October 22nd: Chicken Bouillons!!! Made in China?!

Fei Fei and I... Iron Chief status??...

On this fine Saturday morning, I was fortunate enough to travel with my SUFE program classmates to Totole for a company visit. All expenses for this trip was covered through our program, thanks Wang Kai! :p


Totole's slogan Art

For the first part of our visit, Totole's spokesperson gave us a brief introduction to this company.
According to the brief presentation, the following list of characteristics about Totole are what stood out to me:
1. Totole was able to boost its sales by making unique commercials, with themes such as: affection, Chef, karate, and family.
2. It donates lots of money to Hope Primary school in order to provide more schooling for the poor.
3. Also in 2008, it donated millions of RMB to support the disaster caused by the SiChun earthquake.
4. Totole provided a total of 4 "earthquake food drives" which cost a million RMB for each drive.
5. Being a Chinese company, it is quite surprising to me that all Totole plants have met FDA hygiene standards, which allow them to import thier products abroad.
6. Lastly, the work place is very people oriented, the plant provides a very good nature ish working environment for its employees.

Based on the belief of \"bringing more palatable taste to the 1.3 billion people\", TOTOLE has undertaken relentless proactive moves to research and develop new condiments. With strong support from the powerful R&D team, the corporation has achieved a secured resource for a continuous roll-out of leading products.

Totole is a joint venture with Nestle, with 80% of the company owned by Nestle. Totole is famous for its granulated chicken bouillon product. During our visit, we were able to witness the production line of this product. If I remember correctly, for the making of Totole's granulated chicken bouillon, a 1000-1500 chickens are used every hour, and upwards toward a 100,000 chickens a week. Think about it!! damn, that's a lot of white meat! mmmhh

After our short tour of the production line, we were escorted to their kitchen. One of their top chiefs greeted and hosted us. He taught us how to cook 4 local dishes. As a group of 12 people, we split up into to groups of 3 and took turns cooking. We cooked: tomato egg soup, boiled celery with squid, Chinese meatballs named (Lion's head- 狮子头), and fried chicken strips.
Of course all dishes were topped of with their special flavoring products.

Overall, I was quite satisfied with the dishes we made :) It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. I am confident to say that I will be able to repeat these dishes in my own kitchen or dorm room haha. However, there was one downside to its chicken flavoring product. The more you ate, the more numb your tongue and lips feel, but at the same time it has such a good flavor that will make you not able to stop eating.
Its like drug I tell you haha... and a smart business plan.. At the end of our visit, they gave us each a packet of their famous product, probably trying to brainwash us and turn us into Totole lovers... idk, its China alright, anything is possible!


Our group made the celery and Squid "Fruits of labor"


My group and I with the Master Chef
再见 for now!!
Peace,
-Mo

9/26/2011: More Than Just a Company Visit

Me standing in the lobby of the pharmaceutical company

Xiang-Xue Pharmaceutical CO., LTD. (香雪制药股份有限公司) was started in Guang-Zhou city (广洲) on December 29, 1997. This company work as a research-based pharmaceutical and medicine industry, which combine western pharmaceuticals, biomedical and medicinal plant engineering. It uses its advanced technology to create an all-in-one modern standard high-tech pharmaceutical enterprise. It focuses on the production of aerosols, tablets, hard capsules, granules, oral liquid, adhesives, and oral solution.

The facilities of Xiang-Xue Pharmaceutical cover 57,00 square feet. Within other parts of Guang-Zhou, there are also more medicine related facilities being build. In order to insure top quality operation, the company installed its own fingerprint quality control system. In year 2003, this company played an important role in supporting the necessary medicine during the SARS breakout. During year 2006, Xiang-Xue introduced a new product called “supernatant herbal tea drink”. This drink is especially beneficial during hot summer days, as it helps prevent heat stroke. Our group was actually fortunate enough to try one can each; I actually quite enjoyed the taste, it was refreshing.

In year 2007, Xiang-Xue collaborated with Cambridge University in United Kingdom and conducted intensive medicine research. For example, they experimented with possible cure medicine (bandage/pain-patch looking) for people with Alzheimer’s. Due to the collaboration, Xiang-Xue was soon recognized as the most advanced pharmaceutical company in China.

In year 2008, after five years of intensive research, Xiang-Xue’s “Anti-bacteria oral solution” (抗病毒口服液) passed health inspection and received government approval to be marketed. During the Xiang-Xue corporate visit last week, Xiang-Xue’s “Anti-bacteria oral solution” was introduced by the management team as the number one medicine product in Asia. The “Anti-bacteria oral solution,” is used for cooling blood detoxification, sore throat, and general nasual infections. This product was also quoated by the Price Management department of Guangdong as a "high-quality product at a competitive price”.

On April 15, 2009, Xiang-Xue Pharmacuetical entered into an agreement with the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee, officially signed on as the "Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games drug suppliers." This served as a huge boost to the companies image, as it was advertised heavily throughout the duration of the Asian Games.

