Day 11 in Cambridge

It has been 11 days! Just 3 more days to go & I'll be on my way home! Anyway, I woke up at 5am this morning & was wondering whether to stay awake or just go back to bed. I chose the latter & was jumping all over when I woke up again at 715am. I hurriedly washed up & rushed down to the bar only to realise that the chinaman was still in his room. Alex was up & early though. He was already at the bar & we ordered our breakfast soon after. While waiting for our meals, I went out to the patio to have a smoke & there comes the chinaman.

We had our full & called a cab as it was really too far to walk. I was having another smoke while waiting & the taxi arrived just as I finished my stick. The drive to factory was uneventful. I suppose Cambridge has really low accident rates as none of the cars seem to be speeding. Besides, they are much more considerate than singapore drivers for I've seen how easy it was for them to give way to other road users. Be it motorbikes, cyclists, pedestrians or even other cars. But back in Singapore, I would say 99.9% of the cars on the roads are just downright inconsiderate. Bastards!

Today's training was nothing unusual. We went through the full calibration wizard & Allan was quick to fill us in on the details of each procedure. The chinaman was as before, bull running into everything & everyone but shy of starting a conversation in english. Frankly speaking, I have no idea how much he has absorbed since day 1. I mean, he doesn't really ask questions & when I check with him on whether does he understand he just gives me that attitude "yeah yeah, I know I know". And I find it so damn rude to be looking elsewhere when someone is having a conversation with you. Are all china man like these? How fucking rude can they be? Isn't it just plain manners to be paying attention to someone who is talking to you? In a blunt way, as how I would put it in hokkien "got mother give birth, no mother teach ah?".

I am always quick to admit that I am a no-gooder. Because I really am! But respect is something that must be given to others in order to even respect your own self! Much less talk about other people giving you the respect that you yearn for! Then again, it could just be the culture there. My dad will skin me alive if he reads this. But as if I've ever cared.

I had the chance to meet up with 3 other employees of our company & one of them was really young & supposedly very high in appointment. Too bad I only remembered his name but not his job designation. John Craven is his name & he will be in Singapore for the sales meeting in March. From our conversation it seems that he was quite friendly & definitely not snobbish. I offered to take him out for a meal & drinks when he is in Singapore, if I'm free from work that is. Hahaha!

Next up there is Hidde Wallaart & he has a Ph.D, in what I have no idea & he is the Software Engineer for Research & Development. Yuppers! He is Dutch & I was very surprised when he said that he will be in Singapore for Chinese New Year. I was like, huh? Life on the little red dot almost comes to a standstill during those 3 days. Why? Why go to Singapore during those 3 days? "Because I have a Singapore wife" was his answer. Oh! That explains it all. Hahaha!

I did not manage to get the name of the last guy but he is in charge of the software for our equipments & he will be conducting the training for tomorrow. I will find out his name & hopefully a calling card as well.