I have learned a lot working at the factory here, so many things that I would not have learned from my desk in Cupertino.  It was really interesting seeing the things that I had helped design go from a drawing to a finished part and to learn of all the difficulties involved to make that happen.

Other than just work, I learned a lot about the ridiculous riches and luxuries that we have in North America that we just don’t give a second thought to because they are so commonplace.  Factory workers here seem to work all of the time – 12 hour shifts usually and alternating to keep the plant building parts 24 hours a day – though they usually get Sundays off unless there is a tight schedule to meet.  Line workers are almost all young girls (all at least 18 years old though) - girls are better with their hands for assembly. They are not supposed to talk when working yet are always asking for overtime for the extra money and though they make very little, many are still able to save and send money back to their families.

All factory workers and most engineers live in dorms behind the factory.  Factory workers sleep 8 to a room (on bunk beds) and engineers 4 to a room.  I was told that factory workers will soon be 12 to a room(!)  The workers eat, sleep and live at the factory.  When I am there visiting with other employees from California we work long hours too – usually 9am to about 9pm (or as late as 2 am if there is a real problem) but when we leave the factory for our beautiful hotel room, the other engineers that we work with usually have another hour or so of work to do to prepare for the next day.

When I was at the factory last month I was traveling with a colleague of mine from California who was born in China and when I mentioned my feeling sorry for the workers, unbelievably he told me not to.  It was because this part of China (near Shanghai) is considered to be the rich part.  Many people in the more norther parts of the country are incredibly poor and dream of having such stable jobs as being a factory worker in the South.  Also, somehow the girls at the factory, seem remarkably happy – once their shift is over – many of them joke around with each other and hold hands as they walk to a nearby store or walk around the factory grounds.  It really is amazing and humbling.

It also makes me wonder about how long the great wealth divide between East and West can continue to exist.  These people work hard, harder than anyone I’ve ever known back home and they just have an uncrushable will.

Anyway, I can’t wait to go back home to San Francisco to see Christen and Parker again and maybe relax for a day before starting the moving process to Cupertino.  Here we go again!