Posts from the ‘Wanderings’ Category

Dec 5

Perspective During this Holiday Season

I am a CPA and businessman in my American life and persona. I am living for a year or two deep in the interior of mainland China with my wife Yu Qi (Susie) and eight year old son Yang Yang. I am treated with respect as “laowai” or “ancient foreigner” in their country. My experience over the past six months living here is that for many reasons the Chinese love Americans. I am treated like a celebrity or rock star.

Here is a letter I shared with my parents age 84 today. Perhaps it may bring some perspective, especially during this holiday season, to those of us who are so blessed to call America home.

Read full article…

Sam Kerch

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Nov 25

Female special forces show off their guns on Chengdu’s shopping street [video]

Fully armed riot police were spotted marching down Chengdu’s most popular shopping street, Chunxi Lu, at 9:30 Sunday morning. The team was composed of 30 special-forces officers. They wore combat boots, body armor, and carried QSZ-92 pistols in their belts and QZB-95 assault rifles in their hands. Chengdu residents on the shopping street were startled by the sight.

Read full article at gochengdoo.com…

Sam Kerch

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Nov 20

Marco Polo and His Travels

Marco Polo Travels Map

Excerpt from The Silkroad Foundation article.

Marco Polo (1254-1324), is probably the most famous Westerner traveled on the Silk Road. He excelled all the other travelers in his determination, his writing, and his influence. His journey through Asia lasted 24 years. He reached further than any of his predecessors, beyond Mongolia to China. He became a confidant of Kublai Khan (1214-1294). He traveled the whole of China and returned to tell the tale, which became the greatest travelogue.

The Polo Brothers In 1260 two Venetian merchants arrived at Sudak, the Crimean port. The brothers Maffeo and Niccilo Polo went on to Surai, on the Volga river, where they traded for a year. Shortly after a civil war broke out between Barka and his cousin Hulagu, which made it impossible for the Polos to return with the same route as they came. They therefore decide to make a wide detour to the east to avoid the war and found themselves stranded for 3 years at Bukhara.

The marooned Polo brothers were abruptly rescued in Bukhara by the arrival of a VIP emissary from Hulagu Khan in the West. The Mongol ambassador persuaded the brothers that Great Khan would be delighted to meet them for he had never seen any Latin and very much wanted to meet one. So they journeyed eastward. They left Bukhara, Samarkand, Kashgar, then came the murderous obstacle of the Gobi desert. Through the northern route they reached Turfan and Hami, then headed south-east to Dunhuang. Along the Hexi Corridor, they finally reached the new capital of the Great Khan, Bejing in 1266.

The Great Khan, Mangu\’s brother, Kublai, was indeed hospitable. He had set up his court at Beijing, which was not a Mongol encampment but an impressive city built by Kublai as his new capital after the Mongols took over China in 1264 and established Yuan dynasty (1264-1368). Kublai asked them all about their part of the world, the Pope and the Roman church. Niccolo and Matteo, who spoke Turkic dialects perfectly, answered truthfully and clearly. The Polo brothers were well received in the Great Khan\’s capital. One year later, the Great Khan sent them on their way with a letter in Turki addressed to Pope Clement IV asking the Pope to send him 100 learned men to teach his people about Christianity and Western science. He also asked Pope to procure oil from the lamp at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Read full article…

Sam Kerch

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Nov 20

1 Comment

Home Again to Liuzhou

Chinese Train Soft Sleeper

Susie & I kicked back in soft sleeper (Chinese “first class”) on overnight train from Kunming to Liuzhou…actually quite nice, comfortable, quiet with nice classical music…and cheap. We were very self-satisfied & celebrating a terrific week, including training new correspondents and meeting their contacts interested in EB-5.

When we returned to our apartment in Liuzhou, I walked across the street to McDonalds to get cup of coffee. Four young Chinese school girls (I would guess maybe 10 or 11) approached me with no fear. They were speaking very good English and wanted to speak English with me.

They asked me, “What is your name?” Then, “Where are you from?” I replied, “America.” They said in perfect, no-accent English, “America is very beautiful.”

They wandered along, chattering happily on their way, looking back to laugh and wave at their American friend.

Sam Kerch

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Nov 10

Bing Bing, Susie & Michael in Kunming, Yunnan, China

Bing Bing, Susie and Michael are working with clients and consultants in Kunming, in the southwestern province of Yunnan next week.

Bing Bing is originally from Kunming, and has lived in Hong Kong and Canada, and presently lives in the U.S. She speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English.

Susie is from Liuzhou, Guangxi. Susie, son Yang Yang and Michael live in Scottsdale, Arizona and China.

As described in Wikipedia, Kunming is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government.

It is also home to several universities, museums, galleries and other important economic, cultural, and educational institutions. The headquarters of many of Yunnan’s large businesses are in Kunming as well.

It was important during World War II as a Chinese military center, American air base, and transport terminus for the Burma Road.

