Beginning Days In China

Asia
September 21st 2010

Published: September 21st 2010

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Douglas C

Washer; Front view

My Time In Shenzhen

Recently I began to work with a Hong Kong based company. One of my first tasks is to help them get their company 'ready to meet the West' and to do this, I am tasked to spend time at & living near their facility in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, P.R. China.

This blog will detail some of my experiences. I'll add text and photos when possible; there may be an entry or 2 covering another country as I help this company build their business and market-share.

Having spent 3+ years living in Singapore in the late 1990's (and traveling to Wuxi, Jiangshu Province, China many times during that period to my company's facility there) - I find China a fascinating country...and full of wonderful people capable of doing fascinating things...

9/21 Morning:
- My second adventure with the washing machine! My apartment has a combination washer/dryer for my use. It is a Sanyo and I've been told that (new) it cost the equivalent of some peoples' yearly wages. So my first instructions were given very quickly; as in 'it is very smart; you just put clothes in here, washing powder in here, press these

Washer Control Panel

Choose wisely!

buttons, and then press the start button. The machine will let you know how much time before the load is washed and has run the dry cycle. Very easy, Douglas!'

OK - you look at the photos and judge for yourself. Very easy? Sure, if you read Chinese characters (I don't yet other than to be able to tell the Chinese character for a male so I know I'm going in the correct restroom...!)

So I placed my first load in the machine, and put the power there and pressed the buttons here, and hit the start button.... (did I mention I was by myself when I tried the washer the first time?) The machine would act like it was going to run, then... an error code kept coming on.

At least that is what I assumed it was; I couldn't read the instruction manual nor the chart on the machine (I have added a picture for your guessing attempt!) Each time I would re-set the machine; it would start out on its' journey then "Click!" - the E-11 code would flash, the machine would beep, and my clothes were not getting cleaned. I tried this game

Washer fault chart

Who cannot determine what the fault is from this easy-to-read list?

for about 10 times and finally admitted defeat (for now.)

As luck would have it, later that day one of my new colleagues stopped by. She is in charge of admin for one of the company facilities and the responsibility of this apartment (paying the utilities, making sure everything is running OK) falls to her. I am told she is very talented at what she does and at 25yrs old is one of the company's rising stars. However she knows about as much English as I do Chinese...

So, with hand signals and very basic words, I show her what the situation is. It is clear after a few minutes that she has not experienced one of these machines but this does not stop her trying to tackle the problem. Pushing this button, that button etc. Finally the machine starts its' beginning cycle - and she looks at me and says firmly - "OK!"

With a smile, I shake my head and point to my eyes & then the machine (that's my sign language for "watch! or look!")

Predictably, within a few minutes, the "E-11" code shows up. "Shu-mah??" (phonetically "What?" in Chinese) is what she

When OFF really means ON

The infamous water valve

proclaims loudly.

More button pushing; next she decides to see if the water connection to the machine is OK. She grabs the coupling and un-snaps the quick disconnect - and until she hit the shut off valve, it caused a good amount of water to spray on her (a bit on me) and some on her friend. All this commotion caused a big laugh from all of us - and as if there wasn't enough activity, the phone begins to ring.

She drops the water hose and runs for the phone; leaving me (and her friend) with looks of wonder on our face.

A few minutes later she returns, and puts the water hose back on. She presses some buttons, hits the "start" button, and the action begins again. But this time, I actually hear water running in the machine! She opens the detergent loading area and puts some powder in; it quickly is carried into the washer and the cycle starts!

She looks at me and again says firmly - "OK!" But I proclaim in Chinese - "Ting bu dong!" (phonetic for "I don't understand!") She points to the water valve, and gives me a

Moon Cake 1

Box contained 4 moon cakes; just in time for Mid-Autumn Festival!

look that I interpreted to be "You didn't turn the water on, stupid guy."

Well, silly me. I was taught to shut the water off after using a washer. And I was taught that when the valve handle is parallel to the valve, the valve is open, and when the valve handle is "across" the valve, it is closed.

Except here, on the valve which hooks this washing machine to the water source.

So, every time I thought I was turning the water off (when I gave up my attempts at washing), I was actually turning the water on and vice versa.

But the valve on the faucet over the kitchen sink is just the opposite...

9/21 Afternoon:
- Moon cakes! I was given a gift of four moon cakes (Lotus Seed Paste with Double Yolk no less!) because I requested a new cable to hook up my laptop to the network in the office... Go figure.
Anyway, I have included some photos (these cakes are from a Hong Kong bakery that has been doing this for 60+ years.) They are really, really good but I am only able to eat 1/2 a cake at

Single Moon Cake

a time. (Each one of these is a SOLID 1/4 to 1/2 of a pound I am willing to bet!) So Google 'moon cakes' and learn more about them & the Mid-Autumn Festival that they are made for.

Additional photos below

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