Orientated

Today was a full day of orientation at Zachry's headquarters. We went through safety and Zachry's company history and core values, etc. etc.

The people I am with are more interesting. There are six others being oriented in this group: three who appear to be in their twenties, one in his fourties, and two in their fifties or sixties. When I think of construction workers, I usually think of highway workers that one sees on the roads in Houston - but these guys are a different breed. For some of us, working in China is a "great opprotunity," and for others, "China is just another paying job." Of the six, three have been to Iraq: one in the army and two others as workers for KRB. I think that they welcome this new job in China because it will be much calmer. Their stories of bombs and rockets flying overhead and sirins blaring weekly in the night made me glad that we are traveling to a controlled communist society. For this American laborer, Communism beats chaos any day.

These guys are all friendly; especially the elder two who have worked in Iraq. They have shown some interest in my travel stories as well. The two Zachry HR directors assigned to us were showing me, and showing off, the Zachry headquarters during our lunch break. I think they are trying to recruit a future Civil Engineer.

That's all I have to report for now. I am going to go grab my book again (Reading The Weight of Glory by CS Lewis.) The two older guys went to Walgreens to get blood pressure meds so that they can pass the physical tomorrow, and two others are looking for a resteraunt. All is quiet in the hotel.

England beat T&T 2-0. Whoop. I was hoping they'd score one more goal - I had the Brits winning 3 -0. Oh well, I still get a point for predicting the winner.

Signing off from San Antone,
Nathan