One thing that stood out to me during the introduction meeting was the difference between Western medicine (西药) and Chinese medicine (中药). As you probably already know, Western medicine is normally only consumed during the period when a person is ill. However, Chinese medicine can be taken daily to improve your immune system, and it can also be taken before, during, or after the person is ill. In other words, Chinese medicine focuses on providing a person with a healthier life style around the clock, whereas, the Western medicine only focuses on providing a person with a healthy solution when it is desperately needed. The difference between the two types of medicine clearly resembles why more Americans are obese, and have a shorter lifespan; compared to Asians, who tend to live a longer and healthier life, because they take care of themselves, daily, whereas, the Americans only look after themselves once they are already sick.

During the “questions and answers” section of the meeting, I raised a question: “Although the products manufactured by Xiang-Xue are currently only sold in China, do you think Xiang-Xue will be able to market its Chinese medicine to the Western market?” The project manager responded: “even though Chinese medicine is still fairly new in the Western market, but is confident that in the near future, Xiang-Xue’s number-one product, “Anti-bacteria oral solution”, will be sold well in both Europe and America.”

Briefly after the introduction meeting on Xiang-Xue, we were escorted through their facilities and to their dining hall. However, it was not an ordinary dinning hall, it was more like a five-star restaurant. The waiters and waitresses were pleasant and diligent on delivering our high quality healthy herbal lunch. It was the first time in the four weeks of being in China that I had a “family-style” meal that did not turn my face into a grease ball. The meal ranged from, “flower pork soup”, fish served with mango, 山药 (literally meaning Mountain Medicine) wrapped with bacon, tofu with mushrooms, sweet & sour chicken, to herbal jelly for desert.

Overall, this lunch was one of the best lunches I have had during my stay in China. It is quite outstanding how a pharmaceutical company can not only produce top quality products, but also at the same time provide a great dining experience for its employees and visitors. There are not many companies that can meet both of the above criteria’s. This visit of the Xiang-Xue Pharmaceutical CO., LTD. was by far the best enriching experience I have received from a company visit.

"The #1, Anti-bacteria oral solution" [Hair nets was required for the company tour]

The top right is yam with wrapped bacon and bottom left is tofu.

September 25, 2011: Tour of 广洲 city:

We toured the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family – also called Chen clan Academy of Chen’s Lineage Hall, which was a place for offering up sacrifices to ancestors. Now it serves as Guangdong Museum of Folk Arts and Crafts.
Shortly after, we visited the Guangzhou Museum, where we explored exhibits from pre-historic to the present.
Then we visited the Lychee Bay area, where my friends and I tried the famous water-chestnut jelly. It was actually not that good haha. Then we toured Shamian Island. Shamian Island was an important port for 广洲’s foreign trade from the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.


A bedtime protector for the king Us chilling outside of the museum

The entrance of the Guangzhou Museum


Apparently this dragon head is where the water come through, and this is how the people told time back in the day.


Lychee Bay Area (荔枝弯) Holla! From left: Chilling with Edward, Fei Fei, and Jae


Dinner was up to your own preference. Alliance gave us each $40 RMB for dinner. Of couse, I cannot say no to SUSHI!! The salmon sa-shi-me (left picuture) and 3 types of salmon on the right. Overall, I really like the sushi dinner, everything was super fresh. The salmon sa-shi-me is almost worth dying for. Overall, I only spent $30 RMB of my own money for this great dining experience.


The group I was with in Shamian Island, with a lovely view for our picture.

September 24, 2011: Departing SUFE for 广洲:

“Come on guys, lets go, lets go!!” were the words I heard while laying in my bed in room 925 at the SUFE dormitory. Apparently, I over slept my alarm, which was set at 5:45am. With my phone magically in the palm of my hand (apparently I nonchalantly turned off my alarm in my sleep), I woke at 6:15am. Bus was leaving at 6:20am; I was in a panic mode. Threw on some clothes, double checked my bags and my room, and got the hell out of SUFE.

11 am, our group of 28 students/coordinator arrived in our first destination, 广洲 (GuangZhou). We had a group lunch at a 朝州菜饭馆.

Shortly after lunch, we toured the new CBD, "Huacheng" (literally, "flower city") Road and Haisinsha Island, where 2010 Asian Games' opening and closing ceremonies were held.

Everything is made out of flower. Even the Big thumb.

Afterward, we toured the Zhujiang Brewery. We learned about the company’s sales marketing strategies, and toured their assembly production-line facilities. In the end, we were rewarded with a nice glass of fresh brewed beer :)

If only beers were this size...not... The amazing assembly line

For dinner, our group paid a short visit to a Sichuan cuisine restaurant. Overall, the food was delicious, but of course quite oily. To sum up the evening, we visited the Canton TV Tower. We were over looking the nightlife of 广洲 city on the 108^th floor of Canton Tower. It was an interesting experience. Some of us even took pictures on the extended glass platform, which allowed us to look straight down through the glass for all 108 floors.

The magnificent Canton tower The view from the 108th floor

Me at the 108 Floor, no big deal

Shanghai Propaganda Art Centre with an Bonus of M50 art museums

The above two posters used to be known as Calendar Poster as they were used commercially to promote the western goods such as cigarettes, medicine and so on in the 1930s and 1940s.

