Looking back, I think I did not acknowledged the adventure I signed up for until the night before when I was packing. Once I was officially committed to the summer class, my parents and friends kept telling me it would be one of the best trips. Several of my close friends had traveled to Asia or even studied abroad, and assured me I would have the time of my life. Even the phrase “I am going to China for a month” sounded funny. Now that the class is over, I am confident and happy to say no one was lying; Market Insights in China gave me the most amazing three weeks. Friends who have not traveled to Asia yet asked me “How was the trip?” Instead of trying to summarize the countless anecdotes, I just answer, “You have to visit soon, it is one of the most worthwhile trips you will ever make.” Without a doubt, Asia transformed my perspective of how cultures influence our lifestyles and the way business is done.
Being born and raised in Guatemala, and attending college in the USA, made me think that I was exposed to diverse cultures. I believed I had a good enough perspective of the world. My family has always enjoyed traveling, which has only widened my perspective. I was always aware I needed to visit Asia and experience the Asian culture. Throughout my life, the Latin American, American, and European cultures have been the ones that influenced my life the most. Therefore, going to China would be a “first” in many aspects of my life: first time in China, first time in Asia, and first time surrounded by the Asian culture.
From the minute we boarded our flight to Shanghai, it was easy to sense the different culture. Almost all of the passengers were Asians. The culture shock started hitting us once we were trying to buy a SIM card for our iPhones. The language barrier made it tough, but fortunately, one employee spoke decent English. Of course, the taxi driver saw our tourist faces and charged us almost double. Shanghai gave me some culture shock, but it was in Beijing that the culture shock happened.
Since Shanghai is a relatively new city and quite international, compared to other cities in Mainland China, the Chinese culture was not as prevalent as in other places. Shanghai proved us that everything is possible in China. The skyline is something incredible, one of the best views I have ever experienced. The fact that all of the buildings were built starting in the 1990s makes it even more fascinating. Furthermore, the old and new Shanghai give the city a nice contrast. Everything from the infrastructure to the architecture changed. All of the famous buildings surrounding The Bund are original and unique. The heights of the hotels near The Bund are like most of the buildings in New York City. When we went to see the sunset, we were amazed by the size of the buildings. Just as the Shanghai Disney executive explained us, everything is planned and adapted so it works out with the Chinese culture. Shanghai has the mix between an old and new Chinese culture, a combination of historic and economic development, and shows the capacity of rebuilding a city.
Compared to the other cities, Beijing was closer to the “real” Chinese experience. Everything changed here. The language barrier became stronger, the food became more “unique”, and even the toilets became “squats”. I was able to experiment with their natural medicine. Unfortunately, I decided to go to an international clinic and get stronger medicines. Despite these changes, Beijing has the most historic attractions. The Great Wall was by far my favorite. It is an adventure worth every single step. Climbing it had been part of my bucket list since I was a little girl, and I was fortunate to cross it off. The immensity of the Wall just makes you realize the ability the Chinese had. They were able to build it without the technology we have today. Even though exhausting, I would climb the Great Wall again any day. Beijing forced us to abandon our comfort zones and try the Chinese life for a few days.
From Shenzhen, I was able to have an overview of the strong Chinese labor. Unlike other cultures, Chinese enjoy working extra hours. As the executives of 4Moms explained, even if they are given certain tasks per day, Chinese ask for more and find ways to work longer. They are overachievers by nature, and have a drive to maximize their skills. I found this fact interesting, given that I was born in a culture were finishing before schedule was better. In Guatemala, employees rarely want to stay for extra hours. When they do, they are given good compensation. More importantly, Chinese workers take their breaks at the working area. They stop working, put their heads down, and nap for half an hour. Once the break is over, they wake up, and continue working, as if nothing happened. Their dedication is amazing. Even if money (salary, good compensation) is their main incentive to work hard, few cultures are so devoted to what they do.
Additionally, Shenzhen reminded me that no machine could ever replace human capital. Most of the products done by the manufacturers we visited were labor intense. Factories do have numerous machines, but employees are the ones keeping the assembly line functioning. It is the human capital that makes sure products work and all of the products look the same. It was rewarding seeing that the majority of the workers are females. Since the products require meticulous steps, women are better. After Shenzhen, I understand why 80% of the products I buy have a “Made in China” label.
Our final stop, Hong Kong, was by far my favorite city. As we were driving from Shenzhen, it was impossible not to admire the beautiful skyline. The British influence definitely made a difference, and sometimes I forgot I was in Asia. People were extremely more service oriented. The waitresses of restaurants would ask constantly ask if you needed anything, something that we did not experience in any of the other cities. Just as any big city, it had great subway and transportation infrastructure. Everything from our day trip to the Big Buddha to our nights at LKF to the boat party, are some of the highlights of the overall trip.Visiting Mainland China before Hong Kong probably made me notice all the small differences. Still, Hong Kong has the Chinese culture with an international twist. We could see this, by the fact that many of the executives at Li & Fung were international. Even if it rained for the majority of our stay, and we missed the view from the Victoria Peak, Hong Kong was the ideal final stop.
Traveling inside China reinforced the idea that you never learn about a country until you visit. My three weeks journey removed some of the stereotypes I had about the culture and lifestyle of China. Even if the government might be communist, the Chinese way of doing business felt like capitalism. The censorship of social media is the only way I was affected by this government style. Fortunately, the McIntire VPN allowed me to stay connected with all of my friends back in America. It strengthen the idea that Chinese are capable of everything, they break any barrier and are able to offer top quality. After all the corporate visits, it makes sense why many multinational companies have factories and offices in Asia. Most importantly, the trip reminded me how traveling is one of the best investments you can do, especially when you are young. The amount of things I learned are infinite. Having hands-on experience not only makes it easier to learn, but gives you a wider scope of everything. China gave me the time of my life, numerous new long-lasting friendships, and a craving to return to Asia soon!
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“On my honor, I pledge that I have neither given nor received help on this assignment
Elena Zaror
