Rogier Bikker - Articles

About the trip

The trip is an initiative of InterimIC, Marketingfacts and Spillgroup. In 1 week, from March 29 until April 5, we will visit Shanghai and Chengdu. Shanghai is a more western city. With companies like Tudou, the Chinese Youtube, co-founded by Dutch entrepreneur Marc van der Chijs. Chengdu is known for it’s big electronic and IT sector.

Why me?

The participants of the trip vary greatly; internet entrepreneurs, investors, business people, marketeers, etc. And me, a freelancing student. You might wonder why I would join such a business trip. I mainly join because I’m very fascinated by China. I’ve spend the summer of 2007 in Beijing studying Mandarin language. To experience a country that is growing so fast, is amazing to see. With this trip I would love to explore the possible business opportunities that I might have in or with China in the future.

View over Puxi, the older part of Shanghai

Some secrets about Chinese language

For my fellow travelers; here some Chinese words that might come in handy and to let you learn a little more about the Chinese language of now-a-days.

What you will probably hear most is Laowai. Laowai originated from the word layman, a person who is a non-expert in a given field of knowledge. With other words, Laowai is a: Foreigner.

New Chinese words are often created with a combination of translation and copying English pronunciation. For example Xingbake; xing means star and bake sounds like bucks: Starbucks. Or Yintewang; Wang because it sounds similar to wanshang, which means night. Put yinte and night together and you’ve got: Internet.