Lucky 2008!

Er Ling Ling Ba means 2008

Ba is the Chinese for 8 and it's lucky because it sounds like fa which means prosperity. The character ba is written like two legs or like a lowercase n without the bridge at the top - 八.

To prove the point that the Chinese take the number 8 very seriously:

In China you buy mobile phone numbers from a long list provided by the salesperson. They vary from about $5 to about $10 normally. To get a number with lots of 8s you would pay $50 or more.

The olympic games are taking place in Beijing. They will start on the 8th day of the 8th month in the 8th year of this millenium at 8pm.

So here's my tip for 2008...

Now's the time to invest in China!

8 is a very lucky number in China so everyone there will expect to have a great year. Now in the real world this shouldn't mean anything but it's like the opposite of a bank-run. Everyone expects themselves and everyone else to have a great year so they act as if it definitely will happen - higher expected income, higher spending. Positive mindset creates a good atmosphere and people find it easier to overcome challenges.

And there are 1.3billion people thinking like this - that's a lot of people.

The really big questions will come for China once the Olympics are over. It will be interesting to observe and I would sell up during the Olympics. The challenge China will face is that the government has hyped everyone up to such a point about the Olympics, when it's over there is only one way for people to go.

Have a great 二零零八年!

Henry

The Last Post

From China and to China, This is Henry saying "Goodbye" "Adios" "Au revoir" "Auf Wiedersehen" "再见".

The sun is setting for me in China. I will soon be high in the sky, flying away on my jet plane. I have written an offline diary - a little more detailed than the blog. I was reading it this morning. Looking back to 90 days ago, it seems like yesterday but also a lifetime ago. I think I have changed more as a person.

 

Sunset on China; Leaving on a Jetplane

It's interesting. I suppose for me the really different part of life here has been how people treat me. Unlike at home, I am far from anonymous. In the school, almost everyone knows me as I have taught over 2/3 of the classes in the school (that is 28 classes at 45 students per class - about 1000 students overall). Without exception, everyone is extraordinarily kind. The best word to describe people here is gracious. Polite, friendly, warm-hearted, welcoming, generous. It is a special experience to be treated like this - consistently and genuinely for 3 months. I suppose it is the experience of having all of these people really like having you around. It has to change the way you think about yourself. I think returning to the anonymity of life in the UK will be the greatest reverse culture shock.

But oh, the excitement to come. When that plane lands on British soil, I will be moving into a new stage of my life. 'The Rest' I call it. The prologue to this story is now definitely over. Welcome to Chapter 1. It's going to be an exciting ride.

My closing advice to the students in all my classes is the best advice for me too:

Make Mistakes
Take Opportunities

Every day, do something that scares you