「沈まぬ太陽」はあと１冊を残すだけになった。読み進めるほどに、違和感が増す。「ナショナルフラッグ・キャリア」の「国民航空」といえども、たかが会社。しかし、労組があるほどの巨大企業で仕事をすれば、会社の一員という意識が強くなるものなのだろうか？カラチ（パキスタン）、テヘラン（イラン）、ナイロビ（ケニア）を「僻地」と呼び、そこでの勤務を左遷扱いし、誰もができるわけでないことを経験している事実に対する感謝も興奮も感じられない。企業内での「栄転」と「左遷」を生き方の基礎にするからこんな話が成立するのだろう。また、「アフリカ篇」から「御巣鷹山篇」への流れがあまりに急で、同じストーリーだという感覚が薄れてしまった。
戦争の傷を残しながらもそのままを受け入れ、ほのぼのささえ感じさせる「サイゴンのいちばん長い日」「サイゴンから来た妻と娘」と大きな違いだ。
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Review of the Month (3): the Show Was Over
Real work started in the afternoon. I was assigned to the lighting staff. Lighting was expected to be the biggest trouble spot and it was proved right.
I have no idea how many lights there were on and off stage. Each one of them should be adjusted or focused, or programmed by the computer. Several were connected to the wrong addresses, and others were changed to new ones. Those lights had to be checked individually. A few young guys climbed up to the trusses above the stage with no helmet. My work of 11th ended at 7:00 am of the following day.
On 12th, I reached the site at 2:00 pm. The same kind of work. Very strangely, the lights installed at the same locations were having problems, and an entire row went off. It seemed to me, almost totally ignorant about engineering, that there were some problems not with individual lights but possibly cables. It was up to the local engineers to investigate and find a solution, but they kept changing the lights.
The singer came for a late-afternoon rehearsal. Her voice was powerful. Some of the guys assigned to the floor spots disappeared during the rehearsal. Through a headset, I heard them say, “Go makan first. Go makan first.” It’s the midst of their Ramadan…
The Japanese lighting chief called it a day at 1:00 am leaving the local staff behind. When I was leaving, even Bitch said, “Thank you” to me.
On 13th, the day of the show. Work started at 9:00 am. Lighting kept having trouble. A few were connected wrongly and a few other were changed. One hour before the show time, people were still on stage. The Japanese chief declared, “No more change even if it is having problems.”
During the show, I was in the control box set up at the rear part of the venue. It was definitely some kind of experience.
After it was all over, the man from Taiwan organizer said to me, “Thank you for your help. You’re the best of all.” Later I had a high-five with him. “If you visit Taipei, I buy you drink” was what he told me. Not bad. And the local chief of production, who I believe had a tough time pressed so hard, said to me, “You’re a good translator and also an assistant.” The stage that consumed so much energy and hours from the people to set up quickly came down.
Some of the interpreters may object to the idea that they are part of the production team and they should be apart from the engineers. I disagree. The joyful moments when working on site are those when I can feel part of the whole team. We, the interpreters, sent off the Japanese production team. It was all over. Time for beer. It was 2:30 am.
I have no idea how many lights there were on and off stage. Each one of them should be adjusted or focused, or programmed by the computer. Several were connected to the wrong addresses, and others were changed to new ones. Those lights had to be checked individually. A few young guys climbed up to the trusses above the stage with no helmet. My work of 11th ended at 7:00 am of the following day.
On 12th, I reached the site at 2:00 pm. The same kind of work. Very strangely, the lights installed at the same locations were having problems, and an entire row went off. It seemed to me, almost totally ignorant about engineering, that there were some problems not with individual lights but possibly cables. It was up to the local engineers to investigate and find a solution, but they kept changing the lights.
The singer came for a late-afternoon rehearsal. Her voice was powerful. Some of the guys assigned to the floor spots disappeared during the rehearsal. Through a headset, I heard them say, “Go makan first. Go makan first.” It’s the midst of their Ramadan…
The Japanese lighting chief called it a day at 1:00 am leaving the local staff behind. When I was leaving, even Bitch said, “Thank you” to me.
On 13th, the day of the show. Work started at 9:00 am. Lighting kept having trouble. A few were connected wrongly and a few other were changed. One hour before the show time, people were still on stage. The Japanese chief declared, “No more change even if it is having problems.”
During the show, I was in the control box set up at the rear part of the venue. It was definitely some kind of experience.
After it was all over, the man from Taiwan organizer said to me, “Thank you for your help. You’re the best of all.” Later I had a high-five with him. “If you visit Taipei, I buy you drink” was what he told me. Not bad. And the local chief of production, who I believe had a tough time pressed so hard, said to me, “You’re a good translator and also an assistant.” The stage that consumed so much energy and hours from the people to set up quickly came down.
Some of the interpreters may object to the idea that they are part of the production team and they should be apart from the engineers. I disagree. The joyful moments when working on site are those when I can feel part of the whole team. We, the interpreters, sent off the Japanese production team. It was all over. Time for beer. It was 2:30 am.
