weaving the rainbow

Sunday, January 11, 2009 ;

9:29 PM

10th Jan
Sat

We finally visited Dh's factory.
It's rather far from our apt, so we have never ventured there before. Also, he had been setting in up in the past few months and it's very dirty and dusty with renovation going on. It had not been fit for visiting earlier, he said.

This Sat morn, he had to retrieve an urgent fax from the office when we were just about to go out for lunch. He received a call from US from his bosses so we had no choice but to detour to his factory office first.

A turn off the main road led to some twists and turns on dirt roads. Most of the buildings there were run down, dingy and some looked so dilapidated they might have been unoccupied for years. No wonder Dh said there was no need for the boys to visit him at work. (In the past in SLC, I used to bring the boys to his work place once in a while cos they love to see him work on the wood.)

In the building itself, it was not too bad. Although dark and musty, it was still clean. There were such signs and posters though, which is common in a lot of public areas.

For non-Chinese readers, it is roughly translated as "united we progress", "creative and sincere/honest"?

The 3-4 storey building is owned by a businessman who deals in music instruments too. So he rents out each level to other businesses. So far, all the tenants, including Dh, all deal with music instruments in one way or another, so it is very convenient for all of them. Dh often have lunches with the bosses and workers of the other companies. He says, "make more contacts".

His level consists of a toilet and several other rooms. This room is his spartan office. So poor thing. He really works with the sole basics. One laptop, one printer cum fax. Bare walls, bare floor (just cement) and that desk is the only piece of furniture in the room.

He is seen here talking to his boss while checking the fax. The kids are looking on in curiosity. They think it is a field trip. haha.

This work station was found in another room. Both boys and I went to open the doors to all the other rooms to take a look while Dh was still on the phone. Both boys at once wanted to use the power drill.

In Utah, Dh used to let the kids handle the power drill to help with setting up furniture and such. They loved it. Today, he was not free at all. So I told the kids, "see no touch".

Another room seems to be the store room. All the huge boxes of bows. Another room had some cellos and violins.

Forgot to take a pic of the many violin cases being sunned on the ground floor of the factory. We saw them as we were entering the building. No one was watching the cases, but no one will attempt to filch some too, I think. People are still rather honest as a whole, in Tianjin.

(Only at busy crowded places like Home Depot where Dh got his motorised tricycle stolen were where exceptions abound?)

The case-maker company was on the top or ground floor, I think.

This is the bicycle (not motorised) that Dh uses around the factory area.
Really very dusty indeed.

Initially, it was worse when Dh was the only employee. He had to work alone on everything. Then he hired one skilled worker, and trained him. Now, he is hiring another worker, this time a lady, and she'll work under that trained guy.

Times are not so good now, globally. Let's hope his hard work setting this up will not be in vain.

rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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