Hello all!

Before we go any further, if you don't read on, at least LOOK AT THE PICS!!!

I dare you:)

Right then.

I hope your year is off to a positive start and your dreams are all coming true
or are at least in some stage of development...

Getting straight to the point, I am in China right now designing shoes for a major brand.

This is a very eye-opening experience...

Rather than crack a joke, I'd rather simply give you an insight
into an industry and culture that is somewhat foreign to most ...

I apologise for a probable lack of wit.
Exhaustion is a part of the job over here;
but hopefully the information will be worth the trade-off
of a half-smile.

There are about 500 shoe factories in the area I am staying in.

I've seen about 20 now.

They have surprised me in their cleanliness
and work conditions...

BUT

I went to a pretty bad one today.
The worst conditions I've seen :(

It was the first time I felt sad for the people.

Lines of poor young girls applying toxic glue with toothbrushes...

no gloves, no respirators, no ventilation

They are only taught to do one specific thing
for example, putting glue on a sole with a toothbrush

They have to sit in the same position doing this day after day, year after year.
From 16-25 it seems...


Today was the first time I felt an air of sadness in a factory
Blank faces...
Most of the girls will probably get horrific lung disorders and brain damage
from sitting in the fumes

couldn't even stand it for 3 minutes

The other factories haven't been bad... so 1 in 20 in my limited experience ...

It has become my secret vow that the I will only select factories
with proper working conditions to manufacture our shoes...

I do not express my reasons to the liasons over here...
but simply chose the nicer factories to produce our shoes.

I cannot believe the hours people work here... their stamina

The guy I deal with sleeps about 4-5 hours a night I think
the factory workers the same with no time off it seems...

I have been working VERY hard, 18 hour days,
but there's no way I can keep up with the hours.

My colleague from Taiwan says that it is the only way
a Chinese person can have an advantage in business...
To just simply work harder than another culture ever could.

Luckily I am quite comfortable with hard work...

Tomorrow is the cutoff day for shoe samples...
meaning that if my drawings don't get to the factories by tomorrow,
the workers cannot make the samples ready for presentation to buyers in February.

We are supposed to go out to dinner tonight (SCREEEEEAMMM!!!)

I just can't bear to look at another food item that has eyes.

Did you know that one of the available materials for shoes is horse fur???

One MAJOR brand I know uses it... makes me feel queesy...

I have also secretly vowed that I won't use any horse fur!!

Or any real fur for that matter!!

There's no need... the synthetic materials are incredible!!

My colleague just called ... I have opted out of dinner saying I have to work

which actually I DO??

Thank God I thought ahead and came equipped with two weeks worth of food bars!!
I've sussed out that people over here are very impressed with technology.

That is their status symbol.
Especially cell phones.

Even in poor areas cell phone stores abound
and they have an ENORMOUS selection

The phones are smaller and more advanced than any we have.

And they let their phones ring loudly in restaurants to let people know.
It's not considered impolite (unfortunately)

In the restaurant, the staff followed me around in awe to get a peek
in the 'monitor' on my camera.

thus, I have taken the photograph of a considerable amount of waiters.

Please keep in mind that my words describe only the parts of China which I am seeing...

Hong Kong was spectacular... the best airport I've ever seen in my life

and apparently Shanghai is a stellar city also.

But I am just experiencing the ordinary side of China.
The side that a tourist would probably never see.

Well.

I should do some work.
It's only been a fourteen hour day so far so there's still plenty of time (!)

I wish you all a lovely night... day... whatever time zone you are in!

and a thought...

Be aware of the luxury of your surroundings

....a room to yourself

....a toilet you sit on!

Despite the natural beauty of China
and the overwhelming hospitality of the people,
today after the visit to the factory I felt sadly blessed
that I am just a visitor here.

best wishes to you all.

Natalie@eatingweirdthings.com (btw this is a fake email address)

To find out more about Natalie check out her bio.

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