The roof comes down, while making long days

The last two weeks I’ve been working so many hours that I sometimes get a little crazy (and definitely tired). Since Harry left to Holland I felt the pressure on me to deliver some good results for his coming stay (already next week). On the 16th of November we will ‘officially’ launch the Dutch Chinese Entrepreneurship Program in Shanghai during the ‘Business diner’ with Frank Heemskerk. I still had to make all the promotional material to be able to put it in the market. Yesterday I finally finished the ‘Programmakaart’ and the coming week we will print the flyer (the result is satisfying). Next to this I wrote a new strategy document for De Baak Shanghai (on Harry´s request). Also we will have four events during Harry’s November stay (everyday one). All these had to be organised and I have to make sure there will be enough people to make it successful. Next to the practical organisation, we have to close a few deals next week concerning Baak-activities and products in China (this needs thoughtful preparation of course). All these things combined together made the last 16 days to so full of work that I feel quite exhausted from time to time. I get a better understanding now of business men who tell that leading a company is comparable to top sport.

Next to the working pressure the roof in the living room came down last Sunday evening. I came home and it was a total mess. Dirt and rocks everywhere! It was a miracle that nothing broke (except for the CD-driver of the computer and a glass). Last Friday I had workers over to fix the roof (I escaped to the office), but the house still feels like an construction site. I am happy to leave the place next month. My time here at the Gao’an Lu comes to an end. I enter phase two on my stay in China. The Gao’an Lu formed a good beginning, but all good things come to an end one day and make space for better/other things.

I don´t know how I can still find the energy and motivation to learn Chinese and do my music, but I do. This must mean I am really driven on both things. Last week I visited an Australian guitar player and he give me a copy of The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine. These 600 pages are all you need to know and be able to do, to call yourself a ‘player’. I am at page 10 now, so getting there. My Chinese is also going well – speaking was already quite good, but now I am starting to read simple stories in Chinese characters, and my phone texting skills are really improving – Angie is complementing me on my progress.

The thing that suffers the most is my ‘social’ life. There is very limited time to hang out with other people. I spend half the evenings behind the computer, and even in the weekend I am still busy with work, but last weekend I didn’t work and enjoyed a nice Halloween party in Bar Rouge (one of the hippest places in Shanghai). Bar Rouge has a great terrace with beautiful view on LuiJaiZui (the image with the TV-tower which everybody knows from Shanghai). I enjoyed it and still felt it was a special thing to be living and working in such a huge city on the other side of the world.

Going to the next level with help from Harry

At home on a Saturday night. I am recovering from a very intensive week with Harry Starren in Shanghai. It was great to have him over for the second time. The week was totally packed with meetings and Harry also facilitated 4 discussions in Shanghai. It were very inspiring days. Next to all those meetings we worked on the strategy for our China project. We are heading to the next (and more profitable) level. Harry will return to Shanghai in the middle of November (already in 3 weeks) to open our “Dutch China Entrepreneurship”-program here officially. So I expect the coming three weeks to be overloaded with work. I need to give all the follow up on the meetings of this trip (make the reports), prepare the trip for November, prepare the material for the Entrepreneurship program and the proposals for the deals we need to close with Harry’s next visit. It will be a real challenge to realize this all for me, but I will do all I can to make it happen. During Harry’s stay the Shanghai International Creative Industry Week was in Shanghai. So there were many Dutch creative professionals in town. The activities of Dutch Creative companies are growing very fast here. It is great to see that Shanghai is more and more a place where Dutch professional meet each other and are active. We were a parnter in the Education-day of the official program of the SICIW, but I also organized some other un-official events concerning Creativity.

The week before Harry arrived a Dutch Guitar player (Joep) stayed over at my place. He visited Shanghai to go Music Expo that week. I would have loved to join him a day. But the whole week I was at home with a fever (38,5 degrees). All the time in bed (mostly with the laptop, to finish the last things for Harry’s trip). I was happy to have some company at home, because to be sick and be home alone is not great. The day Harry arrived I declared myself (almost) better (I had no choice I guess). After the Music Expo there was the JZ festival in Pudong. I played there Sunday afternoon at 13h. We were not great, but it was the first time in this formation - next time we will be better.

