. But what can you do? Well, as a rule of thumb, Beijing has officially no vice - that's officially. Why? Because it's the capital city of China and they've got to keep it clean. And that's another reason why it's so safe to walk the streets at 3am as well.... alone.
Even though Beijing isn't Shanghai, or close to Dongguan (apparently the sex capital of China, or rather, the whoring capital of China), you can still negotiate for love at certain places.
i. KTV - there are KTVs and then there are KTVs! KTVs tend to have female companionship. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to get laid. Most KTVs tend to keep it pretty clean - above the belt. However, they are not cheap, if you head to a Chinese KTV, you're paying RMB100/RMB200/RMB300 or for the companionship of the lady. If you head to a Korean-style KTV, a night out would cost a minimum of RMB3000 (room, some alcohol and some ladies). But again, nothing below the belt. Some KTVs allow negotiations to be made between you and your lady privately, while others do have a pool of girls that are willing to get down for the right price. You could always ask the manager whether it's possible for you to take the girl home and he/she might point you out to which girls are open for negotiations. From what I hear negotiations are usually around RMB 1,000 (Korean KTVs) and around RMB600 onwards for Chinese KTVs.
ii. Name cards - every once in a while, you'll get name cards slipped under your door. Especially so if you're staying in a cheap hotel. There's a picture of an alluring girl and a number to call. I have been told that, never ever call those numbers. Simply because the girls that come look nothing like the girls in the picture - false advertising. And also, sometimes the girl shows up with some guys to jack your shit, so not safe and not advisable.
iii. Clubs - so, what do you do if you really want to get it on in a relatively safe way? Well, there are several options, if you have a thing for Mongolian girls, go to a bar called Maggie's at Ritan Park, if you like Chinese girls go to Xiu at Park Hyatt and if you like Russians, go to Chocolate which is on the otherside of Ritan Park. There, it's up to you to go up and approach girls, of course, you should do it discreetly incase you approach a girl that ISN'T interested in negotiating her love. At Maggie's, just about every other girl is open to ideas, at Xiu, look for those standing around the fringes of the bar by themselves, and at Chocolate, I've got no idea. I'm told that the price ranges from RMB 800 to RMB 1,200 per night. Go later and you might get it cheaper.
iv. Barber shops - yes, seriously, barber shops. Again, I'm told that you should look for barber shops with plenty of girls sitting around dressed in short skirts. I'm not sure how the system works, but I think you negotiate somewhat while sitting down in the chair with a girl's hands up your pants and you may move it to the back of the shop where there's a nice little bed for you. I think the price ranges around RMB 300 to RMB 400. I couldn't find anybody reliable to tell me.
v. Girls on the street - they seem scarce but not that scarce. My friends tend to get approached by girls on the street every once in a while, especially at key nightspots late at night. What more can I say about this? You may check Houhai, 3.3 and other areas. But I doubt there's a sure fire way to be able to single out the girls that are wiling to sell some love for the night until they approach you. Prices start at RMB 600 to RMB 1,000, but you can always negotiate it down, especially if it's late at night. I suspect it's because they would like to make some money before everybody heads home to sleep.
vi. Outcalls - outcalls or so they're called, is basically a home delivery service. In a way, the name cards is an outcall, however, if you're going this route, you should probably get a reliable number and delivery. Search hard enough on the Internet (hint: forums) and you might be able to get a few numbers of people who might be able to assist you in your search for love, lust and pleasure. You've got to becareful again, for reasons like being jacked come into mind, but in general they have more to fear than you do - because the police would be more than happy to come and tear them apart. I think prices are around RMB600.
vii. Taxi drivers - get a reliable taxi driver, preferably a black cab driver that you use every day and isn't going to jack your shit, and he will probably be able to arrange it for you. Courtesy of my black cab driver, he's been offering me a 21 year old student from Hebei who will show me the meaning of love for RMB400 an hour. Please keep in mind I haven't accepted his offer and have no intention of doing so. Of course, you will get taxi drivers that offer you all kinds of shit when you're stumbling out drunk from Vics or Spark, but I really advise you against taking their offers unless you REALLY know them well.
And there you have it, the several ways you (a guy) can whore in Beijing. Keep it real, keep it safe and remember to use a condom.
-----
Buzz, Barry Diston & Stevie D feat. Jess Palmer - Alone
Download
Definitely worth listening to. It's a remix of.. Alone? Can't remember who did the original, but this version is good.
And since I haven't posted something for a while, here's another song. A favorite of mine
Al Storm - Move Those Feet
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
SOE
So, for the past several days, I've been working with a Chinese SOE (state owned enterprise). Which has been pretty interesting in terms of getting the whole China exposure. There are a few highlights that I've had this week, mainly:
1. Free food
Yes, apparently Chinese companies especially SOEs give you free food. Usually it's all you can eat, which can be nice when there's something good on the menu. The food isn't bad, it's just normal. Unfortunately, in my excitement to eat "lion's head" meatballs today and to take extra, I was told "ONE MEATBALL PER PERSON ONLY" :( Made me feel very sad, because I really like those meatballs. You don't get much variety - noodles or rice, with 3 or 4 side dishes and bread and soup. But free food is free food right?
2. 8.30am - 5.00pm sharp.
Nobody does over time. They work exactly 7 hours, have lunch at 11.30am sharp (because if you're late or slow there's a long line for the food) and go home exactly at 5.00pm. They don't do over time, and take a nap during lunch break or play ping-pong. They looked at me weird when I asked them why are they going home so early? I opted to stay late and play a bit of poker online as I usually have a dinner appointment at 7.00pm and am not rushing to go anywhere.
3. Smoking Room
That's right! Every floor has a dedicated smoking room, how cool is that? You get to get your nicotine hit whenever you want without having to step outside the building.
