Last day in C-Town

So we are on our last day in China. We got up and went to the factory to look at the updated samples only to find out that they weren't quite ready. They were still in the process making the sample boots as well as finishing production for that company that shares the same # as Carl Malone, that other company that also makes food processors, and the company that sells to Costco. If you can't figure out who, then don't worry about it... Here is another peak at the factory.



I don't want to hear any of my employees complain any more. The photo above was from the factory at 10PM. They start work at 8AM and usually work until 11PM. Minimum wage in China is $1 an hour. Factory workers aren't the only ones working late. Even the retail shops are open the same hours.



Here is a sneak peak we got at one of the "competitor's" samples. I won't tell if you won't...



Did I mention that 900 employees live on the premises of the factory. That isn't all of them either. Some walk, others ride their mopeds to work. The factory makes a grip of shoes, flip flops, and boots. I am not sure exactly how many work there, but it is a lot.

So after going back to the office, heading to Starbucks for hot chocolate, political, philosophical, and religious conversations, we decided to do some more shopping. Jason found some sweet Levis, but there was a problem, they don't take credit cards and we don't have enough cash. The language barrier didn't really help make this transaction any easier. So we went to go get money, but we ran into a crazy down pour. I got soaked, went and found our driver, got the $ and saved the day.

After dinner we got the call that we were going back to the factory to check out the samples....



This is a photo of the agent (Mr. Min), and the factory guys discussing the production of the samples. Unfortunately they still weren't ready. You can only imagine how happy that made us, seeing that we leave tomorrow.



You can tell Jason wasn't too excited. Either was Kay. That brings me to my "Kay of the day" photo...



But they weren't really ready to commit to having our samples done until I gave them "the look".



They knew better than to piss me off.

We are going back to the factory tomorrow morning at 8AM to see the finished 2nd round samples. After that we are off to the airport to start our long trip home. Maybe in Korea I will write again if something interesting happens between now and then. What an experience. If only I didn't have to fly 26+ hours to visit here, I would do it more often...