The Cubicle Crew

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Nee hao,

So I'm at my cubicle at the GreenTree right now 😊 We just went through 3 hours of training (oy vey!) and then had a lunch break and then 1.5 more hours of training. The most exciting thing all day has been the acquisition of our very own GreenTree binders, which is going to make this experience far more official than we thought. Actually, this has become less of an internship and more of a legit job. We even have quotas (sell 500 room nights within 9 weeks), but it's not like we get fired if we don't hit them. My task here is to sell rooms for Beijing during the Olympics...but I have no idea if I have to make cold calls. I don't know if I can live up to the telemarketer ways of deviance and belligerence. Only time will tell.
The cafeterias here are military style: you get your metal plate with divided areas and an indentation for chopsticks. Surprisingly they had had some good veggie options (ma po tofu and chinese squash were the main dishes) so I had my fill. They also-quite adorably-introduced chicken burgers just for today because it was the American children's first day abroad and our sensitive stomachs can't handle Chinese food...HAHAH.
My task for these next weeks is going to be selling rooms in Beijing for the Olympics. The goal for the 4 of us on the task is to sell at least 500 room nights within our 9 weeks here LOL. They have put a great deal of faith in our American charisma.
But the employees here are the nicest people. They've put up with our fits of giggles and ability to see humor in every situation. I think we may even have lightened up the mood in this cubicle-filled office. And we've certainly conformed to some Chinese standards. For instance, when we first entered the building, we took the elevator to the 3rd floor. Logical, right? BUT, it seems that everyone else uses the stairs, so we've learned to take the stairs...and we don't just walk in a slow California saunter. We hit that running. Of course we've suffered a casualty already (my roommate Lu is quite graceful), but we dust ourselves off in the proud American spirit.
Well, this day has been chock-full of training and we shall see what a day of work will bring.

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Comments

[Kelsey]

Yay Tracy! I would definitely buy a room from you :)

[Clare]

This is all so exciting! I'm really glad I get to read about your adventures.

[cin]

500 Rooms?!?
Wow, that's a large quota. But I'm sure you guys will be able to meet it! I love how people will sometimes try to change how things are just so you better become accustomed to the environment, yet sometimes all you want to do is get away from the familiar and onward towards the new and exciting! You would think that more people in America would use the stairs rather than the elevators because of the whole obesity problem, but maybe this is why most people in Asia aren't as... large. You're getting a workout while at work! Not bad :)

[Steffi]

Tracy, I love reading your entries! It sounds like you're getting a great experience. <3 you.

[ren bar]

HI
of course luia would fall haha and also trace bar.. make me proud. I miss you so much and i seriously can't believe your'e like on the other side of the effing world. let me know you're alive sometime!

[neighbor]

tracy! everything you're doing sounds exciting. keep us posted on how everything at the job pans out as well as other information i may find interesting...hehe you know what i mean!

[Lindsey]

<3
yay trace, this sounds exciting! aww, i'm sure you guys have brought some light into that drab chinese cubicle office. hee hee, that's so cute about the burgers! well, good luck with work and those cold calls! love you lots, linds <3