Life and Travel in China

A friend from Hong Kong told me the day before yesterday that what saved them from the crisis were the shopping-mad Chinese from mainland China. Apparently they rule in the company stores of Prada, Gucci, LV, Coco Chanel, Apple... Rich Chinese already have everything - apartments, cars, lovers, gym and SPA memberships, eight bank accounts, now all this has to be nicely framed with branded items. They can buy almost anything, but you know what we can console ourselves with? They will buy everything except... FREEDOM!!! And by the way - how history turned 180 degrees. In the past, people from Hong Kong could buy anything in China for pennies, but they were actually afraid to even cross the border. Now crowds of Chinese are "attacking" Hong Kong in a shopping frenzy. These purchases will probably reach their peak during the Chinese New Year - at the end of January.

President Komorowski's visit to China does not have much significance in the Middle Kingdom. I even wonder where Polish diplomacy was for 14 years? When China was on top and literally flourishing, the whole world was doing business with it and Poland was the most offended. Now they will sign three contracts, exchange more students and everything will be fine. But what amuses me the most is the fact that Poles are going there to convince the Chinese that Poland is worth investing in! Yes, great timing - global crisis, uncertain exchange rates, unstable economic situation. This is certainly the best time to invest in a small, unknown country like Poland - because that's how the Chinese perceive us. In addition, there was the death of Kim Jong Il and the Chinese are most concerned with this problem. Komorowski's visit is of little importance, small African countries are more important - because there are deposits there, there are no human rights and it is easy for China to sell something without certificates and quality standards. Regarding human rights - it was mentioned again in the Polish media. Why should Poland hold China accountable for respecting human rights? There are no human rights as such there - why ask about them? Only Polish diplomacy can come up with something like this.

This year, Chinese suppliers and representatives of companies in China trading with Europe and Poland were exceptionally active in sending Christmas wishes. As I guess, the crisis is taking its toll - they have less work, fewer orders, less production. Holidays are an opportunity to send a dozen or several dozen emails, e-cards and Christmas wishes to all customers who celebrate Christmas. This is an opportunity to remind yourself about yourself and discreetly recommend your products, maybe ask about new orders. And these new orders will have to wait anyway, because the Chinese New Year is soon. We are starting the Year of the Dragon, he should be happy!

Our Chinese friend, a quite innocent, quiet girl, was invited to a 'Christmas Eve party' with an American in Shenzhen. The problem is that this guy didn't invite her directly. So this Chinese woman who knew the American came and brought two friends. As it turned out, Americans are not very hospitable. He said something like "but why did you bring them to my small apartment, there are already a lot of friends here!" I remember that at the beginning of my stay in China, someone invited a couple of Chinese people who were completely strangers to me for Christmas Eve. I agreed to it and didn't pick on anyone, even though for us Christmas Eve is more personal and family. It was a curiosity for them, and I welcomed them as best I could. This American made my friend feel bad. They sat there for a while and, like a typical American Christmas Eve, they went to a bar. She is not very entertaining and went home after 10 p.m. As she said, maybe she should not comment on the fact that additional friends came and explain it somewhere so that she wouldn't bring anyone with her in the future. These are cultural differences and this is what American hospitality looks like.

It looks like China's population will grow again. Many young couples are already trying to have a child so that it will be born in the happy Year of the Dragon. It will be similar to 2007 - Year of the Pig. Back then, 2006 was the Year of the Dog, a good year for getting married, and I can confirm that. And immediately after the wedding you could try to have a child for the Year of the Pig. Despite everything, even young people are strongly influenced by such beliefs and customs. Interestingly, this applies to both richer and poorer people. It is never the case that a well-to-do family does not attach importance to dates, symbols, names. The year and the choice of a name for a child are very important in the Middle Kingdom. It is believed that this determines the fate of this tiny human from the very day he is born.