It is never easy starting your own business, especially in a foreign country. Pietro has been in China for the past 10 years, and now, after numerous business ventures has decided to mix business with one of his biggest passions, food. Who doesn’t love food? Based in Dongshankou, Pietro has recently opened his own Italian bakery and judging by the queues outside, it is doing pretty well! So, we caught up with Pietro to find out more and to try one of his delicious creations…

How long have you been in China?

Well, in a continuous line, since 2000. I moved to Guangzhou in 2001 but I was in Guangzhou for a project in late 2000. 2001 was my registration time with the Italian government for people who were residing in China.

What brought you to China?    

Well, it’s erm, Excel spreadsheet and because I was keeping records for the sales of my company, a company in Italy making I.T. Most of our projects were outside Italy and even outside of Europe because the industry was moving out. So, I’d have a lot of projects with the steel industry a lot of projects with chemicals and other things and none of these were in Europe anymore. So, I was trying to figure out where the best place to start an operation would be. I eventually found that China was the best selling place for our project so I moved to China. I chose Guangzhou because I had already visited and I thought, it’s a comfortable place, ugly city, but that doesn’t matter, every place is ugly depending on you so…

Did you always do business?

Yeah, well I had my company in Italy and with that company I started doing operations around the world and eventually moved to China. When I moved to China I actually closed down my company in Italy, actually my partner closed down the company, there was a kind of messy situation. I then went on to start something in Hong Kong, then I was about to start a company in China in 2004 but before I did I received an offer from the big American company UGS and they took my business and gave me a really good salary. I did this for a few years but then in 2007 Siemens bought the company and the division I was part of was tiny and the products were not fitting for Siemens so they let us go.

Ahh, so what made you go from this type of business to food?

Well, I have 3 passions and talents. Technology is one, as a kid you couldn’t stop me making things and putting things together, the other is food. As a child I was always in competition with my mother, when I was 10 I was telling my mother ‘you know, this should have more oil/less oil’ and one day she said ‘you know what, tomorrow you cook’ and so I tried, and yes I had to learn from her. I learned the concept, how to imagine the taste of something and then make it. Italy is a good place to learn about food and cooking because we have more than 20,000 recipes and my mother was even a food technology teacher.

So you learnt all your secrets from your mother?

Yeah

How did you come to turn this passion in to a business?

Well, I used to have friends over for dinner 2-3 times a week and they’d tell me ‘you should make a business out of this’ once I had figured out how to do this I told them ‘you know what, tonight you have to pay 100 each’ and they paid again and again, so I had the customers, I had the business started. It was a private kitchen that started at home in my apartment and then in mid 2010 I opened a more formal private kitchen with a Chinese friend. My aim was to make genuine Italian food, high quality with a lot of personal touches but my partner was in trade and had different ideas about it so unfortunately my aim was not met.

So, when did you open this shop?

This year, on August 18 and we prepared everything in one month. We were thinking about opening a bakery because in Dongshankou there are to types of shop that make a perfect business, the hardware stores and the bakeries. I have nothing to sell that is Italian for hardware so I said let’s make a bakery.

And how is it going?

From the second month we started to get profit and on the 3^rd month we shared some profit with our workers, we shared 20% as a bonus, then in the fourth month we payed them 300 rmb as a 20% share and we have 9 people, so you can make the calculation, we make money, it’s not too much but we are on the right track.

Is it difficult to start a business in China?

Erm, no it is very easy but it takes 10 years to be capable of doing it. After you stay in China for some time, you see your situation and you learn what happens. In China, there is a concept that works very well ‘things are yours as long as you keep an eye on them’ if you are careless it is nobody else’s fault, it is your fault. If you don’t know how to make money, you are gonna lose all of it. There are people who come to China, and on the first day they do the right thing, they have experience in something very specific and they find the right place in China to develop that business and they do it. Chinese people recognize this, if you have a strong point in your business, then fine, you can do whatever, well you cannot sell drugs, make porno etc (laughter) but eventually you can be successful.

Because Italian food is very different to Chinese food how do you find that people respond to it?

I think the way I cook things works well because in Italy we have a strong food tradition, we have very strong ideas about food, there are things that you can put together and things that you should not and this is exactly the same for Chinese. Cantonese people are very strict about this and we Italians are the same, we have more than 20,000 recipes and they have something like 50,000 so it is easy to find something that they like. So, it is just a matter of choosing.

So you haven’t had to change any of the recipes to adapt to Chinese taste?

I don’t really change anything. I do what I know how to do, things that I can always get the ingredients for, things that I can control the quality of. I also let them try things, some they like, some they don’t like, what they don’t like you don’t do and what they like you do.

What is your most popular product？

Really, we have many products that sell well. Pizza of course is always doing well, sandwiches are also getting there and we have just started making cakes and people like it.

Have you had orders for parties or anything？

Yes, they have been pushing quite a lot so I have seen there is a market for this. There is also KTV just above here so sometimes in the evening people ask for cake, they are in a hurry and you can sell them whatever. We have nice stuff.

Do you get many foreigners here or are your customers mainly Chinese?

I would say luckily we have mostly local Chinese customers. You know, if you run a bakery only people who live by will go. And we managed to get the local people in the neighborhood in to our shop, and they are all Cantonese or mostly Cantonese. There are a few foreigners.

Do foreigners order different things to the Cantonese?

Mostly the same, and it’s funny because sometimes some old Cantonese Aiyi who cannot speak Chinese they only speak Cantonese, they come in 3 or 4 times and say ‘argh bad, bad, bad, bad’ they buy something, and they find it’s good, and they have taste, they really choose things that I would never expect.

What are your plans for the future of the business?

Well, running this business is like flying a kite; we have to see how the wind blows. We will take it step by step, eventually opening a new outlet.

How long have you been speaking Chinese?

The first time I came to China was in 1995 and this was the first time I was exposed to the language. I don’t really like to study, I’m not good at studying, I’m bad at studying languages but I’m good at learning languages. I listen, listen and then repeat.

Wow, it’s pretty impressive that you can pick a language up simply by listening. Was it a similar process when you learned English?

Well, no I went to school for 3 months in the evening. I did this because at the time I was working in a company that was all men and I wanted to meet some girl, so eventually I learned some English (laughter). But in any case 3 months is not enough and another point to mention is that the language school was called multi-method but the truth is they had no method. The teachers were people who had just arrived in Milan, no clue about anything, but they could speak English. So it was a case of, ‘you’re a teacher, here is the class’. So in three months I had a teacher from Kent, a teacher from London who was only speaking cockney, a teacher from Dublin with a very strong accent,2 teachers from Australia and a couple from America.

Well, you’ve experienced the strongest accents so you must be able to understand all kinds of strange accents?

Yes (laughter)

So, how many languages can you speak?

8

8!? That’s impressive. Do you have a secret?

Don’t try to have a method. The best student for learning languages is between 0 and 3, so you try to get to that level ‘the unlearned’ or even ignorant and stupid and then when you are blank you have possibilities to learn languages.

What do Italians do to celebrate New Year?

Well every place does different things. There are places where they drop laundry machines and fridges out of the window, there are places where they drop the dishes….

In Italy they do this?

Yeah, (laughter) there are a lot of casualties, especially in the South, people get mad and drunk.

Do you have any resolutions? Learn another language?

(Laughter) I never really made them actually. I guess when I was young I did, once it was I will fuck this year and then when I started fucking it was I will make money (laughter)

Want to see more and experience more, please visit:  http://www.beingfunchina.com/magazine/the-getgo-vol-15/

This month we decided to visit the recently built Alcanta International College. There has been a lot of buzz about this place and although they only have 12 students so far, they are confident that a lot more will follow. After taking a tour we can see why, just walking around the vicinity made my colleague and I nostalgic of school days back home; at one point I practically had to pry the sign up sheet from my colleague’s hand. So, how was this place created? And why is it so different to other international study programmes in Guangzhou? We talked to Niko Brauer, Alcanta’s manager of publicity and recruitment to find out a bit more about Alcanta but also to find out a bit more about him.

Hello Niko, this place is awesome it actually makes me want to be a student all over again!

(Laughter) I live with that feeling everyday

What makes this place so special?

Well, we are a candidate school for the IB programme which we plan to offer students from next summer. The IB programme aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

Sounds Great! So I guess the next thing we’d like to know is how you came to be here. What is your story so as to speak?

Ok

When did you first visit China?

I was in China over Easter 2006 to visit two friends of mine who were volunteering in Ningxia province. It was my first time in China, I landed at the airport in Beijing, I had 1 day in Beijing. I took the airport bus downtown and I ended up not really knowing where I was in Beijing, getting lost. My first impression of China really was Ningxia province.

What did you think of it?

