11 June 2014 We goofed off with the locals again on the long bus journey to Polonnaruwa. I went all ga-ga when I saw a baby (my soft spot) and as much as I want to hold her, I was too shy to ask since who would give their precious darling to a complete stranger? Sensing my love for kids, the parents handed me their baby daughter and I melted with her in my arms. As the second ancient Sri Lankan kingdom, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city in 1070. It’s nearly 1000 years old. Polonnaruwa’s Old Town (UNESCO WHS) is where the ancient city and Royal Palaces once stood. No palace is small so there are plenty of sites, structures and palace within a palace to visit. We skipped the New Town which, under the concept of the current President and with great support from the government, will see holistic…
Posts from June 11, 2014
Do young Chinese prefer homegrown firms?
I was asked to do additional reporting and write an article about China’s firms and the labour market. It doesn’t matter if it is international companies or domestic firms, the young people of China care about hukou, salary and career development. I interviewed my university friend Wu Danni who spent a couple of months in Australia for her journalism exchange. It was great to get a thorough first-hand perspective on the importance of the hukou. I really did took some aspects of my life for granted. Again, although I can understand why the government installed such a system, problems linger- they always do. A huge country with a huge population = lots of headaches. Do young Chinese prefer homegrown firms? For some young Chinese, the desire to work for foreign companies – once seen as the gateway to better opportunities – may be losing its appeal. 24-year-old Mo Zilu, who’s due to graduate from…