As many would already know that i work for an MNC based in China. It is the company custom to have a annual meeting and Dinner and Dance in Beijing. For this event all the overseas colleagues will gather in Beijing. This was the first year for me , attending such meeting. i was really excited because of all the hype that was created by my other colleagues who have gone before.
this time the Beijing office had organized a visit to the great wall of china for the new staff who have joined this year. As for all out staff they had organized a winter Olympics in the Beijing Olympic stadium. that was the first time i had every seen snow.and first time i ever skied!
This trip also showed me another side of china that i never knew.Beijing is a very united city, the people are very concerned about the well being of the country, it showed in how clean the city was. not a single piece of little was to be seen. i could hardly find dustbins too but still the city was spanking clean. like all cities the central business district has a busy traffic during the peak periods. that brought me to wonder how they dealt with the traffic during the Beijing Olympics. when the whole world's eye was looking at Beijing. I did get an answer to that question. DUring the Olympics not all the cars were allowed to be on the road. on alternate days odd number and even numbered vehicles were allowed to be on the road. that reduced the number of vehicles bu 50%. And most importantly the rule was diligently followed by the citizens. for the well being of the nation. the Chinese won my respect with that one.
everywhere i went, for food or for shopping, i used my little mandarin that i knew and they were very appreciative of my interest in their language that they addresses me as their brother and gave me discounts. it pays to know Chinese in Beijing.
Many of us are still skeptical of going to china, but through experience i tell you. there is a whole new world in china that we don know of. a civilization that have grown maturely and has a lesson or two to teach the rest of the world about the love for their motherland. My advice to all is this, make Beijing a holiday destination this season and i bet you won't regret it.