Located in the middle of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Kunming is located at an altitude of 1,900 m above sea level and at a latitude just north of the Tropic of Cancer. It covers an area of 21,473 square kilometres (8,291 sq mi) and its urban area covers 2,081 km². Kunming has population of 6,432,212 including 3,055,000 in the urban area and is located at the northern edge of the large Lake Dian, surrounded by temples and lake-and-limestone hill landscapes.

Kunming consists of an old, previously walled city, a modern commercial district, residential and university areas. The city has an astronomical observatory, and its institutions of higher learning include Yunnan University, Yunnan Normal University and a medical college. On the outskirts is a famed bronze temple, dating from the Ming dynasty.

Its economic importance derives from its geographical position. Positioned near the border with Southeastern Asian countries, serving as a transportation hub in Southwest China, linking by rail to Vietnam and by road to Burma and Laos. This positioning also makes it an important trade center in this region of the nation. It also houses some manufacturing, chiefly copper, though some other chemicals, machinery, textiles, paper and cement take key.

Though having a nearly 2,400 year history, its modern prosperity dates only from 1910, when the railroad from Hanoi was built. The city has continued to develop rapidly under China’s modernization efforts. Kunming’s streets have widened while office buildings and housing projects develop at a fast pace. Kunming has been designated a special tourism center and as such sports a proliferation of high-rises and luxury hotels.

Sam Kerch

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Nov 3

5 Places to Get Work Done When You’re Traveling

Beijing Airport Terminal 3

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

If you’re lucky, maybe you’re the kind of person for whom work is an international adventure, taking you to far-off places you’ve been dying to explore. Or, perhaps you have a more typical office setup, but you’d like to get away from the grind of wherever you call home. Either way — or even if you’re just going on vacation with the family — there are resources out there to make working while on the road as convenient, pleasant and enriching as possible.

via 5 Places to Get Work Done When You’re Traveling.

Sam Kerch

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Nov 2

Texas BBQ Ribs in Beijing, China

Decadent. I thought I had died and gone to heaven while eating melt-in-your-mouth, gigantic BBQ beef ribs…in Beijing! If I am dreaming, please do not wake me…http://timsbarbq.com/

Sam Kerch

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Oct 31

Michael in Beijing this week

Michael is working with clients and principals in Beijing this week. He flies to Beijing Monday evening, participates in two meetings then dinner back to back to back Tuesday, and returns home Wednesday.

Sam Kerch

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Oct 30

Susie & Michael’s Wanderings — Wuzhou, Guangxi, China

Mike & Susie drove to Wuzhou, Guangxi, China for the weekend Gemstone & Jade Trade Show where we connected with CNUSA correspondent Crystal, her father, aunt and other friends. Crystal’s aunt is one of Susie’s best friends and is married to a medical doctor. We enjoyed very good Cantonese food, some CNUSA staff coaching and observing beautiful gemstones and jade. Susie is shopping for a custom jade bracelet for my mother, and for import business she is planning in the U.S.

Sam Kerch

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Oct 27

Bing Bing in China for Five Weeks

CNUSA correspondent Bing Bing leaves the U.S. October 28 to work with clients in Beijing, Hong Kong & Kunming, China for five weeks.

Bing Bing is based in Atlanta, Georgia USA and serves Chinese clients throughout China and America. She speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English.

Here is her profile.
Here is information about the EB-5 Program.

Sam Kerch

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Oct 26

Jenny returns to Scottsdale after Month in Shanghai, China

CNUSA correspondent Jenny returned to Phoenix on October 26 after spending a month in Shanghai, China on assignment.

Jenny is based in Scottsdale, Arizona USA and serves Chinese clients in Shanghai, China. She speaks Mandarin Chinese and English.

Here is her profile.
Here is information about the EB-5 Program.

Sam Kerch

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Dec 17

China-USA Education Services LLC

Chinese (Mandarin)

Spanish
Esta Usted interesado en el Sueno Americano, Educacion Americana, Negocios en los Estados Unidos, Residencia Permanente para usted y su familia ? Nosotros tenemos conecciones en Estados Unidos que le facilitaremos. Contacte con nosotros en team@cnusa.co.

Italian
Siete interessati nel Sogno Americano, educazione nel America, cominciare un ‘impresa nel America ed ottenere la Carta Verde per voi e vostra famiglia? Noi conosciamo le persone giuste che possono aiutare. Contatteci al team@cnusa.co.

Croatian
Jeste li zainteresirani za americki san, americku edukaciju, americki posao i zelenu kartu za Vas i Vasu familiju? Mi Vam mozemo pomoci. Imamo veze i rado cemo vam pomoci. Kontaktirate nas na team@cnusa.co.

Vietnamese

English
Are you interested in American Dream, American Education, American Business and U.S. Green Cards for you and your Family? We have U.S. connections. Will facilitate. Contact team@cnusa.co.