Eh I liked it, it was a friendly place. I only knew China from the news, there were not many people, not many foreigners. I stayed there for a couple of weeks before travelling to Chengdu, Xi’an and then back to Beijing and I really liked it.

At this point could you speak any Chinese?

No.

So you had the complete foreign experience?

Yes. I learned my first two numbers playing the famous Chinese dice game shizi and learned a little bit of survival Chinese from my friends. But, yeah, I started learning Chinese when I studied in the U.S, and it was as I was travelling to the U.S. that I thought ‘hm you were in China, you liked China, why don’t you study Chinese?’ Because my home university in Scotland didn’t offer Chinese where as the one in the U.S. did. So, during my one year abroad I did some Chinese and then did a study abroad programme in Shanghai which was offered by the same university to do a bit more Chinese.

So, it was actually the language that first interested you in China?

Yes, well in the first place it was curiosity about the country and culture, and then it was the language that brought me back a second time. Then after finishing my studies in Scotland, I said I wanted to come back to China to work. That was in 2009.

Having this language skill and being able to speak with locals, do you think it gives you a deeper understanding of the culture?

Oh certainly, Except here in Guangzhou I wish that I could speak Cantonese, I have a feeling that if you speak with the local people in Mandarin there is still some barrier and I noticed that when I try to speak mandarin with the people that come to the school, and then witness my colleagues speak Cantonese with them, that it’s a completely different way of speaking.

What were you doing before you came to Alcanta?

Before I came to Guangzhou I worked in Harbin for a 1 and a half years teaching English.

Very Cold?

Yeah. I was there for 3 semesters, or as we would say there, 2 winters and then this opportunity here came up, and what really made me want to come here was the idea of the IB programme, which I also did at high school, now being available to Chinese students.

What is the most memorable experience that you have had in China?

I think it would have been when I was here in 2006. Not speaking a word of Chinese and I decided to climb Huashan near Xi’an. It’s beautiful except when I was there I was told that you have to go up at night to see the sunrise. So, I took one of the late trains there, except it wasn’t quite late enough so I hung out with a lovely group of Chinese people who invited me for dinner, and we eventually started walking up the mountain, except by the time we got to the top it was still another few hours until sunrise and they wanted to wait to do the last little bit. They kept saying stay here with us and we’ll wait here a little bit and I insisted on walking on alone. I ended up walking in circles in the complete dark for a few hours. I had brought my sleeping bag but never got to the top until eventually I saw a security guard wrapped in a big green coat, he was really nice and told me that the tour group would be coming by in five minutes, so they did, and I followed them up and I saw one of the most magnificent sunrises I have ever seen.

Wow, that’s very brave of you, to go to a mountain in the middle of the night knowing very little Chinese…

So what is the strangest experience that you have had in China?

I think the strangest experience would just be the collective amount of all the times a random person would come up to me on the bus and either say I love you or you are handsome or some other inappropriate comments (laughter)

What was your response? I mean, if someone said ‘I love you’ what would you say?

Erm, sometimes I would pretend not to understand, if they say it in Chinese this is quite easy, if they speak in English I night respond in German. Generally I try to take these things in a nice way. It’s just sometimes after a long day and you’re sitting on the bus wanting to be quiet that it’s ‘hum’. But, with some of these people I had interesting conversations afterwards, and they did find out that, yeah, it’s not a thing you can say the first time when meeting people socially in a Western environment.

Christmas is this month, have you spent many Christmas holidays in China?

I’ve spent 2 Christmas holidays in China.

And how does it compare to Christmas back home?

Erm, it’s nothing like it really. I think that, in Europe at least, Christmas starts about 1 and a half or 2 months before December 24^th, 25thth. You know, you have the Christmas atmosphere in Germany, you have the Christmas markets, you have the decorations and then pretty much as soon as Christmas passes, there is only a week and then that’s it. There’s New Year’s and then people go back to work., where as here in China, Christmas starts on Christmas day and then the decorations stay up for half a year. So, it was very different, my second Christmas wasn’t anything special; it was just a small Christmas party and cozy meal with friends. The first Christmas, one of my colleagues got a message inviting him to a party and we ended up going, it turned out to be a church service in the grand room of a local small hotel. We’re not sure if this was official or unofficial, but the thing was, as soon as we arrived, us being the only two foreigners there, they put us in the front row. We didn’t know we’d be going to a church service, and church services here are very different to the ones in the west. So it mostly involved fun games, dancing and singing.

Sounds quite exciting…

It was an interesting experience.

Christmas without family can often feel lonely, at least you had company.

My Christmas’ here certainly haven’t been lonely. However, what I have missed is Christmas spirit, just whether you like Christmas or not it seems to be a time when everybody comes together a bit more and just in China that completely passes by. In fact, one of those Christmas’ I had to work and an announcement like ‘It’s Christmas’ was just like announcing ‘you have a test next week’ and the response would be similar too.

Do you have any plans for this school for Christmas? A celebration or party?

I think there will be a small Christmas celebration. School closes on December the 17^th to give everybody a chance to have the holiday and then we have another holiday shortly after we come back for Chinese New Year. We tried to combine the calendars.

Working here must take up a lot of your time?

Erm the thing about doing student recruitment is that you work when students are available. However, I enjoy the interaction with the students; I just wish I could speak a bit more Chinese to do with this interaction. I’m also very proud of what we have here and I’m always happy when we have visitors to show around.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Erm, I really enjoy exploring the city, so, what I like to do in new cities when I go there, is essentially write down where I need to get back to and just walk, get lost and then take a taxi back. I’d also like to get in to sports more, do you know any places that are good for Judo?

Erm I’m not sure about Judo, but there are a lot of places to learn Kung Fu….

Have you visited the temple in Foshan where Bruce Lee is said to have studied?

No I haven’t but it sounds interesting. I have to admit that I haven’t travelled much around the area. I’d like to arrange this in the future after I’ve finished recruiting students fort the summer, maybe explore some local areas like Qingyuan.

Where do you typically like to visit?

Typically, I like to visit small villages. The areas of Guangzhou where you can really see what Guangzhou used to be. Some parts of Yuexiu seem to have this, even in Tianhe, if you are by Friendship Mall and you head one road down, there are some small allies with interesting shops and interesting people.

Have you been to Dongshankou?

Erm yes. That area is great but otherwise I’d have to say my favourite area is Baiyun district, it’s a bit more quiet, a bit more relaxed and you have a lot of these small villages.

Finally, what is the one thing that comes to your mind when you think about Christmas?

Probably the atmosphere. For me, whether people celebrate it or not, if they are for or against it, if they think it is just another commercial holiday or they give presents or don’t give presents. I think everybody appreciates that there is something about Christmas that makes it a special time of year. Now, I don’t like the idea of giving presents or going out and buying many things, but I do believe it is a great time to contact old friends and speak with them and look forward to the new year.

For more information about Alcanta you can contact Niko on 13926022600 or email him at nbrauer@aicib.org

Want to see more and experience more? please visit: http://www.beingfunchina.com/magazine/the-getgo-vol-14/now!

When we came across Katia’s art we knew we had found something special. The colours and imagery alone immediately pull the viewer into this other world, a world full of intrigue and questions. Of course, being the inquisitive (some might call it nosey) bunch of people we are, we just had to catch up with Katia and find out a little more about her, and she did not disappoint! See for yourselves!

What is your name and where are you from?

Katia Honour, Melbourne Australia

When did you start painting?

2007

What things inspire your work?

My oil paintings are born from either intentionally designed ‘magic’ or spirit inspired ‘mystic’ imagery.

Magic is the ‘art and science of creating change’. By working with the archetypes and deities, we can invite their transformative powers into our world. Many rituals consist if a re-enactment of a significant myth so that the participants can understand that archetype and draw upon its teachings – this same principle can be applied to creative activities, like painting.

The self-portrait “Temperance” was painted when my life felt out of harmony. Whether by magic, meditation or plain psychology, a sense of balance came during the process of creation. The image was designed based upon alchemy, tarot and kabalistic imagery to best represent the state of harmony I wanted to evoke into my life. Nurtured by hours spent contemplating and painting temperance, life began to imitate art.

The path of mysticism uses trance, dreams and meditation to seek union with Spirit to ‘receive’ guidance and images, which are then rendered as close to the vision as my skills enable me to do.

Who is your favourite artist?

It is hard to choose between the visionary masters, A. Andrew Gonzalez and Daniel Mirante. In 2011, I had the great fortune to study with both of them. Daniel guided me through the mischtechnik approach for “Temperance” while Andrew taught me his unique airbrush style for “Reclamation of Medusa”.

In your profile you describe yourself as a spiritually orientated oil painter; could you tell us a bit more about this?

