May23,2009:Over130foreignerswhoworkorstudyinNanjing,capitalofJiangsuProvince,celebratetheDragonBoatFestivalbyparticipatinginaricedumpling-makingcompetition.VCGSincetheopeningupofthecountrytotheoutsideworld,manythingshavechangedinthesocialandeconomiclandscapeofChina.Amongthosechanges,oneisquitenoticeable:theappearanceoftheforeignworkers.MylovestorywithChinastartedmanyyearsago.Backin2011,ItookmyfirstlessonsinChineseCultureandLanguageattheConfuciusInstitute,andIwillalwaysbegratefulfortheopportunitytostudyatthisschool.TheprofessionalismofitsteachersandstaffwasoneofthereasonswhyIgothookedonChineselanguage.Atthattime,thecentralreasonIwasinterestedintheChineselanguagewastouseittofindoutmoreaboutthecultureandeventuallytotravelaroundChina.WorkinginChinawasneverpartoftheplan.Keepinmindthatin2011Chinawasnotrecognizedasaworldpower—theydidgreathostingtheOlympicGamesin2008butstillhadnotreachedthereputationofaneconomicgiant,whichthecountryownsthesedays.
IrecallthatwhenIstartedstudyingChinese,peoplesawmeasabookworm.Butafterthe“boom”ofChina’seconomy,suddenlyIbecameasmartyoungentrepreneurwhohadpredictedthatChinawouldleadtheworldinmanyways.IreallydidfeelthatChinesewouldbecomethelanguageofthefuture.However,thepromiseofagoodandwell-paidjobwasnotenoughtomotivatemetolearnthedifficultlanguage—tolearnalanguagewell,youhavetolikethecountry,thelanguage,itspeopleanditsculture.Chinaisacomplexcountryinthesensethatyoueitherloveitorhateit.MostpeopleIknowloveitandrecognizeitsstatusasatrulyfascinatingplace.
ChallengesandRewards
Forthemostpart,workinginChinaasaforeignerislikehowitwouldbeworkinginmanyothercountries.Amongthechallengesyoumayfaceincludegettingusedtothefood,learninglocallanguagesandlocalcustomsandgettingusedtothebusinessculture.Thebarriersofworkingabroadareobvious,butwhatabouttheheightofthosebarriers?FoodinChinaisamongthemostpopularcuisinesintheworld—drasticallydifferentfromWesternfood,yetmostpeopleloveit.Thelanguageisdifficulttolearn,especiallyforWesterners,butthatdifficultymakestherewardoflearningitmuchgreater.Gettingusedtothelocalcultureanditscustomsiskeytotheadaptationprocess,butifyousucceed,anewworldofknowledgeandopportunitieswillopenupbeforeyoureyes.ThedifferencebetweenChinaandtherestoftheworldmakeslivingandworkinginthecountryanenrichingandrewardingexperienceseldomfoundelsewhereintheworld.
MyworkingadventureinChinastartedinFuzhou,capitalofFujianProvince,andIstilllovethiscity.Everythingwentsmoothly.Ifoundajobopeningontheweb,didsomeonlineinterviews,andafteramonthofpaperwork,Iwasonaplanetomydestination.ItwasnotmyfirsttriptoChina,andIcouldspeakthelanguage,soIwasconfident.IwashiredbyabigChinesecompanywithalmostthreehundredemployees,onlyfourofwhomwereforeigners.ThiswasthebestthingthatcouldhavehappenedtomebecauseitimprovedmyChineselanguageskilldramatically.January18,2012:GermanbusinessmanBerndForster(right)celebratestheSpringFestivalwithhiswifeGuoZhonghua(secondleft),kidsandemployeesinhishomeinYiwu,ZhejiangProvince.VCGWheninChina
DuringmytimeworkingfortheChinesecompany,Ialsofoundtheopportunitytolearnaboutthelocalbusinessculture—thedosanddon’tsandwhatpeopleexpectinbasicinteractions.Chinaisdifferentfrommanyplacesinthisregard.Youhavetoanalyzeandunderstandthosedifferencesifyouwanttofullyenjoyyourexperience.ForthosewhomaywonderabouttherequirementsforaworkvisainChina,workexperienceandauniversitydegreeareusuallyneeded,butyoushoulddoublecheckeverythingwellinadvancetoavoidsurprises.
Sometimesthefurtheryougofromhome,thecloseritgetstoyourheart,andeventuallyIsawthesunsetofmytimeattheChinesecompanywiththeopportunitytoworkforaSpanishcompanyoperatinginChina.Onceagain,theworkingenvironmentchanged,andalongwithit,Ifoundnewthingstolearnandtodiscover.MysecondandcurrentjobinChinaarrivedthrough“guanxi”(networkconnections).Forcertain,“guanxi”issomethingyouneedinChinaasinmanyothercountries.TheChineseunderstandthattheroadtosuccessisusuallypavedwithavastnetworkofcontacts,andthetermisalightningrodforChineseculture.SoifyoucometoChinatowork,getreadytohearthewordandfindoutitsrealmeaningandimportance.Alsoremember“ganbei,”whichliterallymeans“drycup”andisspokenlike“cheers”whenmakingatoast.ItisfrequentlyheardwhenChinesepeopledineforsocialorbusinesspurposes.
SocialandbusinessrelationsinChinaarecomplexandthereforedifficulttounderstandforforeigners—howtoproperlyaddresssuperiorsoravoidmakingpeoplelosefaceinfrontofothers.Seatingetiquette,howtotoast,whattoexpectduringabusinessmeeting,theimportanceofpunctualityduringameetingandhowtointerpretfacialexpressionsandbodylanguageareamongthebasicnormsyoumustbecomeawareof.
ThereareplentyofotherconsiderationstobemadebeforecomingtoChinatowork.Forexample,whenchoosingwhichareaofthecountrytoworkin,Irecommenddoingsomeresearchinadvancetofindoutthemainindustriesandresourcesinthearea.Forexample,itiseasytofindanIT-relatedpositionoroperateyourownbusinessincitiessuchasShenzhen,HangzhouandBeijing.
ThebusinessworldinChinaisextremelydynamic.Localpeoplearealwaysenthusiasticabouthearinggoodideasoveracupoftea(orbeer)andchattingaboutfeasibleprojects.ThisdynamismalongwiththedriveofChinesepeopletoachievenewgoalsandgraspsuccessmakesChinatheperfectplacetofulfillyourdreams.WhatoncewastheAmericanDreamisnowChinese.
TheauthorisaSpanishengineerwhohasbeenlivinginChinaforthepastfiveyears.