Friday, October 2, 2009

My first ever day in construction-site

One winter morning and Yangon's Winter Morning is alien to me.
When I wake up early morning, my friend is still sleeping soundly and I quietly open the door to step out of room. The chilly wind rush to me and kissed me hungrily.
I tried to wash my face and amazing Yangon's winter snow falling outside my site office.
Once I open the window to wash my face and brush my teeth, again showy wind strangly come in office and wow me....But it can't stop me doing my secrete plan......
Today is my first day in work and I am exciting to go down real site to command and make eth are in order. I just simply don't know how to start and how to do it.
After I washing my face, I decided to tour the site under heavily snow fall down.
I watch my watch and the time is about 7:00am and I see nobody around the site.
So I enter my neighbour company's site that is next to my designated bungalow.
The snow cover me and it'ld be hard to see clearly within a short distance like 3 feet.
It make me favor and confident in learning what other ppl do in site.
So I entered other site without their consent and see what they have done actually on site.
In fact, I also need to do the same what they have done now and so it is useful for me to study their workdone. I bring a notebook and take a note and sometime even I drafted in how to make formwork properly and how to strut it firmly.
I was afraid to be seen by somebody else because I am invading others territory.
So I rushed it and go other site around the whole project before 8:00am.
When I return my office, my friend is already wake up and he is worry when he don't see me after he wake up.
my frd : where are you going alone?
me : I just touring around the site.
my frd : why do u go so early under chilly winter.
me : I just can't sleep bcz of so cold and that's why I just go out for some exercise.
my frd : I thought you go back hometown without telling me.
me : just smiling and keep quiet (in my mind, I want to go back magway and work in irrigation department)
my frd : wait lets go outside and have a breakfast.
me : OK frd, hurry up pls.
Then we go out to find a cafe and eat breakfast together. During breakfast we discuss about job
me : frd, I don't think I can do it well
my frd: why are you thinking like that? you surely can
me : hmmm,,,,,ok frd, I'll try it
my frd : don't worry,,,if I can do it then why not for you..?
Meanwhile, some engineers come in the same cafe and one staffs from my company also accompanished. He, admin staff, introduce us with the rest of engineers who are from our main contractor firm and they'll perform as an inspector on our jobs. A few minute later they, engineers, comment us that how long will you work in this company? I surprise in his question and what do you mean, brother? I replied with counter-question.
Inspector : Your company has change a lot engg: within a short period.
me : yes, I know
Inspector : It makes us our job harder to settle
me : may be
Inspector : The main important thing is your company is behind schedule.
me : yes I hope so
Inspector : Can you drive your workers to catch a tight schedule?
me : I'll try to, Sir.
Inspector : I hope you can do it. Tell me if you have some problems with job.
me : Thank you
Then my frd and I left them to go back our site office.
my frd : you don't talk so much.
me : immm I try to
my frd : old engg: are not trustable in what they talked
me : ya, but they are our main con inspector
my frd : ya they can point out our weakpoint to our boss.
me : ya it is matter to us.
After getting back office, I take a measuring tape and go down site to counter-check patt tern if it is correct or not as per director's instruction.
I have to make sure it is finished before he come to work today.
So I enter to the site area that is under my authorization.
I see some workers prepare to work and some are still go and come infront of me.
I wait till 8:00pm and studying the situation by seeing around.
The site are still under ground and everywhere is muddy and dirty and difficult to walk.
I wear jungle-boot and approach the working carpenters.
Me : hi, I am new engineer for this site.
workers: starring me and no reply. (but i felt that their eyes are underestimate and they whispered each other abt me, some are laughing at my age,,, by saying lets see how many days this young man can work here)
Me : hey I needs few workers now.
workers : They even don't turn around me and do their work without stopping.
Me : started to angry and felt they they don't respect me for being very junior. I shouted at them,,,,"who is your leader?"
workers : by pointing somebody, they replied
Me : I went these old capenter man and tell him "big bro, I want to check profile line and need your help"
Leader : why you want to check it now? We are not free anymore and no body is extra.
Me : I disappointed in his reply but I keep quiet and tell him politely again,,,but it is a must bcz director asked me to do so.
Leader : alright guy, how many ppl do u need for that?
Me : two enough
Leader : Ok I also follow you, I think he want to guess my abilities.
Me : I am not confident at all and don't know how to commend them and start.
Leader : What should I do first? he purposely asked me with smile.....
Me : I felt a pain inside and choose nearest corner post while giving a measuring tape to his pupil.
Leader : What are you doing with that?
Me : I have to check if measurment are correct with drawings.
Leader : OK,,,,go ahead
Me : find it hard to walk around and other workers glance me and laugh at me....at this point my problem started.
Leader : R you ok with taking a note?
Me : ya ok, carry on while I am reading the tape and write sth in my notebook. To be honest, I don't know how to read MKS system that is measured by meter and centimeter.
After two corners,, I asked them to stop it.
Leader : why?
Me : good enough, I don't need to check anymore.
Leader : OK, tell me if you have sth to check next time.
Me : Thanks
I went back site office disappointedly. My friend is working in his site and I don't know what he's doing right now. For sure is I don't happy to work here anymore. I wanted to go back upp/myanmar today. I feel ashamed and I have no strength to face them, skill labours. They are quite experienced people and I am not good enough to lead them. I felt like that and I wanted to go back. Then I went to my frd site and ask him to go somewhere to talk. He follow me and we go to a deep trench that is deeper than a man's height.
my frd : what happened to you now?
me : frd, I don't want to work in Yangon anymore.
my frd : why?
me : I don't think I can
my frd : you have been wrong, my dear, tell me what
me ; by explaining this morning incident
my frd : laugh at me, and tell me that don't you confident that you are better than a worker?
me : yes I do, but I don't know the way to supervise
my frd : ok this evening, lets go to my daughter's hostel and ask our problems
me : I even don't know how to ask and what are my problems ahead.
my frd : sure they'll know what we need to know in site since they have been exp for few years
me : a bit silent and agreed with my frd.......
My friend went back to his site and I sightttttttted
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
What should I do next???????

2 comments:

  1. Read this post and found it fairly interesting! Skimmed some other posts as well for now and will come and finish reading them later.

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  2. thanks for coming and leave ur comment...I never expected sb come and read my blog as I write it as my own diary to recall my younger days.

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