Friday 16th and Saturday 17th October 2009

The Canton Trade Fair aka, The China Import and Export Fair is huge. It's unbelievably massive with booth after booth and stall after stall of companies showing off their products in hopes of increasing sales. We were rich - “rich” enough to take two spaces together giving us a grand total of 18 square metres, which when you think about it isn't all that much. But we have the most awesomest stand that during the setup stage, competitors kept coming to look at our stand, take notes and sneakily tried to take pictures. Hahaha

First day of the fair was pretty boring, the number of people who visited us wasn't as many as we'd expected it to be but it was fairly constant. Bronwyn, Robert and Masoud did come by to say hi which was really nice of them.

I think the highlight of my day was bumping into all these Aussies interested in buying our products. Everytime I spoke, they were always so surprised that my English was so good. =) (and vice versa when Chinese people ask me questions in Mando and i'm like WTF?). What's funnier is when they pick up on my Australian accent.

There was this one guy who was interested in buying our products as he has a building company in Sydney. What was coincidental was that he use to build houses in Hurstville so that was pretty cool to meet someone who knows the area you live in all the way in China. Of course, he's someone who would have an awesome beachfront house in Cronulla also.

And Chinese maccas is just not good enough. Their fries taste weird and their beef patties aren't really beefy. The taro pie was an experience but surprisingly, I didn't like it so much. And their nuggets are fail.

It got pretty busy today – very constant with what seemed like some very serious buyers. Good for us. There was this one Nigerian guy who was loud and kept saying that our prices were too high (well mate, in China you get what you pay for). Anyway, he bought a sample off us but was rather displeased about the fact that we charged for samples. Whilst I and another one of the girls were having lunch (maccas again, of course), he walks past and was like...

”you used my money to buy maccas?”

LOL. ROFL. LOL. YES WE DID WHAT R U GONNA DO ABOUT IT.

And then there was the time we were all back at the booth whilst the boss was having lunch. And we were cracking jokes about how he's always checking out the hot chicks who walk past. And one of the girls was saying something about him when he sneaked up on us. HAHAHAH. OMG had the biggest laugh ever cause he had this glare that wouldn't scare a mouse. And we were all cracking up really bad (sooo professional eh). So obviously, he was able to figure we were talking about him and makes each of us go for a walk around with him to see if he could get any info out of us. =D ROFL. No can do mate.

Had to go back to the office for singing and dancing rehearsal for tomorrow night's party: The company is turning 13! So I have to pretend that I can sing this Chinese song and then I have to wave a pompom around while Robert and Bronnie sing “Celebration”. LOL embarrassment to the max. We even have a uniform (my department is special and we got to buy our own – white shirt, black skirt, NO TIE). Better than the standard thing other people will be wearing.

The boss went crazy with our rehearsal... stayed until like 9. Then had a bit of dinner (113 yuan for 9 people is just unbelievably cheap) before we all headed our separate ways in cabs.

I did my washing tonight (or the washing machine is doing my washing...). And it was good to talk to Jan tonight to keep me posted of whats going on in Sydney. Farewell without me?? Fine. And i'm so touched grandma misses me...