"Tell her to relax"

This week has been crazy. Manic. Apart from the sensory overload of my surrounds, and my inability to understand much of what is said around me, I have had a really l-o-n-g week. I can't remember the last time I was working - as in, still at my desk, proofing docs, replying to emails and calling colleagues - after 7pm. Okay, 6pm.

Time seems to be measured in a different unit here, it moves so fast. Every day I find myself thinking 'No! 12 o'clock already?? What happened to my morning?'. Or I look up from my screen at 6.30pm and see the core group of my local team who are still plugging away, knowing that they have another 60-90 minutes in them (or even longer, if we weren't kicked out by the prime agency in the building).

So, it was with great relief when I packed up my laptop at 7pm last night, slipped on my flats and made my way home.

Let it be said - I love a massage. Whether Swedish, Thai, remedial or relaxation and everything in between, I love that time on the table - having someone soothe the aches, work out the knots, or twist my limbs like a pretzel. And when I'm travelling, my love of massages increases exponentially. In Melbourne, I might treat myself to a massage every few months, but when I'm travelling, my 'massage money' has no value and I average 3 a week. I think part of it is the need for physical contact and part of it is just the need to stop, take time out - forced relaxation (which doesn't sound all the relaxing, but trust me - it is).

Exploring the city on Wednesday night, my colleague and I found a fantastic Traditional Chinese Medicine massage centre, open til 2am (!) every day, chockablock with locals waiting for their massage, and very reasonably priced. Friday night we returned, with two more fellow travellers in tow, for a 70minute TCM foot and leg massages each, kicking off with a neck and shoulder massage.



The first 10-15 minutes of having my neck and shoulders pummelled was more torture than therapeutic. How could this tiny woman inflict so much pain on me? But at the end - sweet relief. Every second of grimacing, screwing up my face and gritting my teeth had been worth it - I felt light. Energised.

Then - she moved to my feet. Getting around in Havaianas this week had done my arches no favours. "Tell her to relax" my therapist asked my Cantonese-speaking colleagues to relay to me. "I'm trying!" I beseeched. Distracting myself with the endless supply of red tea, watermelon and sweet bean soup, it sort of crept up on me - I was relaxed! It wasn't hurting, it felt good, great even! And then - she moved to the next foot. Back came my pain face, tensed muscles. The message came again "Relax, don't fight me". Again, the watermelon and tea distractions.

And then it was over. I was kicking myself for my silent wishing it would just *hurry up*, because when it was finished, I just wanted MORE. My tiny torturer was now my new favourite person in GZ, with her magic hands and no-nonsense attitude. I thanked her profusely and let her know that I had remembered her number - I would be back for more of her tough love physical therapy. And all for A$13-14! So thank you, Ms 56 - and see you soon.

Don't take it personally...

A friend relayed a story to me that had me howling with laughter. I was literally crying I was laughing so hard. The story starkly pointed out the differences between Western and Eastern culture, and why you need to have a thick skin over here.

My Aussie friend, we'll call her A, was visiting the Guangzhou office with another (Aussie) colleague, B, and caught up with a local colleague, Y. A & Y hadn't caught up in person in 2-3 years, but they had worked together on a number of projects and initiatives over a 5-6 year period and so were quite excited to see each other.

Our GZ colleague, Y, exclaimed "you look so good, A! You were so fat but now you are skinny! What happened?".
A was flabbergasted and tried to conceal her shock with an incredulous laugh. At *most* she had been a small size 12, whereas now she was a size 8-10. Hardly fat. On the small side for a Westerner, really. A sort of laughed and said "Oh, thanks, Y! You look great, too!"

B was intrigued, though. "Really? How fat was A?", she asked Y
"Hmmm probably as fat as you, B. But - she is skinny now so maybe you can do what A did? How did you get so skinny, A?"
B is now red-faced, and probably wishing she'd kept her mouth shut.
A, trying to get a reaction, told Y "I had a really tragic thing happen in my life and I was too upset to eat and that is how I got so skinny".
Not missing a beat, Y said "Oh well, you look great now"

It reminded me that in country of 1+ billion people, you can't be too sensitive. Occasionally, people will be direct and feelings might be hurt, but you can't take it personally. They just don't have the time or the inclination to pussy-foot around and pump up your tyres. You were fat, now you're skinny - good for you. Next topic!

A timely cultural reminder I'm thankful for. Not to mention the belly laugh I had as A relayed the tale to me. Thanks A xo

I'm here. So... what now?

Right.

So here I am. Can't quite believe it.

Day 5 (? really - only day 5??) in Guangzhou and trying to figure out how to successfully manoeuvre my way throught this hot, steamy, bustling city of 10.2 million.

First impressions - it is much greener, newer and less dirty than I'd imagined. GZ has always been made out to be the grungy, uncool, bogan little bro to sexy Shanghai and successful, ambitious Beijing. Perspectives vary... I've been told by more than one person that you either love it or hate it here and some of those have *really* hated it, recommending I spend as much time as possible anywhere but here! It's too early to tell, but I am definitely not hating it so far. I mean, I can't understand about 98% of what is said to me, I can't jump in a cab and give them directions of where I want to go - lots of written notes and pointing to directions that I cannot understand - but I can tell you this. I can order 'kafei' - GOOD, Italian brewed illy and Lavazza. I can request 'da bao' - take away - from the pizza place and Japanese restaurant around the corner. And I can say 'xie xie' - thanks to those making my coffee, giving me food, ferrying me around.

This opportunity I've been given - to live and work in a foreign city, with a life and culture so different to my own, with a team of people so different and yet similarly motivated is extraordinary. That my lovely fella and family have supported me in this undertaking - "Sure, go! We'll look after your dogs, we'll look after everything! Just go, enjoy, learn as much as you can and we'll be here when you get back" - is pretty incredible and something I am so thankful for.

It's going to be hard and I will have my 'China moments' where the lack of control, understanding, and immediate support network will see me throw a tantrum, cry, have a total melt down. But you know something...? I think that the good moments will outweigh these 'China moments' a hundred to one. Or maybe 10.2 million to one.

And if they don't - I'll say xie xie for the memories. And the kafei ;)