4. English
Everybody here speaks Chinese (as expected) and is trying to learn English (as expected). They're happy that they can practise English with me and help me with my Chinese whenever possible. In fact, they're so dedicated to learning English that they set aside 1pm - 2pm every day to have time to speak in English. They take turns translating their conversations, or articles or something that they saw into English and correcting each other. I'm pretty awed by their determination and motivation.
And the last thing I would like to touch on is... work.
I have not seen anybody do any serious work. I don't know why, maybe this is their down time. I'm sure that they do work at some point, maybe it's because I'm sitting in the corner and I can't see them. But most people who I walk past don't seem to be doing work @.@
But, I have been... well, not a lot, just a little... but little by little adds up right?
-----
DJ Yanny presents Terraformer - Won't forget these days (DJ Digress remix)
Nightcore version (faster/sped up)
Can't remember if I've put it up. Sorry if I did....
1. Free food
Yes, apparently Chinese companies especially SOEs give you free food. Usually it's all you can eat, which can be nice when there's something good on the menu. The food isn't bad, it's just normal. Unfortunately, in my excitement to eat "lion's head" meatballs today and to take extra, I was told "ONE MEATBALL PER PERSON ONLY" :( Made me feel very sad, because I really like those meatballs. You don't get much variety - noodles or rice, with 3 or 4 side dishes and bread and soup. But free food is free food right?
2. 8.30am - 5.00pm sharp.
Nobody does over time. They work exactly 7 hours, have lunch at 11.30am sharp (because if you're late or slow there's a long line for the food) and go home exactly at 5.00pm. They don't do over time, and take a nap during lunch break or play ping-pong. They looked at me weird when I asked them why are they going home so early? I opted to stay late and play a bit of poker online as I usually have a dinner appointment at 7.00pm and am not rushing to go anywhere.
3. Smoking Room
That's right! Every floor has a dedicated smoking room, how cool is that? You get to get your nicotine hit whenever you want without having to step outside the building.
4. English
Everybody here speaks Chinese (as expected) and is trying to learn English (as expected). They're happy that they can practise English with me and help me with my Chinese whenever possible. In fact, they're so dedicated to learning English that they set aside 1pm - 2pm every day to have time to speak in English. They take turns translating their conversations, or articles or something that they saw into English and correcting each other. I'm pretty awed by their determination and motivation.
And the last thing I would like to touch on is... work.
I have not seen anybody do any serious work. I don't know why, maybe this is their down time. I'm sure that they do work at some point, maybe it's because I'm sitting in the corner and I can't see them. But most people who I walk past don't seem to be doing work @.@
But, I have been... well, not a lot, just a little... but little by little adds up right?
-----
DJ Yanny presents Terraformer - Won't forget these days (DJ Digress remix)
Nightcore version (faster/sped up)
Can't remember if I've put it up. Sorry if I did....
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Happy Chinese New Year
It's been a while now since I last blogged. What have most of my fellow classmates been up to? Well, pretty much about half of my classmates went for an exchange abroad. Those that stayed to do the 3rd semested at Tsinghua SEM spent the last moments of the semester making arrangements to go back home for the winter break.
So right now, there is hardly anybody in Beijing (from my class) - especially given that the Chinese New Year has come earlier. Those that stayed are probably focusing on their local internships, I know at least of one classmate who is doing an internship here. In general, the consensus is that most of my classmates will come back sometime in March.
What have I been doing? Well, I spent a good part of December and January traveling before coming back to Beijing for the Chinese New Year - only to realize that perhaps, I should have had spent my time elsewhere. But actually, the fact that nobody is around allows me to get some work done. Because, well, I realized that realistically, I may not be able to get into an MBA specific role, such as a leadership program or an associate program. Possibly because of experience, age, etc; it's hard to tell why sometimes. But taking that into consideration, I've decided that I would apply directly into roles that I am interested in, aside from the usual MBA roles.
How have I fared? Admittedly not very well. Discussions for a company that was interested well through. So what is my plan? Well, I have decided that I will look into doing what I have always wanted to do - entrepreneurship and start-up. And to that, I have spent the last several weeks working on business plans for a start-up in China. However, the trickier part, is getting funding. So over the next couple of months, I will probably be knocking on a the doors of a lot of VC funds with my hat in my hand, asking for some charity. Let's hope that this goes better than my applying for a job. :)
-----
Ok, I have to admit, the main reason that I blogged today was because Jaime, left a comment. So I will go ahead and try and address her questions
"Thanks, its me, Jaime again. From the last post I guess things are getting better with the job hunting. I am selecting my grades for next semester, and would like to know if you can give me some advice of were to find SEM English courses. I know there are some you don't need to be MBA student to take, I knew some exchange French guys how were taking these courses. Do you know where can I find info about this?
And, considering I want to find some internship at a PE or IB firm, just to get some experience I am not aiming for (Goldman Sachs), can you recommend me any courses?
Thanks, and good luck with the job hunting!!"
Hi Jaime
To be honest, I am not very clear on what you do. Are you an exchange student or are you just a student hoping to take some courses at Tsinghua SEM? Anyhow, if you want to find the English courses online, you would need to have an account. At least, that is how we access the list of Ensligh electives. But perhaps, an option you could do is to call the office? I think you might be able to ask Lynn (8610-6278 5515) for advice on this and how you would be able to sign up for courses if you are not a Tsinghua SEM student.
If you are planning to find an internship at a PE or IB firm, it really depends on what role you would want to do - especially in IB. But I would suggest that you look at courses such as Theory of Investment, Capital Markets, Investment Banking (yes, there is a course that is called Investment Banking) and similarly related courses. If, you want to do an internship, and I think possibly as an analyst, do look at doing internships with securities firms such as Samsung, Mitsubitshi, etc. If you have no prior experience, it might be an opportunity for you to break into the field.
