Fast Times in Dongguan

WARNING: This post, like all posts I make after an interval, will involve a reflective moment on how slack I am. To skip this, press the Start button, or merely don't read the first paragraph.

There's a lot of drive required to post on a blog in China. For one, you don't get paid. Unless you quit your day job or your social life, you'll never write something that will make you famous. It's pretty much like writing a diary or doing your tax. "I'll do it tomorrow" is always an adequate excuse. China doesn't help, by conveniently making it impossible for you to actually read your own blog. Like talking with headphones on, you soon wonder if what you're saying isn't coming out funny.
So I'm pleasantly impressed that I have made it to 28 posts on this blog, and only slightly disappointed in myself that I haven't posted since July. There's one other really big reason: my already bulging work hours have increased. I now work on average 78 hours a week, at a hourly rate of approximately ￥950 (NZ$11.10/hr). It's really hard to justify that pay rate, though I would say I'm benefiting experience-wise. Difficult to quantify "experience-value" though.

A lot has happened since the last time I was free (and eager) enough to write. August saw a brief trip back to Japan, and Summer Sonic Music Festival, featuring a bunch of bands I loved, but mostly ones I had only just heard about. Highlights included Digitalism, Editors, Fall Out Boy, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bloc Party, The Fratellis, Vitalic, Klaxons, Goo Goo Dolls, and for you pop fans, Avril, Gwen and The BEP. It also provided interesting opportunities to check out bands I never thought I see (or necessarily want to): The Offspring, Sugar Ray, and Jose Gonzalez among them. The Offspring are fun with a Japanese crowd, even after all these years, because they all know the lyrics and shout them at the top of their lungs. 30 seconds also provided a massive crowd of screaming fans - Jared Leto gained himself a whole new fan club with his Hollywood smile and emo suit. He's talented, that's for sure, but either his mike was too low or he has no power, because his voice was lost amid the guitar. He also severely tried my patience when he told everyone to put their "diamonds in the sky" and "promise each other we would never forget this day as long as we live." For a 40 minute midday set when you're not the headline act, I think he was asking a bit much. Noone was going to forget... until "Pretty Fly For a White Guy" was played later that evening.

Fall Out Boy surpassed my expectations, especially as I've seen them 3 times - they just play good music, like to mix it up and really get into the crowd. The Japanese crowd really get into them too - deep contrast with the guys who watch the indie bands, any band that can remotely called "punk" attracts a bunch of guys who really like to jump up and down. I must admit, I prefer this kind of Japanese crowd to anything you'd get in New Zealand. This time around Fall Out Boy's highlights included a slightly parodical version of R. Kelly's "Ignition" (to which Mio had kittens), Michael Jackson's "Beat It" (very cool) and a hip-hop intro on "Dance, Dance", along with the now obligatory "Dancing Roadie", this fat guy with an afro who moonwalks and destroys his dignity in a selfless moment of entertainment. This time he came on in faded boxers and socks. Hilarious in a slightly concerning way.

Anyway, music was August's highlight, but when September rolled around, I was transferred. Originally working on a large project for Nintendo, I was moved to take a slightly smaller but more appropriate project - communications for an American customer project. The move involved a change of factory, moving into an apartment, and changing the guys I work with.
The apartment is insane - you'd never get anything like this in Japan. With a living room that rivals our house in New Zealand, and 4 bedrooms, at 50 bucks a week per head, its the upper class of China at student prices. Check out the space and the view.



The guys I work with now are some of the most liberal Japanese I know - they're into talking on level terms and respect that people have lives outside of work. In China we're in a perfect position to get away with things that are not possible in Japan due to expectations from customers, such as more casual dress and taking 90mins for lunch (we sometimes work til 10-11pm and don't get overtime for it, so I'm fairly sure we deserve a long midday break). It feels more like an "as long as the work gets done" kind of atmosphere, which is nice because it promotes a good office vibe. The project leader is a 40 year old guy who would give me a run for my money on crazy sense of humour (he has slightly odd moments, like pretending to eat PU foam bread and impersonating our translators, but it makes him all the easier to work with). The other guy came to the company slightly after me, has passable English and after working as a cram-school teacher for years, he's a pretty with-it guy. It's also awesome to have someone who understands (or tries to) my English jokes.

The other members are two translators, who are "Korean-Chinese", meaning they are from the peninsula area near North Korea, and as their ancestors are Korean, they speak Korean at home, and thanks to the Japanese occupancy of the past, learn Japanese in school (unlike other areas of China, who learn English). Their Japanese is pretty good - they didn't study university level like me, but still impressive), but good God they have no control over the volume of their voices. If one of them gets on the phone in the office, the noise is unbearable and no human could work under the conditions. Part of it is the accent, but I think most of it is that some Chinese have this irritating habit of talking at the same time as other people. Interruption is rife in this country, and I have come to a zero tolerance attitude with it: if I'm asking the translator to convey something and the other party start talking, I "Oi!" at them (well, as politely as possible, but a line must be drawn). I'm sure it doesn't earn me friends, but honestly, it's impossible to communicate if what you said never gets heard. Fight fire with...louder fire.

I have plenty of small stories I could make a weeks worth of blogs with, and if I get the chance I will, but for now consider yourselves mildly up to speed. Like the title suggests, a week is not a long time here, really. Blink and it's Wednesday. I have approximately enough time before lunch to check 2 emails. So at least working overtime doesn't get to me - there's always something to be done. Hell, otherwise we'd go home.