My training is in spiritualism and mediumship, not fine art.  After lifelong devotion to esoteric, occult and shamanic practices, I began to paint as a way to share the visions that I was receiving and to focus on the deities, spirits and archetypes that inspire me.

Designs are based upon diverse religious correspondences and/or images from trance or dreams. At times the vision is incomplete, so I use the traditional divination approaches of gentle trance states, randomness and scrying. These spiritual practices invite unforeseen elements into the art piece. For example, the first night of painting “Compassion”, all I knew was to make a blue ‘tear-stained’ canvas.  Then, her face was revealed, and later a dream showed a lotus and her hand position. When searching on Google images for the same position, I realized that it was Tara’s compassion Mudra and I was then able to finish the whole painting.

I particularly like your works entitled ‘Mythic Archetypes’. Do you have a particular period from history where you draw inspiration for these pieces?

My greatest inspiration is the pervading essences within myths that repeat across time and cultures, so my art strives to merge the common traits to create a ‘meta-myth’. When Tara began to emerge, I researched across history and culture for the common qualities of this serene, sympathetic, loving and healing goddess in whites and blues with her hand in a giving gesture, and found Quan Yin, Isis, White Tara and Mother Mary. My inspiration was to weave these mythic beings as perceived by many cultures into one united spiritual identity.

Ironically, spiritual ideals seem based in love and peace, yet religions have been a source of war, politics and pain for centuries.  I hope humanity is now evolved enough as a cross-cultural, global community that we can respect all faiths and myths, knowing that the Truth transcends any metaphor we use to describe it. Now is a great time to see the moon, rather than stare at all the different fingers that are pointing to it.

Within modern society people continue to be fascinated by myth, the unknown and magic. You only have to look at the popularity of ‘Twilight’ or ‘True Blood’ to see this. Why do you think so many people are intrigued by these elements?

Its curious how the vampire myth pervades across time and cultures. On one hand, perhaps it explains how people feel drained when someone energetically draws their vitality. Also, people can find themselves sensually attracted to seemingly dark and dangerous characters. Sometimes, we tell metaphors and stories to help us understand our true nature – even the deep, murky and undesired aspects of us. I think we externalise our shadow natures as ‘fiction’, yet the stories are often metaphors for what we experience, what we wish we could experience or what we are afraid to experience.

On the other hand, many phenomena, such as ghosts, are spoken about so frequently across cultures and history that one wonders how so many individual people can claim to see the same thing, even children who have not yet been told the ‘myths’. Is it possible that these unexplainable, curious events do actually exist?

As for the unknown and magic, perhaps we innately know that there is more to this world than we can see and understand, and that we are more capable of creating ‘reality’ than we think. Society seems to give us comfortable ideas of who we are, what we should do, what to expect, etc. Yet, if one has a more liberated mind and is open to noticing and experiencing the bizarre and unexpected, life seems to get a lot more interesting.

Finally, what is your favourite piece and why?

Shiva is an inspiring supreme Hindu deity that I had wanted to paint for many years, yet never felt I had sufficient time or was in the right environment for this highly sacred image. While holidaying in Bali, I visited the guru of a Shiva Ashram for a “Mahatma Therapy” massage – and he literally snapped the tendons off my right foot. His only rationale was that my ‘karma’ must have needed to be burnt away!!! Unfit to fly, I spent a month alone, bed bound in a bungalow in rice fields. The bungalow manager, whose name was Made Sinarnata, was a Shiva devotee who kindly cared for me. He sat on my balcony with the sun behind him as I chanted, observed silence and painted him with the characteristic of the Balinese Shiva. I have profound gratitude and love for Made, and for Shiva, and this favourite piece reminds me that some people are capable of acting in divine ways.

Want to see more and experience more? please visit: http://www.beingfunchina.com/magazine/the-getgo-vol-14/now!

Tom Simpson is the executive manager at the British Chamber of Commerce in Guangzhou. But what exactly does an executive manager do? And why Guangzhou? We caught up with Tom to find out! Oh, and we also had a little chat about how he is going to spend Christmas in China…

What first brought you to China?

In the very beginning I was living in Xinjiang province in the North West. I was living with another guy called Tom who was from Bristol and we spent a year there working in a school, basically working for a charity that send British gap year students to China. I was offered many different parts of China but I chose Xinjiang because I looked at a map and I was like “What is that? This massive big whole” So I read a book and decided to go there. Erm, and then yeah, I was working for the school for about nine months and during that time I did travelling to Sichuan, Yunnan and friends came out from Edinburgh and we did a big trip to Southern Yunnan. So, yeah anyway, I just had a really good year, and then halfway through that year I decided I wanted to study Chinese so I sent an email to Leeds University and they said “Yeah, come along”. So then, I did a year in leads followed by a year in Beijing as part of that. In between doing that, I came out for the Olympics with a few friends and we filmed a documentary on the Olympic torch. We filmed it in April in London and then we followed and tracked its progress. We caught it in Kunming when it was doing its tour, then followed it around for three months in China. We went up to Chengdu and then we went up to Xinjiang and then we went down to like Hong Kong and Macau, and then we went to Dongbei, Shandong and then Boom! Beijing for its arrival in Tiananmen Square; where we dressed up as cheerleader people and basically snook in. We had all been out drinking the night before so one of my friends was lying on the ground (laughter) completely like, just gone, and there we were trying to film this thing…

Showing the best of British huh?

(Laughter) Yeah.

Was that sponsored by the British council or something? I mean, how did you get in to that?

We had support from a production company in the U.K who provided us with all the equipment and things, but we funded most of it ourselves. We wanted to get back out to China, we thought it would be great fun to go around, using our Chinese, speaking with to locals and asking them questions about what they felt the Olympics meant to China and what difference they thought it would make.

Where did you stream it after?

We pitched the pilot to BBC, Channel 5, Sky Travel, a few people, but it didn’t really work out. We were all in our last year of university and were getting distracted by other things and so we just kind of thought oh well, it was a great experience. We’ve got this archive of footage so if anything in the future ever comes up… possibly even the London Olympics next year as an insight as to what the Olympics was like for China. So, my friend, she is still making documentaries now, that’s her thing, so if she wants to do that then we’re all like ok go for it.

How old were you the first time you were in Xinjiang?

18.

That’s very brave, so what made you make that decision to come out to China at such a young age?

I was walking home from school with a friend and she was going to Sri Lanka. I was like “god that’s cool” (laughter). So, I registered the next day and then I had to go to this Island on the west coast of Scotland. The name of it sounds like ‘cult’ or something so I was suspicious, I was waiting for Christians to like jump out of the cupboards and convert me. (Laughter) But there is like a centre there and I had to stay there for 5 days and they kind of like test you, check if you are up for the challenge sort of thing. So you go and round up some sheep and the next day you go and teach an English class.

What was the name of the charity?

‘Project Trust’, it’s a registered charity based in the West coast of Scotland.

Has learning Chinese really added to your experiences in China?

I’d say so, definitely yeah. It’s definitely like enriched relationships. When I was in Chongqing I had a lot of friends who were locals. I spent a year there so I really connected with that city and the people. It’s got a lot of cultural things that are specific to Chongqing, I lived right in the centre of the city, and it was one of those years where I feet like I really connected with something.

I hear Chongqing is very famous for the food. Do you like spicy food?

I love it. The food there is super spicy. The hot pot there is nothing like Guangzhou, it’s a deep red maroon colour and it takes your face off.

Did you always like spicy food or is that something that changed when you got here?

It changed in Chongqing. (Laughter)

You are from Scotland right?

Yeah

Are there any spicy dishes in Scotland?

Not really. Haggis actually has a lot of spices inside it, it is not spicy in the spicy sense but it does have spices.

So what exactly is Haggis? Does it taste good?

It’s great yeah.

I think people who aren’t from Scotland often have strange impressions of haggis; I just think of a large ball of meat, is that what it is?

Well, it looks like a stomach that’s been stuffed. It’s definitely something they need to start importing to China (laughter).

Is it something you can eat as a snack or is it something you eat with a Sunday roast?

You would usually have it with gravy and other things. Like, a Sunday roast in Scotland would usually come with haggis.

What does the British Chamber do?

We’re a member based organization, we’re an NGO. You see a lot of people think we are government funded but we’re actually an NGO. Our companies are not just British, we have companies who are Chinese and want to do business with the U.K or look for joint ventures or are looking to maybe setting up offices in the U.K. We also have Hong Kong companies on our books who identify with the U.K style of business, the U.K way of doing things and the British chamber here is doing things that they want to be apart of. That’s what we are, we bring companies in to what we are doing, it’s a two way thing, it’s not just us going out and doing our own little thing on a limb, we bring everyone together and it adds value to everyone at the same time.

