Baijiu Time for This Weblog

It's been nearly a decade since the last post. But I thought it was time for an update, as today marks the 21st year of this weblog's existence. That seems crazy, especially considering I was 21 when I first stepped onto the Mainland and breathed my first lungful of fresh Beijing smog. Oh, to have young, healthy lungs again.

Perusing through the blog, I noticed that despite 21 additional years of life, my grammar, spelling, and overall language and writing skills have not improved. They may have even regressed. So, don't expect a sudden improvement in this post. But thank goodness AI exists; otherwise, I might not have a job, given the amount of writing I have to do for it. I also noticed I was fortunate to go study, live, and work in China when I did. Doing so today would not yield the same experience. It was fascinating to witness a country building momentum in its process of modernity to now technologically surpassing the U.S.. While traveling to China can still be fun and exciting, I don't think the experience holds the feeling of the "Wild Wild East" that it once did. It feels more like traveling into the future, instead of a place where dysentery is a real, everyday risk, akin to the Oregon Trail.

Also, even though my blog posts might not have reflected it, the experience had a profound and lasting impact on me. When I first decided to learn Mandarin at Middlebury, I thought it would simply help me get a job in the future, but I never guessed the impact the experience would have on my entire life; an impact that may see reverberations for generations to come. Here are a few ways my Mandarin/China journey has influenced my life:

• My current wife and I met and studied Mandarin together at Middlebury and in Hangzhou. (I have only been married once, and plan to deal with this experiment in patience only one time ever again).
• I discovered my career in real estate while living in China, thanks to Golze.
• My China experience was probably why I was accepted into b-school.
• I am 90% certain that I got my current job because of my background in China.
• My children are now learning Mandarin, and I expect my eldest's Mandarin to surpass mine within a few years.

Anyway, I wish I had something more enlightening or thoughtful to say, but maybe there will be an update in another 21 years. I wouldn’t wait around though.

Happy Belated Birthday This Weblog

It is hard to believe but this weblog recently celebrated its tenth birthday. I mean sure, we never write on it anymore, and I am probably largely to blame because I am the last one eking out an existence in China, but this is still quite an impressive feat of longevity. I mean this thing has the potential to out last the pyramids and possibly the Earth. I mean the thing is older than all of the children that the authors have put together, and probably older than most of the readerships children, if you exclude our immediate family members. What I am getting at is a decade is a long time.

Reading back on some of our blog posts (haven't actually taken time to read back, but I am sure the rest of the sentence will be semi-accurate), we knew nothing about China and were often times completely befuddled and more often bemused by the chaos. Since that time, we have grown greatly and have largely remained befuddled and bemused by the relenting chaos. So much so that two of the authors gave up on China and left to get master's degree's from California's hippiest university, where I am pretty sure life is the opposite of China.

Anyway, I thought I would write what is likely to be the last post on this weblog for probably another decade as a "where are they now piece" for students or people thinking about going to study or live in China, so that they can see where the long slog might take them. So without further ado:

Clark
Was the first to completely flame out on China (I was the first to leave, but got beamed back), and happily followed is girlfriend, now wife, back to Old Gold Mountain, where he now is getting an MBA at a local university and working for a Chinese solar company as a modern day Willy Loman. His final grade on Succeeding in China without really trying: Pass, his weblogging grade: Fail.

Ben
The second one to leave then come back then to leave and then come back again then leave. And is probably going to come back at some point in time, and then maybe leave. He also went back to Old Gold Mountain and got a master's degree in the art of drawing buildings, mostly on computers, sometimes on paper (I don't actually fully understand what he does). He claims that he works for a company that designs the Bentley of office buildings, and by that I think he means he designs buildings for people rich people having mid-life crises and are over compensating (hard to get more phallic than a large tower). His final grade on Succeeding in China without really trying: Pass, his sleeping on random benches outside of places he has a key grade: 1.

马渡
Left then came back and took over the job that he helped Ben get and later Ben gave to him (that is the power of a limited network). After working for that company for three years in Beijing, he moved to Tianjin to continue to work for that same company doing real estate research. And as of today he still lives in Tianjin working for the same company. Fated to reside within a shroud of pollution for the foreseeable future. Or until he buys his plane ticket to move to NYC to get his master's degree in spreadsheets at a school that should probably be in South America. His final grade on Succeeding in China without really trying: undetermined.

Everything in Hong Kong is Better

On Thursday, I made my first trip to Hong Kong. Life here is so much more convenient than Beijing. People speak English, the air is clean, it is easy to get around, there are a ton of great restaurants and the cockroaches are the size of quarters, so they are easier to smash. However, it is super expensive and I think a little too convenient. I could see myself getting bored here quickly. Maybe after I move to Tianjin, I will come running to a place like Hong Kong. I will update you in a few months.

Kuta Beach

Arrived yesterday at Kuta. Compared to Gili Trawangan this place is a nightmare. Kuta is much more crowded and noisy than Gili Trawangan. However it is still a beach area so still pretty nice especially if you surf. Also I don't recommend Ronta Bungalows and the Lonely Planet Bali & Lombok 13th edition, it seems pretty outdated. The problems with Ronta are its mosquito infested, too close to the street so you hear all the traffic, it seems there is a 24 hour bar underneath so can the place's music all night and there is no hot water and the blanket did not smell the freshest. But having said all that it was the cheapest place we stayed so far, so I really cannot complain all that much you get what you pay for.

I have crabs...

...but they went away

Meeting new friends

Just met a new friend and it decided that my lap was going to be its bed for the night. It randomly came up to me and laid in my lap. I think it knew I had just ordered food. Because when the food arrived it expected a petting tax. However it did go back to sleep in my lap after it was satiated.

Had the fish eating out of my hands

Just got back from a three island tour snorkeling trip on a glass bottom boat. We did snorkeling off the coast of the three Gili islands. The first drop was the least eventful but I accidentally food an octopus hiding in a rock. I swan down thinking it was coral but it moved and stared at me like you are messing up my attack spot. The only other thing that I saw besides your typical schools of different kinds of fish and besides coral was a colorful sea snake. The next place we went we were guaranteed to see turtles and we did. I dove down and a turtle swam right at me. I stared into its soul and its soul told me to get out of the way so I can get some air. Finally we went to a place where the fish eat food out of your hand. In the process I discovered that tropical fish love bread. Who knew? I think every time I go swimming on a tropical island from now on, I am going to bring a loaf of bread. It will make my swims more interesting. No pictures this time as my Motorola DynaTAC is not waterproof.

Trekking around Gili Trawangan

Today, I literally walked around all of Gili Trawangan. The island is tiny. It probably can be done in about three hours but it took us all afternoon because we stopped to swim and eat and walk around the part of the island where the local people live. The best part of the trek was discovering goats have super leaping abilities. Also the views were great.