But Mike, You Cannot Live Like Them, You Were Not Born Chinese

I talk a lot, I am open about my life and let others give input to help me make decisions, and the blog title today “But Mike, You Cannot Live Like Them, You Were Not Born Chinese” comes from a recent meeting with my friend, who i will hold back on revealing their identity.

And yes, living in China (Asia) has changed my mindset about logic, reality…the reason of life. And I think its true, the longer you are out here, the more disconnected with “home” you get.

I was not born chinese, sure –> that is a true statement. Does that mean i cannot live like “them” (sounds kinda racist…)? i do agree, american way of life is much more……how do yo say….smooth, easy…..i think for the most part, western life is much easier compared to the majority of Asian countries.

I can hear my older generations back in USA shouting out loud – “thats what our soldiers and ancestors fought so hard for, to achieve freedom and the American dream, so that future generations of Americans can live free and be rewarded if they work hard”.

Yes, that is something truly unique about America, compared to China with still a rather “strong handed” government, and Europe with a pretty high tax structure, America still seems to give the most allowance for people to work hard and build a comfortable life.

So many times I am amazed at how hard working Chinese are. Today’s blog photo is a couple years ago (originally posted on Ningbo trip recap in March 2008), but I thought it would be good to dig up and use for today’s blog post. If you look in the background, there is a Chinese farmer taking a rest in the wagon of his cart! They live their job, work and earning money is the way of life and thinking for the typical Chinese….they really can sleep anywhere

But friends said i have already sacrificed anough living in Dongguan and that my role as a marketing, sales, and online social media dude does not at all require me to be in Dongguan. I have to keep networking with ecommerce and technical companies in various cities, and actively blogging and using social media (which is difficult from within the GFW of China (great firewall))

Heck, it is true, most of what i do can be done anywhere…..reading the four hour work week it over and over tells you how you have to organize and manage more. My main thing is training the staff, as well as potential client visits to the warehouse. But I think both of those can be delegated and trained, others need to know how to replace me anyway!

Those following my blog (LIFE!) have seen me bouncing back and forth from dongguan to shenzhen to hong kong for the majority of 2011. It started out a bit more scheduled, living in hong kong (really small place, but dont need much) driving in from hong kong once or twice a week to the Chinese fiveislands fulfillment center. But it got a bit more crazy, client signing up on saturday, ecommerce meetups in shenzhen, startup mondays in hong kong, jumping around trying to find my calling, to find a balance in my schedule, which part of the week in which city of South China?

As we are halfway through the year, I have been reflecting on where to spend most of my time. the hong kong apartment is only a six month contract so renewal is coming. I see opportunity to setup the shenzhen coworking and bridge shenzhen and hong kong.

I’m getting closer to building up a network and experience inside China and ecommerce and social media Pieces are coming together, and I am not losing sight of the goal….the goal of building a massive network of people between China (Asia) and USA…international business. I think it was that movie Lord of War that got me addicted to the adventure of international business.

Can I live like a Chinese person? hmmmm