A Change of Pace

Wow! It has only been a week since my last blog entry but I feel like so much has happened. As I get more used to my life here in Beijing, the days go by as fast as a teenage girl changes clothes (aka rapid-fire pace).  The most important event that has taken place has been my recent career change. Although I enjoyed the people that I worked with at China Renmin Publishing Press, I was not completely satisfied with the type of work that I was doing. Because I was the first intern, let alone the first foreign intern to work there, they were having difficulty finding tasks for me to do. After a couple days of editing a manuscript that had been translated into English, I felt that perhaps I wasn't cut out for the world of publishing. That's not to say I have closed the door completely on that field, but I learned that I prefer to work in a place that is livelier and allows for more opportunities of face-to-face interaction with other employees. I think that at the publishing press, everyone is very busy with their own work and that their specific tasks do not require a lot of interaction with others. So all in all, I will certainly miss the wonderful people that I met but you won't see me huddled in a corner crying over not being able to edit more manuscripts. 

Now, here is the exciting part...I love my new job! As of Tuesday I started work at Beijing Twinflag Technology Corporation. I know, I know, you're probably sitting there counting your fingers, thinking...Wait...Today is only Wednesday, how could she possibly be throwing out a word as strong and powerful as "love" after only two days? But hey, you know what they say- when you know, you know. And yes, I want to shout it from the rooftops - I am in love...with my job! Mom, Dad...Don't worry you can breath easy, I am not really in love, or at least not the kind that involves a man, a Harry Winston and a marriage proposal. But, all joking aside, I couldn't be more pleased and enthused by my new job. I am working in the foreign marketing and sales department. My boss is really amazing. She is not only friendly and cute but is also very easy to talk to and work with. I can already tell we make a great team. Together we help translate information from Chinese into English.

First week at Beijing Twinflag! My boss, Chaobo, is the woman on the right.

The past two days we have been busy refining a PowerPoint presentation that will be shown to a perspective customer from Spain. Beijing Twinflag works with Vewell technology and they are very well known throughout China. Their main product is LCD digital display monitors. The company has only been around since 1994 and has already experienced a great amount of success. Vewell's products were even used during the 2008 Beijing Olympics in places like the Water Cube, the subway stations, traffic control for the Olympics, etc. But here I am going on and on about the products, I almost feel like I am trying to sell them to you. Or am I? Haha. However, to be honest, I actually am really impressed with the quality and functionality of my new company's products. And one thing that I feel like I should make note of is: I am not a techie person at all. Not really even one bit. In fact, after seeing the ads for the new i-Phone 4, I felt nothing. Not even a tiny ladybug size of an urge to go out and buy one. Meanwhile, I log into Facebook and see my newsfeed jammed with an infinite list of posts, all along the lines of  "Oh my gosh, so in love with the new i-phone 4... MUST HAVE NOW!!!" Maybe about 20 posts, I think I could even hear the heavy panting through the computer (that's how crazy people were going for it). I kid you not. So I guess it is safe to say I am not one to go out and buy the latest and coolest new technology. I have always been more of an old-fashioned diary writing, letter sending kind of girl, who prefers shopping for clothes as opposed to shopping for the newest gizmos and gadgets.

LCD monitors that Beijing Twinflag creates through its partner company, Vewell. This monitor is set up to display movie descriptions for use in movie theaters.

Anyway, what I like most about my new job is the work environment. Even though everyone is always pretty busy, it is quite the happening place. The atmosphere is relaxed and when you look around you are bound to see at least 2 or 3 people smiling. I have already met so many welcoming and friendly people. In fact, I already have made a new friend who I think I will become very close with. She is just like butterscotch candy: amazingly sweet without being a sugar-overload overkill. One of the coolest things about her is her strong desire to learn English. Even though speaking English for her is a huge challenge, she is so motivated. On Tuesday, she went right up to me and asked in Mandarin if I would come eat lunch with her. I was overjoyed by this offer. First day of work is a lot like the first day of school. And in this case, it felt like going through the first day of a new school a couple of months after everyone else has started. Aka fresh meat. What a relief though, high school is long over and perhaps in China the whole "lets cast unnecessary dirty glances at the new girl" bit never gained momentum? Anyhow, during lunch we talked in Mandarin and she had a long list of questions about me and the English language. We have made our lunch-dates a permanent deal.

My good friend, Yang Yang, and I having fun during our lunch break :)

I could tell she was super enthused about learning English, but I must admit I was still a little surprised when I received a phone call from her that very afternoon after leaving work before I even got home. I was so flattered by her desire to be my friend. Even more, I am so impressed by how excited she is to learn English. When she called me, she told me she was planning to study extra hard that night for Wednesday and prepare a list of things to go over. Can you say perfect student? *Key the church choir music* And she really is. She is a pleasure to teach and I can't complain about gaining the extra teaching practice. Plus, I love that I get to practice speaking Mandarin as well. It is great for me, and there really is no better way to learn a language than by speaking with others. The desire to communicate with others is as powerful as the oil that lasted 8 days instead of 1 in the good old days of the Maccabees (note: to those who are lost by this metaphor, here is a hint- think of the Hanukah story).  

Overall, I find myself happier and happier by the day. I feel like coming to China is going to pay off in so many different ways. Not only do I feel like it is helping me figure out what exactly I am interested in as well as improving my language skills, but I also feel that it is giving me a one in a lifetime chance to really live the life of a China native. I sometimes like to imagine what my life would be like if I was born in a different part of the world. And if so, would I still be the same person? Honestly, I think that it is too difficult of a question to answer. Pretty much impossible. One could sit for hours questioning "Hm, if I didn't go here then maybe I would have been doing this," and so on. But still, I can't help but ponder this question as that hamster in my mind takes his daily jog around that never-ending wheel of his. What I mean is, some thoughts are difficult to quell. My mind has no off-switch. But maybe, in some way, coming to China is like a sharp pin popping that question-mark bubble floating above my head. It is saying hey, you could have grown up in China and your work life and social life would have been something like this. Pure voyeurism into my own alternate life. My Chinese alter ego, if you will. Because after all, in China I am not Aviva, but instead I am Ai Wei. 

Well, the time has come for me to cut myself off. I have been plagued with the sickness of "acute verboseness" and because of this I really could go on and on. But you know, Oprah is one of the most successful and powerful women in the world because of her ability to go on and on. Just something to think about :p Hehe. 

 New office. It is a lot bigger isn't it?!

Yang Yang showing of the LCD display showcase room at work!