... and the city of Dalian in Northeast China... pretty much across a bit of water from North Korea. Population, about 5.3 million.
Intel's building a brand new fab there that will do the same thing as i do here in Oregon. The only difference is that here I work in Development and there I'd be working in high volume manufacturing like I did in Arizona. Now, the cool thing about this is that when a new fab opens up, latest inlcude fabs in Israel, Arizona, and Ireland. We usually get what are called Seed Assignments from those places and we train them up on all they need to know and we send them back with some knowledge they didn't have. I've trained numerous amounts of these seeds. Here's the cool part. So, this new factory in China won't be sending seeds here like most seed assignments happen, instead Intel is sending people from the US over there for a 2 year assignment. 2 years is a loooong time but it would be a pretty cool thing to do from a life experience standpoint for anyone who gets the chance. So, when news came up about a new 300mm fab opening up and seeds moving there instead of here... I actually told my boss that I think it'd be cool to be a seed over there. I didn't think he was even listening but this morning he actually brought it up and asked if I was really interested in taking a position there. To which I replied of course...lol He said that I was probably one of the better fitting people for the job since I've trained the amount of people I have in what I do and the fact that I'm single makes it a little easier for Intel to foot the bills that would come about by me moving there. I told him that I was really interested and if at all possible to keep me at the top of the list. only things that scare me about it are: It's china. I thought 2600 miles from home was far... 5.3 million people in this one city and 1.4 billion in China... yikes. I couldn't have my own transportation, I'd actually get a driver or have to cab it if I understand correctly. that'd be weird, but Intel would pay for it all...lol I'm right across the border from North Korea... I'm sure that it'd be the first place to get nuked if I moved there...lol I'd have to learn some Mandarin. It's 2 years whether I like the place or not. That's a rather large slice of life in the grand scheme of things.
Oh well, it's not like I'm actually doing it "yet" but it's something that could actually happen within the next year or so. It is however rather cool news to hear that I'd actually even be considered, better yet one of the first people my manager and his manager even brought up when a few names were mentioned.
Two years isn't so long to live someplace. I fly tomorrow - it's been 2 years since I last flew, and it went by really fast. Of course I have years I barely remember. . . so I might be an odd case for comparison purposes.
I'd do it if I were you. I mean, when else do you think you'll get an opportunity to live and work in China? That doesn't come up too often, I wouldn't think. Bring your camera, it'd be quite an experience. Even if you hate it there, it'll be a cool adventure to remember. . . "the time I lived in China."
The hardest part for me would be the whole language thing and adjusting to a pretty different environment, and yikes all the people swarming everywhere. Nerve-wracking, but exciting and a neat opportunity. Yep, I say go for it. :D
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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
yeah, yikes to all the people! i had my fill of china by hanging out in los angeles for a few months, but it was mostly the food and barely anything about any other aspects of chinese culture that freaked me out. it's hilarious because whenever i would talk to my mom about it, she would just be like, "well, you know we used to eat squirrels/pigeons/etc in the south." my friend philip did ESL teaching for a summer at tsinghua university (something i've considered doing, too.) basically the food was his major problem as well. it seems as though all my chinese students + most of the chinese people i've met have been rather conservative by american standards, but i don't want to make any vast generalizations that are inaccurate.
i do have a recorded interview that i did with a few of my chinese students from the uni of beijing. you *might* find that insightful. lots of talk on how the students viewed their own culture compared to american culture, what a shock american culture is, etc + me trying to be :fe: welcoming hah. if you're interested i'll find it and upload it for you.
Argh! I can't believe the people in China eat DOGS! I mean, there are so many other types of meat they can eat, but DOGS?! How can they be so cruel!! I heard they eat cats too. =(
But there are many delicious chinese cuisines. Just not the ones that include snakes, dogs, cats, etc. blargh.
Anyway... Cool! Cracka is gonna learn mandarin? I'll post in mandarin from now on. lol.
yeah, yikes to all the people! i had my fill of china by hanging out in los angeles for a few months, but it was mostly the food and barely anything about any other aspects of chinese culture that freaked me out. it's hilarious because whenever i would talk to my mom about it, she would just be like, "well, you know we used to eat squirrels/pigeons/etc in the south." my friend philip did ESL teaching for a summer at tsinghua university (something i've considered doing, too.) basically the food was his major problem as well. it seems as though all my chinese students + most of the chinese people i've met have been rather conservative by american standards, but i don't want to make any vast generalizations that are inaccurate.
i do have a recorded interview that i did with a few of my chinese students from the uni of beijing. you *might* find that insightful. lots of talk on how the students viewed their own culture compared to american culture, what a shock american culture is, etc + me trying to be :fe: welcoming hah. if you're interested i'll find it and upload it for you.
-- Edited by implied at 21:12, 2007-08-29
I've read about Dalian from two different blogs written by american and canadian people and both were there for ESL teaching. The one thing that was noted was how corrupt that profession can be there and how people that don't stand up for themselves can get really screwed over. Especially when it comes to getting a legal visa to work there etc. Luckily since Intel would be sending me that's not something I'd have to worry about since they are so by the book it's crazy.
One thing I have noticed though, is if I went there making my salary I'd be considered pretty rich there and would be able to save a lot of money if I moved. Then again, i'd probably party it all away like I do now anyway...hahaha.
As for the recording, I won't trouble you for that yet, If this actually happens it would be some time away and right now it's just a pipedream that "could" happen if things go well for me. If this does happen I'd be more than willing to have anything I could to know more about the culture over there, I'm sure I'd need it.
Argh! I can't believe the people in China eat DOGS! I mean, there are so many other types of meat they can eat, but DOGS?! How can they be so cruel!! I heard they eat cats too. =(
But there are many delicious chinese cuisines. Just not the ones that include snakes, dogs, cats, etc. blargh.
Anyway... Cool! Cracka is gonna learn mandarin? I'll post in mandarin from now on. lol.
lol, the one thing that I may have to change if this did happen is that I may just have to start liking seafood since that's about all I ever hear about when it comes to chinese food, especially in this city since it's one of the leading exporters of seafood on that side of the world. I'll never eat dog but then again, there's some food that i'd probably not ask what it is if it looks and smells good...lol If i do find out I'm going, knowing some mandarin would be a good thing, i'm sure it wouldn't hurt.