What is your role here?

Executive manager, I just run the offices and make sure we are doing what we should be doing. I make sure that the events of going well, and all the departments are running smoothly.

Walking here today we passed the Garden Hotel and noticed a bunch of Chinese workers looking a little baffled as they tried to build a Christmas tree. What do you think about the relationship between Christmas and China?

You see it every year and it gets bigger and bigger. Like in Starbucks they’ve already got Christmas advertisements and Christmas drinks.

What has your experience of Christmas in China been like?

I’ve had probably three Christmas’ in China so far. They have always been quite fun because you focus on the little things that make Christmas good like the dinner and secret Santa. So, it’s nice, I tend to alternate and have one year here and one in the U.K because otherwise my mom would kill me. (Laughter)This year I’m staying here, just because I went back home in August. I’m still very new to Guangzhou, so I’m still in that phase where it’s fresh and you enjoy it so you don’t want to leave it kind of thing.

Christmas here can be pretty alternative because most people are not here with their family so they end up spending it with new friends, Chinese people and it’s quite cool because it is something that not many people have the opportunity to experience. I guess it makes you think about the values, all these things we usually forget about like friendship and family.

You are absolutely right, it gives you that chance to spend the more intimate, finer moments of Christmas with a bunch of people you never have normally had the chance to do that with and it is quite special.

What is the one thing you think about when you think about Christmas?

Christmas dinner.

Random question. Have you heard of Su Fei?

No.

She is this T.V personality in Beijing and she speaks fluent Chinese. When you talked about your documentary it reminded me of her. She does a documentary/mini series where she goes around visiting locals and asking them interesting questions about marriage and culture and compares and contrasts Western and Eastern culture. It’s really cool and I was wondering because you speak Chinese, if you have had many interesting experiences getting to know the locals here, I mean it must have really opened your eyes to the culture?

Definitely and I feel like it’s a constant thing, you are constantly learning new things, and realizing things that have probably always been in front of you but never clicked. one day you go “Oh right, that’s exactly why that is like that” and especially about the Chinese way of doing things and thinking about things and the more you understand it and appreciate it the more it effects you less. You just start to think like that in many ways. You see foreigners who have just arrived in China and they get stressed out about everything, quite often you’ll see by the side of the road a foreign guy pulling his hair out because he can’t get a taxi, it’s like come on, everybody has the same issues, just wait for a taxi it’s not the end of the world. I think through relationships in China, friends and things, you learn things from them and they learn things from you and you do have moments where you think ‘wow this is amazing’.

Want to see more and experience more? please visit: http://www.beingfunchina.com/magazine/the-getgo-vol-14/now!

Have you ever met a bohemian? Perhaps even been a bohemian? Most of us probably haven’t and possibly never will. So, when we met Sarah we were very intrigued…..

Sarah has lived in China for the past 3 years, she has blonde and pink hair, funky sunglasses and basically doesn’t give a f*** Sounds pretty bohemian to me, but what do I know? My colleagues and I need to be educated, so without further a due, hail the queen!

We went to meet Sarah on a Saturday. It was sunny and the sky was blue. Walking to Guangzhou East railway Station I considered sending her a message, as the place was crowded and it would probably be difficult to find her. However, nearly as soon as this thought had crossed my mind, there she was, sitting on a wall amongst the crowds of Chinese people. She stood out in her pink top and white skirt, big sunglasses and funky hair. We decided to catch the metro together to Dongshankou for a chat and a stroll around its beautiful pebbled streets. Little did we know at that point that before we would reach our destination we would be exposed to pole dancing and nudity! (Well, almost nudity)

So, let me set the scene. My colleague and I had just boarded the escalators with Sarah and we were chatting away about the metro:

Sarah: I once got changed on the metro in London, but I’ve never done it in China.

Us: Wow what were people’s reactions to it?

Sarah: Erm, well in London people don’t really look at you on the tube. It’s kind of not the done thing.

Us: Was there full frontal? I mean did you take everything off? (It was quite ironic that we asked this question, as just a few seconds later this was almost the case)

Sarah: Don’t be so silly. No…

Us: So you were just changing your top?

Sarah: Yes, of course. Ahhhhhhhh

At this point Sarah starts screaming as she realizes her skirt is caught in the escalator. Sarah is being spun around and her skirt is looking like a roll of toilet paper being pulled at 60 miles an hour from its holder. My colleague and I start frantically trying to pull her skirt from its grip before there is nothing left. One big tug and the skirt is saved, but not at no expense, our hands were covered in oil and Sarah only had 3 quarters of her skirt left. What a way to start an interview!

Picture skirt escalator and skirt bin

Ok, drama over. We continued our conversation:

Is there anything else unconventional that you like to do on the metro?

Well, I sometimes like to pole dance on the metro (gawp) it’s good for your back, it’s really good exercise for your back (noting it down)

Was that in China?

Yes

And how did the Chinese people respond to it?

They didn’t look, they just pretended like they hadn’t noticed. Chinese are quite similar to Londoners actually.

Ok, well do you want to try again now?

Ok (she says without hesitation, before grabbing the nearest pole and working it for the cabin full of people) picture pole dancing

An old man watches in fascination, Sarah responds by exclaiming ‘It’s good for your back!’

Ok, let’s get off this train…. We arrive at Dongshankou and my colleague attempts to continue the interview in a professional manner…

Do you think you’re a hobo?

Do you mean boho? (erm maybe) Hobo actually means tramp,（lot’s of laughter）so no.

I meant boho!

My colleague blushes and asks ‘maybe we should cut that from the interview?’ But we never cut！ Ha-ha!

Sarah: Bohemian actually means someone who doesn’t follow rules and conventions.

Sounds pretty much like you if you ask me

Sarah: It sounds like everybody in China really doesn’t it. Well, all us foreigners I mean.

Well, let’s be honest Sarah. Most foreigners wouldn’t use a pole to pole dance in the metro would they? (Laughter)

Sarah: (Not impressed) whatever.

So would you say it’s about people not caring about what they do?

Yes, that’s about right. You know, my mother used to say I never had any friends at school because I was so weird (lots of laughter) She said people didn’t want to be friends with me because I was so strange and different. But, I actually think it was the other way around, that I tried to fit in, found that I didn’t and then thought, I can cultivate this difference as something to embrace rather than, you know…

Did your mother ever try to explain what she meant when she described you as weird?

Erm (laughter) no she didn’t.

You seem pretty open about being different, what does being different really mean?

I don’t know, I never really thought about it really. But I spent a lot of time, as a teenager, when I was a young teenager, just trying to fit in and never really did.

What was your thing as a teenager? Were you a punk?

I was later on yeah, but I left home quite young. I left home at 14 you see, so…

What?

Because I didn’t like school very much

What were you doing while you weren’t at home?

I was just drifting around London.

Did you stay with a friend or something?

Sometimes, Yeah. I slept rough for a while.

Did your family try to find you?

Yeah

And did they?

Yeah, but by then I was 17 anyway so…

It took them 3 years to find you? Was it really strange? How did they find you?

I had a job and the job came to an end because they found out how old I was. That’s why. Social services said that I had to take a job supplied by them or go back home.

So you went back home?

No, I did their job and then disappeared off again.

So have you always moved about or was there ever a time you were settled for a while?

I have stayed in places for some time, but I always move on.

What type of jobs have you had?

I’ve done a lot of different jobs, from waitressing, I was a playboy bunny for 6 months..

Really? What magazine?

No not the magazine, the club I mean.

What was it like?

Erm a bit like a girl’s boarding school really, you had to look a certain way obviously.

Did you have to take your top off?

No no no. You wear the famous uniform. Like a leotard with a bunny tail. I worked there for a while and then they found out that I was only 17. You had to be 18 because they were serving drinks. I was using a fake I.D and they found out I was only 17 so they fired me.

Did you like it there?

At the time yeah because it seemed kind of glamorous. When you’re 17 it does.

What did you do after that?

Well, social services said that I had to take a job that they found me. They found me this awful job as an Au pare to a rich woman, looking after her baby. It was pretty awful; it was like being a slave really. She was supposed to feed you 3 meals a day, that was part of the deal, and she wouldn’t. I mean, luckily I was always on a diet, I used to live on one lettuce leaf a week anyway so it wasn’t really an issue (laughter). But she didn’t give me the food she was supposed to give me and she was forever accusing me of stealing biscuits (laughter) and it’s like I haven’t tasted a biscuit for years at this point because I was practically anorexic, so this idea that I was stealing her biscuits was laughable in the extent. She was an incredibly awful woman, she accused me of stealing something once, I can’t remember what it was, some item of jewellery or something and she called me in with this other woman who cleaned for her and said ‘when I find out who’s got it I shall call the police, you’ll go to prison, don’t think I wouldn’t do this’ and I was really scared, not because I had taken it but because I thought the rich woman could get me in to trouble sort of thing. I asked her about it a week later, and she said ‘oh, I found it’ there was no embarrassment, no apology, just a ‘oh no, no, we found that in the end’ that’s the sort of woman she was really.

