Android :: Sync To Gmail Account Without Contacts

I am new to Android. In fact, I am still waiting for my new android device (Samsung Galaxy S),I should receive it within a few days. I would like to do the following:
I want to use my gmail account from my phone and have all emails sync on my device. But I do not want to sync my gmail contacts with my "local" contacts (local being the contacts stored on my phone). I only want to sync my emails.

I read on another web site that one guy managed to sync his Outlook contacts with his Android phone contacts, but once he started to configure his gmail account, all his local contacts were automatically saved in his gmail account, and vice versa. Is there a way to use gmail with only emails sync, and without contacts sync? I prefer to be sure that it is possible (and know how to do it) before starting to use gmail on the phone. My Outlook contacts contain lots of professional contacts that I do not want to see in my private gmail account.