As I am sure most of you know sitting in a hotel in a foreign country with no-one to talk to and nowhere really to go is pretty high on the list of most lonely experiences on earth. Sitting there though I had time to reflect on the enormity of the leap I had made. Unable to sleep despite being exhausted I took a quick shower and decided to go and see what I could find in my new home.
Slightly worried about getting lost in a new city where I knew no-one I decided to stay close by the hotel. Just across the alley was a supermarket, always a great place to get a feel for local culture. In I headed determined to find something to eat and hopefully a packet of cigarettes to boost my dwindling supply.
It didn't take me long to realise that even the simple task of buying a packet of smokes was going to be a bit of a chore. In China you see supermarkets don't sell cigarettes the way I was used to. Instead of simply going to the counter, deciding what I wanted and paying I had to go through something of a wild goose chase. When you buy certain items in a Chinese supermarket you go to the counter and decide what you want as usual but from there it gets odd. Instead of paying and getting your stuff you are given a receipt and sent off to another desk to pay. Coming back with the receipt you have to hand that in at the first desk before you get what you paid for.
This doesn't seem all that difficult but when your understanding of the local language doesn't even reach to numbers it presents something of a challenge. Lots of hand gestures, scowls and a personal escort later I emerged feeling slightly dazed. At this point unbeknownst to me I was observed by my new boss, a woman who I was yet to meet. Seeing me wandering around slightly lost she quickly phoned Tony and sent him out to see if I needed any help.
In response to this summons Tony, who always seemed short on time decided the best option was to deliver me into the hands of some of the resident foreigners and let them deal with me. So grabbing a cab we headed out to yet another restaurant to meet the rest of the guys.
Rory McDonald is an online marketer and digital entrepreneur, co-founder of the Online Business Expert and passionate blogger.
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