Marketing Dude

From Drew

When my friend told me that Oceanwing, a Chinese company that designs and markets tech gadgetry, was looking for a marketing dude, I wasn’t really interested at first.  I still have another year of scholarship and need to research and produce a thesis to complete this MBA I’m working on.  But at my first interview with Oceanwing, the ideal aspects of this job started to catch my attention. 

• Chinese-language office environment but still applying my English skills to the US market
• Work and personal life reasonably balanced (not a workaholic work-is-life company)
• Management style more interested in improving than saving face (low power distance)

With the encouragement of my academic advisor, I decided to go for it.

A typical workday starts as Titus and I mount our bikes around 8 in the morning.  After I drop him off at preschool, I continue 7 miles through urban Chinese traffic to the office.  With temperatures already hitting 95 in May, a cold shower and change of clothes finish off my morning commute.

The job itself is creating / proofing / editing the text for customers in North America and Great Britain. This includes product descriptions, selling points, packaging materials and user manuals.  Besides writing, I spend a good deal of time hashing out content with others on the team.  It can be interesting, because some things just don’t translate.  Working “happy” into a product description of an external battery charger without sounding childish pushes the envelope a bit.  Negotiation and background explanations are really important, and even in just two weeks I have come to enjoy this aspect (wasn’t arguing always fun?)  I got to lead a couple meetings for the first time this week. 

Around 6pm I jump back on my bike for the ride home, beating the public bus by 20 minutes, and after another cold shower I am ready for family dinner. Altogether I'm away from home 8am - 6:30/7pm. 

Let me show you some of my work!

One of my roles is writing copy, aka catchy product descriptions.  There's actually tons of research and statistics determining how we market our gadgets.  I've got plenty of room for improvement -- see the rough drafts that I created in my first week on the job.  The main content is my work.  Graphic design and the slogan ("control just got laid back"?) is another guy. By the way, our brand is called Anker.

this is our brand and the English website: http://www.ianker.com/

the company website in Chinese: http://www.oceanwing.com/

Rachel and I are thankful for a good job right here in Changsha.  Our desire was to settle down sustainably in this city long-term and I think we can now.

Fire off any questions you got below in the comments.

We have our own dreams

What is your name?
My English name is Tommy. 


How old are you?
I'm thirteen years old.


What are you doing in this time of life?
I prepare to go to Singapore in August for my future. I will study there for maybe ten years.


Why do you want to go to Singapore?
Because my parents want me to go abroad to have a better life.


So then after ten years will you come back and live in China?
Yeah, and now every year I will go back to China for one time.


Have you already decided your career?
Maybe I want to be a doctor.


Tell me about your family.
There are four people in my family. My parents, my grandmother and I. My father is a doctor and he is a Christian. My mother in some way, she also is a doctor. My grandmother was retired. And I now am studying English  hard to go to Singapore.


When you're in Singapore, where will you live?
I will live others' house, maybe it's my friend or teacher. It's a host family.


How do you feel about moving to Singapore?
At the beginning, I felt excited but now in my opinion, it's difficult. I should learn English very well and change my mind from Chinese to English. I want to think in English.


What are you doing this week?
This week I stay in Drew & Rachel's home because I want to improve my speaking skill and also writing skill, and try living with a host family. Something miserable happened. My mobile phone was lost! On Saturday I will go to my mother's home, then on Sunday come back here. 


What do you like to do for fun and relaxation?
Maybe now I like to play computer games for fun. For relaxation, I like listening to some music.


Tell me something interesting about you.
I went to Hainan Island before. I stayed in a hotel near the sea. Everyday I swam in the sea. In that time I learned how to swim. I remember I was eight years old.


Describe your personality.
Most of the time I'm active. And when I encounter some unhappy things I also can be optimistic. 


What are your favorite foods?
I prefer to eat meat, especially sausages. As for vegetables, I like to eat some broccoli and lettuce. 


What are your favorite snacks?
I like some french fries with milk. 


Do you like to exercise?
Recently I do exercise every day. I run every morning and after supper I ride bike for one hour. But before I was lazy. 


Was your dad mad when you lost your phone?
No. My dad also was optimistic and he said he will buy a new one for me.


