專題推薦：詞解十七大

Earlier this year I read a book about understanding first impressions. In English they say, "Don't judge a book by its cover", but you and I both do though often we do not know why we instantly like, or dislike someone. In the book I read, the author gave two important warnings – first, that we needed to be careful before passing judgment and second, that if you or I have been misjudged the first time, it is going to take a lot of effort to change that persons opinion of you.

So with this in the back of my mind I thought a lot about my arrival to Beijing and starting work with the China Daily. For quite some time I planned my clothes, my attitude, even the way I would walk through customs at the airport. But most of all – to make that winning impact first impression I'd bought a new set of luggage – the kind that pilots and air hostesses use.

Well as luck would have it - this week my wife flies to Australia on business (she was meant to go two weeks ago) so good "loving husband" Brendan decides it is best that she take the "ultra stylish" bags and he can use the old grey dusty suitcase, the one hidden upstairs with all the spiders and dead cockroaches inside.

Well - talk about making a good first impression.

Enjoying the good weather in the gardens of the China Daily

When I arrive at Beijing airport and am waiting at the carousel, I find my suitcase has broken and all the contents lay exposed, going round and round, as my face goes red and red. And so it is - feeling like a homeless migrant worker - that I walk through the arrival gate at the airport to meet the welcoming committee of the China Daily. Rather than try explaining that this wasn't really my suitcase and that I normally travel like 007, very cool and in control, I put on a brave face and let them help me carry my belongings back to the pick up van.

It was quite funny really because one of the books I had taken with me for the flight was a text called, "How to stop worrying and start living". The kind lady from the Human Resources Department who met me at the airport now had this book on her lap as we traveled into the city. I felt a bit silly but to be honest - I was nervous about coming to Beijing. I couldn't hide it.

Well that was the impression I gave - but how after 5 days in the capital would I express my first impressions of Beijing?

Remember I have just come from living in Haikou, there with its sea breeze, coconut trees and beautiful black and blue butterflies. There the locals warned me about "big bad Beijing". A lot of them were from the mainland and spokemenacingly of the "cold, cruel winters" and the air that gave you lung cancer. After listening to this for several months you can understand why I started having problems sleeping.

But if I remember correctly one of the main points of the book on overcoming worry was the idea that first you needed to accept what was the worst thing that could possibly happen. For me this meant the people at the China Daily wouldn't want me.

Fortunately my first morning at the office was fine. I met the department, from top to bottom, and must say that I have so far found them all to be pleasant and helpful. There are lots of foreign faces around Beijing, in fact, as I was saying to one American staff member, I have seen more foreigners in a few days here than I have in two years living in Haikou.

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