Shang Hai

I have many people sit at my bar, sometimes they honor me with their stories, their desires, their dreams.

A young man walks in and sits down. He orders a beer. He explains he has a test to 'prep' for.

I start talking to him about his college. He tells me he is graduating this coming semester. I ask the inevitable, "What are your plans after that?"

He starts retorting with the common get an internship in Blah, get a job doing Blah.

OK. So I ask my loaded question, "If money were no object, and you had the education required to do whatever you wanted to do, what would you do?"

"... Move to Shang Hai." OK, now we are getting somewhere. He tells me how he traveled abroad to a couple of different countries and he loved Shang Hai. Loved the city. Loved being an outsider.

So, what would you do? He starts telling me about how he could do Blah with his degree.

No, no, no. Education doesn't matter, money doesn't matter. You have the tools and resources. What would you do?

"... I'd own a bar." OK! That is a lot more interesting than whatever a marketing/advertising/management internship might get you.


He continued to tell me about how he wanted to open up a "Western, American" bar in China. He loved the busy and bustling atmosphere. He liked to be seen as a "foreigner." He wanted to stand out. A kid, who in the US probably felt like a nobody, wanted to go to China and stand out against the crowd.

I think this is brave, courageous, and interesting. We all have a dream, doing that, making that dream happen is another challenge. We often talk ourselves into believing that it isn't possible. But I think life is short and we should go after our passions. There has to be a reason for it, right?

Don't settle. I hope this young man goes on to grad school, but I also hope he takes a trip to China. I hope he lives there. I hope he opens up a bar there. Or at least has fun failing at it, if it isn't a success. I hope he tries to be a bartender or manage a bar, because I want him to feel secure in his decision to pursue whatever it is that he pursues in life.



He graduated last May, and there's no telling what he's doing out in the world, but I wish him the best of luck.