First Day of Work

10 Comments
Who needs gym when you can get your forearms so sore and your fingers so numb that you can't switch on a simple electrical appliance? Just one day of work, I find it a genuine challenge to type this post. My hands are so worn that I can't clench my fist now.

Yes, I was a pampered wastrel. A mummy's boy. I could not take hardships. Note the past tense.

1530 hrs to 0200 hrs is my working hours from Monday to Thursday. There will be a special arrangement for Friday and Saturday but I'll not worry about that for now.

Even for a life long avid gamer, I'll find it hard to play computer games for 10 consecutive hours, much less operating a 6kg grinder for the same period. I was assigned to assist a guy from South Korea. His name was Jung Hoon and he was in Australia on Work-Holiday Visa, expiring in December this year.


Jung Hoon (right), eating in-delicious Kimchi with his buddy 
















Under the mentorship of this young chap, I had a taste of what my ex-Bangladeshi workers gone through in work. Our jobs were simple but difficult.

We were to turn this:


Into this:


By doing this:


Resulting in this at the end of the day:

A metal shard got into my right eye halfway through and I had to spend 10 minutes flushing my eye continuously to get it out. I was quite frightened in the process, because I couldn't seem to flush it out at first and the thought of losing my sight at one eye was just too much for me to cope.

After I rescued my eye, I continued working, bathing in steel shavings every minute. My hands fell victim to metal splinters a few times but that was nothing compared to the eye incident. Never once I asked myself, "Why am I doing this?" 

Because I know.

I'm going to be a dad in 3 month's time and I do not have time to lose. I need the money and there is money to be made here. When the clock finally turns 0200 hrs, everyone punched their card and disappeared out of my sight. I saw Jung Hoon zipping past in his Daihatsu Cuore. 

Hey! Isn't that the car I wanted to buy? Never mind. 

Barry White was shivering on the grass patch where I parked him. So was I. I knew I could depend on him to take me home. He didn't fail me. It was the first time I drove without the company of Jen. Without her directions, I managed to find my way back without making a wrong turn. I wanted to be home as soon as I could.

It is time for me to rest my weary arms. Good night.



10 comments:

  1. Anonymous18 October 2011 at 10:39

    辛苦你了 ah boy!!!

    good to know ur eyes are ok...
    isn't there google to wear for protection or sth?
    rem to protect urself..
    SAFETY FIRST! heh...

    i tot ur working hours supposed to be 1500 - 0000?
    my am i shocked to see 0200!! =(
    tats so late where many is aslp here~

    anyway, gambatte!!!

    -Julia

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  2. Anonymous18 October 2011 at 10:40

    oops i mean *goggle
    =P

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  3. asingaporeanson18 October 2011 at 11:10

    @Julia, they provided one, but one shard slipped in. I was 'sway'
    1530 - 0000 is normal hours. i am paid OT for 0000-0200. On top of that, x 1.15 for the entire shift because it is night shift.

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  4. raven18 October 2011 at 12:26

    Hang in there.

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  5. Anonymous18 October 2011 at 14:39

    jia you le.....u can do it...
    ah pooh

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  6. Peyning18 October 2011 at 20:18

    Hang it there and I believe you can make it.

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  7. Anonymous19 October 2011 at 12:57

    ic... be careful n gambatte~!!! =)

    -Julia

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  8. asingaporeanson19 October 2011 at 13:42

    @Raven, thanks for visiting and your encouragement.
    @Peyning, thanks once again for introducing Uncle Lai, who indirectly got me the job.
    @ Julia, I will. Thanks. how's wedding preparations going?

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  9. Anonymous19 October 2011 at 16:51

    so far so good.. hehe..
    1 more mth! omg... =P

    -Julia

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  10. Peyning20 October 2011 at 19:07

    Hi Nix, No worries for that and I know your situation. I want nothing much, just an Aussie style barbie in King's park or along the swan river will be more than enought for me...

    ReplyDelete