tea for two
I'm enjoying my work here in China. I just signed a business deal with my distributor. My first contract. I'm still surprised how I'm able to surmount various obstacles that came my way in this new work that I assumed. I think I'm happy with the people I meet with the line of work I'm into.
My distributor is a tandem of husband and wife. Their age gap is 10 yrs. As typical Shanghainese couples, the wife is the 'man' of the house and the husband is the 'domesticated' one. It seems awkward to find this 'under the saya' type of partnership but surprisingly, it is very common in a Shanghainese household. One can just envy a Shanghainese husband. After a day's toil, they go home prepare dinner and do housework! I think I should consider getting a Shanghainese hubby for my undomesticated ways...
Going back, I admire this couple. They are fun loving couple. They joke and kid around me even if supposedly I'm to be treated as a business partner. It's not as formal I thought doing business in China is like. It can get really personal. My encounters and negotiations with them had to be an afternoon tea talking about daily happenings in their office. The couple have varying opinions and views on a lot of things but the nice thing about them is they give in into each other's opinion. They told me marriage's foundation is communication. So my inference that I should get a partner whom I can converse with is a good thing. I cant imagine myself being with someone I wont be able to talk on any mundane thing. Knowing my curious and stupid-at-times mindset, asking out of this world questions, I think conversations are important. It surprises me how both of them will argue in front of me on some items/details during the negotiations but at the end of it all, they would acede into each other's stand.
The thing that binds them dearly is their love for tea. I cant imagine how a day will be over without them going around their tea and doing their small tea ceremony. Partnerships are formed with a common interest. Just about anything but binding to it is a shared interest. I hope I get to apply all their 'tips' for me on how to build a strong relationship in the future.
My distributor is a tandem of husband and wife. Their age gap is 10 yrs. As typical Shanghainese couples, the wife is the 'man' of the house and the husband is the 'domesticated' one. It seems awkward to find this 'under the saya' type of partnership but surprisingly, it is very common in a Shanghainese household. One can just envy a Shanghainese husband. After a day's toil, they go home prepare dinner and do housework! I think I should consider getting a Shanghainese hubby for my undomesticated ways...
Going back, I admire this couple. They are fun loving couple. They joke and kid around me even if supposedly I'm to be treated as a business partner. It's not as formal I thought doing business in China is like. It can get really personal. My encounters and negotiations with them had to be an afternoon tea talking about daily happenings in their office. The couple have varying opinions and views on a lot of things but the nice thing about them is they give in into each other's opinion. They told me marriage's foundation is communication. So my inference that I should get a partner whom I can converse with is a good thing. I cant imagine myself being with someone I wont be able to talk on any mundane thing. Knowing my curious and stupid-at-times mindset, asking out of this world questions, I think conversations are important. It surprises me how both of them will argue in front of me on some items/details during the negotiations but at the end of it all, they would acede into each other's stand.
The thing that binds them dearly is their love for tea. I cant imagine how a day will be over without them going around their tea and doing their small tea ceremony. Partnerships are formed with a common interest. Just about anything but binding to it is a shared interest. I hope I get to apply all their 'tips' for me on how to build a strong relationship in the future.
posted by marieand at 12/21/2006 12:03:00 AM
0 comments
