Chapter 10: Business Etiquette

            Chinese people address each other with their surname, thankfully my surname is Yuē Shū Yà. Yuē Shū Yà, stands for Joshua in mandarin. Once you greet a Chinese business man with your surname, you should make eye contact, shake his hand, and nod gently. You should never get caught up with bowing. Chinese people are very casual and mellow. After you introduce yourself, you should hand your business car with both hands. Make sure the text is upright so your new friend can read it. If someone ever hand you a business card always accept it with two hands and never put it in your back pocket. If you grab a business card with one hand and put it in your back pocket, your basically playing front hand- back hand with their face (shout out to 104A and Key and Peele).

            China has a simple dress code; dress the part you are playing. If you’re an attorney, you should dress like an attorney. If you’re a scientist, you’re required to dress like a scientist. Don’t underdress or overdress, just be yourself. I always wear polo, jeans, and a nice pair to shoes to work every day. I’m always fascinated by what my co-workers wear to work every day. I always see people in sweat pants, shorts, tank tops, and regular T-shirts. I know I just told you to not “over dress”, but when you’re an intern and your trying to make a name for yourself, It’s ok to over dress a little bit.

            In the photo below you see me and my co-workers. We got off work and we all went to get ice cream. Notice how I am the only one wearing a polo. Freddie is wearing a normal white shirt and flora is wearing a jacket and a shirt. Oh we also played “don’t let the balloon touch the ground” in the middle of the Ice cream store, it was my boss’s idea.