When we chose to stay a month in China, we thought of the words Dorothy uttered to her dog Toto when they landed in OZ:  “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!”   There were obvious differences: giant Buddhas don’t stand in the middle of Birmingham streets, and Legion Field doesn’t look much like Beijing’s Birdnest, the stadium designed for the 2008 Olympics.   We could have stayed home and seen China’s history and beauty in glorious 4K resolution, but we would have missed discovering some of the best treasures of China: her people. There are some definite differences, in many cases admirable:

China’s Ideals                                                                 American Ideals

MYOB                                                                          Get involved in everyone’s

*Fit in                                                                    *Non-conformists (tattoos to T’s)

Value honor                                                              Trust your legal team

Quiet and aggressive                                              Outspoken and animated

Thin profit margin                                                   Wide profit margin

Saves humiliations                                                 “Swim with the Sharks”

Economics come first                                             Relationships come first

Humility is a virtue                                              “Humility”- sign of weakness

Respect for age, wisdom, ability                       Respect for success, wealth, youth

You can discover  China in HD on your TV.  But in order to be blessed by the people, you need total immersion with the  Chinese people.  When you break through their shy exterior, you’ll find the pearl – so to speak!

Dawn