A Bartian in Beijing:Immersed in Chinese culture
By admin on 2014-12-15

When Michel Duncan discovered that his employer would be involved in the recent Beijing Olympics, he took the baton and ran with it.

For the past three months, the local resident has been immersed in a course on Chinese culture while working for Aramark, a U.S.-based catering company that prepared thousands of meals at the international competition.

For Duncan, having the chance to experience the Olympics first-hand was the next best thing to actually competing in the summer games.

“The opportunity to get to work internationally is always rewarding, but to work at the Olympics felt to me like a once in a lifetime event,” says the Bartlesville resident, who will be returning home in early October. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to go to the Olympics — whether it was to spectate or compete in my younger, more optimistic days.”

He says that there were several advantages of working directly at the Olympics compared to being the casual tourist or spectator.

“I think having the opportunity to work here was actually much better than just being an Olympic tourist.” he says. “I have had the chance to immerse myself in the culture of the country as well as the culture that surrounded the Games.”

Among some of the several sporting events Duncan attended included watching many track and field competitions and the nail biting women’s overtime gold medal soccer match between the U.S. and Brazil.

“I am a running coach back in Bartlesville, so track and field were naturally at the top of my list of things to see,” says Duncan. “But as far as single events, watching the U.S. women beat Brazil in extra time at football (soccer for us Americans) was my favorite.”

As an Aramark employee in Beijing, Duncan’s main responsibilities include monitoring and performing the daily tasks of ordering and receiving supplies, as well as keeping tabs on inventory control. He also manages several students who handle data entries.

While he was able to walk the Great Wall of China a couple of times, as well as visit the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, Duncan says the friendships he has made with his student employees and coworkers surpasses his adventures as a tourist.

“The impact from the interaction and the education I received from my students is immeasurable compared to sight-seeing and celeb-spotting. I also had the opportunity to make friends with Chinese counterparts who were managers or chefs,” says Duncan. “They, along with the owner of the buildings at one of the venues I worked in, were very generous with their time, patience and knowledge of Chinese culture. I am very fortunate to have some experiences that many tourists will never get.”

As is the case when traveling to a land where different languages are spoken, Duncan states that one of the initial and most difficult challenges has been breaking the communication barricades with his Chinese counterparts and students.

“Even with several translators, expressing ourselves to each other is sometimes trying. Over time, as we began to know each other, communication is much more personal,” he says. “We have become international friends, transcending the language and cultural barriers. It also helps that we have both been learning each others languages.”

Duncan says the new friendships he has made with the people of Beijing will endure long after he returns to Bartlesville.

“I have learned more from them about Chinese culture and the future of China through the eyes of the youth than I ever could have working with Ex-Pats or other Americans,” he says. “They were very kind and excited to take me on tours of Beijing and explain many of the sights with Chinese viewpoints, which were often more enlightening and different than the English written guidebooks you pick up.”