“You Always Say ‘Ni Hao’ to the Pretty Girls”

Snow, who is a pretty girl herself, was my translator and valued assistant during my trip to China for a pipeline conference and exhibition.   ‘Ni Hao” was one of the few Chinese words I could say easily.  It means “hello” or “how are you?”   The pipeline exhibition had several large exhibits of the companies of PetroChina, Inc.  Each of these exhibits were staffed by what I called the women of PetroChina.  All dressed identically and they were the hostesses for the exhibit.   In fact, there were at least four hostesses at every event we attended.  Each time, they were wearing identical red suits. (more…)

Posted May 29th, 2010 in China Travels 2010

Real Men Climbing the Great Wall

Alex told me that you cannot be a real man unless you have climbed the Great Wall.   There were several times while climbing that I was willing not to be a real man.  But we soldiered on with hundreds of people from preschoolers to old guys puffing cigarettes while climbing.  Some of the women climbers were in high heels.  I guess it was just a Sunday stroll for the Chinese.  It required several rest stops for me, but we made it!   Notice how much more exhausted I look than Alex.

When we reached the tower that marked our stopping point, there were many people taking pictures of their friends.  Some of the people wanted to get their pictures made with me.  I’m wondering if they told their friends later, “I cannot believe this old, fat American could climb the Great Wall.”  That is what I have been telling my friends.  When we reached the top and looked down, I understood why it was so difficult.  It was very steep.

The wall is an amazing feat of building a fantastic structure across mountains by manual labor.   I found out later that Mao Zedong was the first to remark about being a true man only if you have climbed the Great Wall.  I recommend the experience highly, but take it slowly if you are not from China.

Posted May 5th, 2010 in China Travels 2010

Small David and Snow, Blessings in China 2010

Both are from Chengdu, in the Sichuan province of China.  They met and started dating in high school, which Snow cleverly said is the beginning of a tragic love story.  She was joking that neither of them had ever dated anyone else, and they are getting married in May.  I wish them many blessings.

Small David was one of the students in a pipeline controller class we did for PetroChina.   He chose that English name because David in Chinese means fat.   He does not want to be fat, thus he wants to be Small David. So he is Small David and I am Big Charles.

Snow thinks that snow is pretty, pure, and clean.  That’s how she chose her name.  She teaches English in a university program in Beijing.  Snow was my translator and assistant for a pipeline exhibition in Langfang, China this spring.  Snow is an excellent translator and introduced me and my company to many people.  David also helped us at the exhibition and is great at marketing and sales.

Both have been excellent hosts and good friends even before I came to Beijing.  When I wanted to stay in a hutong hotel, David went and checked it out to make sure it was all right.  He met me there after midnight when I arrived, and helped me check in.  He and Snow went with me to the Forbidden City,  Temple of Heaven, meetings with the Beijing Oil & Gas Control Center, shopping, Wal-Mart, eating, talking, and laughing.  Both of them are great blessings in my life!  I miss them.

Posted May 5th, 2010 in China Travels 2010