A Bryson in China

Labels: Chinese New Year, Dongguan, Fireworks, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:25 PM Comments: 0

Fireworks Into the Night

Amazing! Late into the night last night, there were fireworks exploding regularly. It was one of the special days of the Chinese New Year, and I could see at least three fireworks shows from my apartments at one time. They are never long and well-defined here, but they are more than neighbors enjoying themselves. They are at least the work of developers in different complexes celebrating the holiday.

I always enjoy the fireworks!

Labels: Chinese New Year, Dongguan, Fireworks, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:11 PM Comments: 0

Labels: Chinese New Year, Dongguan, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:02 PM Comments: 0

Labels: Chinese New Year, Dongguan, Life in China

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 4:15 PM Comments: 0

Chinese New Year in Thailand

Thailand….. HOT! And I love it! Yes! I’m finally warm!

Okay I was surprised to find rain on arrival in Bangkok, but that didn’t last too long. In fact, it has cleared off and gotten extremely hot. And that is the usual conditions here this time of year. This is typically too early for the rainy season, and that is okay by me.

Meanwhile, China continues to suffer from the worst blizzard in 50 years. Just, when the country was all primed for this being the year of China with the Olympics in Beijing, instead the coverage it is getting is all about the travails of the migrant workers caught trying to get to their homes.

I even had the chance to catch both sides of the news on the subject too. In Hong Kong, the newspapers were freely reporting the unrest and dissatisfaction of so many workers in their difficulties in going home. While the newspapers in China and releases from the government sanctioned news agency, Xinhua, was reporting how things were coming together and that migrant workers were happily not going home. That is the way news often gets reported. It is probably a little of both sides of the issue, and neither is wholly accurate.

And believe me I’m sure a lot of workers definitely want to get home. They often do not have a factory home any longer to go back to, particularly in Dongguan. Recent actions by the government have increased costs substantially, and reportedly as many as 1000 shoe factories alone in Dongguan have closed and moved to other regions or countries.

Couple that with the fact that many workers use the Chinese holiday break to change jobs, and you have a lot of workers that have quit their jobs and no longer have anything to stay for in their home away from home. A newscast reported that as many as 38% of white collar workers alone use the break to change jobs! I knew that every year I have gone back to the factory only to find several of the office staff had not come back. I didn’t know the numbers were quite as high as reported, but that’s what they said on a CCTV newscast.

Labels: Bangkok, China, China Weather, Chinese New Year, Guangdong News, Newscast, Thailand

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:53 PM Comments: 0

Cold Start to Year of the Rat

Mickey Mouse characters are on the window of my office staring at me. More decorate the windows all around the offices. They include Chinese characters wishing a “Happy New Year!” Yes, it’s Spring Festival season, or the Chinese New Year. And it’s the Year of the Rat; hence mouse characters are prominently displayed in most decorations.

But the start of the New Year celebration has been difficult for many. Heavy snowfall has blanketed the mid and eastern sections of China and crippled transportation and power services. They say that yesterday over 100,000 people were stuck in the Guangzhou train station awaiting trains to the north. Many trains have been delayed for more than 24 hours. And the conditions even in Guangdong Province here in Southern China, are not too enjoyable, particularly when you have to wait outside in a never ending line for a train. It is cold and wet! Highs are reaching 45°F and dipping into the high 30’s at night.

I have not been warm in a week. I’m sitting in my office with extra coats and layer on layer of clothes. I’m even wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers hat, just because a guest left it for me, and it keeps my head warmer. I would wear gloves if I could type with them. All because buildings here have NO HEAT! None! Zippo!

How these people cope in this weather and with no heat is beyond reason. But they seem practically unaffected. They just go along like it is no big deal. Many store fronts are just that. They are a front which is open to the elements. But no one seems to mind. Amazing.

It might not be so easy for many later this week. They estimate the number at the Guangzhou train station might peak at 600,000 sometime this week as more workers start on their trek home. You see most employees are considered migrant workers. They work at a plant but maintain their home back from their roots. And come Chinese New Year, they all want to go home. Many have already started the long arduous march home. On the first recognized day last week, 53 million passengers filled buses in the nation. Another 200 million will travel by train and plane. That’s like moving everyone in the US.

Next week I go to Thailand for the New Year. I’m working at our new factory there. But at least I will be warm!

Labels: Chinese New Year, Dongguan, Life in China, snow, Year of Rat

posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 5:44 PM Comments: 1