At some point in my yesterday, I was approached by my manager who informed me that I would be presenting my first presentation on the Dehumidifier model (which I still haven't written about) to the President of LG at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. Awesome... Actually, it was pretty cool to know that my first presentation was President worthy, but it through a little wrench into my schedule. I don't leave for work until 9:30 am. The company bus leaves at 6:40. A much needed three hour difference, even if I'm not sleeping, was and is something I don't like giving up.
Okay, come in on the bus. Once I got all the details figured out I went back to work on the survey. However, I could only work for half an hour at a time before one of my many leaders would stop and talk to me on their way to some other place of importance, to hint that I should start prepping and tell me to keep it "very short, little detail, only important things". I got it the first four times! All I wanted to do was get my survey results done so I could get ahead and pump out other things before taking next Monday off. Goodness gracious was it difficult to keep working! I know the President's arrival was a big deal, but I didn't need to freak out about it. If I messed up, what would happen? I'd get fired? Probably not. One of my mangers or the director might have a talking to about letting an intern give a report, but nothing of significance would happen to me. Everyone around me was noticeably a little uneasy with the idea of letting me do this. I told them I would prep Tuesday morning and they seemed surprised. I had given the report once already, I can do it again without too much prep time.
I was able to get most of the survey results written up, but this left me with no time to prep for class. Thankfully we were watching the second half of Transformers so I put that on and came up with a little filler for the end of class. Turned out my intermediate class wanted to discuss some observations about the movie, either theme, material goods, personal beliefs... I was impressed with some of the points they made. For example, one of my students brought up the point that in US film, anyone, such as the "average Joe" at the beginning of the movie, can become a hero and save life as we know it. With a little prodding, I didn't need any of that filler. And on top of that one of my students asked me to slow down. This sounds like a pretty common request, but here no one says anything "negative", either to correct or ask you to do something differently, in case it makes either party loose face. So, this was a pretty big request, even if it was said after everyone else had left.
I took the bus home, had dinner with Anna and Samuel, moved some of their gear over to my room since they were going to Hong Kong for a week and had to check out of their room, and then proceeded to go to bed. I had to prepare for "the big presentation".
Tuesday morning rolls around and I need to take the bus. I still beat my alarm and can't seem to allow myself that extra 15 mins of sleep. I flip on the light and begrudgingly sit up. After a failed attempt at sit-ups I figured it was time to get dressed and move on with my day.
I decide to try and wear something a little more professional for the "Presidential" presentation, but I didn't want to wear anything in my closet. So, I threw an outfit together, slammed some of my 60 Yuan granola and was out the door, by 6:35 a.m. to get a decent seat on the every increasingly Korean filled company bus.
I arrived at work at 7:15, two hours and forty-five minutes earlier than usual. Internet doesn't turn on until 8:00 so I sneakily (since I don't think games are allowed) play a quick game of Spider Solitaire and watch all the rest of my co-workers file in. When I get to work that early its only me and the Korean management, some of which roll in at 6:30. Little too early for me! Once more people showed up, and my manager started pacing the office, I decided to start looking like I was prepping for the presentation. I glanced over my previous presentation a few times, trying to look extra studious when any management went by, then I slipped off to the restroom to avoid the morning exercises shortly before 8:00. When I returned, I got the 5 mins heads up, and waited at my "cube-less cubical" for someone to tell me where to go and when. Within a matter of minutes, Vivian sits down and tells me that the president won't be arriving until 11:30 a.m. Great... I could have taken the car.
Since I had plenty of extra time, I sent off my window and wall report to be double checked, and proceeded to talk with the director about where my window and wall report was, and its importance, and that I need to finish it soon because I need to manufacture a wall with how many windows? and it take at least a month to manufacture the wall and he wants everything to be correct so I need to be here when they install the AC units, and how long will you be here? but you need to manufacture it. HOLY COW! lol! As fun as it would be to "manufacture" a wall, I don't think I'm going to get the chance. Pretty sure what just came at me was the director's nervous "the president is coming and the intern (among others) is presenting" energy, as I was trying in vane to finish the technical paperwork of the very report he was asking for. Not that he was bothering me or anything, but he was finally satisfied to move on when I told him I would include him on the email list when I sent it out. "As you wish". I get that a lot. To bad it isn't actually like that. And, true to the nervous atmosphere, he was back a few minutes later to remind me to keep the presentation short, only 5 mins. Yup. Got it. Thanks. I promise I won't mess up. Yes, I'm memorizing everything I'm going to say. No, I don't have anything else I need to do.
