My Moments in South Africa

One of the benefits of being an international employee is the traveling opportunity you have to see other parts of the world you normally would not have access to.  There are many wonderful vacations ahead for my family however mixed within these adventures is work related travel.  My most recent trip was to an assembly plant located just outside of Johannesburg and also an engine plant in Port Elizabeth, both located in South Africa.  The total air travel time from my home in Nanjing to South Africa is about 15 hours and thus my trips usually will last for a two week period.  My time in the office is filled with long work days however on the weekends I try to use my time wisely and explore the cities I am visiting.

My first stop was in Johannesburg, South Africa.  The day my flight arrived I took the opportunity to ask a friend currently working in the region to show me around a little.  We decided to go to a Lion and Rhino Preserve located about thirty minutes from where I was staying.  Our day was spent driving through the preserve looking at many animals in their natural habitat.  We were able to see three of the Big Five animals: Kruger Lion, White Rhino and Buffalo.  Endangered species, such as the Wild Dog are also located in the reserve.  Cheetah, Hippo, Crocodile and more than 20 species of antelope were also seen.  We also had a chance to see a natural cave that is 5 to 10 million years old, with amazing formations of stalactites and stalagmites.  It was a great way to spend the day with a limited amount of time.

With the beauty of South Africa there is also the other side which cannot be ignored.  Crime in South Africa is very high.  This was evident in the location which I was staying.  The house (converted into a bed and breakfast) where I stayed was in Pretoria was located in a very beautiful golf course community with very large homes.  However what is very apparent is the crime which occurs in the area.  All of the wealthy communities are very heavily guarded with security and completely enclosed by brick walls with electric fences/barb wire.  As you enter the compound you are finger print registered and only allowed to pass with a credential check.  The goal of all this, to keep the crime out of the community.  This method of security is a substitute for police protection which does not exist.  When leaving the compounded you rarely travel alone and certainly not at night time.  Within the restaurants we visited I was amazed to find security personal in the parking lots standing guard to ensure your vehicle was not stolen.  Upon returning to your car your provide them a tip which serves as their wage.  As for those that do not live within these compounds there are frequent burglaries that must be guarded against.   

The most evident sign of poverty was seen on our drive to the nature preserve as we passed a South African Slum, Diepsloot.  Above I have shown the crime to the wealthy, however it is the poor that are most vulnerable.  It is the poor that are most accessible to poor criminals in slums that I passed.  Diepsloot is an impoverished settlement on the north edge of Johannesburg with a population of 150,000.  Within the country there is a high number of rapes, hijackings, and armed robberies.  The murder rate is 8x higher than the US. The better part of this area the people live in government housing and the rest live in shacks with no electricity and communal water.  There is so many people living in poverty in South Africa and it is heartbreaking to see the conditions let alone have to experience living within in that environment day in and day out.

My next stop was in Port Elizabeth, situated on the Southern coast of Africa facing the shores of the Indian Ocean.  The city is very picturesque as it is on the shoreline where you can walk alone the beachfront and watch the surfers.  On Saturday I decided to take an all day African Safari from 9am to 10pm with a guided tour (myself, tour guide, and two other tourist).  What an amazing adventure!  I was able to see four (African elephant, cape buffalo, rhinoceros, and lion) of the “Big Five” game animals (those which are the most difficult to hunt on foot and most dangerous).  For those not familiar with a Safari I was able to see these animals and many others in their natural habitat, living in the “bush” where they hunt their prey and dwell in their native land.  My morning was spent at the Addo National Park, with our guide we had over 444,700 available acres to explore.  I had the opportunity to see many elephants roaming the land, even a one month old elephant.  I also saw rhino, antelope, zebra, ostriches, warhogs, and many more animals.  As the afternoon approached we headed to the Schotia Private Game Reserve where lunch was served.  After lunch we climbed aboard a 4x4 Land Rover and began our exploring through the African bush.  This was some great off road fun!  As we meandered through the landscape the tour guide asked me if I wanted to ride on the safari seat on the grill/hood of the Land Rover (see pic below). 

