My first business trip to Canton Fair

It was only 2 weeks after joining this company that I had my first 4-days business trip to Guangzhou, for the 103rd Canton Fair.










* my buyer badge


103rd China Import and Export Fair (4/24-4/27)

People:Hong Kong – Regional Manageress Ms A, Merchandising Manageress Ms V Holland – CEO Mr Fire, Supply Chain and Sourcing Manger Mr Crab (my head), Director of Design Marco

Venues: Liuhua Complex, Pazhou Complex

4/24 Arrived with Ms A at White Swan Hotel in the evening, took a quick rest, taxi to a Japanese Restaurant to meet our colleague, and dinner with supplier. The taxi driver must be from other province because did not know the place, and nearly drove us to somewhere unknown. Those Dutchmen drank alcohol like water. Then on the way back to hotel, they had gone… mad. While the CEO heard that we three ladies shared a room, he just came to check like discovering of the New World. This night I could not sleep…








* Liuhua Complex

4/25 We went to Liuhua Complex where it looked like the Kai Tak Airport. Ms A, Mr Crab and I as a group to visit existing suppliers. Along the way we found many of our products being fraudulent used or copied by other companies, by hiding our logo, changing the design a tiny bit, or even simply put into their catalogues. Crab and Fire ordered those people to take away the products, and I took photos of the booth numbers and the products as evident. Fortunately the three Dutchmen are strong and tall so that those people only argued "We made the length 2cm shorter, is it still copycat?" or "You use aluminum, but we use steel, it is not copy." Otherwise it would have happened like seizing the catalogue from Ms A's arms rudely, "Any prove? Do NOT take it if you do not buy!"

Dinner we had a BBQ at the hotel. I ordered two glasses of watermelon juice. After the first dish of salad I was almost full but still ordered a little dish of grilled mutton and mushroom, and made a puzzle of Stitch with them. While they continued their happy hour at the bar, I was sleeping deadly in the bed.


* Garden inside the hotel
















* Stitch made of grilled eggplant, mushroom, cucumber and mutton









* Lovebird in the hotel







4/26 A, V and Fire stayed at the Liuhua Complex; Crab, Marco who looks like Colin Firth and I went for sourcing at the new Pazhou Complex. Pazhou Complex is made up of two centres, and now constructing another two centres. The complex is huge but quite remote, and Marco said HKCEC is much more beautiful. Thank you. While we passed a booth hung up all chains Marco asked if I like playing with the chains. I replied no. Then he told Crab, "She does not like SM." (!!!) They laughed and talked in Dutch again and again since. To put a word of Ms A, "They must be talking dirty things." Sure. At 2p.m., we sent Marco off to MTR station for gather with Fire and Ms A to Hong Kong. We then went back to the complex and wait for an hour before getting on the first coach at 5p.m. back to hotel. Dinner at a steak house where the food looked good but… roasted duck breast was too tough to cut by a saw, cheese cake and tiramisu are iced to hard like a brick. The restaurant manager explained traditional cakes have to be put into fridge, but I wondered he meant freezer. We could not press the spoon into the cake. The most shocked thing is the waiter said he could reheat them with microwave oven. What!? After the meal, Crab suggested to have foot massage so we walked two hours (and consulted a Hotel manager) for a qualified foot massage centre. This is a good one. It is amazing that my feet and legs (and myself) were exhausted but turned out feeling light. The hot old ginger made me hot but comfortable. Following the master massage my knees and thighs, the great painfulness in my right thigh made me mute. After all, I had my best sleep ever.






* Pazhou Complex with a mascot looks alike Doraemon






* my roasted duck breast, looks pretty, but tough





4/27 The sleep was too nice to get up the next morning. Just a quick but rich breakfast we jumped to a van towards a factory meeting. On the way they slept at the back while I kept talking to the driver. One reason was I am talkative, the other reason was I do not sleep at the front seat. With the tight schedule, we visited a wholesale centre and found several of our products being copied; one of our previous suppliers produced a double of our products with a factory and sell at the wholesale centre.

In the evening, we took a train to Shenzhen and transit to Hong Kong.