Good luck to you.
-----
Foster the People - Pumped up kicks (Skeet Skeet remix)
I wonder how many people feel like that.
So right now, there is hardly anybody in Beijing (from my class) - especially given that the Chinese New Year has come earlier. Those that stayed are probably focusing on their local internships, I know at least of one classmate who is doing an internship here. In general, the consensus is that most of my classmates will come back sometime in March.
What have I been doing? Well, I spent a good part of December and January traveling before coming back to Beijing for the Chinese New Year - only to realize that perhaps, I should have had spent my time elsewhere. But actually, the fact that nobody is around allows me to get some work done. Because, well, I realized that realistically, I may not be able to get into an MBA specific role, such as a leadership program or an associate program. Possibly because of experience, age, etc; it's hard to tell why sometimes. But taking that into consideration, I've decided that I would apply directly into roles that I am interested in, aside from the usual MBA roles.
How have I fared? Admittedly not very well. Discussions for a company that was interested well through. So what is my plan? Well, I have decided that I will look into doing what I have always wanted to do - entrepreneurship and start-up. And to that, I have spent the last several weeks working on business plans for a start-up in China. However, the trickier part, is getting funding. So over the next couple of months, I will probably be knocking on a the doors of a lot of VC funds with my hat in my hand, asking for some charity. Let's hope that this goes better than my applying for a job. :)
-----
Ok, I have to admit, the main reason that I blogged today was because Jaime, left a comment. So I will go ahead and try and address her questions
"Thanks, its me, Jaime again. From the last post I guess things are getting better with the job hunting. I am selecting my grades for next semester, and would like to know if you can give me some advice of were to find SEM English courses. I know there are some you don't need to be MBA student to take, I knew some exchange French guys how were taking these courses. Do you know where can I find info about this?
And, considering I want to find some internship at a PE or IB firm, just to get some experience I am not aiming for (Goldman Sachs), can you recommend me any courses?
Thanks, and good luck with the job hunting!!"
Hi Jaime
To be honest, I am not very clear on what you do. Are you an exchange student or are you just a student hoping to take some courses at Tsinghua SEM? Anyhow, if you want to find the English courses online, you would need to have an account. At least, that is how we access the list of Ensligh electives. But perhaps, an option you could do is to call the office? I think you might be able to ask Lynn (8610-6278 5515) for advice on this and how you would be able to sign up for courses if you are not a Tsinghua SEM student.
If you are planning to find an internship at a PE or IB firm, it really depends on what role you would want to do - especially in IB. But I would suggest that you look at courses such as Theory of Investment, Capital Markets, Investment Banking (yes, there is a course that is called Investment Banking) and similarly related courses. If, you want to do an internship, and I think possibly as an analyst, do look at doing internships with securities firms such as Samsung, Mitsubitshi, etc. If you have no prior experience, it might be an opportunity for you to break into the field.
Good luck to you.
-----
Foster the People - Pumped up kicks (Skeet Skeet remix)
I wonder how many people feel like that.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Classes, almost done.
With just about all the classes done, the next couple of months look pretty empty aside from
i) Job hunting
ii) Writing the thesis
iii) Learning Chinese
iv) Traveling
Most of my classmates are planning to head back home and probably stay there until they come back for thesis defense. Those that are planning to stay here have a similar plans, and of course, including getting a job in China.
But an interesting thing to note, is that there are a fair number of people who cannot simply stand being in Beijing (and perhaps China) any longer and are just dying to get out of China. Back to the states, or maybe even Hong Kong (although that's still part of China). But I think in general, the pollution, the attitude and even the facilities of Beijing have left a pretty bad impression on people.
As for myself, I still find a good deal of attraction of staying in China. Although, I have developed a love/hate relationship with winter in particular, I think I could be willing to survive that for the opportunity to be in Beijing. Perhaps coming from where I am, I'm a little bit more tolerant of Beijing's short comings and find them perhaps amusing, or I really haven't had the opportunity to experience Beijing at its worst.
I have come to realize though, that while most companies (banks/consulting/leadership programs) do start recruitment in October, quite a fair number of jobs that you would want require you to start within a month or two. So while it's good to apply for jobs in the mentioned areas, there are a lot more jobs that you can't apply for simply because of timing. Most companies would want you to start immediately because they are non-MBA specific jobs. They will value and take your MBA into consideration, but, the companies do not have MBA graduate programs. So keep this in mind when you start applying for jobs.
-----
Soon, everybody will be leaving and hopefully, getting the jobs that they want. It's been a good 1.5 years? Well, only about a year and 3 months. It's been a good ride. Make the best of your 1st year, it'll be intense but enjoyable. That's the time when you build the friendships.
Good luck and good bye friends....
-----
DJ Volume - Spirit of Yesterday (Nightcore)
I remember the days
I remember the place
'cause I wish you were mine
just a moment in time
say my name in the night
and to you it feels right
'cause into your arms I fall
You decided to leave
just as long as I breathe
it's my very last try
and you tell me "goodbye"
I remember the place
I remember the days
the best time of my life
Refrain:
I call
the spirit of yesterday
spirit of yesterday
I fall
into your arms again
into your arms one day
I call
the spirit of yesterday
spirit of yesterday
I fall
into your arms again
into your arms one day
i) Job hunting
ii) Writing the thesis
iii) Learning Chinese
iv) Traveling
Most of my classmates are planning to head back home and probably stay there until they come back for thesis defense. Those that are planning to stay here have a similar plans, and of course, including getting a job in China.
But an interesting thing to note, is that there are a fair number of people who cannot simply stand being in Beijing (and perhaps China) any longer and are just dying to get out of China. Back to the states, or maybe even Hong Kong (although that's still part of China). But I think in general, the pollution, the attitude and even the facilities of Beijing have left a pretty bad impression on people.
