Is there anyone here actually living in Guangzhou that knows about shipping to Toronto? I've been down to Xiaobei quite a bit and they qoute me insane prices per cubic meter. I've heard from one guy that it normally costs between $80 to $100 CAD per cubic meter. VP, maybe I should make an effort to network with guys like that but how many members of that forum actually live here in Guangzhou or know about the true nature of the Chinese?
I posted this on another forum but you've got to really really watch the factories outputting crap. I've just met a guy out in Dashadi that was trying to export autoparts home... anyway the factory
kept sending him crap in boxes with a few 'good quality' samples tossed over the lot so he moved out to Dong Guam just to be at the factory doing personal quality control. That happens here alot... meeting people is the easy part but meeting trustworthy Chinese people... thats a whole different ball game. Lying, Cheating and backstabbing are an everyday part of Chinese culture and you'd think it was just from the 'bad apples' but actually, pretty much every company I've worked with has shut down or had all of their expat employees flee after some form of treachery involving the terrible management of clients/money.
The only people I trust are other expats and I'm more than a little suspicious of any expat claiming to 'love it here'... as most of those guys go nuts within a few years, I'm nearly at that point myself... if it weren't for my wife, I would be on a plane bound for anywhere else at the drop of a hat. The 'love it in China' guys are usually either n00bs, people from 3rd world countries or real scumbags... I've yet to meet any longterm individual who doesn't hate some part of the culture, and that goes for both teachers and guys here running successful businesses. Being married to the mob, I get to see what Chinese REALLY think of foreigners... and let me tell you, it isn't nice.
Just as a side note here: I have two Chinese friends, one I met in BJ who didn't really want to be identified as a mainlander and another who is from Guangzhou and getting 'out' to America where his parents currently reside, he'll be bringing his long time girlfriend with him shortly after. Even my own wife is growing disgusted by the ultra shady business practices and when I met her she was a staunch defender of all things China.
China's business model basically boils down to this: Get money by any means necessary.
I posted this on another forum but you've got to really really watch the factories outputting crap. I've just met a guy out in Dashadi that was trying to export autoparts home... anyway the factory
kept sending him crap in boxes with a few 'good quality' samples tossed over the lot so he moved out to Dong Guam just to be at the factory doing personal quality control. That happens here alot... meeting people is the easy part but meeting trustworthy Chinese people... thats a whole different ball game. Lying, Cheating and backstabbing are an everyday part of Chinese culture and you'd think it was just from the 'bad apples' but actually, pretty much every company I've worked with has shut down or had all of their expat employees flee after some form of treachery involving the terrible management of clients/money.
The only people I trust are other expats and I'm more than a little suspicious of any expat claiming to 'love it here'... as most of those guys go nuts within a few years, I'm nearly at that point myself... if it weren't for my wife, I would be on a plane bound for anywhere else at the drop of a hat. The 'love it in China' guys are usually either n00bs, people from 3rd world countries or real scumbags... I've yet to meet any longterm individual who doesn't hate some part of the culture, and that goes for both teachers and guys here running successful businesses. Being married to the mob, I get to see what Chinese REALLY think of foreigners... and let me tell you, it isn't nice.
Just as a side note here: I have two Chinese friends, one I met in BJ who didn't really want to be identified as a mainlander and another who is from Guangzhou and getting 'out' to America where his parents currently reside, he'll be bringing his long time girlfriend with him shortly after. Even my own wife is growing disgusted by the ultra shady business practices and when I met her she was a staunch defender of all things China.
China's business model basically boils down to this: Get money by any means necessary.