Coming home for Christmas

I haven’t been able to write as much I would have liked to, but here finally a post again. I am back in the Netherlands for a few weeks. I came back for Christmas, which I spend at my parents house, where I still am, because I have a holiday this week. And I really needed some time to rest, so no busy schedule with meetings 24/7. Just some time at home for reading and writing. I am working on a business plan for Chinese companies that are entering Europe (a very important step for the decade to come). Next to my never ending focus on the China-Euro relationship I make time to play the piano – working on my musical theoretical background. And also learning to play the Double bass (my father has one). I am contemplating about buying one in 2010.

My time in the Netherlands will really start next week on Monday the 4th of January, when I go to Amsterdam and start working. There will be a few important dates during my stay in the Netherland. I will lead a workshop ‘Leading in China’ on the 15th of January at Meet the World (www.debaak.nl/en/events/meettheworld), the 19th of January Big Improvement Day at the Rai in Amsterdam (www.debaak.nl/en/events/bid), and The China Challenge on the 27th of January (www.debaak.nl/pictures/91A23DBE-01802CDD-0AFF020B-D8DD2F62.pdf). The last event I will not be able to attend myself, because I go back to Shanghai on the 22nd of January. Next to this event I will focus on the marketing of the Dutch Chinese Entrpreneurship Program (www.debaak.com/chinaentrepreneur), finalize the program structure for The New Manager, and other projects with the NFIA and Victoria University Beijing. After some very relaxing days at my parents I am slowly starting to look forward to my work again.

My last three weeks in Shanghai where not as hectic as October and November. Angie came for a surprise visit (to see me and the new house). Very great! I was planning to unpack everything with her, but this we didn’t manage. So the new house is still quite messy, but we got the internet and air-conditioner working (this is what you use in Shanghai in the winter to keep warm). The week before my flight back to the Netherlands my friend Joost came for a visit to Shanghai. During the mornings I worked, but in the afternoons I took some time off to show Joost around town. Next to many other cultural sights, we went to the Jing’An Temple. My first time, but I cannot really recommend it. However, the journey towards the temple was nice, because we used the Metro line 7. A brand new line making Jing’An Temple just 2 stops away from the Hengshan Lu instead of the previous six. What an improvement. In some stations you can already see the new metro-map for the Expo 2010. Quite cool – the Line 2 will also be extended and (next year) it will run from all the way from Hongqiao Airport to Pudong Airport. The speed in which the metro lines develop are a metaphor for the chances of whole Shanghai, and I dare not to compare it to the North/South line struggle in Amsterdam. I am just waiting for line 10 to open, which we give me again a metro station within 5 minutes walk from home, next to the Shanghai Library.

Wish you all a very happy 2010. The year of the Shanghai expo!