How did you lose the phone?
After English corner when I was in a taxi, the phone fell out without me noticing.


Do you know any jokes?
No. I forget all the jokes I have heard.


Tell me about your classmates or friends.
In my childhood there were a large number of friends the same age as me. After class we played together in the field. Sometimes we also played computer together. Now we are separated. We have our own dreams, so we can't help each other like before.

...

Tommy is staying with us this whole week, visiting his mother on Saturday. So far it's been fantastic! (Except as you read, he lost his phone.) We'll let you know how the rest of the week goes.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

loving the little years -- lessons, wisdom, refocusing 

friend delivering rehydration drink for Drew when he managed to get dehydrated with a bit of heat exhaustion

calling in sick and just staying home

ice cold water

morning lying in bed peacefulness

young polite bright self-sufficient helpful houseguest; a present and admirable big brother for our boys

ferns

'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus

sudden cool blustery showery day to thoroughly refresh our bodies, welcome repose from heat

whole family hundled around reading a storybook together, Titus Mike and Jon listening intently and smiling

thermal comfy pants

waves and smiles from the postman

cheery friend Yang Cong who is always giggling and eager to hang out

Yu Qian sensitively and genuinely reaching out, trying to make me feel included and affirmed

everyone enjoying the dinner I cooked which, remarkably, turned out to be scrumptious -- asparagus mushroom chicken

Drew in red dress pants, color for the office

Go Mai-Mai

We are really on a roll here with bicycle-related content!

Mai-Mai pedals his red ride everywhere we go. He's grown fast in the past couple months, and today both he and Jonathon registered for fall preschool. Mai-Mai's been saying, "I is go 小班！" (How do you like that sentence, half-English, half-Chinese with fledgling grammar...he means that he's going to first-year preschool class.)

This guy has transformed from my two year-old adversary into my almost three year-old best buddy. He is helpful, reasonable, polite, and cooperative.

Any statements about my children's behavior come with a crucial "most of the time" disclaimer!

Today, he's not been happy. It's only 93 degrees, but already Mai-Mai's developed a nasty case of heat rash all over his body -- the worst on his face. He looks like that fourteen year-old boy with the awful painful acne and you just feel sorry for the kid. Three extended bucket baths each day should cool and restore his skin soon.

I love this video. It's a memory of what I do many mornings in this season of life -- a trip to the vegetable market with my little boys, and hanging out with my good neighbor friend Yang Cong and her son Rui-Rui.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

sympathy-love notes/calls from my siblings

assurance "you're doing a good job at Tuesday night English corner and we like it"

lily and elegant vase from two really cool local sisters

running water

cool watermelon

meeting Qu Ya, who I've passed on the sidewalk so many times, and now we're finally friends

shared wisdom from expat moms who have homeschooled before me

just jolly thinking of Drew rafting on the river with coworkers on this beautiful day!

Auntie Wang to help when guests come -- she saves me an entire afternoon of prep and a late night of cleaning up

the knowledge: if I get nothing else done today besides loving and caring for my children, it was a wonderful and worthy day

realizing that I can never become a Chinese person, of course! and that's alright

There's only one plausible outcome

...when boys with bicycles meet swelling groundwater. 

counting the graces 

thank you Father

peaceful passing of Grandma Ruth, and a special time for mom and grandma together

Auntie Wang's stories

sleepy Jonathon nodding off in his high chair made us laugh

loving-leader husband never escalates or ignores a conflict between us; he is determined to keep us united

fresh waffles sold at the market

Mike is expressing himself more and we get to hear his ideas and see more of his unique personality
Mike says, "I is go 小班" (I want to go to first-year preschool)

pastel hydrangeas downstairs

5:00am sunrise

desire to know Jesus, not just knowledge of commentary on writings about him

humbled again because I am an outsider, sojourner, guest in this community

anticipating, feeling of being on the brink of change and clarity

4 Happy Birthday Candles

Our kids have developed an amusing habit of qualifying all birthday things as happy. "I want to eat happy birthday cake!" "When is gonna be my happy birthday?" "Can we open happy birthday presents now?" 

Jonathon blew out FOUR happy birthday candles last week!