 I jumped at the chance (the other two friends I made chickened out!).  What a way to see the animals and a highlight of my day!  Here we saw some giraffes and white rhinoceros.  As the sun began to set we went out to find the lions since this is when they are most active.  To our surprise we were then asked if we wish to witness a lion relocation.  This is not part of a normal Safari, but due to the fact there were only three of us and they were schedule to do this on our visit it was a bonus that made the trip even better.  What this meant is that the lions were becoming over populated in this certain area so they wanted to relocate several prides to another part of South Africa.  This is how it went down…  They brought a dead antelope (killed earlier in the day, circle of life sort of stuff ;) into the middle of a field which served several purposes.  The dead antelope attracted one pride with a lion, lioness, and 6 cubs.  Additionally another lion and lioness were drown out of the bush by this easy meal.  The intention was to have the dead antelope occupy any surrounding lions in the area with a meal (i.e. the pride I mentioned), distracting them as the other lions approached.  As soon as they came close to our vehicles a ranger shot each with a tranquiller.  Needless to say they were not happy and the “roars” showed their displeasure.  As darkness fell upon us our task became to watch the other lions and warned the team which then caged the lions for their safe transport to their new home.  As we continued on our night stalk for lions we watched them feast on the antelope (see attached pic).  The knighted ended with dinner in under the stars and a campfire to stay warm.  It was a great experience and I am now thankful I took the time to do this on my trip.  

Lastly on Sunday I spent the afternoon walking along the shoreline to the Boardwalk where there were some S. African wood sculptures where I bought a rather large carving of some elephants to remember this trip and also the elephant ride we did as a family in Thailand.  Port Elizabeth is a very nice town however I think it lives in the shadow of Cape Town which thrives with tourism...  In summary it was a good weekend and I am glad I got the chance to explore South Africa a little before the work week starts…..  I hope this gives everyone a little insight to South Africa where I am sure I will be returning frequently for Ford.

    

"Bond Family what's next??? We're going to Disneyland!!"

The past week has been another great experience for our family as we traveled to Hong Kong Disneyland for 4 nights, back home to work for a few days and then spent a two days in Hangzhou, China.

First let me comment on Disneyland, Hong Kong. I cannot say enough positive things about the beautiful island of Hong Kong. Pre-children we vacationed in Hong Kong and it was nice to return. The lush greenery that landscapes the mountains is so beautiful. It is amazing to be in the city and have such vibrant mountains everywhere you look. We stayed at the Disneyland Resort Hotel which was very convenient and the architecture of the resort reminded us of Bay Harbor, Mi. We took advantage of everything the resort had to offer from dining with the characters, enjoying tea overlooking the water, navigating through the Mickey Maze and relaxing by the pool. We spent two and a half days at the park, not missing a ride or show. The park was just as magical and comparable to the U.S. The crowds were a bit larger than in the U.S. but our first day was not so bad. The food selection was expectantly Chinese oriented, but we seemed to manage fine. The kids had a wonderful time and just this morning Brady commented he wished to return. I am also certain Natalie fulfilled some dreams in the park as well, in fact Mickey took a liking to her at breakfast! Many memories to take away with us for years to come!

After a few days at home we set off on a tour with the "Nanjing International Club" to Hangzhou, China. It is approximately a four hour bus ride located southeast of Nanjing. This encompassed a fully guided tour including lodging and also authentic Chinese meals. Our first day included many great explorations of the city and I will share a few highlights. Our first stop was West Lake where we boarded a boat for a scenic ride to view the hills and temples which surround the lake. We also visited Lingying Temple, a prestigious Buddhist monastery in China. We made a stop at the Six Harmonies Pagoda which was built 970 A.D. This provided us a panoramic view of the Qiantang River as we climbed to the top. We then visited a Green Tea Plantation to see how this popular drink in China is harvested and sold.  Concluding our first night was a theatrical performance on West Lake, the stage was actually submerged just below the water surface. The lights, music, dancing was all an experience we will not likely see again unless we return. The following day we traveled to HuXueyan House, the architecture was fantastic to see. In summary it was a great trip with many friends and the continuation of us just beginning to explore China. In the coming month we are planning to visit Suzhou, described as the Venice of the East.

