In which I forget how business is done in China.

Today I took the 1.5 hour drive to Nantong for a meeting to find the meeting, despite my efforts to triple-confirm had been “re-scheduled”. Nantong, not seeming like the sightseeing type of place I promptly headed back to Suzhou. A wasted morning, I may as well have spent the morning wasted.

After which I had the following little gem..

Chinese Staff:We need make sure that the customs officer will be in the office this Firday
Me: You better check now because it’s the last chance to get the documents before the client leaves.
Chinese Staff: We can’t know this, it’s Chinese Customs!
Me: Sorry, silly me.

(bold added for emphasis)

It seems in China, you’re damned if you do, your damned if you don’t in many cases, the best thing to do is to just go with the flow and find comfort in knowing that the Chinese bureaucracy offers many a creative solution to an arrary of sticky situations you may find your self in out of your control.