When I was flying to China, the flight was playing an episode of Mr Bean and while I was watching it I realised that there is always a special message in every episode of Mr Bean. And that message is that whatever goes wrong, no matter how impossible things may seem, you should NEVER EVER QUIT.
The secret to success is keep going, no matter how hard things may seem, they will always get better and you will achieve amazing results. If you quit - you lose and you fail.
Mr Bean never quits. And that is often what makes Mr Bean so funny.
As for the Chinese character - they are so friendly and interested in other people and cultures, not because they want to be the same way, but because they have a genuine interest in other cultures. The Chinese are convinced of their own potential, they have no time to be thinking about what other people might think of them. Frankly, they do not care. They know where they are going and in almost all cases I came across they know how they are going to get there.
In restaurants I found that the service staff were not as good as in Korea. In Korea, politeness and courtesy are the watch words - in China the service standards are lacking. I felt that there was a lack of training in basic standards of service. I am sure this will change as more and more foreign visitors visit China, but it is something that needs addressing for China to become a world tourist hotspot.
As for the level of English, well, to be frank, this needs improving a lot. I came across no one in Harbin who spoke English well, even in the airport. I was staying in a three star hotel and none of the hotel staff could speak English and it was a little disappointing. As an English instructor I expect that all countries have a basic level of English ( I know perhaps a little arrogant). Whilst driving around the city many road signs are in Chinese and English, so there are clearly some attempts at English, but as for speaking the language, sadly there is little evidence of any language skills.
Finally, one area the Chinese appear to be poor at is efficiency. There were six checks or inspections at the airport, starting before I even checked in. It took one hour to get through to the departure lounge. On arrival at Incheon Airport it took only 25 minutes to get off the plane and out through the other side. Korean efficiency is one of the Korea’s strongest points. At one of the busiest times of the year, Incheon Airport has no difficulty dealing with the massive amount of travellers. London Heathrow could learn a lot from Incheon.
Here’s an image from the river side in Harbin. This was quite an extraordinary place as it was full of people flying kites and just walking around. There was nothing special here, just little stalls selling food and little gifts.
It has been nearly 6 years since I was last in China and the changes that have taken place are incredible. Firstly, the amount of construction work going on in China is huge. Almost every street and every road has a big construction project going on and these projects always seem to involve new hotels, shopping malls and boutiques.
Another notable change is the cars that the Chinese are driving. Volkswagon seem to have a corner on taxis (well, that is the case in Harbin) and the amount of new, large luxury cars being driven around is phenomenal. In many ways the roads resemble the roads in the UK or Ireland. There is a big bias toward European cars as well as Japanese. Very few American cars can be found here.
One of the biggest differences I noticed here was the fact that the Chinese are focussed on making money. Even in their educational establishments - the focus is on what you will do with your education to make money. I often find that in Korea (and forgive me if I am wrong in my assessment here) people go on to higher and higher education in the belief that just education alone will give you a successful future. In China the thinking is “education is good, but what do I have to do make this work for me?”. In Korea there often is no goal or plan - just education, education education. - Students have no idea how their education can help them transform pieces of educational paper into a successful career. In China they have worked that part out before they go on to higher education - they are so focussed and determined.
Not many photographic opportunities in Harbin. The city is going through a remarkable change with new buildings, shopping malls and hotels going up on almost every street. Now I understand the meaning of “growth”
So, I have posted a picture of the Irish countryside, while I take a few days to process the Harbin pictures - I hope you like it ^^
Living in Korea has given me the opportunity to see and feel what growth really is all about, but I have to admit that in China, the pace of growth in Korea is slow, very slow, by comparison.
Anyway, as usual it’s great to be back in Korea, I love Korea and I always look forward to coming back.
Here’s another picture done in HDR (High Definition Range) It probably wasn’t the best picture to do an HDR on, but I just wanted to experiment with the wonderful tool in Photoshop.
Now for the updated news …. On Sunday I shall be leaving for Harbin in China. I shall of course be taking my camera with me and I shall be trying out some new techniques I have learnt from many wonderful photographers including Ben Wilmore, Scott Kelby and Bert Monroy.
Also, check out this website. The website is called “Flashflavor” and is a wedding photography blog. The images here so just amazing and Matt Adcock knows just how to use his imagination and creativity to create that perfect picture.
Well, that’s it for now. Have a great Chu Seouk holiday (for everyone in Korea) and for the rest of you - have a great weekend and talk to you soon.
It’s a sad day for Chelsea FC today - Their manager Jose Mourinho has resigned and left the club.
This guy was such a funny guy - I am not a Chelsea fan (I am an Arsenal Fan) but I just loved this guy. He had a fantastic character and he was just such a fantastic manager. I hope he will not leave the Premier league.
To see why Jose was such a superstar click here to see some of his interviews. They are so funny and his portuguese accent is just so sexy
Amazing news!!! The guys who produce Photoshop User TV have just started a new podcast (a video one as well called “Layers TV” - This is a podcast for everything Adobe - So if you use Adobe products such as Flash, Dreamweaver or Indesign then you have just got to check out this podcast. I have been waiting for a way to learn Flash - and now thanks to the guys, Corey and RC, I have just that - All I can say is thanks guys !! Click here to watch episode 1
Take a look at Mark Kim’s blog for some interesting posts recently Of course I am going to say that because they are pictures of me^^ Click here
Finally, check out this article from the Telegraph newspaper about personal service. I just have to agree with this. We need personalisation back and less robots - Click here to view the article.
It is with great sadness that I heard the news that the former British World Rally Champion, Colin McRae, and his young son died in a helicopter accident over the weekend. Colin was only 39 years old and was an amazing ambassador for the sport of rallying.
I was fortunate enough to have met Colin twice, and on each occasion he was kind and friendly, pausing to sign autographs for both myself and the many kids hanging around.
He was a true gentleman and sportsman and the world will miss him very much. My condolences go to his family on this very sad day.
For more on Colin McRae go to the BBC’s tribute to this amazing guy and you can see his life in pictures by clicking here
Please also read this entry on the Telegraph Newspaper Blog - It demonstrates what an incredible man Colin McRae was. - I leave you with this video tribute
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