Part 1: Why I set out on the journey
I started my first trip to the People's Republic of China on 4 February. It is not a traditional business trip, nor is it an invitation with a set programme. Rather, I see these weeks as an excursion - with open eyes, without preconceived judgements and with the willingness to take impressions with me even where they are uncomfortable.
China is an abstract place for many model railway enthusiasts. We know that production takes place there, we are familiar with buzzwords such as „outsourcing“, „series production“ and „quality control“. But what does everyday life actually look like? How do people work? What processes determine production? And what really matters in the end when a drawing becomes a model?
It is precisely these questions that I would like to investigate on site. Not from a distance, but with time, with conversations and with observations.
I will be publishing further parts of the trip for you at short intervals from now on. I look forward to you joining me from home.
Best regards
Thomas