As for myself, I still find a good deal of attraction of staying in China. Although, I have developed a love/hate relationship with winter in particular, I think I could be willing to survive that for the opportunity to be in Beijing. Perhaps coming from where I am, I'm a little bit more tolerant of Beijing's short comings and find them perhaps amusing, or I really haven't had the opportunity to experience Beijing at its worst.
I have come to realize though, that while most companies (banks/consulting/leadership programs) do start recruitment in October, quite a fair number of jobs that you would want require you to start within a month or two. So while it's good to apply for jobs in the mentioned areas, there are a lot more jobs that you can't apply for simply because of timing. Most companies would want you to start immediately because they are non-MBA specific jobs. They will value and take your MBA into consideration, but, the companies do not have MBA graduate programs. So keep this in mind when you start applying for jobs.
-----
Soon, everybody will be leaving and hopefully, getting the jobs that they want. It's been a good 1.5 years? Well, only about a year and 3 months. It's been a good ride. Make the best of your 1st year, it'll be intense but enjoyable. That's the time when you build the friendships.
Good luck and good bye friends....
-----
DJ Volume - Spirit of Yesterday (Nightcore)
I remember the days
I remember the place
'cause I wish you were mine
just a moment in time
say my name in the night
and to you it feels right
'cause into your arms I fall
You decided to leave
just as long as I breathe
it's my very last try
and you tell me "goodbye"
I remember the place
I remember the days
the best time of my life
Refrain:
I call
the spirit of yesterday
spirit of yesterday
I fall
into your arms again
into your arms one day
I call
the spirit of yesterday
spirit of yesterday
I fall
into your arms again
into your arms one day
Monday, November 7, 2011
Heading towards the promised land
As I mentioned earlier before, job applications are now well on their way. I guess it's during this time when you realize who your good friends are and who are just acquintances.
China is well known for being competitive, but when you have a group of classmates graduating at the same time, looking for the same jobs, the competition really gets a bit intense. By and large, unless you're applying for something totally different, people aren't going to sit down with you and help you. After all, if you get the job, it means that they don't get the job. It's a sad occurence, but a very realistic occurence. Remember when you were applying for a place on the MBA program? It's the same thing all over again - a spot given to somebody else means there's one less spot for you to get.
So, as a result, only your good friends are the ones who are willing to lend a helping hand to you - perhaps to look at your resume or help you with a cover letter, or even, write an introduction for you to a friend in a company they know.
----
How have I fared? Pretty badly so far. I've sent out perhaps 30 applications, and only received a solid response from one company. However, by and large, I've been courting this company for a while so the people I've been speaking to are somewhat familiar with me. Hopefully, within a month or two, I'll be able to lock it down.
The consensus is if you're coming to China now, you're a little late to the party. The fat cushy expat jobs are pretty much a thing of the past. Most companies now do local hiring, because the local Chinese are pretty much as good as the foreign expats in most areas, but much cheaper. I would think though, there are a few industries/roles where you can still get that fabled expat package - but you would need to have a lot of relevant work experience, and/or be in a technical role.
But, the party is still going on....
----
China is no place for the weak, unmotivated or for those that care. It's actually a pretty cruel and harsh environment to be in. One in a while, you can take a break, but usually, it's always on the go. Why do I say it's not a place for those that care? Well, sometimes, showing that you care is a weakness and most people wouldn't hesitate to explort it for their own benefit.
When you live in Beijing or Shanghai, it's easy to think that China is progressing faster and further than any other country you've been to. But you musn't forget that China still has a huge rural class, that for a majority of the people, what you spend in a day on food and entertainment would sustain them for a week, or not a month.
It's easy to see the decadence around you, whether at a restaurant, or a road or even in a club. Perhaps, it should be said, especially in a club. When people are popping bottles at RMB1.5k a bottle like they don't care, it's easy to figure that a night out with a group of friends would probably feed and educated a family for half a year.
Of course, most of the time you'll need to suppress that feeling to get on with life here as a foreigner. Possibly, the less introspection you do, the better a time you would have. Nobody really wants to sit down to discuss about what a decadent lifestyle they're having. This probably is true of every country has its poor.
----
So what happens now? Well, hopefully I get a job that lets me stay. Maybe then again, staying isn't a question - you could easily get a local friend's company to hire you so you could get the visa. So perhaps, it's more of, getting a job that I want to do that would afford me a decent life in China. After all, that's the China dream for most of us, and the reason why we came here. Because it was the promised land, except, we're just a little late now. But the lights aren't on yet. So party on.
----
An excellent article to read that puts into perspective how hard China was/and can be for people.
I fought for 18 years to have a cup of coffee with you.
----
Flyin's & Sparky feat. Marie Louise - Take My Breath Away
China is well known for being competitive, but when you have a group of classmates graduating at the same time, looking for the same jobs, the competition really gets a bit intense. By and large, unless you're applying for something totally different, people aren't going to sit down with you and help you. After all, if you get the job, it means that they don't get the job. It's a sad occurence, but a very realistic occurence. Remember when you were applying for a place on the MBA program? It's the same thing all over again - a spot given to somebody else means there's one less spot for you to get.
So, as a result, only your good friends are the ones who are willing to lend a helping hand to you - perhaps to look at your resume or help you with a cover letter, or even, write an introduction for you to a friend in a company they know.
----
How have I fared? Pretty badly so far. I've sent out perhaps 30 applications, and only received a solid response from one company. However, by and large, I've been courting this company for a while so the people I've been speaking to are somewhat familiar with me. Hopefully, within a month or two, I'll be able to lock it down.