I get up and head to the "meeting area" near the entrance of our wing. Turns out the president is running five minutes late. Okay, whatever. I walked back to my desk at the other end of the wing and completed the paperwork to be sent along with my window and wall report. Now all I had to do was send the darn thing. I didn't know how long that would take so I left it for after the presentation. So, I rejoined the group, and waited.
I know the president is an important man, and that all the Korean management had a lot riding on these presentations, but I couldn’t help but giggle on the inside. In true Asian fashion, a welcoming committee was in the hall awaiting the president’s arrival, and when we saw the head nod, everyone snapped to attention. I was expecting the president to arrive with an entourage and the protocol LG jacket and id badge that we wear if moving between departments. He had this the last time I saw him at the company Ping Pong tournament, but this time, it was him, one other person, and no jacket of any kind. I almost laughed out loud. He was completely causal, completely relaxed, and the rest of us, mostly management, were on edge. Complete juxtaposition.
The majority of the group forms a semicircle, and after a bow and standard chant (which I have yet to figure out what they’re saying), it was right down to business. I asked my group leader I when I would be presenting and he had no idea. I noticed the first item of business was the dehumidifier so I figured it was only a matter of time before someone would hand it over to me. Sure enough, both the dehumidifier and I were pointed at and I was handed the pointer stick for my power point.
I turned away the pointer and unconventionally used the dehumidifier mock-up itself. I didn't realize I was supposed to use the power point. Why would I want to do that when it's easy to follow along with the actual model? So I pulled out the model and went to work. I flew over "only the important pros" I flew over the "less detailed-cons" (one of which got a laugh out of him and the crowd-"Americans don't need graphics"), and when I was done, the president asked me if there was anything else. "Oh, yes. It needs to be movable up and downstairs by women. This is a little on the the heavy end." Okay, so this was a mock-up, which was pointed out to me by the president, so I simply replied that weight is something that needs to be taken account for. After this exchange he asked about prices ranges, and if an automatic-spring loaded cord retriever would be a good idea. I said it could work, but Americans can also wind the cord around some prongs... we aren't that lazy. In response, the president aimed the question at the director. The director wasn't too found of that idea. He looked really uncomfortable when responding. I guess it would add too much weight. Finally he asked me if I thought this product could sell in the US. I told him I thought it had a lot of potential and that I liked it very much. He smiled and told me I was the right person to be working on this project and that I could be the sales rep in the US. I politely declined. "I just want to be able to point to it in the store and tell everyone I worked on that!" I got the head nod, a good job, and I was on my way. In one day I completed three major projects that were hanging over my head: Window and wall report, Survey Results and the presentation. Boy did I feel better. For the next couple of hours I was wide awake and thinking I was up for teaching English. By class time I was wiped. I put in a full days work, and decided to go home and take a break. I had received congrats from all of the managers, my group lead and a couple of other employees. The director didn't congratulate me directly, but he quit hovering which I took as both a congrats and a relaxation. So I ended the stressful day on a high note and headed back to the hotel with Kyle on the early bus. We decided we didn't want to cook so we ran a few errands at the grocery store and ended the night with dinner at McDonald's. Yum, lol.
Wednesday morning was back to my normal routine, so I did Yoga, had some breakfast, and headed down to the car, albeit a little late. Being a few minutes late isn't a problem. By a few minutes late, I was still 2 mins early and the driver's clock I've discovered is also 2 mins fast. Getting to work before the gate closes for break-at which point no vehicles are allowed to more-is no problem. Some how my driver always manages to make up those minutes, even if it means driving on the wrong side of the road, into on coming traffic. (FYI, this is not uncommon.) It used to surprise/freak me out, now, as I maneuver the traffic from the back seat, I'm on the other side almost as much as he is! Through our combined driving skills, we make it to work a minute before the gate closes. Three mins in actual time.Since I've completed all those projects I start compiling recipes and an ingredient list for traditional breakfast foods. Boy, did that make me miss eggs! Not so much for eggs themselves, but definitely french toast. I completed the breakfast menu and found out that I couldn't make breakfast for another two weeks. Turns out I would be making Chicken. Okay. I didn't have time for that since I had to prep for class, so I would do that Thursday.
