ChinaTales - Vol2

Nihao Everyone!!! - Good Morning on a Monday Morning :)

" The word Perfect is used by people, when Expected things happen Unexpectedly!!"

I really dont know if it makes sense, but it makes 'perfect' sense to me!! Its already been a week now, that i have been in Shanghai, and things have just been Perfect!!, Yes, i had some expectations, but a lot of things here are unexpected, and the expected things have come as a great surprise!!

So, this part of chinatales (i think i am making a brand of this story of mine.. hehe, with inspiration from da gr8 yousuf bhai and moiz bhai!!), is all about my first week in the ' New York of Asia", Shanghai!, my work, my colleagues, the parties!, food, laptops, bargains!!(trust me i will win a place in the guiness book for that) and other random things!!

For people, who dont have the patience to read the entire thing :(. here are links to my pics and videos!!

Pics - http://picasaweb.google.com/nikunj.parekh/ChinaTalesPics
Vids - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MwTL3Y8QCU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6AmpIOLfss


So, after that roller coaster first two days of meeting unknown people, missing home really badly!, settling down at house, it was time for the real thing!!, the work!!

So monday it was, and Nick and Bence (my flatmates from Taiwan and Hungary), kept telling me about how bad the morning ride in the metro is here, and i did experience it, trust me guys, all of u who have been to Mumbai Trains, this is far worse, the trains are small, like the Kol metro, and there are SO MANY PEOPLE!!!, at 8 in the morning (yea i get up early now), i mean, yea, china is the most populated country in the world and you can see that here, there are tooo many people, there are times where you are nose to nose with ppl!, but thats the experience!, staying in a city which is so energetic, and which is so futuristic!

I was shocked to see our office building!, it is a dream building!, when we go abroad to work, we always dream that we will be working in a Big building, of glass, in the center of the city, and its just that!!, the Center, with suited guards!( trust me, they look more decent then some of our managers in india!), and amazing elevators!,

Ok, the office is simply stunning!, lots and lots of people, very modern, and it gives you a feel instantly that you are working in a MultiNational Company!, the people, are so warm and welcome you so well!, i always thought chinese people will be cold, but they are not!, they are very receptive, but the deal is, i am in the Global logistics team, of 8 ppl, and there is only one Chinese in our team!, we are a truly multicultural team with One Indian ( :) ), Russian, Mexican, Columbian, Sweedish, Hungarian, Taiwanese ,Italian! ( 90% of them are previous AIESEC Trainees, and rest current ones!)

so thats what a perfect place to work is rite, working with people all over the world, and working on a job that involves coordination and managing of shipments and logistics all over the world, truly i am now being a part of the Global Village as somepeople call it!!,

Anyways, a quick info on my job now, its a really challenging one, and i am honored to do something like this at this young age!, I am in the Logistics Operations Analyst, and am a part of a special project that will change the way suppliers supply goods to electrolux, as in their supply change, logistics etc, dont wanna go to a lot of details, but the job involves making Internal Business Plans, communication with Suppliers from all over the world, shipping companies, i am solely responsible for a project with US factories of electrolux, so it will have a lot of coordination with US factories, then managing shipments, scheduling shipments, making sure everything is on time, documentation etc etc. .. so something that i always wanted to do, and i am sure if i would have stayed back in India for a job/,mba i would not have got this multicultural exposure, so thanks AIESEC !!

Now the people, its amazing how much can a person learn from so many diverse ppl, in a week i have learnt a lot abt Hungarian history, saw a hungarian movie, had food with all my office mates, and learn their diff working styles!, so a lot in store for me for the future!

Well the food is a small prob, but not that big one!, i have sandwiches, burgers, pizzas in the morning, and alternative nites go to this Indian Maharaj which is 20 Mins away from office by train and 50 Mins from home, Trust me he makes amazing indian food, just like home, better than home some times!!, its not a restaurant, its just his flat where he cooks food and indians who know him can have food there, its a big relief to have food at his house!.
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Ok, now something on my short shopping experiences, i went for this latino nite, on Mexican Independence day with Some friends, and after which we were waiting for this friend to come out of the pub @ 2 Am, and this guy comes up with this Fake Rolex Watch, and quotes the price @ RMB 420 ( Rs 2520 Appx), And i just wanted to do some TP and didnt want to buy it, so i said i will buy it for 50 RMB !, he said a big noooooooooooooooooooooooo (just like the russel peters joke on india and china !), and then we said we dont want to buy, Bosmag( Fuck Off in Hungarian), and we just started avoiding him, and after 15 mins, i bought the watch from him for RMB 20 !!!! ( 120 Rs), guys china is the place to bargain!!, next day i bought a samsonite laptop bag for 600 RS (Quoted MRP was 2000), and shirts for 200 RS!

So its been a roller coaster ride so far, i know its tough to read such a long mail on a lazy monday morning, but i hope you read it, and reply back with your comments and suggestions!!......

Till Next time, with Another Topic

Sziasztok ( Bye Bye in Hungarian!)

PS - Next time will use more Chinese when i learn it!!

Cheers