Day 11

Today’s a big day! Mr. Truong is having a party at his factory for the family and employees to celebrate the end of New Year’s celebrations.

There’s around 5 or 6 tables with, at least, 10 employees each. And even if it’s a Sunday, there are employees who are already working. When I show up with my “long nose” and pale skin, everyone turn their heads and start saying “hello” and smilling. Mr. Lam is at one of the tables and says hello. I smile to all of them, shoot a couple of pictures and go join Carlos, Maxi and Mr. Truong so we can visit the factory.

Well, I don’t understand a great thing about engineering but Mr. Truong is a wealthy man who really take care of his employees and everyone love to work for him. He deals with iron and forging and working there is not a piece of pie.

The forging machine gets really high temperatures and so, even if by law employees have to work dressed and with gloves, they only wear gloves and nothing else over their body. Let’s not think if one of them gets burned…

Forging machine

After visiting the factory we go fur lunch. We start with some pork and beef rolls, chicken, steamed rice and vegetables, a grilled fish with mushrooms and finally fish soup. It’s important to say that when we started eating there was already people eating and also drinking… let’s predict, not a riot, but another singing ending for this celebration.

There are 2 curious things in all of this:

•  It’s a ritual that the owner goes table by table cheering with everyone and it’s considered a very important thing to do;

• And everyone throws everything to the ground, as there are no bins…

The singing start and I’m fortunate to shoot it a little bit.

Then I leave and go with the ladies drink hot tea and eat cookies. They’re speaking in Vietnamese and I’m trying to follow the conversation but, as you can imagine, I can’t understand a word.

Around 3pm we decide to go for a massage… I get the same girl from the last time and I fall asleep for the first time, as I’m so tired and relaxed. I even get a little scare when she wakes me up. Of course she laughs of my surprised face when she does it… =)

Tonight there’s no going out or partying ‘cause the kids start classes tomorrow and Carlos will leave to China for business.

Time to talk with the parents, updating the blog and zzzzzzzz….

Night night everyone, don’t let the bedbugs bite!