I was exhausted but, happy.

A little donation

2:28 p.m. on 12th May, Gertie-Yunis was at home, sitting in front the computer, working hard for a company project. I knew nothing about the devastating earthquake in Sichuan until the radio news at 2:30 p.m.

All happened unexpectedly. I could not help to hold my tears when I saw the survivors fleeing from the earthquake-stricken areas, and crying for their missing or dead relatives and friends. It is miserable. However, there are many heroes. Many fathers and mothers and teachers sacrificed themselves to save their kids and students.

Though they lost their homes, they are eager to fight for their life; on the contrary, in Hong Kong where has no natural disaster, some people choose to end their life just because of unhappiness or a breakup…

However, there are news stated that many animals had abnormal behaviour before the earthquake e.g. over ten thousands of toads run away from fields, animals in the zoo acted anxiety, and only humans alerted nothing.

All I can help is to donate as much money as I can. I only hope the money can really help the victims, not being stolen by greedy officers

New job, new beginning

Thursday 3rd April 2007 was my last day at company S. Starting from Monday 7th April, Gertie-Yunis will join a new company.

I worked in an American company which has over 500 staff in Hong Kong office. Now I will switch to a European company which there are only 7 staff (including me) in Hong Kong office. How would it be? My parents and friends warned me that I will have to do everything in a small company. I might have to work very hard. I think it could be a good opportunity to learn more than in a big company. Even it sounds dangerous to make tours to China factories every month, as long as the transport is arranged by company and factories, it will be safe.

In addition, Gertie-Yunis works from 9a.m. to 10p.m. In fact, I arrived at office at 8:30a.m. In company S, I need to work from 7:30a.m. till 11p.m. for two whole months in October and January, plus heavy work. I am used to work very hard.

The other reason beckoned Gertie-Yunis is, the new company pays much higher. S is big, but big does not mean good. My salary has been pulled down.

Gertie-Yunis never worry about being fired because of excellent attendance record, works very hard and gets low paid. But I made up my mind to fire the boss, for money, prospect and other reasons.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Gertie-Yunis have to stay with family for this long weekend.

It is really good to catch up some sleep as I do not sleep much during working days. However, momi woke me up around 7 o'clock every morning.

Holiday means Happy to dadi, because it is His holiday. After got up early, momi and I worked together to scrub the floor, wash and hang the washing on the line to dry, and cook a lunch, so when dadi got home at noon, he could enjoy the meal and had his favorite afternoon nap.

After lunch, I leaf through some magazines, search the job hunting websites, chat with friends, then select some photos of brother's wedding dinner with momi, and take them to photo studio to develop.

Due to the unstable weather, momi is struggling with pains from fingers of the left to her neck, both dadi and I also feel "rheumatism" on our shoulders, so we visited our Uncle who is once a practitioner of Chinese medicine. Then he discovered that several bones of neck and backbones are not at the proper position. So Uncle helped to put them back. While my bones "kur-la" I "Wahhhh~", but feeling much released.

On Sunday morning, we went to Gold Coast. It was noon, not many tourists around and only a few stalls were opened. So we went for lunch: Donar Kabab (very different from the one I had in England), Curry Lamb with Naan (slightly spicy, the lamb was fresh and soft), Ham-Cheese & Mushroom Pizza (Feta Cheese smelled good, but I was full after tasted one and a half slice of the pizza), and we ordered a Sweet Lazzi, Mango Lazzi and a Cream Soda. All cost us only HKD211, excellent. I paid the bill, just to celebrate parents' 34th anniversary. At night, I found some acnes on my face! The curry!

I did not spend the four-day-long holiday abroad, just stay with my family and catch up some sleep is so enjoyable.

This sales lady is really...

After paid dadi's aunt a courtesy call on the fourth day of Chinese New Year (Sunday), we went home via Shatin New Town Plaza, so we strolled around. Momi was attracted by a pair of gray short boots with patent leather and lace which costs only HKD100 in a big sale at a boutique called P.I.T. nearby the train station.