The consensus is if you're coming to China now, you're a little late to the party. The fat cushy expat jobs are pretty much a thing of the past. Most companies now do local hiring, because the local Chinese are pretty much as good as the foreign expats in most areas, but much cheaper. I would think though, there are a few industries/roles where you can still get that fabled expat package - but you would need to have a lot of relevant work experience, and/or be in a technical role.
But, the party is still going on....
----
China is no place for the weak, unmotivated or for those that care. It's actually a pretty cruel and harsh environment to be in. One in a while, you can take a break, but usually, it's always on the go. Why do I say it's not a place for those that care? Well, sometimes, showing that you care is a weakness and most people wouldn't hesitate to explort it for their own benefit.
When you live in Beijing or Shanghai, it's easy to think that China is progressing faster and further than any other country you've been to. But you musn't forget that China still has a huge rural class, that for a majority of the people, what you spend in a day on food and entertainment would sustain them for a week, or not a month.
It's easy to see the decadence around you, whether at a restaurant, or a road or even in a club. Perhaps, it should be said, especially in a club. When people are popping bottles at RMB1.5k a bottle like they don't care, it's easy to figure that a night out with a group of friends would probably feed and educated a family for half a year.
Of course, most of the time you'll need to suppress that feeling to get on with life here as a foreigner. Possibly, the less introspection you do, the better a time you would have. Nobody really wants to sit down to discuss about what a decadent lifestyle they're having. This probably is true of every country has its poor.
----
So what happens now? Well, hopefully I get a job that lets me stay. Maybe then again, staying isn't a question - you could easily get a local friend's company to hire you so you could get the visa. So perhaps, it's more of, getting a job that I want to do that would afford me a decent life in China. After all, that's the China dream for most of us, and the reason why we came here. Because it was the promised land, except, we're just a little late now. But the lights aren't on yet. So party on.
----
An excellent article to read that puts into perspective how hard China was/and can be for people.
I fought for 18 years to have a cup of coffee with you.
----
Flyin's & Sparky feat. Marie Louise - Take My Breath Away
Monday, September 26, 2011
Job Applications
So right now, nothing's happening except job applications. The general consensus seems to be to lock down an MBA level job by January latest or you're chopped liver...
I guess that the stress level is slowly building but got to be strong, got to believe that I'm going to cross the desert and reach the promised land. What exactly is in the promised land? Nobody really knows, maybe it's just a dream that keeps us going on - but in times of doubt, what else can you wish for if not just hope? Hope is all we've got sometimes.
To talk about something depressing, here's a post I came across on ChinaHush.com. Makes you think and wonder and hope that it never happens to you.
Letter to Dad
In case you can't read it, here it is.
-----
Sarina Paris - Look at Us (Beam & Yanou remix)
I guess that the stress level is slowly building but got to be strong, got to believe that I'm going to cross the desert and reach the promised land. What exactly is in the promised land? Nobody really knows, maybe it's just a dream that keeps us going on - but in times of doubt, what else can you wish for if not just hope? Hope is all we've got sometimes.
To talk about something depressing, here's a post I came across on ChinaHush.com. Makes you think and wonder and hope that it never happens to you.
Letter to Dad
In case you can't read it, here it is.
-----
A college graduate drifter’s confession letter to his peasant worker father
Dad, Yesterday you asked me how much money I have saved. I said I have saved a little over eight thousand. You seemed a little unhappy, said I already worked almost a year, three thousand and two hundred each month, I should have saved at lease fifteen hundred. I did not dare to make a sound. Dad, I really was afraid to tell you, actually there are not even five hundred in my bank card, and I have to pay the rent – three hundred in couple of days. There are several bags of ramen on the table, and the only money I spent was the comic book “I am Bai Gu Jin” (我是白骨精) I bought the day before yesterday. Dad, for sure you are going to yell at me for spending too much money, but you know, I love to draw since when I was little, I really could not help but to buy this comic book.
Dad, I am sorry, I should not have lied. Last time mom asked me on the phone how much money I make a month. I told her three thousand and two hundred, out of thin air, but I actually only make one thousand. And I don’t work for a law firm; I am just helping out, doing odd jobs at a company. Then mom told me that you felt monthly salary of three thousand and two hundred is too low, said your construction job pays over one hundred a day. A college graduate like me should make five to six thousand. Dad, I am really sorry, for disappointing you, after so much schooling, spending so much money on school and still not better than you working at construction. Dad, I will work harder.
Some time ago you always asked me if I am going home for Chinese new year, I always said that I don’t know yet, if I have to work over time during the Spring Festival. Actually, Dad, my company does not have work during the Spring Festival, I really just do not dare to go home. I calculated, when I get my pay at the end of the year and after my rent, the ticket for going home is over four hundred, then I probably don’t even have enough money to buy mom a sweater. Dad, your son does not have the face to go home!
Mom called me and said you are stingier as you get older, always blaming me for not calling you at home. My mom and I lied to you, said your cell phone has problems, always not getting through. Couple days ago you suddenly called me with your cell phone, and told me that you spent three hundred yuan and switched to a new cell phone, the call will go through from now on. Dad, I am sorry, son lied to you, I never called you, it’s not that I don’t miss you, and not that your son is not filial, but your son is afraid that you ask about my income, afraid that you talk about money. Dad, is it snowing at home? You have to wear more cloths. It is getting cold at the south also, your son really wants to go home, really wants to sit by the fire as a family, talk and laugh.
Last month you called and said the next door neighbor Dake which is one year younger than me is getting married this winter. He is building a new house in the village, and will move in soon. I held the phone and did not know how to answer, just laughed stupidly. You asked me to bring my girlfriend home to let you meet her, I agreed and also told you that I will send some money home when I am not so busy. You were happy when you heard that, said home is not short of money and told me not to spend money where I shouldn’t, and to save my money. Dad actually I have been lying to you, my girl friend was long gone, we broke up right after I graduated. And the money, I still have not sent, not that your son doesn’t want to, it’s that your son really doesn’t have money.
