Let me first state that I am far from an expert on China, having been there only twice, although the last time for a period of six weeks. Most of my time was spent in the province of Shandong, about 200 miles south of Beijing as a university professor.

Living outside of the well-known and/or oft-visited cities of Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou brings one into contact with what I think is a more typical picture of China – one where foreigners are still something of a novelty, English is not widely understood, and the creature comforts of home can be hard to come by.

Jinan, a city of some 6 million people, is the capital of Shandong and a major nexus of transport for travel between Shanghai and Beijing, yet few tourists stop, despite some pleasant attractions. The city is known for its springs which give rise to an urban lake and boundless parks ripe for strolling and people watching. Like most of China, it is changing fast.

Landmark buildings dot the skyline, KFC and McDonald’s abound, and there’s even a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Big-name hotels cluster around the main square and, in the nicer areas of the city, tree-lined streets are filled with trendy shops and cafes.

Beneath the veneer of modernity, however, is a very traditional, oddly quiet community where neighbors sit outside in the evenings to chat, play checkers, and just while the hours away. Streets can overflow with sidewalk vendors in places, narrowing the traffic to a sliver thronged with bicycles, pedestrians, trucks, busses, and all manner of humanity and transport.

It’s a strange feeling being in China. It’s not quite modern but then again, in fits and starts, it is pioneering new technology that I’d never seen before. My apartment, for example, is a generous flat with a collection of mod-cons like color tv, a/c, and high-speed internet and might have seemed a world away from the reality of Jinan, but its location, cramped among a large cluster of high-rise buildings separated by narrow cement alleys, served as a reminder of the sheer number of people who live in China and the demands they place on limited real estate.

(edited by international telecommuting translator li)
It may appear to be ideal to use you overseas agent or distributor to do the translations themselves – they speak the language, know the product and don’t charge the same as a translation agency.

Unfortunately, the end result is usually a major disappointment for all concerned. ..