Since arriving back in San Francisco, I've had a series of unpleasant incidents that makes me wonder if I've outstayed my welcome in the bay area...
First, a silly episode at the customs counter.
Characters:
1) Balding, grumpy-looking official
2) Me
(Official stamps a visa expiration date that is 10 days after my visa expires)
I was curious why and didn't want to get him/me into trouble, so I asked why.
[Me]: Why's the expiration date 10 days after the date on the visa?
(He is silent for 5 seconds and gives me a scathing glance)
[Official]: Good question
(At this time, I still hadn't realised that he was mad and being sarcastic, but I thought something was wrong)
[Me]: *silently berates self for asking the wrong question at the wrong time*
[Official]: (frosty tone) What is your occupation?
[Me]: *relieved, thinking this is normal question* Um... I'm an electrical engineer.
[Official]: Do people question your ability as an engineer?
[Me]: *finds the question strange and tries to analyze it, but still unaware of his true intent* Errr... not really.
(It dawned upon me that he felt threatened by my question! *oops*)
[Official]: (curtly) No? Then you should not question other people's ability as well. These extra 10 days are for you to pack up and go home.
[Me]: *not going to fight this one* Sorry...
[Me]: *not pleased* Well I was worried I would get into trouble...
(Anyway, I decided it was pointless, and I took my documents and left, not wanting to give him any excuse to put me on the terrorist watchlist or something.)
Ass. Maybe he wasn't happy about working on Sunday or something. Maybe he felt insecure or something. Anyway, it bothers me and I can't get his sarcastic tone out of my head. Ass.
The other thing that happened was a large pebble flying out in a nice little arc (like those in high school physics) and dealing a sharp blow to my windshield as I was entering the freeway, leaving 2 nice spidery cracks. How random can it get?!!
I wonder if this is a sign...
Monday, November 27, 2006
Friday, November 24, 2006
Some thoughts after
Hmm... just came back from the second interview at company S and am having mixed feelings. First of all, they seem pretty disorganized--my schedule was changed without me being notified, besides my HR contact, I only talked to the HR director and an engineering manager (no fellow engineers?). It was all very different from what an American company would do, and very reminiscent of a Japanese Sony.
The only test I took was an SAT-like paper-and-pencil test consisting of a verbal and a math
section! No programming questions at all, compared to company N. Perhaps S really does recruiting Japanese-style--they don't care what your major/specialty is, they just want someone who can be molded into whatever role they have in mind.
I flunked the math section, I think, having not calculated percentages, permutations, etc. for the past 5 years : ) oops, there goes my chances : ) but it was an interesting experience and I was really happy that my Japanese stood the test of a job interview! Hopefully they won't think I am a waste of money. It's hard, from an American perspective, to figure out what SAT math questions have to do with software engineering. Guess the basics matter : ) It was a learning experience nevertheless.
Company N's interview process was much better in terms of being relevant to the things I do. I had a thoroughly interesting technical discussion with 5 engineers (who would be my teammates if I join) and yes, it wasn't smooth-sailing but I enjoyed it a lot more than today's seemingly unrelated sessions.
Company S's area was a lot more fashionable tho' : )
The only test I took was an SAT-like paper-and-pencil test consisting of a verbal and a math
section! No programming questions at all, compared to company N. Perhaps S really does recruiting Japanese-style--they don't care what your major/specialty is, they just want someone who can be molded into whatever role they have in mind.
I flunked the math section, I think, having not calculated percentages, permutations, etc. for the past 5 years : ) oops, there goes my chances : ) but it was an interesting experience and I was really happy that my Japanese stood the test of a job interview! Hopefully they won't think I am a waste of money. It's hard, from an American perspective, to figure out what SAT math questions have to do with software engineering. Guess the basics matter : ) It was a learning experience nevertheless.
Company N's interview process was much better in terms of being relevant to the things I do. I had a thoroughly interesting technical discussion with 5 engineers (who would be my teammates if I join) and yes, it wasn't smooth-sailing but I enjoyed it a lot more than today's seemingly unrelated sessions.
Company S's area was a lot more fashionable tho' : )
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Snippets
Little triumphs:
- walking into a restaurant by myself
- enquiring about the food (Tsuke men) and ordering it
- understanding the replies
- getting the hang of the Japanese keyboard
- finding my way to 1st company from the train station without asking anyone
Gaffes:
- completely stumped by this girl's rapidfire speech at an Internet cafe
i mean, lousy as i am, i couldn't understand a _single_ word
the other cashier must have been thoroughly entertained
- not knowing the word for "plastic bag" and having to ask the cashier what on earth he was talking about
poor guy, he must have thought i was nuts or something
- walking into a restaurant by myself
- enquiring about the food (Tsuke men) and ordering it
- understanding the replies
- getting the hang of the Japanese keyboard
- finding my way to 1st company from the train station without asking anyone
Gaffes:
- completely stumped by this girl's rapidfire speech at an Internet cafe
i mean, lousy as i am, i couldn't understand a _single_ word
the other cashier must have been thoroughly entertained
- not knowing the word for "plastic bag" and having to ask the cashier what on earth he was talking about
poor guy, he must have thought i was nuts or something
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Beijing, part 2
After two days of feasting, I must say that Beijing food is not so bad after all :) Although one of the three restaurants I went to was a Sichuan restaurant (Qiao4 Jiang1nan2--they have branches in Shanghai too), the other two were Something-Fang3 Shan4 and Da4 Dong3 (roast duck!).