Dad, really sorry, almost worked for a year still haven’t bought you some good cigarettes.
Dad, I wrote so much, but still do not dare to show you, posting in online but you will not see it. But your son really did not lie on purpose.
It’s already 2010, I really hope to make these lies come true in front of you by the end of this year, and say it to you righteously: Dad, I am sending the money home tomorrow!
-----
Sarina Paris - Look at Us (Beam & Yanou remix)
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Love, in China
Ever wondered what it's like to date a Chinese girl? Well, in general, Chinese girls are pretty intelligent, relatively pretty and know what they want.
What do they want? Simple.
1. A good life.
2. Money which gives a good life.
3. More money, because that doesn't hurt.
It would be unfair to say that all Chinese girls are just out to get money, but a good number of them, maybe in the high 80% or even low 90%s are looking to have a good life, which means having a good life. Having said that, I guess most girls when looking for a partner are looking for for somebody who can support them and afford them a comfortable life and lifestyle.
I think, given the environment that China is, where money trumps all, it's understandable that there's a certain mentality where money becomes a priority. But the question is, most Chinese girls want a life where they don't have to work for the money - where they are able to have a relaxed life while the husband brings home the bacon.
The usual equation that I've come across is,
Giving me stuff + Time + Potential career success = Love
If you're missing out on one of them, then it's not really love. It's a serious concern if you do not have a lot of money, or actually believe, in true love and an equal partnership. However, if you're able to dig down and bring in the money, then it's relatively easy to find love.
But what if they're correct? What if love and life is about money...
Relook part relationships and apply, what if you had a lot more money, would the relationship have failed?
-----
Nathelie & Technikal - Big Sky (Grammer remix)
What do they want? Simple.
1. A good life.
2. Money which gives a good life.
3. More money, because that doesn't hurt.
It would be unfair to say that all Chinese girls are just out to get money, but a good number of them, maybe in the high 80% or even low 90%s are looking to have a good life, which means having a good life. Having said that, I guess most girls when looking for a partner are looking for for somebody who can support them and afford them a comfortable life and lifestyle.
I think, given the environment that China is, where money trumps all, it's understandable that there's a certain mentality where money becomes a priority. But the question is, most Chinese girls want a life where they don't have to work for the money - where they are able to have a relaxed life while the husband brings home the bacon.
The usual equation that I've come across is,
Giving me stuff + Time + Potential career success = Love
If you're missing out on one of them, then it's not really love. It's a serious concern if you do not have a lot of money, or actually believe, in true love and an equal partnership. However, if you're able to dig down and bring in the money, then it's relatively easy to find love.
But what if they're correct? What if love and life is about money...
Relook part relationships and apply, what if you had a lot more money, would the relationship have failed?
-----
Nathelie & Technikal - Big Sky (Grammer remix)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Should you come to Tsinghua SEM IMBA's Program? (would I do it again?)
So, it appears that people searching for Tsinghua IMBA/MBA program actually come across this blog, which is pretty interesting because I thought I was hidden away from the rest of the world in a little corner on the Internet.
Anyway, I also realize that my posts about Tsinghua have been getting more and more negative, and will probably continue to do so. I don't intend of sugar coating anything for people who want to know what it's like to come to Tsinghua SEM. However, I thought it would be good to have an unbiased look at Tsinghua SEM.
1. Should you come to Tsinghua SEM?
You should NOT come here if you plan to go into investment banking or consulting, or maybe anything cool that MBAs usually do. Unless of course, you're incredibly fluent at Chinese, however, even then, as I've said before, top tier companies like Goldman/McKinsey do NOT recruit from here.
You should come here if you want to
i) Have a 2 year holiday in China and get to know what China is like from a semi-expat point of view.
ii) If you want to have a valid reason to learn Chinese.
iii) If you want a mainland Chinese girlfriend, or boyfriend, whatever floats your boat.
iv) If you want to be baller but in a cheap way.
v) If you really want to push yourself to explore new opportunities - entrepreneurship or niche careers that you would never have had thought about before.
Because.. because the CDC here is crap, I've been forced to explore possibilities that I never would have considered before. Which is actually a really good thing. So that's the silver lining of Tsinghua SEM's Career Developement Center. It's made me think about doing something different and forcing me to be more resourceful when looking for an internship/job.
Now, having said all that, how am I doing? Well, I'm waiting on internship replies - none which were the result of an excellent career service or a plethora of companies begging Tsinghua SEM MBAs to go for a summer internship.
But, the question is, did coming to Tsinghua give me any opportunities?
Yes. It did. By virtue of having the Tsinghua name, more general organizations (non-MBA recruiters) are open to meeting up with me. However, this is limited as in, there aren't that many non-MBA recruiting companies that you really want to work for (in terms of job scope and compensation). But that would differ from person to person... so if you really do want to come here, please do your research on what organizations you want to work for properly.
By coming to Tsinghua, almost overnight, you're given the halo of "China expert" in a minor sense. People who aren't extremely well versed will think that you are being taught by the best and brightest of China's acadamic world.
Which brings me to the next point...
2. Classes and professors.
In this second term, there are good professors that are worth attending. I'll list down their classes and names - where I can remember.
i) Gao Xudong - Strategic Management (he also teaches 1st semester)
ii) Dr Ingo Beyer - Practical Strategy Management (he's the head of McKinsey China)
iii) David Robb - Operations Management
iv) David Li - China in the Global Economy (incredible)
3. Wudaokou
Wudaokou is where Tsinghua University is. It is shit. As in, it's the shittiest place to live in. I have no idea whether any of my classmates actually enjoy staying in Wudaokou. As far as I know, it gets so bad, that once a week, we go down to town to get away from all of this. I repeat, coming to Tsinghua won't kill you, but staying in Wudaokou will...
