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!