What are you doing in China?

What am I doing in China? (Laughter) Erm, well I’d been in Spain for a while where I was selling jewellery. Things weren’t going so well, and I thought I like travelling, I’ve always liked travelling, so I thought I’d go and teach English as that would be a way of travelling. And I found out on the internet that you could go to South Korea and teach. So, that’s what I planned to do but then I found this job in Indonesia, so I went there for a year and then I came here because there are a lot of jobs in China, it’s quite easy to find a teaching job that doesn’t take up too much of your time and gives you time to do other things.

What are you doing currently?

I teach kindergarten (laughter)

So, have you worked for many schools since you’ve been here?

(Laughter all around) It’s actually a well known fact that Sarah has gotten through a tad more jobs in China than your average expat. You know teaching and me, we’re kind of not always compatible. Yeah, my longest lasting job was when I first got here in a place called Ningbo and I worked there for 6 months.

Well that’s not bad is it, 6 months, and what happened?

They fired me (the room fills with laughter again) I was run out of town basically.

Like a witch hunt?
(Laughter) basically. It was a little bit like that. But yeah, they effectively stopped me living there or working there any longer.

There must be a reason?

I’m not a very good teacher (laughter) you know it’s not my reason for being. My reason for being is travel. Teaching gives me the ability to do other things, things I like more.

When you were younger did you ever have a dream job?

No. I never had any ambition (laughter) you know I believe in that Buddhist philosophy live for the moment.

What is the strangest job you have ever had?

I’ve done lot’s of jobs, I’ve been a waitress, I’ve been an Au pair, I’ve been a playboy bunny, I’ve been an aerobics teacher, I’ve been a care worker, I’ve been a student, I’ve been a mother and I’ve been a dominatrix.

Wow, hold up. Tell us some more about your dominatrix career?

I like to explore another side to my sexuality. Women being in control and men…it’s just like being an actor you know, and they have some nice costumes!

I’m thinking of ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ right now. Is it very much like that?
I’ve never seen that.

It’s quite glamorous. It makes it sound and look quite glamorous. Was it glamorous in reality?

No, it wasn’t glamorous but it was amusing.

How did you find your clients?

You advertise through phone booths or specialist magazines.

Tell us about one of the most interesting experiences that you had?

I once had to call somebody out because we couldn’t find the key to the handcuffs (laughter). And do you know that if you call somebody out to unlock handcuffs they have to call the police, it’s the law, they have to do that.

Were you still in your dominatrix outfit?

Don’t be silly, no.

So there was just this man in handcuffs?

Yeah. He was a bit embarrassed (laughter).

Looking back, do you have any regrets about doing it?

Regrets. Hmm maybe. Regrets that I spent maybe too long, I maybe should have moved on a little sooner.

Enjoying the moment?

Well, like teaching the money is pretty good, you get a lot of free time and it gives you time to explore other things that you like to do

Did you tell people about it or was it a secret?

Generally it was a secret, it depends who it was.

Are you afraid of anything?

Spiders.

At this point Sarah loses focus and runs in to the nearest 7-11 for a diet Pepsi. She claims to be an addict and gets through 6 bottles a day.

Your Pepsi addiction seems a little like a smoking addiction?

It is pretty much. Except smoking would be cheaper.

So, you know, people say that bohemians usually have a passion. Would you say that your passion is Pepsi? (As my colleague asks this question he struggles to contain his laughter)

Sarah laughs before declaring ‘get out my way!’ as she see’s a diet Pepsi in Family Mart and dives in.

Sarah: Let’s get the fuck out of here; it’s really unpleasant (it seems that Sarah is not a big fan of Family Mart)

Can we say that? Yeah why not.

You used to be a vegetarian, how many years were you a vegetarian for?

17 years.

Do you think a lot of bohemians choose a vegetarian lifestyle?

Maybe, yes.

Why did you become a vegetarian in the first place?

To piss my mother off (laughter)

Why did you decide to start eating meat again 17 years later?

Because it was difficult to get non-meat food when I moved to Spain.

Are they very meaty people, the Spanish?

They didn’t seem to have many alternatives.

And then you came to China, which again isn’t the easiest place to be a vegetarian right?

It’s quite difficult yeah.

Would you ever consider vegetarianism again?

I don’t eat a lot of meat. Just from time to time.

Do your family all eat meat then?

Yeah I suppose they do. I wouldn’t know.

Where did you grow up?

In London

I turn to my colleague ‘Can’t you tell by the accent?’

Sarah: (laughter) excuse me, what accent?

Do you like animals?

Do I like animals? In what way? Do you mean sexually?

No, not sexually. Just generally, I ask because you were a vegetarian。

Yeah I do like animals. I’ve got a lot of respect for animals.

You have a lot of respect for them? So do you do some kind of ritual before you eat them then?

(Laughter) No

Or something to show your respect?

(Laughter) No, but I only eat them if they are hidden in something.

So you have respect for them but you like to eat them?

What is this?! Like vegetarian society magazine or something?

(Laughter) No Sarah, it is the bohemian issue.

Are hippies the same as bohemians?

The thing about hippies is it’s used sometimes to marginalize part of society and make sure they don’t listen to them. You get it when you have protest marches in London and they’ll turn round and say ‘Oh it was just a bunch of hippies objecting to things’ because it takes the focus away from what they are doing. It makes people think that their opinion isn’t important, they’re probably not tax payers anyway, who cares what they think. So that’s what hippy is used for. It’s used in a derogatory way to marginalize people.

I know you are not a big planner but do you have any plans for the future?

I’m going to stay in China a little longer and then next year I’m going to go to Argentina to learn to tango.

Finally, what advice would you give somebody who feels restricted by the pressures of conventional living?

I think, just be yourself and do what you want to do. Don’t be pressured to live the life that your parents want you to live or that your friends are living, because what’s right for them isn’t necessarily right for you.

Ok, at this point Sarah had to run off and feed her Pepsi addiction. But she definitely left us with some food for thought! If you would like to contact Sarah or read about her latest adventures in China, you can find her on Weibo at http://weibo.com/2239087071 or read her blog at http://sarahinguangzhou.wordpress.com.

Want to see more and experience more? please visit:http://www.beingfunchina.com/magazine/the-getgo-vol-13/now!

It’s official, the doctor is in the house! Doctor Who? The Z’Dr of course! Now, if you reside in Guangzhou most of you have probably heard of the mysterious Z’Dr Lady even if you have never met her, also known as ‘The International Lady of Mystery’, she has become one of Guangzhou’s most well known social butterflies.

I guess she could be described as Guangzhou’s version of Paris Hilton? (Minus the reality T.V shows and the infamous sex tape.) Ok, maybe not, but she does have over 1000 friends on GZstuff, holds monthly parties, gets to jump queues for bars and seems to know pretty much everyone. Sounds exhausting!

So, how has she gained such a big reputation? Where did she come from? What is she about? And what is her real name? Well, with all these questions we just couldn’t hold back any longer! We decided to be spontaneous and pay her a visit to find out the truth! Against the advice that she may eat us alive…Here goes!

Hello Z’Dr! Thanks for meeting us today.

You are very welcome

Where are you originally from and what made you decide to come to China?

Well, I’m from my mother and a boat brought me to China.

Really? How many years ago was that?

Right back when I was young. I’m 101 now.

Well, we have to say, you look great. What is your secret?

Don’t talk about age. But I just did. Damn!

Were you scared at the prospect of living so far from home?

No. My family brought me a one way ticket which was supposed to be to Japan, I was moving to Japan actually when I came here. I told my family that I wanted to move abroad, so, they quickly went online and brought me a ticket, one way.

One way? Your family sound nice…

(Laughter) And it really was one way, to Guangzhou, China! Next thing I know I ended up here and I’ve been here 6 years. It’s actually a true story, a one way ticket and 4 suitcases. (more Laughter)

So, what was it that made you want to move so far away? Did you just want a change from America?

Yeah well, in America I was in business. I was actually in the movie and entertainment industry for quite a few years, but I also owned my own companies. The last one was a logistics company, nationwide trucking in the U.S. I owned my own trucks, I was a trucker too (laughter). I decided that I didn’t really want to be in business, but also, that I didn’t really want to live in America. Everybody wants to go there. But I just wanted to go somewhere different and live abroad.

So China?

Yeah. (Laughter) But it started of with Japan. No joke！(More laughter)

So what are you doing now that you’re in China?