4. Would I do it again?
Would I? Maybe not, maybe LBS/INSEAD would have been better. In terms of career, almost definitely. But then, on the other hand, who knows what lies on the road less travelled?
I would do it again for the chance to be in China. But I wouldn't do it again for the lack of basic job opportunities. I would do it again for learning Chinese and China. I wouldn't do it again to stay in Wudaokou.
I guess, like I did say before, coming here is a gamble. I guess now, it's time to see if the gamble pays off...
Anyway, I also realize that my posts about Tsinghua have been getting more and more negative, and will probably continue to do so. I don't intend of sugar coating anything for people who want to know what it's like to come to Tsinghua SEM. However, I thought it would be good to have an unbiased look at Tsinghua SEM.
1. Should you come to Tsinghua SEM?
You should NOT come here if you plan to go into investment banking or consulting, or maybe anything cool that MBAs usually do. Unless of course, you're incredibly fluent at Chinese, however, even then, as I've said before, top tier companies like Goldman/McKinsey do NOT recruit from here.
You should come here if you want to
i) Have a 2 year holiday in China and get to know what China is like from a semi-expat point of view.
ii) If you want to have a valid reason to learn Chinese.
iii) If you want a mainland Chinese girlfriend, or boyfriend, whatever floats your boat.
iv) If you want to be baller but in a cheap way.
v) If you really want to push yourself to explore new opportunities - entrepreneurship or niche careers that you would never have had thought about before.
Because.. because the CDC here is crap, I've been forced to explore possibilities that I never would have considered before. Which is actually a really good thing. So that's the silver lining of Tsinghua SEM's Career Developement Center. It's made me think about doing something different and forcing me to be more resourceful when looking for an internship/job.
Now, having said all that, how am I doing? Well, I'm waiting on internship replies - none which were the result of an excellent career service or a plethora of companies begging Tsinghua SEM MBAs to go for a summer internship.
But, the question is, did coming to Tsinghua give me any opportunities?
Yes. It did. By virtue of having the Tsinghua name, more general organizations (non-MBA recruiters) are open to meeting up with me. However, this is limited as in, there aren't that many non-MBA recruiting companies that you really want to work for (in terms of job scope and compensation). But that would differ from person to person... so if you really do want to come here, please do your research on what organizations you want to work for properly.
By coming to Tsinghua, almost overnight, you're given the halo of "China expert" in a minor sense. People who aren't extremely well versed will think that you are being taught by the best and brightest of China's acadamic world.
Which brings me to the next point...
2. Classes and professors.
In this second term, there are good professors that are worth attending. I'll list down their classes and names - where I can remember.
i) Gao Xudong - Strategic Management (he also teaches 1st semester)
ii) Dr Ingo Beyer - Practical Strategy Management (he's the head of McKinsey China)
iii) David Robb - Operations Management
iv) David Li - China in the Global Economy (incredible)
3. Wudaokou
Wudaokou is where Tsinghua University is. It is shit. As in, it's the shittiest place to live in. I have no idea whether any of my classmates actually enjoy staying in Wudaokou. As far as I know, it gets so bad, that once a week, we go down to town to get away from all of this. I repeat, coming to Tsinghua won't kill you, but staying in Wudaokou will...
4. Would I do it again?
Would I? Maybe not, maybe LBS/INSEAD would have been better. In terms of career, almost definitely. But then, on the other hand, who knows what lies on the road less travelled?
I would do it again for the chance to be in China. But I wouldn't do it again for the lack of basic job opportunities. I would do it again for learning Chinese and China. I wouldn't do it again to stay in Wudaokou.
I guess, like I did say before, coming here is a gamble. I guess now, it's time to see if the gamble pays off...
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Holidays!
Nothing really happens during the holidays...
The first few days are filled with dinners and drinks.. and more drinks... and so much drinks that you begin to wish that you never have another drink again. And then, people start to leave, one by one - back to their home towns, back to their home countries or maybe just on a holiday.
After that, if you've decided to stay in Beijing for the winter (including the Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year) then you realize that you're suddenly here all alone. Nobody to have lunch with, nobody to have dinner with and man, you kinda wish you were out there having a drink with somebody.
So really, what can you do? Not much. For the days leading up to the New Year, you just take Chinese classes (preferably every day), go to the gym and maybe, explore Beijing a little bit. There are quite a few things to do - a must do it to try the different Chinese cuisines that China has to offer - Hunan food (Changsa Hotel), Sichuan food (Spice Garden) etc etc. It's quite interesting although you are probably likely to gain a few pounds.
You could also try looking for love, which isn't such a bad thing to do when you're bored and lonely.
What do I do? Not much, thankfully, I've got a friend visiting me so we just chill and head out. Waking up at 2pm has become the norm because sleeping at 6am has also become the norm.
Tomorrow, I find out what celebrating the Chinese New Year in Beijing is really like :)
-----
Barbra Streisand!!
Katie Jewel - Burning Love (Breeze remix)
Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand (O-God remix)
The first few days are filled with dinners and drinks.. and more drinks... and so much drinks that you begin to wish that you never have another drink again. And then, people start to leave, one by one - back to their home towns, back to their home countries or maybe just on a holiday.
After that, if you've decided to stay in Beijing for the winter (including the Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year) then you realize that you're suddenly here all alone. Nobody to have lunch with, nobody to have dinner with and man, you kinda wish you were out there having a drink with somebody.
So really, what can you do? Not much. For the days leading up to the New Year, you just take Chinese classes (preferably every day), go to the gym and maybe, explore Beijing a little bit. There are quite a few things to do - a must do it to try the different Chinese cuisines that China has to offer - Hunan food (Changsa Hotel), Sichuan food (Spice Garden) etc etc. It's quite interesting although you are probably likely to gain a few pounds.
