In mid-September when I was still struggling to finish up my postgrad dissertation in the UK, I sent an email to them, asking for an interview opportunity. They replied, and were surprisingly responsive. They were short of talents at that moment I guess. An interview was then made over a phone call from Hongkong on the day of my dissertation deadline. 14 September I still remember. Since it was still one month's time before I returned to China, they asked me to contact them after I went back, which I did.

In fact, I emailed them one week before my return flight on 22 October. A second interview was arranged on the 23rd, which, in retrospect, made my homecoming a bit like a business trip. The interview was with the team leader of my sector at the Beijing branch and it went on well. I made it through to the final and decisive third round with the Director of my sector last Friday. The third interview involved a face-to-face chat that went through my CV and a writing test.

Yesterday morning I received a call from them when I was on the train to Tianjin for an interview with another company. Bingo, I passed. Now you may think that the coming interview must have been of no importance to me. Well, a chance is a chance. You simply cannot take for granted that interview opportunities are coke cans to be grabbed with every bit of ease from a supermarket shelf. I still attended the interview and did my best.

I'll be a working man from next Monday. By the way, the name of the company is EDAW.

PS, my brief introduction still appears to be a bit wrong. Despite the fact that there exists a city called Cardiff in the US, the one I refer to is the British one, the capital of Wales, one of the four constituent countries of the UK, along with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. And I don't seem to have a grip how to get it changed... But anyway, if AW could take the trouble to do me this favour I'd like my intro to be something like '....from Beijing, China.', because it's where I stay.

Ta!

After graduating from Wuhan University of Technology with two Bechlor's degrees of Engineering Management and International Trade, I took a gap year working as a part-time English tutor (which doesn't suggest my English is any better) before coming here to Cardiff University for a postgrad programme last September. In case you haven't heard of Cardiff, it's just a wee place on the British Isles, despite its ostensibly glamorous title of a 'capital city' - yes, it's the capital of Wales. Haven't heard of Wales? Well, if you know Princess Diana, you know Wales. Ringing a bell?

OK enough gibberish. I've just finished my dissertation for MSc International Planning and Development, an urban planning course, and you may want to call me an engineerer-turned urban planner. I'm going back to China later October and embark on my career (so AW and all of you may expect an updated version of my intro...stay tuned).

I'm a sarcastic type of person who has cultivated through years a strong sense of scepticism towards things. Call me a cynic but I don't see this an obstacle when it comes to interpersonal communication and you'll find me an easy going bloke with a right tough of humour. But be warned, sick humour is not so funny...

Anyway, don't take what I say seriously, either on or off Ifgogo. Play well and have fun...I'll be glad to share things with all you smart people.

PS, My name is Zhang Naige. You can just call me Mike or Mikez as the title suggests... Ta!