Oooh there’s many things. Erm… Professor by night, rock star by day (Laughter)

Sounds intriguing, tell us more?

Actually I’m doing a lot of things. I work at Nang Fang medical university. I only work there a few days, so, what I like to do on the side is ‘zdrlady.com’. And what I do is corporate training, consulting, product analysis and I can be hired for different corporate type things. My background is in business as are my MBA and some of my other degrees. I like doing corporate type things, so since I’ve been here I’ve started doing that. I’m also now affiliated with this great new website which is for professionals, but also for the hip, young crowd in Guangzhou, Donguan, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It’s called ‘social zone x’ and it’s going to be a social and professional site for the expat community. I’ve also partnered with Christopher T. Albright and we’re doing private wealth management, not stock investment, it’s for like, retirement packages and college funds for kids and we’re also carrying insurance for expats.

(At this point, we were distracted by a plate of crisps sprinkled with parmesan cheese that a waiter brought over. Actually really good, try it!)

I have to say Z’Dr, that I really like your accent.

Thanks! I hate my voice.

Do you ever find it difficult to understand people from other English speaking countries? My colleague and I are from England and have found that we are sometimes misunderstood, particularly by Americans…

You are from England!? Sorry I have to leave now… (Laughter). Actually, when I first moved to China my best friend was English. I didn’t know many people and I wasn’t as glamorous as I am now. He was in his sixties and he’d show me the pubs and stuff（typical English: If you need to find a pub, ask an English person）. He was wonderful, but he passed away a few year ago and I really miss him…..I actually have him in my house in a little tea box.

Pardon?

I actually do! His family brought some of his ashes home and let me keep a little. So, I don’t actually have pieces of him in a box! (Laughter)

As you know, this issue is about fears and of course Halloween is this month. Are you a big fan of Halloween? It’s an American holiday, right?

Yes, I looove Halloween. It’s my favourite, I love dressing up.

What do you usually do on Halloween?

Well, I can’t exactly talk about that as I’m wanted in 5 countries for that. (Laughter again, perhaps Americans are quite funny after all) What do I usually do? Actually one year I threw a party for the students and it was really great. I also went out to some bars and clubs I like to go to, and it was a great night. I had a rubber dress, this big black wig, all this big make-up and stuff. It was a lot of fun.

Do you have any pictures?

I do. They’re scary. You don’t wanna see them…

Do you think American holidays are becoming more popular in China?

Yes I do and as much as I don’t like the commercial aspect of this I do like that it brings people together. That’s my big thing, meeting people, getting together and doing things like that. Any holiday is just a good excuse to come together, drink and get very drunk (Laughter).

This issue is about fear, could you tell me your biggest fear?

I often get asked by students about whether I am lonely because I have often lived alone. But I wouldn’t say I fear being lonely, I fear not being able to get to know more people. That may be a strange fear, but, I like spiders, I like long big snakes and I’ve even eaten bats.

Wow, how did that taste?

Rubbery.

Since moving to China, have you encountered any other fears?

The language barrier, I don’t have normal fears, my main fears are of problems in being able to communicate with people. But then again, body language is great! However, when I first came to China, I would like do things that I thought people would know but they didn’t quite pick up on it. The more animated I got; the more scared they got of me.

So, I have heard that Adama is your real name. Is that true?

Adama is my name by day and Z’Dr is my name by night. But Z’Dr Lady is my real name… don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret.

Don’t worry we won’t tell, Many people seem to have heard of the infamous Z’Dr. Could you tell us how you came up with this name?

Erm, actually the true story is I love Dr. Who. So, I have two PHD’S and technically I am a doctor but people call me professor. I thought I’d throw in the German, as I am part German, so I came up with Z’Dr. And everybody thinks I’m a lady so…Actually it was the only domain name I could get (Laughter)

So being Z’Dr, have you ever been involved in health or medical care?

I have been certified. I do first responder. In fact, speaking of medical, I was at 9/11 when it happened. I was transported out because I’m a first responder. So I have a background in this and I’m very interested in things, I like to learn things, like to meet people and experience culture and food. LOVE food.

So, do people ever get confused and think you are a real Doctor?

Not Really. Some people do ask me because I work at the medical university “Are you a Doctor Doctor?” But no, not really.

Has anybody ever contacted you regarding health concerns? (If so, what is your strangest encounter?)

No, but all men ask for advice, and I won’t say what kind of advice but I subscribe a blue pill for that.
It seems that everybody in Guangzhou has either met or at least heard of the Z’Dr. What do you think it is that has made you so well known?

I’m me. I’m just me. But I think I have been lucky to make so many friends because I just got out there and went to places. If I had a house party I’d invite people I’d met online or met in a nightclub and say come on over and have a game night with us and we’d have 30-40 people. Every time I went to a nightclub, I’d always post it online and let people know where I was going and invite them to join, (Buy your own drinks, I can’t afford them) But the point is everything is free.

You market yourself as an international lady of mystery. Sounds very James Bond. What does being an international lady of mystery involve?

The right car, the right sunglasses, the right… (Laughter) can I say bust line? Erm, all the right toys.

So, you have the gadgets and the cars, but what about the cool fight sequences?

I make love not war. (She says in a mischievous tone)

When I first heard of ‘The Z’Dr’ it immediately bought connotations of characters from super hero movies to my mind。I love Jackie Chan, James Bond, Superman, Spiderman; any person that is able to fight crime whilst showcasing amazing moves or superpowers is awesome in my book. If ‘The Z’Dr’ was a character in a super hero movie, would she be a good guy or a bad guy? Why?

I’d be both. I would always do good by people but I’d always have that side of me, that isn’t necessarily the bad girl, but would remain mysterious and keep you guessing.
What factors make a superhero super?

I think the biggest thing is doing right, superpowers aside.

Have you ever experienced a ‘super hero moment’, something that you have done that has helped someone through a time of peril?

I have a wonderful story. It is my favourite story in the world and I get goose bumps thinking about it. Like I said, in America I was in the entertainment industry and I travelled all over North America, Europe and even England (Thanks Adama!）Well, what I used to do is this thing I liked to call ‘Pass it on’ which has since been done in a movie. Whether I had money or not, I’d go in to a restaurant and if I saw an older person sitting alone I would buy them their dinner. I’d do this secretly though, and it was really hard to do because so many waitresses and waiters don’t understand this. I would sit there and try to explain to them that I wanted them to give me the person’s bill and that I was going to pay it. They’d ask me all these questions, like do you know them? And I was like no, I want to pay for it and they don’t know me, just tell them it’s a gift from somebody they don’t know and pass it along to someone else. Better yet, if you see someone dining alone, have lunch with them, try to join them. Occasionally we’d join people, but usually I’d like to do it in secret.

There was this restaurant just outside of L.A that I used to go to. It was an Italian, family owned place. Really nice and great food. One day I went there, and a company I was working with paid for my colleagues and me to have dinner. I saw this man dining alone as we were getting ready to leave, and I looked at him and I said “wow” I need to buy his dinner. So, I told the owner’s son to give me his tab and he said ‘he’s just having a glass of wine, you shouldn’t do that, he’s a regular’ and I said “no,no,no, this is what I do, if I see someone dining alone I take their tab.’ I told him to give it to me but not to tell the man who was only a few feet away.

All of a sudden his father came out (Adama starts to tear up), grabs me, and pulls me towards the guy and says ‘this lovely lady here, just bought your dinner’ we looked at each other, the man must have been 78 and it turned out that his wife had just died and he had kept going downhill since. He was shaking and he said almost crying ‘You don’t have to do that’ I told him that the idea is you buy somebody else’s or go sit with someone else, just pass it along. A single act of kindness. We kept in touch and I heard later that he had gotten much better because he had made it his mission to pass it along. Isn’t that great? I hadn’t thought about that in a long time it really touched me, I went home and cried afterwards.

Going back to our previous question about whether the Z’Dr Lady would play a good guy or a bad guy, it seems you have always tried to opt for the good.

Yeah but I try to be secret. Make everybody think the opposite (laughter).

So it seems you have these two personalities, you’ve got Adama and you’ve got Z’Dr. Do you feel as if Z’Dr is another person? Even an alter ego?

Pretty much, yeah. Z’Dr is apart of me but she is a different part. She’s the person who likes dancing, hanging out and having fun.

Do people often recognize you when you go out? Are they like ‘Hey, Z’Dr!’?

Yeah I used to go out clubbing and I’d be with a bunch of students and someone would call Z’Dr. My students would be like, ‘who is Z’Dr?’ I’d be like ‘Hmmm, it’s me’.

Finally, if you could use 3 words to describe Z’Dr and 3 words to describe Adama, what would they be?

