Sunday, November 22, 2009

Locked out


So where the heck has John been? LiaV has not had a new post in days.

Greetings from Jingdezhen, China this evening (the porcelain capital). After days of being blocked from my own blog, I figured out a way of getting in. Sure many of the things you read about are true, many others are not. The team I’m with has been working many hours, hand-in-hand, with our business partners in the factory to achieve a major milestone. I’ve been providing “top cover” with senior leadership.

I’ve also met some locals. I tried my hand at an outdoor ping pong park for pick-up games and got my butt kicked by an old lady (she were good). I visited a student art exhibit and had tea with an English professor. Like many places, the people and the people in charge do not always share the exact same opinion. The same is true in the USA. We should not generalize or stereotype.

When you travel, do you take the time to meet locals and understand?

3 comments:

Randy Bosch said...

"When you travel, do you take the time to meet locals and understand?"

In my opinion, if you don't, even if it isn't the basic mission of your travel, you should not travel.

Some of my best friends/ inspirations/ mentors/ correspondents were the result of being as prepared and "comprehending" - yet fully open to seredipity - a traveler as I could.

Viv723 said...

All the time. What better way to learn about the language, culture and tradition?

One my best experiences have been hanging out with the locals in various countries I visit.

Rob G said...

Absolutely, make time to enjoy and experience the local cultures and sights. Dining events typically hosted by suppliers/clients almost always offer a unique experience to build relationships and strengthen business networks.

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