One Step Back

Okay...just decided to start posting a random blurb, but didn't do it in the right order so let's take one step back.

I worked one week in the company so far. Some of those "note to self" moments (pretty much the shortened version):

Lunch at noon (sharp). The whole company heads to the dining hall to see what the special of the day is...if you blink and miss the fast foot movement then nothing for you.

Nap time after 30 minutes lunch. The logic is eat fast, have more time to nap.

People's English names can be a bit funny at times:

• Nokia
• Person
• Black (who is a tall white guy and when he met the Jamaican was pretty embarrased)
• Shutz (is there a meaning to this one?)

Expect documents in English to have poor grammar. Sometimes you don't know what they are trying to get at, but expect being one of two Westerner's in the company you will be asked to correct something.

The cleaning ladies: about 5 on the premises - cheap labor at its best

• they will normally come in to your workspace 3 times a day with the broom and throw the wastepaper out
• they dust the plants about 3 times a day as well (mind you, the plants are not looking too spiffy - perhaps it is a bad thing)

Expect to be in a meeting where somehow the conversation turns from English to Chinglish to Chinese for the rest of the meeting. '


Health Exam - almost failed to mention. Every Chinese or Foreigner, newly hired, needs to get a mandatory health exam. The health exam consists of nurses dressed in 70's nurse uniforms with the little hat asking you to go between 10 different rooms for xray, eye check, sample check (meaning your blood), EKG, blood pressure, etc. The big benefit is that your company pays for it. It was a blast from the past with the look and feel though.