Day 6 - Company Visits and Lion Dances

Early in the morning, we visited Fang Da company.








Introduction of the company by the General Manager, though he seems more passionate about telling us the products his company manufactures, including innovative materials for buildings and LED lights.

With regards to my question on leadership, he has an open door policy that allows employees to come and go as they please. According to him, that was how he managed to secure the position in the first place - because someone else had left.



There's Rita making herself comfortable. Oh wait, or is she feeling cold? Ann, share your jacket, don't be selfish! =p





Next off, we went to Overseas Chinese Town, which "embraces the theme parks of Splendid China, the China Folk Culture Villages, Window of the World and Happy Valley. The parks feature a wide variety of replicas of natural scenery and historical architecture, reflecting the essence of traditional Chinese and international culture. The area serves as a model for the city in urban planning, construction and horticulture."

Source: >http://www.chinats.com/shenzhen/shenzhen1030.htm


A pity we did not get to tour the actual ground of Overseas Chinese Town as seen in the models.





Instead, we visited an art exhibition, memorable because after the day, the artwork would be all destroyed, in a bid against commercialisation.

Front: Sandy, Eric, Me
Back: Ann, Ken, Forian







In the afternoon after the visits, we were subjected to the toughest challenge yet. First, we were made to untangle one another while formed up in a circle and everyone holding everyone else's hands (you get the idea).

Thanks to the Group 2's faith that never gave up, and Vicky's cool thinking. This is a scene of our next challenge.



There's Forian holding the fruit of our labour the whole afternoon! It took the entire Group 2 united as one, over heated discussions and rushing to buy materials before spending 2 whole hours on the lion, big-headed buddha and rhyming couplets. I'm sure this is the moment we're all most proud of.



Truimphant look on our faces as we pose for the camera. Everyone had a part to play, the leaders of our area of specialization, in order to meet the deadline for the performance.




After acting as the Big-Headed Buddha, "大头佛", it's time for a change! Thanks to 姚奎 for helping me hold bear bear, the trophy that testifies our achievement as a group and symbolises our bond. Group 2!!





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Day 7 - Shenzhen City Tour!

Mr Frank Braeuer, General Manager of International Cargo Center, Shenzhen shares with us some Global Economic Perspectives, mainly his opinions and experiences on different cultures that he has worked with. Insightful and in-your-face style of devliery not everyone can stomach, but nonetheless a very eloquent speaker. He advises leaders to hone the skill that allows them to make the staff change by appealing more to their emotions rather than their rational sides, as it makes the change come from within.





Lunch at a Mexican Restaurant, hurry, we'll go shopping after this!












Wow, creative way of using the space on the Metro to advertise!










This is the "ticket" to take the Metro. There wasn't a slot at the turnstile to insert it though: due to its coin shape we'd concluded that it must go in somewhere. WRONG!



Then we realised that it is a contactless credit "coin" to be placed on the reader. HCI (Human Computer Interface) failure to have made it round?



In the evening, after chilling at Starbucks, we headed down to 中国民俗文化村 (China Folk Culture Villages) and watched the performance "Dancing with the Dragon and the Phoenix", <<龙凤舞中华>>.

This is the beautiful interior design of the waiting hall.




Here is a scene from the spectacular show, depicting a wedding ceremony. Flashy laser lights and pyrotechnics added to the effects together with the energy from the sheer number of dancing performers on the stage (must have been over a hundred).

Only complaint: seated in the open air, cigarette smoke diffused from all directions =(



How'd she do that? She appeared to float in mid-air, as if coming from another dimension!





After the breath-taking show, we visited the water splashing festival, where we just missed the action. This is where they slugged it out (with basins). Poor Forian cut his fingers here, among many others who must have held the basins too tightly.






Well, you can't please everyone, but I'd rather we spent the day touring the Village and other places that promoted Chinese culture rather than going shopping.


Thank you to our OC's who put in their sweat and tears to ensure everything went on well. And our Group 2 leader, Ken, for making sure everyone was around before moving off. Though there was tension, it dissipated into nothing but cheerful bantering at the end of the day, whew!

Click here for all photos taken on this day!