Every day is so different here. My mornings and afternoons look similar, but my evenings are always eventful and unpredictable.
I was supposed to attend a networking event yesterday evening, but when I got there, the turnout was so bad that I couldn't justify spending 100 kuai ($15) to network with such a small crowd. So, we headed to Big Bamboo for nachos and beers instead. We figured there would be plenty of older businessmen there who we could network with. At first, it didn't look promising, but as the night went on, and more beers flowed, more and more people started talking to us.
Overall it was a successful night, but I did meet one American guy who I will never forget. We chatted for about 30 minutes and out of nowhere he said to me, "You are SO american!"
Ok, let's back up. Yes, I'm American. But I've always been told that I'm quite different than most Americans. So, when he said this I was somewhat offended (as he made it out to be a bad thing) and also curiously intrigued to hear why he would say that. I made him explain his point of view and then we agreed to disagree on some issues. I won't get into the details but it was a very insightful conversation with a lot of valuable lessons learned about living and working in China.
There's one thing I've learned in the last 48 hours...if you need sincere and honest opinions about something, ask someone who walked in your shoes 10-20 years ago and is now successful. They are the ones who are going to tell the truth and they are the ones that will give you priceless advice.
Now, back to sending resumes, writing emails, calling people, and sorting through job postings. I can feel that good things are around the corner. Staying happy and optimistic.
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