I may have mentioned that I don’t much care for my job. But I don’t think I have mentioned my imminent move into a new role in another department, which will involve co-ordinating social and ethical audits at factories in the Far East, helping UK and European clients to put corrective action in place to improve the factories that they use, and – crucially – not dealing with the tat anymore.
Further to some additional farting around on the part of my boss, I don’t actually get to start the new job until 1st April, and I do still keep the HR element of my role, which might occasionally make things difficult. It’s hard, sometimes, to decide which hat I should be wearing, if I have a heavy tat-related workload and there is a sudden HR emergency. And yes, there is such a thing as a HR emergency. Oh, I could tell you some tales; but obviously I would be breaching HR administrator confidentiality if I did.
The new role has some major positives: more flexible working, cosmopolitan colleagues, a sunny corner of the office, and two weeks training in China.
March 15, 2005
A change of direction
Nice one. Bring us back some tea.
Note of Caution : it starts on April 1st.
Need I say more? Believe it when it’s still there on April 2nd.
I need book recommendations for China, bearing in mind that I have already read Wild Swans and most of Amy Tan’s work.
I can send you some Chinese Take out menus if you like.
I suspect that you will be in eastern China, but I heartily recommend "A Naturalist in Western China" by Ernest Wilson. Written as an account of his exploration (and collection) of the natural history of the western and southern provinces during the first years of the last century, it depicts rural China before the communist era and includes accounts of the people and places that he met. It’s absolutely fascinating.
Amazon would happily rook you £70 for a copy, but my mate Mike Park has a good second-hand copy for just £20 – http://makeashorterlink.com/?T13731FAA
Incidentally, after all of his amazing adventures in China and the Himalaya, Wilson died in a car crash in New Jersey at a ridiculously young age. Without doubt, one of the greatest naturalists of Asia there has ever been.
You’re right, Graybo – probably Hong Kong and Shanghai.
One of my colleagues spent a couple of years living in China – I can get some pointers/recommendations for you if you like.
yowza
Ah yes, the HR emergency. We have them all the time on the railway…since half the staff seem to be under investigation at any given time. If it’s not them leaving their posts half an hour early, it’s bringing guns to work, or that old chestnut hitting passengers square in the mush.
And I have to take the minutes for the interviews. Argh.
Han is going to both in May. Textiles. He recommends avoiding delicacies when dining and hitting Karaoke bars in the evening.
Well if Han requires social compliance audits on any of his factories, you know where to come…