Work is going very well and keeping me busy! We just launched a new facility in Rayong Thailand to build the Global Focus. Additionally we just opened our new building in Nanjing supporting Product Development and Manufacturing. It will be nice to return to work on Monday to a new office! It is exciting to be a part of the rapid growth and facility launches in this region.

Very soon we are looking forward to returning home to our family and friends, arriving July 2nd!!! Cannot wait to see you all once again!

Hào Chī - Good Eats!

We have made many great friends while living/working in China, many of which are Ford International Service Employees and their families such as ours.  One of our good friends, Carol Johnson, also maintains a blog to document her adventures in Nanjing China.  I recently read her recent blog which touched on how all of our knowledge of the Chinese culture is growing.  One of the most interesting observations we all have made revolve around the topic of Food and Meals.  No surprise in a culture where eating is the center of socialization, family and business transactions.  I would like to thank Carol for allowing me to post her observations which we completely and 100% can relate to thus far in our time spent in China.  If you are interested you can also check out her blog at:  http://cricketsvoice.blogspot.com/2012/04/hao-chi-good-eats.html?spref=fb. 

Here are some of the conclusions that have surfaced through many China restaurant meals:

·         No one will DIE of a dreadful disease if we share our food.

When ordering from a menu, the custom is to order several dishes that are placed in the center of the table or on a large "lazy Susan" and then to share them with everyone at the table. This works well, unless a certain someone is in the habit of guarding and protecting their meat. If this is the case, it is wise to order a duplicate dish ;)

·         Dig in while it's hot.

In a restaurant an order does not arrive all at once. Food arrives as the cook prepares it and is often 'checked' off of the bill as it's plopped down.  Dishes are not held in the kitchen until the entire order is ready.  In other words, being Western-polite and waiting for everyone at a restaurant table to be served together, just is NOT going to happen.

·         Wait-staff only come when summoned.

The fúwùyuán (attendant) arrives at your table to take your order, bring you food, and bring your bill but ONLY when summoned. A very loud shout of "Fúwùyuán!" will bring her/him your way.  They aren't working for tips (they don't tip in China) and they figure if you want them you will call out to do so. This is very different than the USA.  It would be considered VERY rude to call out "Waitress!" in a US restaurant. 

·         Special orders

Ordering a dish say, without mushrooms or mayo, or with cucumbers instead of pickles, etc. will get you looks like you just jumped off the wrong bus on the wrong street, in the wrong city, naked.  In other words, how they prepare the listed dish is the ONLY way it comes, so save your breath.  Oh, you can try to customize.  But for the most part the order taker will suddenly appear deaf in both ears to your request.  We've learned to pick out what we aren't interested in eating.  Another successful strategy is to frequent your favorite restaurant often, this way over a long period of time they grow accustom to your request ;)  A restaurant owner asked me once, "Why is it you Americans want everything 'special' or 'without this or that?'  Can't you just order what's on the menu?".  I remained mute.  But I wanted to defend the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave and launch into what it really means to be a US citizen and the privilege of choice and the cost of freedom, etc. :)

·         Bring It, Baby

This culture is very aware of rank.  Higher rank, higher status, means more influence.   In entering a restaurant for a meal you will most likely interact with all of these folks during your food break:  Greeter or two, Hostess to Seat You
Drink Menu and Food Menu person, Order Taker, Beverage Toter or two, Food Toter or two, Dish Clearer & Back to the Order Taker.  Each task is performed by someone in a uniform determined by their job and rank.  I know this isn't that foreign in fine restaurant dining in the USA, but I'm talking about Pizza Hut, here.

·         Are they open or what?

It is not uncommon to approach a restaurant about 1:30pm and be shoo-ed away.  That's because at 2:00pm the lights will go out and the entire staff will put their heads down on the table to nap before the dinner hour which begins a couple hours later. I liken it to the Siesta in the Latin American countries where it's just too dang hot to work so a break is imminent.

·         Míngpiàn?  - (Business Card?)