Happy birthday morn started with a 6:30am big box opening.

Yeah! Got that new tricycle ready to roll before Dad had to be out the door at 8.
Jonathon is all about his new wheels and is already racking up big mileage.
(kilometerage? we've gone metric!)

Our motivated happy birthday boy polished off a bowl of sprinkle-coated ice cream, using a spoon, all by himself. This was an impressive and encouraging accomplishment for Jon; swallowing is tough business for him.

A happy birthday box arrived from Minnesota. Now our three boys sleep with blankets handmade by Nai Nai (Drew's mom) and on pillowcases handmade by Wai po (my mom). 

Titus had been asking for a kite, and in fact we planned to buy one this very day as a reward for doing his English lessons. When Jon opened his box, Ye Ye & Nai Nai had sent...a kite! God loves you Titus.

On the weekend we invited a few little friends over for Jonathon's happy birthday party. Two little boys from Butterfly Home came! I think it was a unique and valuable experience for them.

Crafts, games, cake & jello, singing and gifts -- Jonathon and his troop loved it all.

I think the happy birthday boy felt very special indeed.

"Thank you Wan Wan for my new hat!"

Jonathon perpetually dazzles us with his progress and enchants us with his gregarious personality. He has inner strength and resilience that I know nothing about... he's got more heart and character than anyone I have ever met. And he's barely four years old. 

Jonathon still needs a family to bring him home for keeps. As a friend wrote, Jonathon is both at home and waiting for home. He is safe and loved here with us and we have treated him with total sonship. But he really needs a permanent family. If you are potentially that family, please contact your adoption agency. Jonathon's file is classed as special focus, and you can find out more about his story on the Butterfly Home blog.

(We his direct caregivers cannot communicate with you in accordance with international adoption regulations. Thanks for understanding.)

counting the graces 

thank you Father for

Drew's new routine of riding bike to and from work every day

"he has washed us with his blood" yes, my sins are washed clean, even today's

surprise visit from two good friends, one with a burden to release

jammin guitar and violin with Drew, he is extra good-looking with that violin...

boatload of positive response emails from friends in the USA

being able to "stay home" with my children

rainbow in Changsha -- our first sighting! it was enormous! everyone was taking pictures with camera phones like some sort of spectacular phenomena!

Je ne sais pas Français!

In the most-fun family activity hosted by preschool yet, grandparents and parents met their kids at school on a Friday afternoon. With the teachers, we all hiked up the mountain to a secluded pavilion. The children created a mural to represent their own idea of spring. Titus painted a sailboat. 

Drew and I appreciate a chance to connect with other parents. I had a lovely time talking with a newer student's mama -- after ten years in France, she and her French husband have relocated back to Changsha with son Mo Mo. He's a nice little buddy to Titus and fluent in French as well as Chinese.

It's been cool talking with Mo Mo's daddy. 

Je ne sais pas Français!  Il ne sait pas l'anglais!  

(I don't know French! He doesn't know English!)

We communicate in Chinese. Nice guy.

Chinese as our medium for communication with random nationalities is pretty rad. Yemeni, Russian, German, Korean, Japanese, Saudi Arabian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Ghanaian, Angolan, Iraqi...

Iraqi. That reminds me. A couple years back the kids and I were played at the university track while a bunch of international students had a soccer game going in the field. Missed shot on the goal, I retrieved the ball. When I tossed it back, the athletic player asked me where I was from (all of this in Chinese). United States. And you? Iraq. He smiled kindly, handsome guy with curly hair, and made a playful little fist-fighting gesture. 战争, he said, which means, war. 

Ok. Regardless of your position on the war in Iraq... have you ever met and talked with a person from a nation with which your nation is currently at war? Have you? It was my first time. It was sobering, bizzarre, humbling, leveling, and made the whole thing feel completely misguided and ridiculous and embarrassing.

Sorry. What does one say in that moment, human-sister to human-brother?

I am really maundering. Where were we?

Right. There's French dad on the right, white shirt.

And here are children painting a spring mural.

Earlier this week I went into the classroom to help Titus teach English Time lesson. 

Wanna read over my lesson plan?

Head, shoulders, knees, toes. 