Since I was thinking about food, I decided to do the next lesson on popular (Midwest) chain restaurants. I put together a slide show as I have used in the past, only this time it didn't work. I know there is a water wall here on our work computers to keep all of our "top secret" from leaving the premises, but I was able to move and view a slide show before I started the movie unit. Since I didn't have time to re save and figure out why this one didn't work, I printed a few copies off and used that instead. It's always so much harder to describe what a food is or how it is cooked when you can't see it's color. I tried to pick simple foods that my students may have heard of or that would be easy to describe, but even something like lettuce I had to explain. Good that they learned something, bad that I didn't have a slide of it to show them. This led to a game of verbal pictionary to try and visualize it.
Once I was done teaching, I asked them to describe/ tell me their favorite food. This way, I learn as well. Oh, and I've started teaching a word of the day which someone in the class must use in a sentence. Worked out well the first day. After class, same routine, I headed home.
The bus ride lately has been TERRIBLE! The pollution is so awful my lungs and eyes burn when I'm outside. Once the bus gets moving it isn't as bad for some odd reason, but that 20 min wait gets pretty rough.
Before I had left the hotel I took the hot plate over to Charise who had offered to make dinner for me. She said she and Kyle would go grab something on their own, but I insisted that they have some Spinach linguine with me since she was doing the cooking. She didn't argue about that! When I got home, I dropped off my bag and Charise had dinner ready for me. Granted, it was a little cold by the time I got there, but I didn't have to make it. I had that and tried a piece of Vangard's (supermarket) bread to see if it had egg. Pretty sure that it did so washed down an allergy med and proceeded to sleep until 6:30 the next morning. I sure was excited about that! I don't know how I did it, but I felt much better.
Thursday was the same as Wednesday, only I started my day off with Chicken recipes, instead of breakfast and ended my day with finishing Stomp the Yard in class. Everyone really liked it and I left work at 7:40 in a great mood! Charise and Kyle told me they were going out to the rib place we eat at occasionally and I asked them to pick up some sauteed broccoli for me. However, a package came from home and I spoiled my dinner on Halloween chocolate, Cracker Jacks, and granola, lol. Needless to say I didn't eat much in the line of broccoli.
Oh, I've also been chatting with Mom, my aunt Mary and Genevieve, who are in Boston at an Herbal exhibition for the business. It's been fun to live vicariously through them, even if I can't experience it in its full glory.
I've also been talking with Dad quite a bit. Turns out that I'm being looked at for Jury duty. He sent me the link to fill out the online questionnaire, which if didn't do I' would get a $500 fine. I've also managed to have my license suspended (temporarily) due to a speeding ticket I received before I left. I had everything figured out, but then papers got lost in the mails, I missed my court date, and now I have no license. Thankfully dad was on top of this and filed the appropriate paper work before the court decision had been processed. AND, I recently found out that there is a HUGE fine and amount of trouble for over staying your Visa. My flight originally left 12 hours after my visa expires... Needless to say I asked mom into getting my flight date changed. I should be all set on that end, but it looks like I may be stuck in San Fransisco for a couple of days because United Airlines doesn't have any available seats for me. At least I'm back on U.S., can speak the language, know the laws and have certain unalienable rights :)
As for Friday, well, I spent all morning (got here at 7:15 am) trying to find information on seasonal climate averages for the US. There is sooo much data out there that they don't have much in the way of generalized, averages. I think I'm going to take the averages of each capital over the past 5 years, and average those into regions. I hope that will be acceptable, and I think it will give the dehumidifier group enough information. I still have three hours left of work, and have spent the last hour blogging... oops! But, I am done blogging for this week. Later, I will go home, eat my broccoli, prep for Beijing this weekend with Becca Ganster who is on a Fulbright teaching English in Vietnam, maybe do another work set since dad sent me a whole bunch more (it was Turbo Jam this morning), and get everything squared away for next week.
Hopefully more later tonight! Sorry for it being such a long post, but consider this item # 4 that is no longer hanging over my head!
No comments:
Post a Comment