The wait staff won't approach you with your bill until summoned. "Fúwùyuán!" - remember? Upon arriving with the bill she'll announce the total and she won't go away until you pay her, right there on the spot, in CASH.  As you waddle out, because, yes, you ate too much, be sure and stop at the entrance desk for a míngpiàn so that you can show your taxi driver how to get back at some future date.  Oh, heck, take a few and give one to your friends when they ask, "Where did you eat this weekend?"

·         Do you have a “Cha”? - (Had to add this one Carol, sometime you just want a fork!)

Although we are becoming more proficient with chopsticks, the mastery of this utensil can still become frustrating!

Hope you have enjoyed reading, many thanks to Carol!

Phuket Island, Patong Beach, Thailand

We have returned home after our first vacation while living in the Asia Pacific region, in summary of the seven days we had a blast!  Our vacation was at Phuket Island, Patong Beach, Thailand.  We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort which was located directly across from Patong Beach and in the heart of the community.  Much of the gathering areas of the resort were open to the outdoors such as the reception desk, restaurants, bars, etc.  The food at the resort was very good and surprisingly reasonably priced, we enjoyed the Thai food and also western dishes that we don’t have the luxury of while living in China.  As for the weather each day was right around 90 degrees (F) and we only had a few days where we saw a very brief shower followed closely by the sun reappearing (we did not even bother to leave the pool).  As a result we were able to enjoy the resort’s three pools (our favorite was the one with the swim-up bar!).  Patong Beach is a very picturesque area located at the base of one of the mountain ranges which are characteristic of the island.  There is one main route that leads you to the various beaches on the island as you wind thorough the coastal mountains.  Just as you would suspect in a resort and tourism driven economy, the streets are lined with small family run shops that sell largely the same items (ex. hats, t-shirts, shorts, sunglasses, imitation watches and purses).

While enjoying the resort each day we also had some great highlights within our trip.  One of the most beautiful days we had we went island hopping via a speed boat on a day excursion.  Our first stop was at Phi Phi Ley Island and enjoyed swimming at Maya Bay.  With the bright blue clear water, white sand beach, and mountains surrounding the bay it was an amazing place to experience!  On the same trip we island hopped to other locations.  We stopped at Phi Phi Don Island and fed the monkeys that lined the beaches, Brady loved doing this!   At lunchtime we ate at the same Island on a hillside restaurant where we could see the beach and the islands in the distance.    Next the speed boat stopped at Hin Klang Reef and we enjoyed snorkeling within the beautiful coral reef and tropical marine life.  I cannot express how much Cooper enjoyed looking at all the fish while snorkeling; he has not stopped talking about it!   Our last stop was Bamboo Island were we relaxed on the beech while Cooper and Brady found coral on the beach. 

 

Another amazing day for our family was an elephant safari.  We were driven to a tropical part of the island high above sea level.  It is here were we climbed onto our elephants for a 45 minute ride through the forest, at times overlooking the ocean and the islands on the horizon.  How often in a lifetime do you get the opportunity to ride an elephant!  On this same trip the boys got the opportunity to feed the elephants and also see a small show.

Our animal adventure was topped off with a visit to the Phuket Zoo.  This however was not your metropolitan zoo by any manner!  This was a zoo where you not only got to see the animals but you got to hold, interact, and have your picture taken with the animals.  As a family we got to hold baby monkeys, put our arms around a chimpanzee, hold tropical birds, sit next to a tiger, and also ride elephants all by ourselves!   We took some amazing photos!  We also were able to see an alligator and elephant show, we even brought home a painting an elephant made for the boys!

Lastly we visited “Phuket Phantasea”.  Here we saw a great show that highlighted Thai folklore, amazing acrobatics, illusions, and many animals native to the region.  This was a great way to end our trip.

The boys summed up the trip in the best way imaginable, “this is our best vacation ever”!  This provided our family a great “recharge” as we head back to China and the busy schedule we hold with work and school.  I am thinking that Cooper had the best idea while we were on vacation, we would live on the beach and open a magic shop for a living….  Next on the horizon for the family in four weeks is our trip to Hong Kong Disneyland!!!  Even a bigger milestone is our trip home in a few short months to see our family and friends who we miss very much….