A sales lady named Candy promoted the shoes to my mom, but dadi did not like the idea to buy shoes during New Year. This sales lady smiled at first that nothing is a taboo but became impatient when my dadi murmured a few times. "Nothing is a taboo in our industry otherwise, we cannot do business!" We just ignored her since momi was really fond of the short boots, so she asked for a new pair.

"OOCH!" momi's foot was nearly hurt when she tried the boot. A very slim nail was found inside the boot. However, the sales lady said there was nothing inside just by a quick touch, so momi told her to feel the place. Then she inexpressively went for a new pair.

So we got a new pair. But immediately I found there were not only some spots of color difference but also two clear "ditches" on the front. This Candy said they were glue that can be removed but, how can she remove those "ditches"? Momi still wanted another new pair but when she saw this sales lady pulled a long face, she gave it up.

Just at the time, this sales lady Candy complained, "Why don't tell earlier you are not buying, Ms?" turned and left immediately. What a manner? Is there any rule we have to buy what we have tried? Is there any reason consumer has to buy something no satisfy? We do want to buy something. I've never heard "tell earlier if not buying".

I wonder how this Candy pulls a long face and complains to a customer. She does not fit into a sales job.

Happy New Year 2008 the Year of Rat

Happy New Year!

I wish you all a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy Year of Rat.
2008 is a year full of hope. Gertie-Yunis has to set targets and go for them.

1. Get an ideal job, get promoted, raise the salary, normal working hours, never again to work a month continuously from 7:30 a.m. to unknown time to off without a day-off (it is hard to recover no matter how many facial treatments I have).

2. Take a master course, but need to know which course I want to take as soon as possible: Marketing, Finance, Interior Design…

3. Travel around the world, eager to visit galleries in Europe, especially Uffizi of Firenze, Lourve of Paris; visit Santa Clause and his village; see sakura and red leaves in Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya, to experience the snowy day in Hokkaido; go to Egypt, Greece, Vienna; visit New Zealand by working holiday before 30 years old…

4. Good health -- I wish all my family, friends, relatives and Dai-guai May May have good health. No more sensitive nose, no more sensitive / allergic skin, no more acnes, all scars disappear.

5. Improve personal relationship: self-protection but also be tactful, more communication with others, and be the old self -- positive, optimistic and active.

6. Slow down when speaking: be patient, speak slower that every one can hear comfortably and clearly.

7. Get back my skills: save my piano and drawing skills from out of practice, as well as English, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, just in case.

8. Exercises: my badminton friends who are either working in China or moved overseas. The main reason is I am lazy. I never like doing exercises. That is why I am so slow-witted. It is great not to be alone, not necessary to talk to, but have a company.

9. Have an ideal husband: he must love me and my family (including Dai-guai), has his career, has a desire to advance, loves family life, likes sports and has healthy lifestyle. He must not smoke or addict to alcohol or speak dirty language or addict to famous brand or ani-com or games. That is not too demanding.

Fire around the hill

A hill fire has broken out yesterday at 2:24p.m. on Por Lo Shan in Tuen Mun. About 30 walkers were trapped and later being rescued by fire fighters. The hill fire later became grade three wildfire and has threatened the Tsing Shan Temple and Yeung Siu Hang Village where about 200 residents have to evacuate. The firedrake spreads over to the westside of the hill towards Lung Kwu Tan and is still burning. The scene of fire is over 300 hectare.

My momi takes a walk along this trail every Sunday and Gertie sometimes would join her. I remember there was a hill fire that not long ago, and fire breaks out again. This hill is already like the Rocky Mountain, and just rank with trees and grasses after rich rainfall this year. It's sad that this fire has burnt the lovely trees and greenly grasses in a second but it may take 20 years to recover.

However, in my memory, this hill often catches fires since in my childhood, then helicopter flow back and forth to deliver "water bomb", but the fires were not as fierce.

Did the plants start fire itself because of too dry, or did someone throw a cigarette end carelessly?

How are the terrapins and goldfish at the hill?

Oh please all fire fighters, flying service and civil aids keep on putting out the fire, save the plants!

* after 6p.m. on 1/1/2008

* after 9p.m.