When Angie was still here (she left to Beijing on the 10th of October) we managed to find a new house. I will move in the first week of December to a nice new place with a small garden! I looking forward to move to there and experience Shanghai from a different perspective. However, the new house is very close to my current place (10 minutes walking) and still close to the JZ School and even closer to Xindanwei (where I have my office). So won't be very different. My working permit is also fixed. So most practical issues are solved and this gives me the opportunity to focus on the Baak (the pressure is on and the time limited). After Harry's second trip I will go to Beijing for a week to see Angie. We call everyday and I miss her a lot, all I can do is count the days.

Our October Holiday

All is well and totally back into the Chinese lifestyle. Right now I am in the middle of the “October-holiday” in China. For me this holiday will be a kind of a 'long weekend' (Thu-Mon), since I plan to back to work tomorrow. However, the great thing is that Angie is back in Shanghai and I must say it is great to be back together. We enjoy our time by relaxing at home, making some walks, going to the zoo, eat with friend, etc. Until she arrived I was 24/7 focussing on Harry’s trip. I must say the basic outline is finished and I think I've created a fine program for him in which we can bring De Baak China to a higher level. I'm happy to have started the LinkedIn-group (Baak China Business Community), which I see as a start of a more content driven blog, which I still need to start (it's on the wish list).

Next to work and enjoying my time with Angie we are looking for possible new apartments, because the landlord is seriously thinking about selling this house. He wants to get a prince of EUR 3.000,- per square meter, which is a small fortune for most Chinese and probably a bit too much for this “Second hand” house. But as you can see – the house prices her in China are catching up with Europe. So it’s a little unclear if I will stay here or not. However I am not worried, because the general house hunting time in China is about 1-2 weeks (for a renting house at least) – this is still something incomparable to the Amsterdam standards I am used to. More difficult and important is my work permit, for which I went to the last formal procedure last Monday. If everything is accepted, I can pick up my passport (with Resident permit) on the 12th of October, and won’t have too worry about it anymore to coming year. This will save a great deal of time and stress (so very great!).

Last Wednesday of course was China’s 60th Birthday. I spend it by watching the parade together with Angie. I think I was a special moment for her, for me it was a nice ‘show’ at the time, but since I watch The Last Emperor yesterday I made me think more about it. It was a great movie to begin with (I saw it x years ago, but had forgotten everything). Next to the ‘sad’ story of this last emperor Pu Xi the movie offered a great deal of impressions on the 'chaos' China had to go through in the first half of the 20th century before finally finding a form of stability with the foundation of the People Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Seeing this movie made me feel more special to be part of the 60th Birthday of this milestone in the long history of China.

It has been a while “From Holland to Shanghai”

It has been ages since my last blog. Already back in Shanghai since almost a week. In the Netherlands by schedule was so full (also with social activities) that I completely missed out on the blogging. My last 2,5 weeks in the Netherlands were great, and full of activities. We had some international meetings with de Baak “China in 2014”-breakfast (3 Sep), “Who are we?” (Launch International Brochure – 9 Sep), and a Panel Discussion “Entrepreneurial Leadership in China” (15 Sep). All these events were big successes. The debate session was also organised by my Dutch colleagues in June, but the audience had more than doubled this time (good!). On these China events you can find summaries if your interested on the www.debaak.com/china - we even founded a Baak China business community on LinkedIn to keep to people connected to each other online. Next to all the events I had many meetings and we’ve launched Shanghai Brochure (a folded A3, but it’s a start).

Right now Mark de Jong is doing an internship at de Baak and he is helping me with my China activities from within the Netherlands. He has been doing great work on building a database for the growing China contacts we have. Also helped with the practical organisation on a event de Baak will host in the Netherlands on China Legal Issues (15 Oct). Even now I am in Shanghai I will co-organise a China-event each month in the Netherlands to create a lively community of China professionals close to de Baak. Next to this, in collaboration with two Dutch colleagues, we have offered a program to an university in Beijing, which potentially can turn out to become a big program. So, after almost a year finally the things are speeding up – that’s great.

