I'm going to China tomorrow and I don't know why

Evil · Wed 10/03/2004 00:01:31

Try not to get in a fight with Jackie Chan again.

Dave Gilbert · Wed 10/03/2004 14:09:26

Holy crow on rye bread toast.

This company is insane. They eat, sleep, and breathe denim production. No joke. And I'm not just talking about the assembly line people (that's a whole story on its own), I'm talking about the office workers, the paper pushers, the accountants and the secretaries. They are all stlil here, working like mad. Did I mention it's after midnight?

This work ethic is kind of admirable, I suppose. And explains why my boss is as successful as she is. But I find it scary as well. I asked a colleague of mine what he does for fun here in Guang Zhou city, and he responded with "Nothing. I don't want to waste my life." Eep.

Sorry to rant. I guess I'm becoming cranky and irritable because this is my third night in a row of sitting in a hot office until insanely late at night. This ain't no pleasure trip, that's for sure. And I still have no idea when it will be over. I'm learning a lot about denim production, which is why I was sent here in the first place, but what I'm learning is more disturbing than illuminating. Maybe I'll write a game about it.

Creed Malay · Wed 10/03/2004 14:56:10

Quote from: Dave Gilbert on Wed 10/03/2004 14:09:26
I asked a colleague of mine what he does for fun here in Guang Zhou city, and he responded with "Nothing. I don't want to waste my life." Eep.

Scary. Or maybe we're just worthless lazy-idle slackers, here in the west... Then again, if I had that kind of work ethic, I wouldn't be as wretchedly poor and prospect free as I am.

Quote
Maybe I'll write a game about it.

Yes. That you must do.

Take care, Dave, and don't let the communists grind you down...

Davy

Dave Gilbert · Mon 15/03/2004 04:09:31

Hi folks. I'm still around. I've been here over a week now and actually, things aren't as bad as they seemed they were. Or maybe I'm being brainwashed into accepting communism.

True, the hours are long. Very long. But they are very leisurely. They are very relaxed and slow-paced about their work, which is why we are here until late at night. It's not rush rush rush like it is back home. We do a lot of de-stressing things in addition to working like mad, like the 2 hour lunch and dinner breaks. Plus we laugh and joke around to ease the pressure. Like any other office, I suppose.

Speaking of lunch and dinner, my colleagues have invented this game called "Let's stuff the white boy." Seriously. I've never been fed so much food in my life.

The reactions to me vary from amusement to fascination to just plain curiousity. Everywhere I go people stare at me. People rush over to get their picture taken with me. I've had two pretty girls on the street tell me they love me, which certainly never happens in New York.

I got to NAME someone. As my colleague Arnold (the english-speaking guy I mentioned earlier) and I were touring one of the laundries, he introduced me to one of the administrators, whose name was "Tanmei Lu." She wanted an english name, and asked me to give her one. After thinking for some time, I gave her the name "Tara." (The first name I thought of was Tammy, but she didn't like that very much). When we went back the next day, her office nameplate had been changed to say "Tara Lu." It gave me a warm tingly feeling.

Anyway, that's all for now. This is Dave Gilbert, your South China AGS correspondant, signing off.

rtf · Mon 15/03/2004 04:26:02

Do you know how long you are going to be there?

Gregjazz · Mon 15/03/2004 04:47:25

Oh yes, Dave Gilbert is going to stay in China, he likes it there so much.

"Let's stuff the white boy" sounds like quite a fun game, too.

You lucky, lucky, man!

Dave Gilbert · Mon 15/03/2004 05:11:10

Heh. I don't know about "lucky", since my time is divided into working, going to factories, and sleeping. I'm staying in my boss's house, which is huge and gorgeous and in a secure area, but I'm used to living alone and sharing a house with like 10 other people drives me a bit batty. I have very little personal time to myself. Although it's been an interesting experience nonetheless. I'm improving on my mandarin, that's for sure.

Zai jian,

Gregjazz · Mon 15/03/2004 05:22:00

Mandarin? I thought they mostly spoke Cantonese in Hong Kong. At least that's what I hear...

Can you read what I have written on my shirt in my profile?

Dave Gilbert · Mon 15/03/2004 05:30:17

Most of china speaks Mandarin. South China (and Hong Kong) speaks Cantonese, but Mandarin is easier to learn and most cantonese people can understand it, so I was recommended to learn mandarin. I tried a bit of Cantonese and it's HARD. The tones alone are enough to turn my poor western throat into swiss cheese.

And the shirt in your avatar... hm. I haven't gotten to the "reading" chinese level yet.

I know the symbol for "China" and "man", but that's about all.

Gregjazz · Mon 15/03/2004 05:39:05

My shirt says "Ni hao"!

Reading "man" and "china" is a good start... Now all you have to do is learn 388 more characters and you'll be able to understand much of a chinese newspaper!

The funny thing is that people who speak Cantonese think Mandarin is harder to learn, and Mandarin-speaking people think Cantonese is harder.

Gilbert · Mon 15/03/2004 05:42:49

No, Mandarin is definately easier to learn.

Learning Cantonese from scratch is nearly impossible unless you're born with it (like me).

I just don't like Mandarin myself, and dare not to learn it (well I did have Mandarin classes some 20 years ago when I was studying primary school, but then I forgot everything, I wasn't good at it at that time anyways).

Gregjazz · Mon 15/03/2004 05:46:33

Well, it doesn't really matter. The cool thing about Chinese is that everyone uses the same writing system, despite the different dialects.

I like Mandarin better than Cantonese because it doesn't have as many harsh sounds in it. It's more 'melosmatic', one might say.

Dave Gilbert · Mon 15/03/2004 06:55:10

Quote from: Geoffkhan on Mon 15/03/2004 05:39:05
My shirt says "Ni hao"!

Ni hao, Geoff! Xaoshang hao. Tianqi zhen hao, shima? Zai jian.

Las Naranjas · Mon 15/03/2004 07:02:35

Ta shi Meiguoren. Wo bu shi Meiguoren, wo shi Aodaliyaren.

Um, yeah, I have my first test tomorrow...

Dave Gilbert · Mon 15/03/2004 10:27:02

Quote from: Las Naranjas on Mon 15/03/2004 07:02:35
Ta shi Meiguoren. Wo bu shi Meiguoren, wo shi Aodaliyaren.

Um, yeah, I have my first test tomorrow...

Did you mean to write "You are American?" If so, the word would be "Ni" not "Ta." But if you meant to write "He/She is American," then you are correct.

Hm. This afternoon I had lunch with a chinese colleague here in the factory canteen. I used chopsticks. She used a fork. Go figure.

Gilbert · Mon 15/03/2004 10:28:26

Heh yea, oranges wrote "He is American, I'm not American, I am an Alien"

Gregjazz · Mon 15/03/2004 21:58:42

Not sure what Xaoshang hao means. Takes longer to figure out without the tones!

I wish I was better at conversational Chinese.

Esseb · Mon 15/03/2004 22:37:20

I can read 3 of those characters, whoo.

Edit: Stupid lag. Anyway, I didn't mean the g, r and e letters.

Ghormak · Mon 15/03/2004 23:14:38

Ah, you meant . , and ! then?

Gregjazz · Mon 15/03/2004 23:27:58

Then was it the yi, ge, and ren?