You could also try looking for love, which isn't such a bad thing to do when you're bored and lonely.
What do I do? Not much, thankfully, I've got a friend visiting me so we just chill and head out. Waking up at 2pm has become the norm because sleeping at 6am has also become the norm.
Tomorrow, I find out what celebrating the Chinese New Year in Beijing is really like :)
-----
Barbra Streisand!!
Katie Jewel - Burning Love (Breeze remix)
Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand (O-God remix)
Monday, August 30, 2010
In A Spin
Nothing much to say, except I realize that expat China is very different from local China. I haven't figured out exactly how much more different, but... it is different
----
Wink - In A Spin (DJ Kurt)
Now I know you're near
Things won't be the same!
I reach inside, my love is true
No place to hide, what else can I do?
Oh I'm in a spin and I wanna start this loving thing
Because you get me high and I don't need nobody else tonight
So let it begin so I can give you everything
And now I can fly, I don't need anybody else tonight
----
Wink - In A Spin (DJ Kurt)
Now I know you're near
Things won't be the same!
I reach inside, my love is true
No place to hide, what else can I do?
Oh I'm in a spin and I wanna start this loving thing
Because you get me high and I don't need nobody else tonight
So let it begin so I can give you everything
And now I can fly, I don't need anybody else tonight
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
It's so complicated!
First you need to register your residence with the police. But before you do that, you need to actually HAVE a place that you're staying at. But not only that, you need to show legal documentation that you're staying there (rental agreement) and preferably get the landlord to follow you to the police station to register yourself there.
Then you need to get a medical examination (or verification of the medical examination you took before you came). In order to do that, you go to some strange place out of town that's a good 30 minutes by car (yup, cab fare is going to be high). And don't forget your photos AND x-ray scans! Get that stamped and then back to the Foreign Student Affairs Office.
Then only can you be registered with the university. Oh, and remember, if you pay with any method other than cash/credit card - you'll need to wait for the money to clear before they issue you a full study visa. Until then, you're only issued with a partial visa.
----
I've decided to go ahead and rent a place near the school, approximately 12 minutes by foot (I timed it). Pretty convenient, however, like most of the flats here, it's a bit run down. Sad to say, the flats are pretty cramped up and dirty, and at times... dark as well. It's pretty spooky heading up to the current place where I'm staying, makes me feel like I'm walking into some drug den.
I should have all details settled by next Monday latest! And class starts tomorrow, well, at least pre-term starts. I heard that's when all the fun starts... so hopefully.
Then you need to get a medical examination (or verification of the medical examination you took before you came). In order to do that, you go to some strange place out of town that's a good 30 minutes by car (yup, cab fare is going to be high). And don't forget your photos AND x-ray scans! Get that stamped and then back to the Foreign Student Affairs Office.
Then only can you be registered with the university. Oh, and remember, if you pay with any method other than cash/credit card - you'll need to wait for the money to clear before they issue you a full study visa. Until then, you're only issued with a partial visa.
----
I've decided to go ahead and rent a place near the school, approximately 12 minutes by foot (I timed it). Pretty convenient, however, like most of the flats here, it's a bit run down. Sad to say, the flats are pretty cramped up and dirty, and at times... dark as well. It's pretty spooky heading up to the current place where I'm staying, makes me feel like I'm walking into some drug den.
I should have all details settled by next Monday latest! And class starts tomorrow, well, at least pre-term starts. I heard that's when all the fun starts... so hopefully.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Lost at sea
As far as today went, I've accomplished what I set out to do
1. Get a mobile number
2. Open a bank account
However, I'm not too sure about my mobile number - I've got SOME sort of mobile number, but I had to pay a RMB1000 deposit. And they don't have blackberry access for the normal consumer - apparently it's only for corporates :( I wasn't able to understand enough to actually register for that, I'll do that when I have somebody more fluent in the language than I am. Does that sound like a plea for a language partner?
I was told to choose a different bank from ICBC as ICBC charges a huge fee to withdraw from it's ATMs outside Beijing. So just in case (which is unlikely, but still) I go out of the city, I opened an account with Bank of China and happily dumped in all my money... I do hope that I opened the right account. I'll test it out tomorrow when I see an ATM machine.
Note: Foreign cheques and bank drafts take up to 2 months to clear....
I went to register at the Foreign Students Affair Office, however they're unable to convert my visa as I paid with a bank draft and that takes time. They also required to see my testamur before they fully register me, so I'll have to do that tomorrow again.
A whole new day tomorrow, I wonder how much more Mandarin I'll learn...
1. Get a mobile number
2. Open a bank account
However, I'm not too sure about my mobile number - I've got SOME sort of mobile number, but I had to pay a RMB1000 deposit. And they don't have blackberry access for the normal consumer - apparently it's only for corporates :( I wasn't able to understand enough to actually register for that, I'll do that when I have somebody more fluent in the language than I am. Does that sound like a plea for a language partner?
I was told to choose a different bank from ICBC as ICBC charges a huge fee to withdraw from it's ATMs outside Beijing. So just in case (which is unlikely, but still) I go out of the city, I opened an account with Bank of China and happily dumped in all my money... I do hope that I opened the right account. I'll test it out tomorrow when I see an ATM machine.
Note: Foreign cheques and bank drafts take up to 2 months to clear....
I went to register at the Foreign Students Affair Office, however they're unable to convert my visa as I paid with a bank draft and that takes time. They also required to see my testamur before they fully register me, so I'll have to do that tomorrow again.
A whole new day tomorrow, I wonder how much more Mandarin I'll learn...
Sunday, August 22, 2010
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