Embracing the similarities not the differences

If I had only focused on the China's differences I would have packed my bags long ago. Of course there are differences. They are as plain as the comparatively big nose on my face. But there are so many similarities, and I have taken these common threads, and woven myself into China's rich tapestry of life.

And so have oodles of China expats like me.

When I first started working in Beijing nearly two years ago I felt a little nervous. How was I going to fit in with my Chinese co-workers? How was I going to correct their work? Is there a Chinese way of doing things?

All those "insiders guides" about China are filled with hints. Never point your finger, never stare directly into the eyes of a Chinese when speaking, never say no, and don't ever get angry. It was like some 1950s guidebook for the hill tribes of wildest Borneo.

I learnt a new Chinese phrase, which addresses this advice. Luanshuo (talking a load of rubbish).

I binned the books, behaved exactly the way I did in my Sydney office, and focused at the job in front of me. My Chinese employers hired me because of my newspaper expertise so I focused on the work and not on those alleged Chinese behavioral traits.

Laying out a newspaper is a visual affair, and when explaining best practices, it was easier to show rather than tell. I displayed examples of good layouts from all over the world and explained the universal principles of newspaper design. Use striking pictures and catchy headlines to grab a reader's interest. Write captions that tease the reader into the full story. Massage the words to make the story sing. Does it hook a reader from the get-go?

If not, have another go.

I love newspapers. I shared my passion from the start. I soon discovered my colleagues loved newspapers too and wanted to make the best paper possible. We were on the same page.

Clear communication and common courtesy were vital.

When corrections were needed, there were fundamental principles to call on. Never personal criticism, it was always constructive. Opinions differed, but there was rarely conflict. During this time I pointed my finger, looked people directly into the eyes when I talked, got angry over boring stories, said no 1,000 times and raised my voice. "Ayiya." But there was no harm, no foul. It was nothing personal, it was just work.

My expats friends are sharing their skills and knowledge in the Chinese work place in different fields - in marketing, mining, engineering, music and teaching. I even have one American buddy Dale teaching Chinese pilots in Inner Mongolia the art of acrobatic flying.

We are not wearing Chinese tunics, tip-toeing around and reading too much into anything. We are just being ourselves. We are focusing on the similarities and not the differences.

And like Dale, we are all flying high.

(China Daily 03/03/2008 page10)