Adama would be shy, introverted and intelligent and Z’Dr would be crazy, fun and friend of the people, oh actually that’s more than three words! (Laughter)

They are kind of like superman and Clark Kent. Adama wears the glasses, her hair is back. The funny thing is when I have my hair down people will come up to me in the club and be like ‘Z’Dr, Z’Dr!’ but when I wear my glasses and have my hair tied back, nobody recognizes me at all. I mean, do I look that different?

Thanks Z’Dr! The veil of mystery has been removed! Ok, it hasn’t but it was worth a try, and I didn’t get eaten alive.

If you have a story to share, why not get in touch? Send us an email editing@beingfunchina.com

Xie xie!

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Have you been letting fear get the better of you? Do you have difficulty making simple decisions? At some point in our lives most people experience obstacles that we often create ourselves. How can we overcome these? Well, Lachlan Cotter has the answers.

Lachlan is a fear smashing consultant from Australia. He offers advice and support to people who want to change their life but have been scared to ‘walk the walk’. We recently caught up with him for some words of inspiration and advice on combating fear.

Where are you from and what’s your name?

Lachlan Cotter’s the name and I hail from Australia.

What is your biggest fear?

There’s no such thing. Fear is something you experience in the moment. And that’s where you deal with it. I don’t have any story about the future that I’ve made into an insurmountable fear. It’s dynamic and it keeps changing with you.

Do you think all people share similar fears?

I think the base fears are pretty common and universal—things like fear of judgement, inadequacy, scarcity etc. And of course mortal fears. But the way they play into our lives—our day to day actions and decisions is very personal and individual. What’s paralyzing to one person may be no big deal to another.

What do you do to combat your fears?

I think the solution is not to fight your fears but to make them into more of an ally. Don’t see fear as an enemy you have to destroy. It’s more of a challenge to push your boundaries. Fear can be exciting too. Think of a roller coaster—it’s scary but also exhilarating. Without the fear it wouldn’t be nearly so much fun. Most fears are like that.

What has been your scariest encounter whilst attempting to combat your fears?

With rare exceptions—I’m not sure that fear is really about the encounter as such. It’s more about what’s going on inside. Stories that you’re telling yourself. As far as scary moments go, bungee jumping is probably the most intense adrenaline rush. But the fears that required the most work to overcome were more in the category of life choices like starting a business or becoming a parent.

What made you decide to create your website www.theartofaudacity.com ?

The website is about self expression or self actualization, which is also the reason I started it. I needed an outlet for these ideas so I could express myself more fully and connect with other people who were on similar journeys.

On your website you have an awesome list where you compile a list of tasks that you intend to complete. Could you tell us a little more about this?

I think it’s important to have goals which feel a little bit out of reach when you set them. That way the goal forces you to grow and to stretch yourself beyond your current comfort zone. If you know how you’re going to accomplish every goal before you set it, the goals aren’t really worth a whole lot because they’re not going to change you. The Awesome list is a list of challenges I set myself in different categories, all with the express purpose of overcoming or growing beyond a fear. What’s interesting is that even after completing a few of the items on the list, the rest don’t look nearly as intimidating anymore so I might have to make some revisions.

Have you received many testimonials from your readers?

Yes, many people have written to let me know how the blog has inspired them or helped them get a new perspective on something they’ve been struggling with. It’s great to know that it’s making a difference for people.

Why did you decide to ride a motorcycle across Asia and when will you complete this journey?

Really just because it was kind of a symbol of freedom for me. The bike and the open road. Actually that project is on temporary hiatus while I’m focusing on a business project that’s in the works (also part of my list). I’m looking forward to doing more travel but I’m in no immediate hurry. Enjoying life in Thailand for the meantime.

Do you think that there are big differences between the East and the West, in regards to what we fear?

Something I’ve noticed about Asia is how much people worry about keeping up appearances. This is a classed society so everyone wants to appear well-to-do and generally better off than they really are. Western culture affords more individual freedom of expression whereas here, I think people are more concerned about the approval of family, and pursuing the traditional measures of success and prestige. Obviously there’s a lot of that in the West too, but there’s also a movement to break free of it.

The west though is generally more protective and insulated. Everything is regulated, insured, indemnified. We’re afraid of making mistakes. In Asia people just get on with life as best they can.

In the west we celebrate Halloween; a holiday that relishes fear. Clearly, there is some allure to being scared. Why do you think this is?

Because fear is excitement in drag as Robert Masters would say. Basically I think we just want to FEEL something—anything. The spectrum of human emotions is truly vast but for the large part of our lives we explore a very narrow range of it. We’re hungry for excitement—and for the ride. And who doesn’t like a scary story?

What words of advice would you give to somebody who wants to overcome their fears?

Mark Twain said “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened”. The point is that everything we’re afraid of is in the future. It’s all a story you keep making up and repeating to yourself. It’s intimidating because you’re taking all your imagined future troubles and challenges and trying to deal with them today. You’re taking every problem you might one day face in the future and trying to make a decision about it now. No wonder you’re overwhelmed.

Stop doing that. All you have to deal with today, is today. Same deal tomorrow. Realize that whatever you’re afraid of it’s probably not as bad, or as likely as you’re making it out to be. Few things in life are irreversible. Whatever problems do turn up, realize that you’ll always have the strength and the resources to deal with today.

The hardest part really is just taking the first step. Once you’re on the path, the rest will unfold by itself.

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Whilst perusing the streets of China it is a common occurrence to see a Western man holding hands with a Chinese woman. But, how many times have you ever seen a Western Woman holding hands with a Chinese Man? I’m guessing, very rarely, or never, and if you did, you would probably look twice. However, it does happen, and after much research we came across Jocelyn Eikenburg, an American woman who is happily married to a Chinese guy.

Jocelyn is a writer from America who came to China after graduating from university. While in China, she met John, they fell in love and the rest is history. She now writes a blog at www.speakingofchina.com where she offers advice about cross-cultural love, dating, marriage and family.

We wanted to know more about Jocelyn and John’s relationship, so, we got together with Jocelyn to find out all the details!

How long have you lived in China?

I previously lived in China for five and a half years. Since the end of December, 2005, my husband and I have lived in the US – but we have plans to return to China as early as 2013, when he graduates from his Ph.D. program.

What drew you to China?

Serendipity. Coming to China wasn’t in any of my post-college-graduation plans at first – all I knew was I wanted to take a year off after university to get my bearings and decide where to go next in my life. So one day I wandered over to my university’s International Affairs office, and that’s when China came up. Turns out, I happened to attend a university that, in 1999, ran one of the largest teach in China programs in the US – Marshall University’s Appalachians Abroad.

Of course it seemed wrong in the beginning – I hadn’t even studied Mandarin Chinese, and couldn’t figure out why an environmental biology major like me would even consider teaching English. But the more I thought about going to China, the more I discovered I had this hidden interest in the country all along — from my interests in Taoism, Tai Chi and traditional Chinese medicine to my love of Chinese art at the Cleveland Museum of Art. So I went there, never thinking that one year of teaching English would turn into over five years in the country, where I would learn Chinese, build my career as a writer and eventually marry a Chinese man.

Did you come to China looking for love or was it unexpected?

Definitely unexpected. In one sense, I was like a lot of Western women coming to China. It wasn’t even that I thought it wasn’t possible – but rather, I had never seen, say, a white girl dating an Asian guy. The idea of dating a Chinese man never even crossed my mind (which isn’t surprising, since you don’t see a lot of Asian men with non-Asian women in popular culture anyway).

At the same time, I had experienced a devastating breakup just before college graduation, which meant I was even less interested in relationships overall.

So yes, later that year in Zhengzhou, when I met a guy I’ll call Yao (not his real name), I was just stunned – because I couldn’t stop thinking of him after the first time we met, and I had never felt so strongly about a man before. Over a month later Yao ended up becoming my first Chinese boyfriend. But even though he and I eventually parted, I still feel grateful for the time we spent together – because it made me realize that China has some amazing men out there.

Why do you think relationships between Western women and Asian men are so rare?

In one sense, it’s because many women in the West just don’t get a great impression of Asian men.

Think about TV and movies. There’s no Asian version of, say, James Bond, and you’ll never see an Asian getting cast as the lead in a romantic comedy. It’s still very rare to find a really positive portrayal of Asian men in popular culture. Most of the time, Asian men just get typecast into unfavorable roles – such as the emasculated nerd or the emotionless kungfu warrior – that just reinforce the problem. Of course, that pretty much guarantees you’ll almost never see an Asian man in a romantic role opposite a non-Asian woman.

