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.