I feel my time in Holland has been very successful and nice. It was great to see family and friends. However, the social activities (every night meet someone) were breaking me up in the end – I got more tired and tired (and fat too). Arrived in Shanghai I slept for 14,5 hours my first night and really needed a few days to get things started. Right know I feel good again and also getting back to my normal weight.

Even though being exhausted the first few days I’ve already started with all the normal thing again in Shanghai: music, Chinese lessons and work. The band has grown to 8 members (3 sax, guitar, trumpet, piano, drum and bass), so a semi big-band. We have a first gig planned on the 17th of October on a Jazz festival in Pudong. The Chinese lessons are very difficult – a month of Holland is definitely not good for your Chinese, I really need to get back into it. Last Monday I started working again. I must say Monday was not great, but I am speeding up things and yesterday I was able to do a lot – working 11 hours straight for 9am to 20pm. The focus point is Harry’s second planned trip to Shanghai mid-October. It needs to better than his first one, which seems an impossible task. Socially in Shanghai I have not been very active (apart for some small activities last weekend and Tuesday), but now I feel rested more and more getting into the mood to meet up with friends and people again here in Shanghai.

Angie is in Beijing and I miss her in Shanghai even more than I did in the Netherlands, because the house just reminds me of our time together. I must say I find it lonely here by myself, but she is coming to Shanghai next week for the October holiday - so great.

Happy to be back anyway, the live is good in the Far East.

Running around the clock

I let myself be totally busy again in the Netherlands, I brought some reading books and Chinese study books to Holland, but haven’t found time to even open them. During the week I work hard and in the evenings I meet friends and family. When I came in the Netherlands two weeks ago I thought a month would be a lot, but now I find it is not much at all. The Dutch weather is great except for last weekend when it rained like crazy. Last week we had the Learning Lane at the Baak – a two day Learning festival in which there were some China activities. And even more important I got my Chinese Z-visa with which I can apply for my Chinese work permit, so finally my stay in the mainland is secured – this will save a lot of time and moment of worry the coming year, so I am very happy.

Today I had a internal presentation at De Baak on the developments with the Shanghai project. My colleagues are really enthusiastic and supportive. I believe the project has finally matured enough for others to start making the connections. The time I spend at De Baak locations in the Netherlands also strengthen my understanding of this very special institute. It is a very special organisation and I get more proud of my connection to this institute. Today I presented my Shanghai brochure – it’s only a four page brochure, but the time invested to produce it was a lot. Happy to finally carry the end-result in my bag-pack. Everywhere I go these last two week, I carry a bag-pack with me. Too much stuff to carry around… One of my colleagues said it was a metaphor for the transition I am in right now. Maybe she it right!

I have a nice room in Amsterdam-East for these weeks and happy to meet friends and family. Shanghai is far away now! Not much time to miss it, but when I think about it, I miss it a little. That's what happens if you decide to live in two places in the world.

Back home in the Netherlands

Back in the Netherlands I’m in a busy train on a Friday evening going to my parents. I’ve landed last Sunday evening and Monday I directly started working, so I am happy to start a very relaxing weekend in the East of Holland. The week so far has been nice, and the time went extremely quickly. I’ve met many of my Colleagues and already been to all the Dutch locations of De Baak in Noordwijk, Driebergen and Amsterdam.

Working highlights of the week in the Netherlands so far where a diner in Noordwijk on Wednesday with 20 contacts of De Baak in which we shared our ideas about the concept of “change” with each other, while enjoying an diner a the sea. After living in China and being exposed the constant change over the last year I found myself to feel at home around this group of Change-experts. Thursday I organized a strategy session on Dutch entrepreneurship in Shanghai, which was quite an interesting and useful meeting (sad thing was that 4 people didn’t show up, because of the expected storm that never came). A “weather-alarm” can really scare us Dutchies in our “land of the traffic jams”.

