china time and a school project with scope creep

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It's been over a year since I wrote my very first blog. I'm actually amazed that I have stuck with it. My few but very loyal fans have kept me motivated with their feedback and encouragement. I am really glad I have this chronicle of the past year.

Had to blog about the last couple days while it's fresh. Such good stuff. The first tidbit relates to China time. It's that phrase we who live in China hear and use but I have never before had such a classic example, so I must share.

Monday, I went in search of supplies for Nathan's Market Day project. Yes, yes, it's his project so why was I going off to get stuff you might ask? Well, we live in China so I am breaking a few rules when it comes to such things. I'd rather spend our weekends doing things as a family that do not include shopping at IKEA or seeking out a custom rubber stamp...so that's how I ended up out shopping alone on Monday. In hindsight I could have at least used someone's help to haul these items back home....damn you hindsight.

First stop IKEA to buy frames. Not a big deal, but I decided to take the train there and back and I am currently unable to lift my arms up without feeling the pain of hauling boxes of 52 wooden frames home. I dropped the bags off and quickly headed back out to grab some lunch and do the next phase of the mission.

After slurping down some hot and cheap noodles at a Japanese noodle shop in the mall, I headed back to the subway and went to look for a custom rubber stamp. These stamps were for Nathan's Market Day project. The project was to decide on a product to market and sell to other students. Nathan chose to make a father's day frame with Chinese and English stamped writing on it. The purpose of this activity was related to the marketing, pricing and eventually selling of the product. So some kids were just buying and reselling toys, baking cookies...stuff like that. We thought of this frame idea and then it was time to execute the plan. That's where I come in. Production. I did try to Google it for a bit earlier that morning but it was not going well, so I went to where I knew there were art supplies and just started asking.

It might sound easy enough...go to an art store and try to explain you want two custom rubber stamps with "happy father's day" in English and Chinese characters. Well, it's not really that easy as it turns out. I went to the first store, the woman just told me no. I felt she was giving me the brush off, but I went on to the next store. The second guy I asked said no as well but in his case I think he really did not sell them. Third store--and yes, I was just walking into stores all along this street with art supply shops--and this time I got a good feeling. There was a young guy at the front of the store and I explained what I wanted using my iTouch dictionary and the prop of the picture frame I brought along. I wanted a stamp with words, some in English some in Chinese, and after a lot of back and forth and three salespeople patiently working with me on the design of these stamps, we were in business. Then we talked price...that went fine, and I had somehow managed to order these rubber stamps that would be ready in one hour. I was sure I'd have to argue to get them by Wednesday. It was Monday at 2:30pm. I had zero expectation that I could have these ready the same day. But sure enough, China time is not the same as the rest of the world. This a very small but relevant example of the speed at which work gets done here.

Tuesday I set out again for more art supplies. Lots of issues with first attempt to use ink and so I was off to buy paint and protective spray (thanks to the numerous tips from my friends and family on Facebook). I took the train and my map and my compass and I spent a good 4 hours walking around. I did meet Mark for lunch and that was a nice break. It was raining the entire time I was out, but I had an umbrella and didn't mind the rain.

I didn't take my camera and that is always a mistake. I am more and more comfortable in Shanghai. I have a sense of the city and am content to explore on my own and it's nice not to get totally lost all the time. I had a few things I was searching for, but I also took my time and did a lot of exploring. I found this very cool street that was a restaurant supply street. One store was all appliances including giant mixers and huge carnival style popcorn makers. Another store was full of stacks and stacks of brightly colored trash plastic trash cans, brooms and dustpans. Every little store has a niche. I saw another store that was all about string. It's hard to explain how different it is from home. Imagine a Home Depot divided into 5 x 5 stores and then spread all over the city. There is a sense of organization to what can at first appear to be chaos. Like this restaurant supply street. One store for bamboo steaming baskets and another for the world's biggest steel cooking pots. Of course there was the ceramic bowl and plate store just next to what looked like a condiments store. Maybe there's a big directory available in Chinese that decodes the mystery of this organization. For me, it's just fun to find these streets and marvel at all the different things being sold.

I also was looking for 6 pink hats and 7 blue hats for birthday related activities I am planning. I found (of course) several hat stores, but in most cases there are single items and not groups of the same item. This is the trend. One size L shirt in blue and one size M shirt in yellow. I wanted 6 of the same pink hat. It was not that easy. I did eventually find a lovely hat seller (she sold umbrellas too). She was so excited at my large order potential that she went the extra mile--quite literally--and sent her associate by bike in the rain to "someplace" where she could bring back more of the same hats. I just had to wait 10 minutes (in reality 25). I was practically jumping up and down because I had such a long conversation in Chinese and was able both communicate my needs, understand her explanations, and then negotiate these hats down to some scary cheap prices. It's going to be a cruel day when I am back home and go to Target and offer the cashier 30% in an attempt to engage her in a bargaining exercise.

I still hadn't bought the paint I originally set out to find. I walked back toward People's Square and the art street and bought art supplies. There are so many cool art stores that if I were a painter or artist I would be in heaven. Prices seem good and there are stores filled with nothing but paint, brushes, canvases and pastels. I enjoy art stores as much as I enjoy office supply stores--a lot. I also got my office supply fix, because there are many stores on the same street filled with cute little notebooks, notepads, and all types of paper. I was getting tired, but pushed on and went to the Foreign Language Bookstore. Nathan's birthday is next week and I had to find a particular volume of a particular series that he was missing and wanting. Found it! Weary and a little soggy, I headed back to the train and back to the apartment. I am getting the most out of my days lately and I am having fun.

Wednesday was a lot of back and forth to the school. Emily had a reading performance in the morning and I joined other proud parents in a very crowded theater to hear our first graders wow us with their reading skills. I also spent much of Wednesday and Wednesday night finishing the great frame project. Next year, or next time, Nathan or Emily can sell store bought cookies for Market Day. I think I may have learned the most from this very labor intensive school project! But the frames are awesome and I know what Mark's getting for Father's Day (and both grandpas and perhaps a few friends, depending on how sales go tomorrow!).

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Comments

[Carol S]

Being a rubberstamper I can appreciate your "frame" project! I think it turned out great! Kudos to you for sticking with finding the 2 custom rubber stamps! Have really enjoyed your blog and I appreciate your willingness to do it!

[Ari]

I am incredibly impressed that you ordered custom stamps in Chinese, and glad the frames turned out!! :D

[Linda]

I LOVE China Time!!! And shopping in niches sounds like a fantastic way to get what you want, rather than depending on the buyer's guesses. The Rubber Stamp story had me pinned. Great blog.

[Amy D]

Would you say there is less impulse spending in China? Since you go to a particular street in search of a specific item, I'd imagine you end up buying less. I can't seem to leave Target without spending at least $100.

[soooze]

impulse buys
I think that may be true--not sure about the Chinese shoppers but I don't buy en masse like I do at home (no car, have to carry). Although at stores like IKEA I feel much more tempted. But I don't go there much. That's a special trip and usually for a specific purpose -- like 50 picture frames.