I found these posters to be way over the top. The poster on the left is promoting 上等电池 (top quality batteries) and the poster on the right is promoting 烟草 (cigarettes).

If I did not know how to read the Chinese characters, I would never even come close guessing what these posters were trying to promote. I would of thought one was trying sell bunnies and the other one, furniture... maybe?!

This was their way to lure in potential customers to purchase their products. Back in the 30s and 40s, people of Shanghai had a knack for pretty girls. Who wouldn't right?? So the marketing people came up with a slogan that translates to something like this: "You like pretty girls? We have pretty girls on our products, if you buy our batteries, people will think you are high class."

The cigarette poster depicts a group of family members have a wonderful time. It was trying to tell its potential customers that if you smoke their cigarettes, you will have a good life and good time with the family, which is totally the opposite of the commercials today. Today, commercials will warn people about the potential cancer risk you can get from smoking to much.


Me at M50, standing in front of what appears The M50 Art Center
to be modern art, but to me it looks like:
humans were evolved from dinosaurs!?!

Do not know what the Artist was thinking when he or she painted these paintings, but they sure look interesting to me.

I am usually not a big fan of art, but this Art Museum tour with my Alliance program made me appreciate art a little more. I guess I am attracted to the kind of Art that is more "out there" and "odd looking" instead of the typical art paintings.

再见 for now!
-Morrison

Week 1: The adaption process.

The view outside of my dorm. And the place where I intern.



Shanghai, the eighth largest city of the world is also the largest city in China. Located on the banks of Yangtze River, Shanghai is spread over an area of 2,239 square miles. Besides being the largest industrial set up in the country, Shanghai is home to around 20 million people.

It has been a little over two weeks now since I have set foot on this overpopulated city. I am currently studying at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE). It is located in the Hong Ko District, which is about a 40 min subway ride away from the bund/financial district. Our campus is fairly decent in size, and surrounded with many trees.

For us "study abroad" students, traveling to classes, cafeteria and gym has never been easier. All three locations are within a two minute walk from our twelve stories high dormitory building.

The classes here have definitely been taught different than those of Elmhursts'. The Chinese language course is the most intensive class in this program. With 12 in-class hours of Chinese per week, about 12 more hours per week is needed for homework and reviews outside of class. I also have two additional classes, both 3 hours per week, taught in English. The classes are Economic Giant and International Money and Finance. Lastly, I also have an internship which is an hour commute each way. The company I intern for about 10 hours a week is called Vanceinfo (文思).

VanceInfo Technologies Inc. is an IT service provider and one of the offshore software development companies in China. VanceInfo was the first China software development outsourcer listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It ranked number one among Chinese offshore software development service providers for the North American and European markets as measured by 2009 revenue, according to International Data Corporation (IDC).
*Please note: information taken straight for wikipedia.

I am currently interning in their car loans/finance department. Vanceinfo has been working out better ways to provide loans to anyone ranging from individuals to large firms, with their partner in the U.K. My job is to help them with the English barrier between China and the U.K. I will be doing some translation work, but I will also be fortunate enough to learn about the financial side of things within Vanceinfo. My project manager is also willing to talk to me about the stock market and how to invest in stocks.

Moreover, the teachers makes a very big deal about: "being on time for class", "no hats in class" and "no food in class". Most of the professors I have had back at Elmhurst were very lenient on the above rules. They basically allow students to do what they prefer. But over here, the teachers treat these actions as very disrespectful.

Growing up in Taiwan/Hawaii/around the world, made myself believe that its not possible to be culturally shocked. However, there are a couple things here in the very backstreet of our campus that have made me change my mind.

It was one of the first few days upon arriving here, I was taking a stroll down the backstreet, keeping a lookout for some potential breakfast foods, that I encountered something I have never seem before. A mid age lady was selling ducks. Okay, not so bad, right? However, she had about 15 ducks tied together and laid out on the seat of a moped. Then about 15 more stacked on top of each other in a little tray/basket thing. It was very bizarre for me to witness this, I thought I have seen all this type of stuff back in Taiwan, but I was wrong.

Another thing that threw a curve ball at me was the way some men would wear their shirts. I am sure most people must think of the word "modesty" when it comes to the way Asian people dress. I know for a fact that in Taiwan, everyone prefer to show as little skin as possible when their are walking on the streets. However, here in Shanghai, there are many men with their shirts pulled half way up and tucked in neatly at the collar, so a nice view of the belly and lower-back in shown. Or some just prefer to walk around without a shirt, no big deal.

Oh yeah one more thing, in most Asian countries, there are many 24/7 shops or at least shops will open till midnight or 1am. However, in China, Walmart closes at 10:30pm and other supermarkets closes at 9:30pm or earlier. It is very odd for me and something hard for me to get used to. Went out at 9:45pm last night to get some 牛奶 (milk) at the local supermarket. It was already CLOSED :( BOOM! REJECTED!

On the next blog, I will cover more about the scenic places I have been so far and also the differences in food and gym compared to America.

再見 (zai jian) Goodbye! For now.

-Morrison