Another Step Further into Chinese Culture!

A few weeks ago I was informed by a Supervisor on my team, who is a local national, that I require a Chinese name.  Xuan He (English name; Selina) has become a good friend of mine as I ask her frequently questions on the culture, language, living, and a host of other topics.  Currently our new building is due for completion in three weeks and I will relocate to my new office, for now I am a "cubemate" with Selina and I have enjoyed the time we have been able to get to know one another.  As we relocate all employees have nameplates displayed in English first and then Chinese written below.  So it seemed fitting that the time was now for my Chinese name.  Following tradition Selina requested that I allow her to provide me with my Chinese name, of course I was honored.  The goal of the name is to have it sound similar to my English name but have a relevant meaning based on the Chinese characters used.  So it is with great pleasure I share my Chinese name; 邦杰明.

In Chinese Pinyin, a system which uses Roman characters to transcribe Mandarin Chinese, it is written "Bang Jie Ming".  So let me break down the name by the meaning of each symbol;

邦 (Bang): This name is not common in Chinese culture and not used widely as it has significant historical meaning in China.  In 202 BC Liu Bang became Emperor of China and he named his Dynasty "Han".  He was the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty who practiced Confucianism, stressing the benefits of governing the nation by moral virtue rather than coercive laws.  He became the first to worship Confucius among all later Emperors.  So it is with honor that I have been given the same name as this historical leader of China.

杰 (Jie): The adjectives that describes this name are "bright" and "clear-sighted".


明 (Ming): The adjectives that describes this name are "outstanding", "prominent", and "heroic".

Although it may just be that Selina has not been able to know me very well thus far, in reflection I think she has done a tremendous job ;) 


We are looking forward to our first trip out of the country next weekend as we visit Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand.  We all need a little rest and relaxation, planning to enjoy all that this beach resort will provide.  Thanks for reading, hope to see all our family and friends back in North America real soon!  Until then we are really enjoying the new friendships here in China with people originating from all over the world.  Despite the many challenges that living abroad entails, we are still blessed to have this adventure both professionally and personally.

Shanghai, China 上海

Friday morning we boarded the Bullet Train from Nanjing to Shanghai, China.  The train offers a quick, inexpensive and easy route to Shanghai at 268 MPH.  What would take approximately a four hour car ride is an hour and ten minute train ride.  A Google search will provide you with all the details you need to know about Shanghai so I will just provide a few pieces of information as we explored the city.  Shanghai has a population of just over 20 million people in the City, for comparison Nanjing (our home city) and New York City has approximately 7 million.  The architecture is amazing, a blend of new distinctive construction and also the historical aspect of 20th century surrounding The Bund district.  At night the city becomes a show of bright colors as the buildings, roadways, signs and so much more come to life. 

Friday afternoon we visited the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium proving to be a good way to complete the afternoon of our arrival into the City.  Saturday we visited the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and this was the highlight of the trip for the children.   The facility was amazing!  The building was a reflection of modern architecture with large windows, towering ceilings and unconventional structures seamlessly flowing from one exhibit to the next.  Inside we did so much exploring.  Moving from information technology, touring through a rain forest, wandering through animals of the world and even space exploration was so much fun.  Natalie even went on the zero gravity space chair not aware that it spun upside down around 10 times (I honestly did not know how to say “stop” in Chinese!  She did gather a crowd!).  In the evening we went up to the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower to have dinner in the revolving restaurant at 267 meters in the sky.  The views of the city at night were amazing and we are looking forward to returning during the day and standing on the glass floor with the city below your feet.  On Sunday we went to the Shanghai Children’s museum and then to a “shopping center” which is popular for imitation purses, watches and so many other things.  The experience is an adventure!  As you walk through the market you are bombarded with calls to enter shops, “you want nice purse or watch sir, come high quality, good price”.  One can only laugh.  Once you find the shop you are interested in (usually from references of friends) you enter the underworld of China shopping ;)  Opening a secret door they walk you through a maze of narrow passages not to be detected by police.  The more you bargain and show reluctance you are guided further into secret passages to ultimately arrive at the higher quality merchandise.  Bargaining starts high but with skill you are able to negotiate at minimum of 80% less than asking with persistence.  It is entertaining to experience!  In the evening we visited our new friends, the Bogle Family.  We were treated to a fantastic home cooked meal!  What an awesome family and we look forward to seeing them more often (even in Thailand in the weeks to come).  On Monday we just went out to lunch where we then preceded to miss our train due to our drivers confusion of what I meant when I said “Downtown Station” while ending up at the “Airport Station”, just another experience of living in another culture! We had a great short vacation and I have attached a few photos below.  We are excited to go next to Phuket Thailand at the end of March and relax on the beach!