This week I was fortunate enough to be able to stay at my aunt’s place in the middle of Amsterdam. I met already some friends, but many of them I haven’t been able to call. The time I have been able to share with them so far was great. I found that coming back to Holland now for the second time is less exciting than the first time in February. Really everything can become a routine. After the weekend I will return to another ‘home’ in Amsterdam at a friend’s place, where I can stay until the end of my stay in the Netherlands. Much better than going from one place to another, like last time.

My last 10 days in China consisted of my birthday party, which was a great success. Around 35 people joined me when I entered my new decade on the 6th of August. Every body was enthusiastic and complemented about the nice atmosphere. After the party I spend a lot of time behind the computer to finish the text for the Shanghai brochure. The good news is that the text and even the design are finished. Although not printed yet, I will be able to present it on the 1st of September during my international China-presentation at De Baak.

So, all is well in the Netherlands. The only sad thing is that Angie has moved to Beijing now to start her Master there next week. We call and Skype, and after I will have returned to Shanghai, she will come to Shanghai within two weeks. But I must say I miss her not being here with me.

Green Guizhou, Health check and lots of other (work-related) things

My last day I am a 20-something guy. Tomorrow it will be my 30th birthday and we will celebrate it with a traditional Dutch party at home. I’m looking forward to it. I came back from my ten day holiday to Guizhou last Monday afternoon, but since then I hardly left the computer screen. There are many things I have to get straight because my flight to Holland. During my month in the Netherlands every week there will be some event I (co)-host, so that needs a lot preparation from a ‘distance’ already. I’m trying to squeeze out my neglected network in the Netherlands. I’m happy to find that most people didn’t forget about me. The first event on the 20th of August is a strategy meeting on “Dutch entrepreneurship in Shanghai” has been totally arranged and already enough people applied, so that’s a good start.

Next to this I have to re-write my proposal for a Shanghai brochure we want to release on
the 9th of September. It is almost like writing an academic university paper under time pressure. Since it will be my last week in Shanghai with Angie, I also want to spend some time with her. We cannot see each other for some weeks after next week. She will have started with her Master in Beijing when I return to Shanghai.

Next to all my working activities I have good news about my Work permit developments. It was quite some paper work, but I already when through 3 of the 6 steps of the procedure. The steps are: 1. Foreigner Employment License, 2. Vision Notification document, 3. Medical Check, 4. Return to home country, 5. Alain Employment Permit, and 6. Resident Permit. The first two documents I have successfully obtained and yesterday I went to do a health check, which was a special new experience again. First I waited for an hour in the lobby and the second hour I did a blood test, eye test, ultrasound, heart test even an X-ray photo of my back. It was surely efficient, beginning quickly sent from doctor to doctor. I bummed into a friend at the Health test (this city is getting smaller and smaller).

Now I would like to think back of my beautiful holiday in Guizhou. It was definitely the most beautiful province in China I have seen so far. It is so green, with beautiful waterfalls everywhere. Guizhou is definitely undervalued, if you look at the amount of foreign tourists that go there. However, the Chinese tourists have no problem to find their way to Guizhou. During the week there we went to the second biggest waterfall in the world, did a boat ride between the mountains, visit a village of a local minority group (called the ‘Miao’ people), hike in the mountains, eat the most delicious food and did a lot of shopping. I loved every second of it.

I was a little nervous to meet Angie’s parents, but they turned out to be the very lovely people. Although the Guizhou-accent is a little different from the Madarin, I have been studying so hard last year, I still could communicate with them quite well. My sister was totally lost, and could only say “Xiexie” (thank you) the whole time. Next to Angie’s parents I met the whole family (uncles, aunts, grandparents) and friends. It was very nice to meet the people Angie has been talking about. Everyday we were invited for dinners – very delicious, but I gained 5 kg. I promised myself to start to go to the gym, when I come back from the Netherlands.

Just a few more hours before 30, the bottle of champagne is already in the refrigerator!