3 down, 49 to go

So here is what went on this week. work, work and oh yea, did I mention work? We have put in some time to finalize our contract with a company who will be our general contractor. Looks like it is done. We finished the schedule on Thursday and signed it. That meant that I need to get with my customers, process engineering, and inform them of how it turned out and how bad the schedule looks compared to what we wanted. The problems with the Chinese customs, the getting tools on time from our Intel sites in the states and the 4 week shutdown in February for the Chinese new year, there is some major misses to our original plans. But you know us, we are Intel and we will do everything we have to in order to hit our schedule and bring this factory up on time.

We had 3 more of our technicians land this week but I didn't see much of them. They have a week to try and get settled in to this culture and set up their personal lives here. I will be seeing them tomorrow and boy will I put them to work quickly. We have got major safety issues and training that has to happen. We continue to fight a culture that has no value on safety. We find the local Chinese folks act at work just like they do on the streets. No regard to their personal safety. My buddy and I can to the conclusion too that they walk like they drive here. No rules, no regard to the person next to you and no personal space. Wonderful people but dangerous at the same time. Again, we are Intel and we will change that behavior, even if we have to force them right? Actually, the people are very willing to change their thoughts. We are at the infant stages of getting people to realize we want them safe at all times. It is a challenge but it will be an accomplishment.

For a few nights this week it was pretty uneventful. The weather has been wonderful and staying warm late into the night. Monday and Tuesday I didn't do anything after work. Just came back to the apartment and relaxed for the evenings. On Wednesday we decided to play some badminton. This was again a fun time. I am actually getting a good work out from the games. We played for over an hours and I was spent after that. I must say though that I am getting better. I could actually hit the birdie this time without looking spastic. Thursday I just came back to the apartment and worked out and did some work in the evening. It is nice that I can actually get work done at "home" The only thing exciting to happen on Thursday was my "friend", you notice the quotes around the work friend, called me at 2:30am china time. He lives in Arizona. Now, I will not name this person, (see how nice I am Don?) but he happens to be recovering at home from some recent medical issues and he obviously does not have a whole lot to do. I guess it would not have been so bad but I had just gone to bed at 1:00 and had to get up at 5. Well, I didn't answer the skype call but it did wake me up and I was totally dazed. I wondered who the heck would be so inconsiderate as to call me so late. Well, I guess someone who doesn't have anything better to do. Anyway, when I talked to him yesterday and mentioned this episode, he informed me that he thought I was 12 + 3 hours behind him. Yea right, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Oh well, what can I say, he has been sick.

Friday night was the night of having fun. It was Wendy's (Rami's wife) birthday. The big 40. Rami put together a party together that had some good food and a large supply of actual fireworks. They are legal here in China and I am not talking about firecrackers. These were full blown in the sky fireworks. We shot them off in the street in front of the bar. I have never been that close to that amount of fireworks. The party finally broke up about 1am Saturday morning. I am not sure how I made it that long. I am not that young anymore you know. Well, I made it home and recovered the next day. Not that I had too much to drink Friday night but because my body just can't stay up that late anymore.

The rest of the day Saturday consisted of playing badminton and dinner later. We again played for 2 hours. Had a lot of fun. For dinner I actually made myself a hamburger at home. At least I think it was hamburger meat. In either case, it was pretty good. At least it didn't bark when I stuck it with a fork.

Sunday was a full day starting with going to a Chinese Christian church. It was very interesting. I couldn't understand a word of what they were saying but I recognized the hymns. The people were very very friendly and one lady even gave me a Chinese bible to follow along in. I had no idea what I was looking at but the gesture was nice. The service lasted an hour and you honestly could feel the passion for God in the place. They were very loud and responded in unison. The place was absolutely packed and it was not a small place. The only down side was that the benches to sit on were wood and very hard.

Brian, Barb, Danny and I then decided to go to the Zoo for the day. Well, that thought was quickly dashed when the sky's decided to open up and pour out some water. We were almost there when we decided to not go so we went to what is their Sea World. It was really an aquarium with a couple of animal shows. It was still raining but at least it was indoors. It was fun but not worth the 190RMB ($27.00) to get in. After that we went to eat something and then I went home and slept for 2 hours.

Tonight we found something none of knew was going to happen. There was a night parade in honor of the start of World Fashion Festival. It started at 9:00pm. Kind of a strange time but I am finding that this city doesn't start going until after 9. Well, here are a couple of pictures of a couple of floats just to wet your appetite. It is a good thing it stopped raining this evening or the light parade could have been a disaster or at least pretty shocking.

More later.