Couldn't find a bubble tea store near Tiananmen Sq. but we visited the Forbidden Palace yesterday. After so many novels and movies and documentaries, finally seeing the inside and outside of this magnificent place, and listening to the official guide (nice girl from Hebei) tell stories about each palace is unbelievable. I feel proud to be Chinese and also sad at what happened to the country since the late Qing dynasty. The pollution is sad! I feel bad for the locals. My throat burns and my skin is so dry after just 3 days. Someone should do a study into the lungs of the average Beijing native.
Watching the people is very interesting. Equally rude and polite at very unexpected times. I have so much fun talking to cab drivers. Nothing is obviously black or white--there are always exceptions. Labour is so cheap, I see people whose jobs are just to stand outside restaurants and say hi to passersby. Everyone knows what rules to obey (never do anything stupid near Tiananmen Sq. or the Forbidden Palace) and what rules to ignore (almost any rule outside of these politically sensitive places :) ) Bring a formidable, brazen Beijinger to one of these places and he/she becomes a kitty cat.
Couldn't find a bubble tea store near Tiananmen Sq. but we visited the Forbidden Palace yesterday. After so many novels and movies and documentaries, finally seeing the inside and outside of this magnificent place, and listening to the official guide (nice girl from Hebei) tell stories about each palace is unbelievable. I feel proud to be Chinese and also sad at what happened to the country since the late Qing dynasty. The pollution is sad! I feel bad for the locals. My throat burns and my skin is so dry after just 3 days. Someone should do a study into the lungs of the average Beijing native.
Watching the people is very interesting. Equally rude and polite at very unexpected times. I have so much fun talking to cab drivers. Nothing is obviously black or white--there are always exceptions. Labour is so cheap, I see people whose jobs are just to stand outside restaurants and say hi to passersby. Everyone knows what rules to obey (never do anything stupid near Tiananmen Sq. or the Forbidden Palace) and what rules to ignore (almost any rule outside of these politically sensitive places :) ) Bring a formidable, brazen Beijinger to one of these places and he/she becomes a kitty cat.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Beijing, part 1
Got into Beijing last night, tired but happy. First time in china and I must say, it's quite amazing, from the long lines at the cab stand outside the airport, where it's free for all and everyone for him/herself. Luckily I had a surly elderly gent in front of me who would loudly drive off people who jump the queue.
Hailed a tiny hatchback cab. No fastening of seatbelts, like what bb advised. The driver was nice enough, locked up in his metal cage and listening to English oldies on the radio. Got to the vicinity of bb's apartment but we just can't find it! Unbeknownst to me, the spot where the driver dropped me off was actually the very gate that bb uses, but anyway, after asking the friendly security guards (friendly=flat, matter-of-fact tone) where the public phones were, I lugged my luggage across the street to call her. Makeshift roadside stalls had sprung up at night, selling mutton satay. But I was too desperate to see bb to care. Couldn't find the damn phone until finally another passerby snarled at me and pointed to a shack a few meters away. "There! Can't you see it?!"
They were normal phones, but the owner of the shack charges for their usage... Nice piece of entrepreneurship I guess.
My joy at seeing bb walk towards me was indescribable. Her apartment--nice and new. Her couch--very steady. This is bb, in Beijing.
5000 years of history and culture and a current economic boom lay upon this country and its 1.4 billion inhabitants. It's good to go back to my roots.
Hailed a tiny hatchback cab. No fastening of seatbelts, like what bb advised. The driver was nice enough, locked up in his metal cage and listening to English oldies on the radio. Got to the vicinity of bb's apartment but we just can't find it! Unbeknownst to me, the spot where the driver dropped me off was actually the very gate that bb uses, but anyway, after asking the friendly security guards (friendly=flat, matter-of-fact tone) where the public phones were, I lugged my luggage across the street to call her. Makeshift roadside stalls had sprung up at night, selling mutton satay. But I was too desperate to see bb to care. Couldn't find the damn phone until finally another passerby snarled at me and pointed to a shack a few meters away. "There! Can't you see it?!"
They were normal phones, but the owner of the shack charges for their usage... Nice piece of entrepreneurship I guess.
My joy at seeing bb walk towards me was indescribable. Her apartment--nice and new. Her couch--very steady. This is bb, in Beijing.
5000 years of history and culture and a current economic boom lay upon this country and its 1.4 billion inhabitants. It's good to go back to my roots.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)