November 10 2014
I am officially transferred from my company's New Zealand office to setup the China office in Shekou, Shenzhen. It is now past 2 months into my assignment in China (finally subscribing to a VPN service to bypass the Chinese firewalls, allowing me to surf the internet "normally"), and I reflect on the contrasts between New Plymouth and my new home till June 2015.
Food diversity
I was amazed (and still am) at the food options available in Shekou, an expat village. The main dining district is called SeaWorld, which houses at least 50 eateries built around a grounded vessel. Cuisines available include Mexican, Italian, Thai, Brazilian, German and Chinese amongst other western fare.
Being my first time living in China, it has been a wonderful experiencing the different types of Chinese cooking styles - Shanghai (rich and flavorful), Szechuan (spicy), Cantonese (light-flavored), and its a real struggle not putting on weight with so many things to try.
I'm comparing this to New Plymouth where the opening of a new eatery would be the talk of the town.
Population explosion!
New Plymouth - approximately 56,000 (based on Wikipedia)
Shenzhen - approximately 15,000,000
That's like 268 times more people, which will result in lots more malls, shops, restaurants, places of interest, and a lot less personal space in China.
Thankfully Shekou is not too populous, and most people in Shenzhen are concentrated in the Futian and Luohu districts.
Time difference resolved!
I am finally back to the same timezone as my friends and family. Chatting online with friends in Singapore and the rest of the world is possible again.
Different definitions of success/happiness
I would like to apply this to the laws of attraction between the opposite sexes here, where a woman's partner selection criteria might be:
In Shenzhen - job; international exposure; looks
In New Plymouth - physical attributes; facial hair; tattoos
To be honest, I feel more successful/happy here.
Getting around
I enjoyed zipping around New Zealand in my Ford Focus along one-lane roads for hours on end, stopping for every pedestrian with a friendly wave.
In Shenzhen, as I am not allowed to drive without a Chinese driving license, I now have a chauffeur to take me around the city amidst the heavy and noisy traffic, where horning and excessive use of the high-beam is commonplace. Cab rides are always an adventure though, as I admire how these drivers zip through traffic with reckless ease.
The lifestyles are drastically different, and I am thankful I can adapt to both ways and find pleasures within my means.
I am officially transferred from my company's New Zealand office to setup the China office in Shekou, Shenzhen. It is now past 2 months into my assignment in China (finally subscribing to a VPN service to bypass the Chinese firewalls, allowing me to surf the internet "normally"), and I reflect on the contrasts between New Plymouth and my new home till June 2015.
Food diversity
I was amazed (and still am) at the food options available in Shekou, an expat village. The main dining district is called SeaWorld, which houses at least 50 eateries built around a grounded vessel. Cuisines available include Mexican, Italian, Thai, Brazilian, German and Chinese amongst other western fare.
 |
| German shnitzel |
 |
| Mexican tacos |
 |
| Japanese sushi |
 |
| Burger |
 |
| Seafood broil in a bag |
 |
| Dead Guy Ale from Oregon |
Being my first time living in China, it has been a wonderful experiencing the different types of Chinese cooking styles - Shanghai (rich and flavorful), Szechuan (spicy), Cantonese (light-flavored), and its a real struggle not putting on weight with so many things to try.
 |
| 麻辣香锅 |
 |
| 烤羊排 |
 |
| 虾蟹粥 |
 |
| 牛肉粉 |
 |
| 上海菜 |
 |
| 肉夹馍 |
I'm comparing this to New Plymouth where the opening of a new eatery would be the talk of the town.
Population explosion!
New Plymouth - approximately 56,000 (based on Wikipedia)
Shenzhen - approximately 15,000,000
That's like 268 times more people, which will result in lots more malls, shops, restaurants, places of interest, and a lot less personal space in China.
 |
| Tourists admiring the musical fountain at SeaWorld, Shekou |
 |
| View of Shekou from Little Nanshan |
Thankfully Shekou is not too populous, and most people in Shenzhen are concentrated in the Futian and Luohu districts.
Time difference resolved!
I am finally back to the same timezone as my friends and family. Chatting online with friends in Singapore and the rest of the world is possible again.
Different definitions of success/happiness
I would like to apply this to the laws of attraction between the opposite sexes here, where a woman's partner selection criteria might be:
In Shenzhen - job; international exposure; looks
In New Plymouth - physical attributes; facial hair; tattoos
To be honest, I feel more successful/happy here.
Getting around
I enjoyed zipping around New Zealand in my Ford Focus along one-lane roads for hours on end, stopping for every pedestrian with a friendly wave.
In Shenzhen, as I am not allowed to drive without a Chinese driving license, I now have a chauffeur to take me around the city amidst the heavy and noisy traffic, where horning and excessive use of the high-beam is commonplace. Cab rides are always an adventure though, as I admire how these drivers zip through traffic with reckless ease.
The lifestyles are drastically different, and I am thankful I can adapt to both ways and find pleasures within my means.
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be nice!