Offered a position in a garment factory in a small town in southern China the author had no idea what to expect. Would it be the start of a brilliant career in the Chinese fashion industry? Would he become a key negotiator for the company in mega-deals with the Chinese government? Would he ever have time to pursue his interest in Chinese language and culture? Seeking answers to these questions and others, the author set off with his Chinese wife for Panyu County, Guangdong Province, China, in the winter of 1991. The author also reflects on his experiences as a student in Beijing in the late eighties, a time of great change in China.