I did want to mention the perseverance of the Chinese on a daily basis.  For those that cannot afford a car, which is an overwhelming majority of the population, each day they seek alternate forms of transportation.  Whether a bus, a bike, or moped they battle the elements.  On days of rain, I am amazed by the number of people braving the conditions just like any other day.  Lastly this week I discovered at work that I should have a "Chinese Name" in addition to my given American name.  This came up as they are preparing the nameplates for offices in the our new building.  Here in China I have discovered that many of my Chinese co-workers received their "western" name while taking English courses at their University.  Often selecting the name from a defined list with the meaning/interpretation included.  Others such as service workers are given the available name tags for their uniforms to select from.  So as a result of all this my co-workers are going to provide me with a "Chinese" name.  It will sound similar to the pronunciation of my current name and have a meaning that they feel suits my personality.  So stay tuned!  Oh one last thing, while in China I cannot tell you how many times we were asked to be in photos and the constant attention (almost celebrity like...).  I do want to mention that the Chinese are such warm people however, often smiling at the kids and speaking wither Chinese or English to them. 

Lastly just a few comments about work.  It is a very exciting time for Ford here in Asia Pacific & Africa Region.  It is a time that that many will never experience in their careers and I feel fortunate to be given this opporttunity.  In the next five years we will be launching nine plants in the region to support our growth (70% of Ford growth will be in this region).  With this comes many challenges.  There is challenges in dealing with Joint ventures, a developing supply base, and young team (senior local nationals having 5 to 8 years experience).  We have our team of International Service Employees who are in a unique leadership role not experienced before.  I was reminded this week from our VP that the most important thing as leaders in this region is to be mindful of the shadow we cast, many are looking to us to train the future leaders in the region and replace us in our positions in the years to come as we head home.  The challenges are emmense, however it is also a great time for my company and I am fortunate to be part of this unique opportunity I have been given!

Eight weeks ago my company loaded the remaining items for our move (the majority of our things) onto a 20ft sea container and it began it's long intermodal journey to China.  Today marked the final stage of transition enabling our family to settle into home.  While we left a majority of our furnishings in Michigan storage our shipment contained many of Cooper and Brady's toys, clothing, personal care items, sporting goods, food, and so much more.  This evening Cooper and Brady were very excited to sleep in their new bunk beds we purchased just prior to leaving and enjoyed watching "Chipwrecked" as we began to unpack (hmmm video not out in US yet?  Let's just say there are great places to get DVD's very cheaply here in China.....).  Attached is a picture of our place crammed with boxes.

Within our sea shipment we took a bit of a gamble and packed various food items that we knew would be difficult to find in China.  A say a bit of a gamble because we were advised to pack 110 lbs of food into a couple boxes, well we packed 20 boxes.  Fortunately our shipment passed through customs without any concern, due to some creativity in box labeling and also documentation (I may have accidentally left a few items off the list ;)  I am certain for the next few weeks we are going to be unpacking constantly.

We are looking forward to the arrival of Spring in the coming weeks here in Nanjing, allowing us to explore more of the city.  We are also excited to be visiting Puckett, Thailand the first week in April and we also finalized a trip to Hong Kong the first week in May to Disneyland!  Lastly we are excited to welcome our first guest from home, my good friend and college roommate Mike.  Thanks to all our friends and family back home for the cards, Skye calls, and e-mails.  We miss everyone very much while we explore our new home. 

That is all for now, exhausted from a day of packing and looking forward to some rest!

Zàijiàn!