*
ソフトバンクの王貞治監督が退任を表明した。産経新聞（電子版）によると、楽天のノムラさんは、「球界にとって大きな損失」と言いながら、「彼はわたしの値打ちを半減させた男。彼がいなければ、わたしが（通算本塁打や打点で）一番だった」だって。ひと言、多い。
Monday, September 22, 2008
Review of the Month (2): Bitch and Me
On 10th, an 8:00 pm meeting of the production staff for a Japanese singer’s concert. Though there was a sufficient amount of time for the organizer to introduce me to the staff who had come from Japan, she did not do so, and the meeting started with me no knowing which persons were Japanese. Soon after the meeting began, it was apparent that the Singapore production chief was not well prepared and he started presenting half-cooked ideas frustrating the Japanese staff. Moreover, he began speaking in Chinese. Luckily for the meeting and unluckily for me, there was a lady from Taiwan, who was very fluent in Japanese and had experience with the singer’s concerts. I had nothing but standing idly. The meeting was scheduled to end at 11 pm, but there was no sign for it to close at 11:30.
My schedule for the following day was to be decided by the result of the meeting. As the people were deep in discussion in Chinese, I asked the organizer’s boss about my schedule by pointing the schedule sheet that said my day would start at 12:30 or 6:00 pm.
She looked at me and said, “9:00 am (changed to 9:30 am later).” I pointed at the schedule sheet that said my day would start at 12:30 or 6:00 pm. She looked at me again and her answer was, “Are you listening to me or are you listening to the paper?” How rude!! By then, I had not uttered any word for 30 minutes. I decided to leave the venue. Bullshit! What a bitch!!
On 11th, I arrived at the site at 9:30. Another argument between the Japanese staff and the production chief of Singapore. It seemed to me that they were going around the same thing. Around and around. I myself got a bit frustrated with the responses of the chief and got louder. The bitch shouted, “XXXX (my name)!!” “Don’t be aggressive to my staff! You must be neutral. Just translate what is going on. Don’t change the (emotional) tone.” Bitch then convened another interpreter too and said to both of us, “Report to me (when you arrived at the site, idiots). Report to me even if I’m busy.” One of those company bosses who doesn’t know how to talk.
My schedule for the following day was to be decided by the result of the meeting. As the people were deep in discussion in Chinese, I asked the organizer’s boss about my schedule by pointing the schedule sheet that said my day would start at 12:30 or 6:00 pm.
She looked at me and said, “9:00 am (changed to 9:30 am later).” I pointed at the schedule sheet that said my day would start at 12:30 or 6:00 pm. She looked at me again and her answer was, “Are you listening to me or are you listening to the paper?” How rude!! By then, I had not uttered any word for 30 minutes. I decided to leave the venue. Bullshit! What a bitch!!
On 11th, I arrived at the site at 9:30. Another argument between the Japanese staff and the production chief of Singapore. It seemed to me that they were going around the same thing. Around and around. I myself got a bit frustrated with the responses of the chief and got louder. The bitch shouted, “XXXX (my name)!!” “Don’t be aggressive to my staff! You must be neutral. Just translate what is going on. Don’t change the (emotional) tone.” Bitch then convened another interpreter too and said to both of us, “Report to me (when you arrived at the site, idiots). Report to me even if I’m busy.” One of those company bosses who doesn’t know how to talk.
Review of the Month (1)
Review of this month so far: in the morning of 1st, the very first day I was to go to an onsite interpretation work, I fainted. I thought, “Oh… it’s happening again.” I lost control of my own body completely and there was no way to stop the sweat flowing down from my scalp. I managed to send an SMS to Miss Q, as has been in the previous faint cases. She contacted the agent for me. A terrible start of a new assignment by a new client.
On 2nd, I visited the Ministry of Manpower to present the in-principle approval letter for an Employment Pass and a blood test report. It was already too late to get my EP on the same day. Because my stay pass would expire the next day, I asked S to go over to MOM to get it for me. There was no other way. I passed my passport and the queue card to him.
On 3rd, I finally started the onsite interpretation. Profusely apologetic to the client about what happened on Monday. But always nice to work with engineers. After work, I arranged to meet S to get my passport and EP. And…
On 2nd, I visited the Ministry of Manpower to present the in-principle approval letter for an Employment Pass and a blood test report. It was already too late to get my EP on the same day. Because my stay pass would expire the next day, I asked S to go over to MOM to get it for me. There was no other way. I passed my passport and the queue card to him.
On 3rd, I finally started the onsite interpretation. Profusely apologetic to the client about what happened on Monday. But always nice to work with engineers. After work, I arranged to meet S to get my passport and EP. And…
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Not Enough TIme
I haven’t had a sufficient time to review my days since the start of this month. Ah, so hectic, and frustrating especially this evening. Then, I need to work when there is work available to me anticipating worse days. I shouldn’t think this rapid flow of work continues.
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