Café East

7.7.2006

I got rid of the Chinese wireless, and am back in the internet café! That wireless moved so frustratingly slow; many times I felt like flinging my computer across the hotel room. Now that I am back in the broadband café, my computer and I are at peace again! The coffee is pretty good, too.

Three weeks into the job, and I am finally finding my niche in the daily routine. I can find my way around the jobsite. I understand the sophisticated process of receiving our building materials - and where these materials can be found in the warehouse. When my supervisor says go do this or get that, 9/10ths of the time I know what he is talking about, and I can do it as well as the next guy. I don't drive the forklift as fast as Sonny, or cut into a container like Andy, or stack crates as swiftly as Rick, and I don't know inventory quite as well as Roxy, but I am able to do all of these things – and I can tear apart a skid and clean boards faster than anyone. I'm beginning to understand the warehouse, and it's not that complicated. (Driving the forklift is fun too!) Work is easy once I got used to it – I just have to do what other people tell me to for ten hours a day; much easier than studying for midterms!

I got a package today from a friend back home which reminds me how much people back home care – and how I'll be so glad to see everyone again next year! For you whom are reading this blog, odds are very high that I miss you and look forward to seeing you again! Thanks…

From an internet café in northeast Beijing,

Nathan