Monday is the start of the National holiday here in China. That means that there is a mandatory 7 day vacation for most everyone in the country at the same time. 1,600,000,000 people all on vacation at the same time. What can go wrong?
The way they get their 7 day vacation here is kind of odd. Basically, it is a 3 day vacation, but they “borrow” a weekend” to fill in the other 2 work days, hence giving them a total of 7 days off (3 day vacation + 2 days from borrowed weekend + 2 days of real weekend). Simple, huh?
Now, in order to borrow this weekend they need to balance the books by making everyone work a weekend. So before the 7 day vacation comes a 7 day work week. Working the weekend is a way of getting the “borrowed” weekend that extends their 3 day vacation into 7.
Everyone clear on that? Good.
In my office, I just say “screw it”, throw up my hands and admit that I hate working weekends. So, my staff lucks out and doesn’t have to work a 7 day week. So they actually get 9 days off rather than 7.
That will give them a bit of a jump on their travel plans. Since it is customary for people to go back to their hometowns on the holiday they will all be jumping on busses that will take up to 30 hours to drive them home. Just so they can turn around a few days later and spend another 30 hours on a bus coming back.
Now, I am faced with 9 days off. What adventure do you think I have planned?
That’s right! You guessed it. I will be doing nothing but staying at home, playing with my kids and computer games. Then later in the year when the rest of the country isn’t invading every other part of the country I will take some much needed time off someplace that is not in China.
So if you are planning on coming to China between now and October 5th, I have one piece of advice. Don’t.