Eyes, ears, mouth, nose.

Pedagogical genius, I know.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

this week Drew had a chance to tell a funny story to a group in Chinese and it went over great

honest, open, free communication with Auntie Wang

naps next to my babies (they're not babies anymore!)

wise prayer from an understanding friend

boys enjoying carrying their own umbrellas

you woke me up naturally at 2am so I could finish the jello fruit desserts for Jon's birthday party

a green potted plant on the dining table

thankfulness level exceeds stress level!

28 Hours Round Trip

We were there and back so fast that in retrospect I wasn't sure if it even happened. Photographic evidence verifies: Yes, we did go to Guangzhou. As usual, our schedule had a bunch of contingencies, and when the afternoon suddenly opened up, Drew called at 11am, "If I can get train tickets for today would you go this afternoon?" And we did. Picked Titus up from school (got him out of his school nap bed!) and hit the bullet train. 

Titus needs his passport renewed before he turns five in September, mandating a trek to the US Consolate in Guangzhou. Well actually, the boy needs his passport renewed asap because...

TITUS IS TRAVELING TO THE UNITED STATES THIS JULY!!!  (without his Mom & Dad!)

He will fly from Changsha to Minnesota with our friend Ani, Minnesota native, Changsha current. In August he'll return to Asia with his Ye Ye, Nai Nai, Gu Gu and several other relatives including Drew's grandma Bonnie!

There was no time to spare while in Guangzhou. But there was fun. Boys took a shower in the hotel! Spent hours on the subway! Brought a big salad and huddled around the container eating it with chopsticks in the train station! Played in a park. Got caught in a torrential rainstorm. Zipped through IKEA and bought a spatula, peeler, and (super cool) wooden train set.

I'm always moved by fellow travelers who are kind to our kids. From our seats, Titus couldn't see the movie on the train so this auntie invited him to come back and sit with her. 

counting the graces

thank you Father for

I am accepted because of your sacrifice, not because of my actions

birds and dawn light to wake us at 5am

Mike telling me a long, winding story at lunch time, mostly about Lion King and a rat who lived at our address

frightening forceful thunderstorm

peculiar group of four, tea, Japanese treats and carefree conversation at the cafe

Jonathon teaching and stretching me in unconditional love and patience each day

family breakfast! each morning at 7am with oatmeal, milk, honey, tea/coffee and Bible stories

how you have arranged my mom to take care of my Grandmother as she is dying

wonderful, capable, dependable auntie to babysit our children

Titus beginning to read

Hello Sprout

Two new spring babies made their appearance in Changsha!

Here's one of the babes. Her nickname is Sprout.

About two years ago Drew and I gave a little blessing at the wedding of Sprout's daddy & mommy.

We haven't seen them but a couple times since then. They invited us to come meet their one week-old daughter.

Newborn time is a hard time, and I'm sorry to say that it has been particularly rough for this family. The young couple and baby are living with three in-laws in a three room apartment. This mom is choked with company yet socially isolated, spiritually starved at the same time. She pulled me into one of the rooms, locked the door and disclosed all her troubles. No, it's not going so great in those tight quarters with years of relational baggage piled in the corners. But hopefully after the cloud of the first six weeks lifts a little hope and sunlight will appear. Little Sprouts need sunlight (and open spaces!) to grow well.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

Jonathon -- four years of life! what a miracle!

Jonathon eating his birthday ice cream all by himself, saying "mmm"

catching up with my two favorite neighbor friends

smooth and successful trip to and back from Guangzhou

our Auntie Wang lightening my stressful day with her long stories, help with kids and prayers

being exhausted and overwhelmed but thankful at the same time

three little boys on three little bikes on the way home from school

my friend and Bstudy partner is moving from across the city right into our neighborhood!

Drew's constant support, sensitivity and affections

Drew and I being led toward the same decision

Titus expressively telling us about his playtime in the activity room at school

an opportunity to do the right thing (though it was uncomfortable) and gently confront someone

vegetable market and all its wonderful beautiful freshness

The marvel that never was

For a few months Drew and I had been separately encountering a woman and her daughter begging on the curb at various places around our district, most often at the South Gate of the mountain road.  

