I am like a kid with a new toy. This blog is like opening a present!
Recently, the opportunity has arrived to potentially work in China. The idea excites me. It is soon to be the largest economy in the world and it is continuously growing.
For a few years I have been thinking about the idea of going where the most growth is. I imagine people to be more optimistic, driven and living a great quality of life. Progress is the fuel that feeds the human soul.
I have played with the idea of learning the language. I have even bought a few books on the subject including Chinese for Dummies, a Chinese Dictionary, a magazine series on the learning of the Chinese language and subscribed to a few Chinese language learning sites like ChinesePod.
I would love to say I am fluent and ready to go! But I haven't invested the priority needed in any of those tools that I bought to understand the language.
Last year, in April, I pushed an business opportunity to get to Hong Kong but the trip got postponed and finally the trip did not happen because of other priorities.
And now, this new opportunity has arrived!
A new burst of energy came to me to learn the language again as I believe that it will be important to interact with Chinese people more and more in the coming years and it will be even more so for our children. So my iPod Touch came out of the drawer and I rechecked that the ChinesePod app was on there. Yes, I was good to go!
The first lesson that I listened to was about inviting someone to dinner, a great starting point. John and Dilu were enjoyable to listen to. It was fun as they flirted with each other through the lesson. I actually wonder does John really fancy Dilu. I vote Yes! I was in Rome traveling to London as I was listening to ChinesePod. My enthusiasm was building and would have loved to bought a book about China or language if I could find one. But between Rome and Leonardo da Vinci Airport, there NO books on the shelves about tourism in China. I was hoping for a Lonely Planet Guide to China. So I guess no has recognised that a few Italians might be heading in the direction of China!
During my trip, I realised that I know very very little about China.
- What the current exchange rate is between the Euro and the Yuan?
- What are the latest population figures?
- Which countries share borders with China?
I simply didn't know the very basics about a country that I might go to work or live in. And yet I have this idea to go there. More than that I have an opportunity to work there for 6 months.
I want to know more! Therefore I am beginning to write this blog to capture and share all the things that I learn about China as I prepare for this opportunity.
It will be fun...
