Having a dreamjob in China?

Another week has passed as time flies here in Xiamen. The days are currently going by really quick which kind of got me a bit shocked as I still have so much work to do here in Xiamen. The assignments keep on stacking up as the projects keep developing and changing a bit. I currently have to work on three major projects which kind of got me of focused as I can’t spend time on them at the same time. But apart from work, there are also new developments like having a real paid job here in Xiamen! We have to make money as CHECK-IT isn’t a payed internship). But more about that later!

Last Saturday Liselotte had invited me to a boat trip with some of her friends. I met Liselotte at a local beach party here a few weeks ago and since then we have been hanging out every now and then. I didn’t really know what to expect from the trip as I had little to no information about it! As I arrived at the main gate of the Xiamen University campus (she studies Chinese there) I saw a big group of European people. Well, that was a nice surprise. I don’t get to see so many European people that often. I joined the group of about 15 till 20 people and we left for the boat, the trip was organized by a Dutch guy named Diederick and I immediately hit it off with them. It was really nice to mingle with people from your own culture after being in a foreign country for so long. I really understand why expats in the Netherlands (allochtonen for those that don’t know expats) mingle with each other. It gives you a small feeling of home and I simply can’t blame them for doing so. Perhaps G.Wilders should visit China as well?

It was a old fishing boat of which the deck was completely emptied. So there was enough space to hold so many people and most important there was a BBQ and BEER! So I was drinking my first beer with spareribs at 10:30 am. Quite a heavy breakfast but I definitely enjoyed it! It was a day of meeting new friends and being away with a different crowd felt quite nice. Although I was very happy to party with my own friends again at night. The same day my intern supervisor was going to fly back to the Netherlands after guiding us for three months. He really didn’t mind to go back as he was the one who had the worst phase two. (Hating every bloody thing that is Chinese) It was quite funny to see him being annoyed though :P. We escorted him to the airport and afterwards got some food at a restaurant. Quit a simple goodbye!

At the boat trip someone informed me about a club who was looking for new foreign employees to attend parties to attract customers. As I had joined Liselotte to her “job” several times (drinking for free and get paid) I was quite interested in this job. So at night me and some other Dutch CHECK-IT members went to the bar and ask the manager if he was still hiring… well guess what. WE GOT THE JOB! So from now on, I have to work on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Which is quite hard, you know.. I have to be there at 10 o’clock and drink for free and dance around the bar. I get paid 12 euro’s a night and have to work for at least 4 hours. So basically I have to drink for free and get paid for it afterwards.. It is a hard job but someone should do it right? Joking a sight, it is of course next to my internship so we do have to be a bit careful that it doesn’t influence our main task here in Xiamen which is developing software.

As our original supervisor left for the Netherlands, we received a new one which is Cees Bekker. The group had a week time to get to know Cees a bit and the other way around. And so far he has left a good impression. Let’s hope this is a mutual feeling ;). A new supervisor wasn’t the only change here in Xiamen. The Chinese government has managed to do another thing that disappoints me, they actually managed to kill the sunny weather with a rocket to make it rain. Yeah, in Xiamen they create bad weather by hand, and not with a funny rain dance but by shooting chemicals (I think) in to the air. So with the rainy weather I actually start to think about home again. And kind of getting a little homesick, but only a little luckily. To feel a bit more like home, myself and several others decided to show the Chinese how good we were at ice skating at the local mall. Rented a pair of ice skates which weren’t really sharp but I managed to do some skating. Although I doubt the Chinese were impressed as I regularly saw a Chinese flying by at maximum speed while I tried not to fall.

This Thursday is our first working day at the Chocolate pub. I am really looking forward to another night of free drinks and having fun while getting payed. Let’s hope the job is really as good as it sounds, but the whole free night last Saturday as a first working day certainly left a good impression!

Hugs and kisses,

Frenkie

(Written on: Tuesday 17 November 2009 at 23:14)