Do You Speak Chinese?

[Garland Bayley]

northern or Southern?

Since it appears the course will be coastal, I don't think hillbilly Chinese will be needed.

[Mike Kosak]

Tom,

I sent an email to your office; wondering if you received it.  It was in reference to this post "Do You Speak Chinese"?  Perhaps you have already found someone, but if not I have someone you might wish to speak with.

Mike

[Tom_Doak]

Mike:

I haven't seen your email, but I've been out of the office for a few days.  I'll be back in on Monday.

We have had several interesting replies.  Both Michigan State University and Elmwood College (Scotland) have been running turf management or landscape architecture exchange programs in China for the past few years, so they have volunteered to organize some resumes for us to look at.  And, I've heard from a couple of promising individuals as well.  But, I always take the view that it wouldn't hurt to have an all-star team of talent on site, so your suggestion is very welcome.

Gotta have a signed contract first ... then it's full speed ahead, one part of the Chinese program I am on board with.

[Mike Kosak]

Tom,

I don't have your personal email; I sent the original to general email @ Renaissance Golf.  Let me know if you can't find it; I also sent copy to Jim in a "thank for the tour" note I wrote shortly after our return from Bandon.  I thought you might be interested in someone with 0 preconceived notions about architecture but passionate about the game and speaks fluent Chinese.

Thanks,
Mike

[Tom_Doak]

Mike:

Not sure we got that email, so please resend to:  doakgolf@aol.com

Thanks.

[Kerry Gray]

Tom,
Glad to hear you will be working here.
I moved to China to help with a start up a year ago and also spend alot of time in Hong Kong. I am not interested in the job. Great opportunity though.
I am available to help with any questions you may have as well. I live near Shanghai and travel fairly extensively in the mainland and Asia.
Hope you keep us updated on the project.
Feel free to contact me about anything you may need while here.
It is certainly different. Expect frustration and practise patience.
Expect things to take a little longer than you are used to. 
Kerry
Kgray@eastpenncanada.com

[Mark_Fine]

Tom,
Just a bit of advice from having done a fair amount of business in China, a signed contract is great but it is not worth the paper it is printed on if you don't have the utmost trust in your client.  Hopefully you do and all works out.
Mark 

[Rich Goodale]

If this thread goes on long enough, I'll nominate my daughter Caitlin who is now in her third year of studying Mandarin and spent 15 days in China last fall.  Her golf architecture knowledge is impeccable as all she has been taught is from me and being a teenager she disagrees with every thing I have said.

[Doug Wright]

....being a teenager she disagrees with every thing I have said.

Rihc,

Yet another thing we have in common, disagreeing teenage daughters (or is that a redundant phrase)...

[Tom Huckaby]

....being a teenager she disagrees with every thing I have said.

Rihc,

Yet another thing we have in common, disagreeing teenage daughters (or is that a redundant phrase)...

Add me to this club.  That is why Rich's post cracked me up.  Doug, I think we need to get our daughters together with Rich's and have them form a golf course architecture firm - the potential for fantastic courses they could create is absolutely mind-boggling.

 

[Richard Choi]

Tom,

I would highly recommend that you not only hire Mandarin speaker, but someone who is quite immersed in the culture.

It is not just the language barrier you are facing, there is a steep learning curve on how to interact with people. Smple things such as when to sit down, how to bow, how to pour a drink is a big deal in Asian culture.

You want to make sure the person who you hire has lived in China for at least 10 years...