May 31 2007
The waiting game
It’s been few months that I’ve been trying to get Woodie’s Asian seminar going. Right off the bat, the state owned brokerage in Beijing said “fine, no problem … we can host him ..” I was thrilled. Ok, if it’s fine, np, can I get an official or written invitation, so we can start booking flights and hotels? What’s rush? It’s not till this fall. Call us back in September. Few more calls, I got the same answer. Calls and efforts made to other cities were met with lukewarm response. Is the face time that important? Oh ya. They told me. On top of it all, they’re looking for the name brand association or assurance, or promotibility, like Harvard, MIT Ph.D. or Nobel laureate, or billion $ under management. You’re thinking to do a seminar within 6 months? Budget for a year is more likely. Doing it remotely? Good luck. Lou told me that it took him year and half and many trips to get Real Madrid to play in China. Okaaaay, I got it. But … isn’t China taking the American way to heart, especially businesswise? So can I see a bit resemblance here, at least? Never mind. Sorry for asking.
Few years ago, I found a diary written by a wife of a German documentary film maker, about her life in Beijing. Her hubby was invited to station for the W German media in Beijing. It’s early 70s, and you had to be approved by China. One antidote popped up: the German delegate led by Chancellor, that included a junior official Gerhard Schroeder in toe visiting Beijing around the time that West Germany and China formerly established full diplomatic relationship. They were staying at Diaoyuntai for days without meeting Mao. And had no idea when Mao would grant them an audience. Finally at 1am in the morning on the day they scheduled to depart, the words came down that ja indeed, Herr Mao would receive them in two hours. Wundervoll. The Germans got up, dressed and were driven to Zhongnanhai. Sure there won’t be any traffic.
So, I shouldn’t complain here. After all, I grew up in Beijing, should have known better. I know, just don’t want to believe or experience it. I thought Rome was built in one day. Okay, two days the most, lol.