Sunday, June 3, 2007

June 1

Three speakers today. The first was semi-interesting, he works for DuPont and talked about manufacturing challenges in China. He’ some guy who’s been here for about four years, learned Mandarin, is having the best time ever. He told us the three E’s to working in China, Exciting, Exhilarating, and Exhausting! Then a lunch break (the meals at this hotel are awesome). Then a guy from Yum China talked, they have all the KFCs and Pizza Huts here. They’re doing better than McDonald’s. They only have one Taco Bell, since people in China don’t really know what Mexican food is. But we got the address and will eat there later. Last speaker was from Albemarle, since some of the MBAs in the professional program work for Albemarle, and one of them set up the speaker. He’s Chinese, but has some degrees from the U.S. Didn’t really hear much that he said, both because of the accent, and the fact that I was coloring in the design imprinted on our Howard Johnson notepaper.

Done by 3:30 pm, so we headed out to a few shops. Things work a funny way in Shanghai. People see you on the streets, show you pictures of Gucci and Prada bags, or ask if you want to see watches, etc, and then they take you to a hidden room. Like, bring you up a back alley, or take you through a storefront and open a door in a back wall. It’s ridiculously shady, yet apparently is completely safe. One place we went was up some back stairs, and it opened up to room after room of Lacoste, Polo, Gucci, Prada, Dolce, etc. Bags, shirts, belts, ties, jeans, shoes, etc. I should have taken pictures but I was too amazed/freaked out by the whole situation to grab my camera. Elizabeth, Niki, and I did bargain our way down pretty well for some purses. The guy we haggled with even congratulated us. My buy was a yellow Dolce & Gabbana, although I am disappointed to learn that one of the spring-loaded hooks for the shoulder strap doesn’t work, but that’s probably an easy fix.

Dinner was on our own, and we tried to find that Taco Bell, but with no luck. Had McDonald’s instead. They don’t have barbeque sauce for the chicken nuggets, so I had to use sweet and sour.

Tomorrow’s our free day. Yay more shopping!

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