One day Drew and I were together, with our kids, when we ran into her again. As we talked she shyly shared, "This is the first time I've seen you and your husband together, so now I recognize you --- from four years ago, do you remember? Down at New People's Road? Your oldest son was a baby then. You bought me two hamburgers, baby food, some clothes. Actually my daughter wore that suit for a long time, two years. It was good quality. I just gave it away to someone else."

I was shocked!

The girl with her now was the baby on her breast then, March 2009.

We had just moved to China. My sense of justice was continuously upset by the poverty and apparent inaction, lack of solution, before my eyes. I responded emotionally. One drizzling day...well, here is the blog post I wrote about it four years ago:

On a windy and lightly-rainy Saturday morning, Drew, Titus and I were on our way to the grocery store. It was cold enough that we had turned back to our apartment to adorn winter hats, and I felt a bit of motherly-concern that Titus's face was well enough shielded from the wind. In these conditions, a tattered mama sat on the wet street, breastfeeding her baby girl, coffer beside. In obedience to what He told me to do, I sat down next to her, asking questions about her baby and telling her about Titus -- the conversation being as limited as my Chinese abilities. The mood was sad, and tense. She was extremely guarded. In literally ten seconds a small crowd was gathering to see the white foreigner sitting next to the beggar. I handed her 10 yuan and said goodbye. I really couldn't tell if she appreciated my company or not. Maybe she was stunned, or maybe she wished I would just drop money and go away.  

I've felt like crying in public before, but never allowed myself as most people are already staring at the tall white woman with the big nose. Today I didn't care. Drew, Titus and I walked on, and every passer-by noticed the distraught foreigner in tears. 

At the grocery store, I forgot about my list and instead bought a few baby items -- a simple pink baby suit, baby socks, a towel, rice cereal, and two jars of baby food. Then we quickly stopped to buy two chicken sandwiches for the mama. All the time I was asking, "Please, please Father let this woman feel loved! Tell her that You love her! Please provide for her needs and the needs of her baby girl! Save the baby from a life of poverty and suffering. Please Father!" 

I was relieved to find her in the same spot, and I again sat down in the puddle next to her, discreetly presenting the package. This time she seemed more relaxed, and I said, "We want to give you these things. Do you know J? He loves you. He wants us to give this to you. He loves you. We will lift you up." She said thank you several times. I put my arm around her, and briefly laid a loving hand on the baby. The crowd was forming again. I said goodbye and cried on the way home.

Our community lacks accessible and safe homeless shelters. This past January a Changsha reporter posed as a vagrant deaf man to report on why Changsha's homeless avoid the city shelter even in freezing conditions. Picked up off the street and transferred to the shelter by police, he was allegedly assaulted inside the shelter. Full English article and video documentation HERE.

We talked at length. I urged her to trust me. I gently explained different ways that we could help her out of this situation, get a stable, sustainable life for her daughter. It occurred to me that the statements I made, "My friend's company can offer you a job with a reasonable salary..." "You could even come work for me..." were mostly indistinguishable from promises of those who deceive women into becoming sex workers.

She was vague, said she was leaving to somewhere soon. I put my name and phone number in her hand. Prayed. Believed that something wonderful was about to happen. Went back to find them; they were never there.

I waited to write about this reunion because I was certain that the awesome was about the materialize, and then I'd tell you the whole awe-inspiring story.

But nothing happened.

Looks like she's gone.

And this was the story of the marvel that never was.





HERE is the entire rambling emotional blog post about her, written March 2009.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

Titus had been wanting a kite while grandparents, unaware of his desire, sent a kite that arrived with impeccable timing

three boys in a sandbox

delicious new mystery leafy green to taste, from my favorite smiling local gardener

neighbor friend with whom to share fun and stimulating conversation

Jon eating pureed apples and oatmeal for breakfast

tshirt weather

Titus adamant and specific about flax seed in his breakfast oatmeal

patches and repairs made to jeans and shirts, functionality restored -- like getting new clothes!

time dreaming and planning with Drew

whole family excitedly watching a live web stream of Uncle Ethan and team in their moonbuggy race

can't get it out of my mind how much I love living in this exact area of Changsha, exact neighborhood, exact apartment