Popular culture, of course, just reflects people’s long-held beliefs and stereotypes. A sociological study surveyed what Western women think of Chinese men, and most of the negative comments focused on their appearance. I’m not surprised, because I’ve heard the same things from Western women I used to work with in China – some complained the men here were everything from “too feminine” to just generally unattractive.

Yet, the men face barriers of their own in relationships with Western women. Many people in China watch Hollywood movies or TV shows from the West, and assume Western women are all sleazy seductresses or just interested in casual relationships – not exactly what you’d consider “marriage material” in China (either from his perspective or even his family’s). In fact, many Asian families expect their sons to marry a woman from their culture, regardless of what they think of Western women – and since filial piety runs strong, the son will often not dare to go against them. On the other hand, some men really want to date Western women, but they don’t really know how to approach them (these are the guys who send me e-mails asking me to find them a yangxifu).

Some realities get in the way of relationships from both sides. For example, earning power – here in China, most foreigners earn more than local Chinese. That means, when Chinese men date Western women, they often have to face the fact that she will make more money than he will – at least for some time in their relationship. That completely turns the traditional male-as-breadwinner expectation upside down, and it’s especially hard for the guy — most men in China expect to have a higher salary than their wives. I’ve also heard that physical differences create issues for the men and women. Now I’m not going to say that Western women are always taller and/or heavier than Asian men – but it happens. I’m three inches taller – and many pounds heavier – than my own husband, and I definitely had to re-adjust my expectations.

How did you meet your husband?

In 2002, we worked together at the same internet company in Hangzhou. Part of my work in the company included copywriting and copyediting for their websites, and I used to proofread the translations done by the company’s translators. My husband happened to be one of those translators.

Was it love at first sight?

No, actually. I saw him for the first time in March 2002, when he walked into one of the company’s offices – we exchanged quick glances and nothing else. We wouldn’t actually speak to each other until nearly three months later, at the end of June. And even then, I didn’t know much about him because he was such a quiet guy. It wasn’t until another translator in our company – Caroline is her English name – happened to invite the two of us to her hometown of Yiwu for the weekend. That invitation gave John and I our first opportunity to get to know each other, and I found myself enchanted by him – from his offbeat sense of humor to his passion for helping others. He made me feel like a teenager all over again.

But I did have to overcome my issues about our physical differences – he’s actually three inches shorter than me (and, I might add, many pounds lighter). In this respect, my friend Caroline (who decided to play matchmaker with us after noticing our mutual interest in each other) helped a lot. She kept reminding me of John’s good qualities – from his great personality to just how handsome he was. In the end, I had to let go of that dream of being with someone taller than me, and I’m grateful I did because John’s such an amazing husband.

When you told your friends and family that you were marrying a Chinese guy were they supportive?

Yes! My family and friends never questioned my decision to marry a Chinese man. In fact, they’ve been supportive even from the beginning, when we started dating. My dad actually spoke to John by phone when he and I had only been together for maybe a week or so. I feel fortunate that they stood behind me.

Why did you decide to create your blog?

As a writer, I’ve long been obsessed with sharing the experience of marriage to a Chinese man in a meaningful way that others could relate to.

Back in May 2009, I was just starting out as a serious nonfiction writer, and really didn’t know who my audience was, or how to reach them. But then I started having these discussions with my writer’s group, about the importance of being “out there,” as a writer — and how blogs could be a wonderful tool for reaching your readers, and getting to know your audience.

I guess I was like any writer, believing I really had something to say, and wanting to share it with the world. The difference this time was that I did the incredibly scary thing of deciding to go public with my writing, without the reassurance of a published book or journalist credentials.

It is commonly said, that for a relationship to work you have to be willing to compromise and change. How much do you feel you have had to change to make your relationship work?

I think I’ve changed a lot – but sometimes it’s hard to feel that it IS a lot, because my husband and I have both changed in the process. I feel like our time together has been an evolution for the two of us. In the beginning, when we first fell in love, I remember that honeymoon period, amazed by how it just seemed “so easy.” But then, over time, we started realizing that it wasn’t that easy after all – that sometimes what we said or did didn’t mean what we thought it did.

For example, I remember the first time I cooked for John – he criticized my food after the first bite. I was so angry, because no one would ever do that in my family! When I was growing up, we were never allowed to criticize food at the dinner table, even when we didn’t like it – my parents thought it was ungrateful behavior. But in John’s home, that’s what they did every single meal – tell his mother if it was too salty or too sweet, or just overcooked.

What has really helped us is our time together in the US – where my husband has learned more about my own cultural background, and gained a better appreciation of where I was coming from. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a clinical psychologist in training, which has made it a lot easier to talk about the differences when they come up!

Does a relationship with somebody from a completely foreign culture require a big sacrifice?

Yes, it can be a very big sacrifice.

In many cases, there’s sacrifice from the beginning if only one of the people in the relationship speaks a foreign language (such as how you often see Chinese-Western couples who only communicate in English, since the Westerner may not have learned Chinese). With my first boyfriend Yao, that was the case for us – I couldn’t speak any Chinese. It challenged our relationship, because I never had the opportunity to know his mother or his close friends well. But more importantly, it stretched Yao in many ways I didn’t understand. After he had started university in the UK and we continued our relationship long-distance, he once sent me an e-mail saying that the reason he didn’t write often is because English isn’t his native language.

Think about location too. No matter what you decide, one of you has to compromise on something such as not having family in the country or nearby, or settling for a less-than-ideal job. You can’t have it all. I always feel that wherever I’m living – when I’m in the US, I miss China and when I’m in China, I miss the US. Sometimes, couples just choose to move to a country that isn’t home for either of them, so they both share in the adventure and sacrifice. I remember an American who married a Chinese man years ago, saying they planned to move to Hong Kong together if the US didn’t work out for them, because Hong Kong was a perfect blend of East and West in one city.

Your choices could even impact your mobility as a couple. For Chinese nationals, the “visa on arrival” doesn’t really exist – which means, if you choose to stay in China with your spouse, you can pretty much say goodbye to spur-of-the-moment trips to, say, Sydney or Tokyo. Since my husband and I plan to reside permanently in China, this is going to be our reality. To be honest, I’m fine with it because we pretty much never take last-minute trips out of the country, no matter where we are. But it will mean more planning ahead and paperwork for him.

Even family life means sacrifice. For example, I know an American woman married to a Chinese man, and they live together with his parents – which is not at all the norm in the US. She’s fine with the arrangement, though it’s certainly an adjustment. And of course, she sometimes wishes she could be closer to her own parents. On a personal note, just recently my grandfather passed away. But since I’ve been in China this summer – and just wasn’t in a position to hop a plane over there – I had to miss his wake and funeral. I really wished I could have been there.

Do you think that living in China and having a Chinese husband has impacted your sense of cultural identity? If so, has it had a negative or a positive impact?

It has changed who I am in a cultural sense. Of course, I feel much closer and connected to China than I did in 1999, when I knew so little about the country and could barely speak the language. So now I have a foot in two different cultures, which are both in a sense “home” to me – but in different ways.

Yet at the same time, I don’t feel as if I entirely belong in the US or China. I once wrote that I have two personas — Jocelyn (in English) and Ailin (in Chinese). Apart from the moments I spend with my husband – who knows me in English and Chinese, and has stayed with me in the US and China – sometimes it’s as if I live two separate lives. The people who know me as Jocelyn would never believe that, in China, I love to sing karaoke (Jay Chou) and dress in pretty pastels, and watch Taiwanese Idol Dramas (I was hooked from the moment I first saw “Meteor Garden”). On the other hand, the people who know me as Ailin could never imagine some of the things I’ve done – such as hiking almost 2,000 feet up to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls, traveling solo through Northern Spain, and even what I do at Speaking of China (most of them cannot read it).

I’m not sure you can call it positive or negative – it’s just the reality of being in between two cultures.

Do you plan to live in China inevitably or do you and your husband intend to move to America in the future? How do you think your husband would handle adjusting to Western society?

We currently live in the US, and plan to move to China after my husband graduates. But I think he’s adjusted extremely well to life in the US. He was already fluent in English before leaving and had studied Western culture as an undergraduate, not to mention the fact that I had introduced him to so many things about the US – from food to culture – long before we left. The real challenge was just helping him get settled in — finding work, learning how to drive a car (I actually ended up teaching him), applying to Ph.D. programs in psychology (his dream). Whenever the two of us look back on that time – what we call our “transitional period” – we both have the same response: “I’m glad that’s over!”

There you have it! It seems love can conquer all! And so it should. So, all of you skeptics who have long given up, have been burdened with obstacles and have found finding love in another country a little difficult; it’s time to get out those old Disney classics and start dating again!

In the meantime if you have an interesting story that you would like to share, don’t be shy, get in touch! Just send an email to andy.c@beingfunchina.com. Xie Xie!

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