Danwei (work unit) Day 4 - Too many cooks spoil the broth

Today was the key event of the week. An Indonesian delegation came to inspect the possible purchase of a power plant control centre simulator and training programmes. I was meant to be translating. But it turns out one of the Indonesians could speak perfect Chinese, and our boss could speak reasonable English, so didn't actually do much. When I was about to speak, one of the Chinese employees piped up to get in there first. When I was called upon, I didn't understand what the guy said, and from the looks on people's faces, it looks like I guessed wrong. At one point there were 4 different people talking English, so no surprises the Indonesians were looking slightly confused. I was.

Besides from that, I've been boning up on circulating fluridized bed boilers, static thyristic excitation and the electromagnetic theory behind power generators. Some old friends from school physics have reappeared, notably Mr Fleming and his left hand rule, and the right hand rule, which is still yet to be claimed by anyone. I've been given the generator manual to read, and a Chinese-English book on conversations at an oil-fired power station. It's actually quite interesting stuff, just a fraction heavy.

As for the staff, I've yet to properly meet most of them. I mainly hang around with the 10 or so translators who I sit with. One guy, Frankie, big-boned, baby-faced, effete, likes talking to me about the standard topics - hating Japan, China's long history, foreigners are all so rich, the exchange rate, I love your Queen Elizabeth, etc. He also asked me why Edward VII adbicated. They have an exam on boilers next week, so spend all their time gazing listlessly at the computer screen.

Breakfast is served in the canteen from 8 to half 8. Lunch at 12 on the dot in a room on the bottom floor next to the bikeshed. Every time I deliberately don't take a bowl of soup, because I don't want to drink it, and everytime someone brings one over for me. The rest of the breaking is spent chatting or playing table tennis in the room next door. 5.30 sharp everyone goes.

Probably the least satisfying thing is getting to and from work, which is at least one hour on stupidly overcrowded buses. I've had body part rubbed, scratched and stroked today by most of Xian, most of whom have decided that since summer has ended, showering is now optional. Being slightly taller than everyone else I feel like people are burrowing past me like moles, searching for the door and daylight. One guy has been working there for a year, and said with only slight exaggeration that he has never had a seat the entire time. The most moronic is the pushing and shoving to get on, especially when people are still to get off. I sometimes make a point of shoulder-barging them out of the way. I don't think I could get away with that in England, so there's an advantage.