I Got Too Close? |11:37 PM

Actually I wanted to blog about this yesterday but was so exhausted these few days that I ended up dozing off at 2230 hours for 2 days in a row. Well, here it is, finally haha!

WE as Singaporeans usually have this mindset of how self-centered and inconsiderate some or most lowly educated Chinese could be. (by Chinese I am referring to local mainlanders from China) Admit it. How many times have we used the rather degrading term of “Ah Tiong” to refer to them? Well, argue all you want, but I’m sure we are all guilty of the stereotypical thinking once in awhile.

Enough of that mambo jumbo of mindless banter and back to my story. Just yesterday while going on with my mindless operator job at my 7th day at the printer (applies solder paste to PCBs or printed circuit boards in all your handphones), while opening a new packet of new PCBs, my hand slipped and accidentally broke and separated 1 piece from the co-joining pieces from 1 PCB (Each PCB is made up of 4 pieces of handphone boards joined by very weak and tiny joints, I broke 2 joints basically.). This, under their Standard Operating Procedures would require the line manager to come screw me a bit then ask me to sign a form claiming all responsibility and accept any punishment (usually a fine of 200 RMB).

Me, being a way too honest Singaporean went up to the line manager to tell her the truth instead of some cock and bull story about the board being broken before I opened it, expecting to receive some scolding and all. But guess what? My 师傅, 1 other co-worker who stands next to me everyday (together, everyday, the 3 of us struggle to make ridiculous targets set by the management) and 1 technician went to talk to the line manager (also my friend la actually), asking her to not write that fault report and ask her to help me cover. And guess what? She did! Without blinking an eye! Despite it causing the entire line a little more hassle and compromising the end product quality. Man! Was I flattered and very very embarrassed at the same time for making such a careless mistake. But I guess, it can be summarized in 2 words again. 关系 or relationships are what drive the working environment in China. I was very lucky to have tasted the sweet end of it first.

It is today that I was informed by my trainer (an Indian) at the line that we would be moving on to another station tomorrow and may be transferred to another building for purposes of facilitating the training. It was then I realised. Out of the 300000 employees, I was very fortunate to interact with some very nice and kind ones and whom I may no longer see ever again from tomorrow onwards. I felt a sudden tinge of sadness, that the friendships (or acquaintances) that I built up for the past week or so may be gone just by the snap of a finger. Did I get too close to people leading to such vulnerability?

Cherish your friends, your family. Everyday of your life. You will never know when you will lose them. (OPPS! I think sentimental and emotional moo struck again. Haha!)

Ciao! Moo~~~~~

NB: Some Nelly Furtado Songs can sound realllllllllly horrible. Haha!
moo.
Daneo.

-got milk?-