February 18, 2011
Here is a good quote from Chinese business giant, Jack Ma 马云, of Alibaba.com:
"As we are looking forward, thoughts are important, but actions are more important. What is even more important than actions is the right direction. When we choose our values, we are choosing our destinies."
My first week in my internship at the China Entrepreneur Club (http://www.daonong.com) has been a good experience. On Sunday night I received a call from Abroad China (the company arranging my internship) saying that the CEC liked me during my interview and wanted me to start that very next morning. This gave me approximately 12 hours to prepare for the start of my internship. I was SO ready! This is the company I had wanted to work at for a long time. It was also the company that I was telling everyone back at home that I was working for, so if it would've fallen through my spirits and pride would've been crushed. So, Monday morning came and I headed to the office in my spiffy new suit. With excitement growing, I braved the snowy streets in my high heels. Nothing could put a damper on my first day interning at CEC. This was my first "real" job.
When I got to the office, I was filled with mixed feelings of nerves and excitement. I arrived in the middle of an office-wide meeting where the boss was giving an impassioned speech. I couldn't tell if he was angry or just very enthusiastic because I couldn't understand all of what he was saying in Chinese. The work of my first day entailed writing a letter to U.S. Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman. The CEC wishes to invite him to a going-away dinner to thank him for all the ways he has helped the organization. He has worked close with the CEC in the past, but has recently sent his resignation letter to President Obama. Rumor has it that he will focus his energies on securing the Republican presidential candidacy for the 2012 election. See the news story here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20030120-503544.html So on my first day, I wrote a letter to the man who might be my next president. Not too shabby.
Monday also happened to be Valentine's Day. All of my single co-workers decided to go out to dinner and then to karaoke. It was a really fancy dinner. Someone suggested that we play "Fei Cheng Wu Rao" (If You Are the One..) so we all went around the table and said what we were looking for in a person of the opposite sex and everyone else, consequently, picked out the co-worker they believed to be the most suitable person for you based on your stated criteria. I didn't know anyone very well, so this was definitely an interesting ice-breaker for me. I think everyone at the CEC is really cool though. I am looking forward to working more closely with all of them.
The rest of this week I have just spent time drafting emails and invitation letters for the upcoming Annual Summit for Green Companies that takes place every April 22 (Earth Day). Sometimes I found myself a little bit bored when my supervisor didn't have anything for me to do, so I have been spending a lot of my time researching Chinese entrepreneurs and business leaders' visions for a Greener world. But, things are going to start getting really busy in the office. I am ready for the challenge.
Chinese Word of the Day
Jing Li 经历："Experience"
Verse of the Day
James 1:4-6 "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
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