First Barbecue in NZ, Papamoe

25 May 2011

Having a barbecue is very common in New Zealand. I have been wishing to have one at beach side here before I came to New Zealand, and on our day off today, we (10 of us) who are all from Trevelyan packhouse made it!!!

We went to Papamoe Holiday Park where is just near to the beach. There is a Park N Save opposite of the park, a supermarket which sells real cheap things We went to the market and grabbed some food for the bbq section before we headed back to the park.

Everything, except for the food and drinks is free. We do not have to pay for the parking and bbq stove. No early booking is required too. The only thing to take note is that alcohol drink is prohibited. If you do need it, have it low profile. You can even catch the fresh lala at the beach during low tide.

It was windy in the late evening and all of us ate the cold food in shiver......

pic: Fresh lala caught at the beach

Work happily

22 May 2011

Since I obtained the day shift job offer from company T, I had a thought on my mind to quit my night shift work at company S. Company T has been all the while reviewed as the company which offers the best staff benefits. I do not mind to work night shift as the pay is higher, and I do not mind to work both shifts in a day for money's sake, but definitely not in company S. I saw my the other two partners wish to stay and earn as much as possible before we start travelling, and I do see many other people having two jobs in a day actually. I persuaded myself to give a try and continue working in S, and at the same time in company T.

In order to survive in company S, I had to find a way to leave the packing work, which I really really hate. My fingers never recover from injury since the first day I joined. I managed to find a friend, who is a grader, and swap with her. On the first day, it was alright as the supervisor is well known as friendly and easy going person. I thought I could work here for few more days with the kiwi grading work and then I would leave company S with a lum sum of money. This was how I experienced my first crazy working life (working from 7.30am till 5pm in company T and then 6pm till 4.30am in company S, and then 7.30am till 5pm again in company T).

Job nature is not the only obstacle to make me stay, but also the people and environment here. I have been trying hard to tolerate with the supervisors' managing and supervision skills and today, I finally broke out at the middle of the work and decided to leave earlier. Yes, leave the company permanently as well. I do not wish to carry the stress even in my sleep. They are the most unfriendly people I have been dealing with in NZ so far, they are the only people who could hardly say something good as a token of appreciation of my work, even though the result may not be up to their expectation, and they are the only people who would stand right beside you and pinpoint what you have done wrong, followed by shaking their heads with disappointment.

On the other hand, my effort is always appreciated and recognized in kiwi picking job and also grading in company T (I like the supervisor very very much, she always talk sweetly). I am not someone who is useless and has no value. Hence, I do not regret leaving company S.

pic: packing section at company S

pic: packing section in company T

pic: grading section at company S

pic: grading section at company T, shorter row and yet assigned three people per row.

pic: eating lunch in company T

pic: This is how company T appreciate the hard effort from the staff!!!

在工厂难熬的日子

17 May 2011

已经是第四晚了，我怎么不止还没有适应packing这份工作，反而还越来越紧张，有压力，甚至很想离职。只是因为不想被困难打倒，才为了继续而继续。

压力来自packer不止要包装，除了要站着长达10个小时以外，跟着机器的步伐把奇异果‘正确地’放入纸盒，看到有问题的奇异果还得把它们丢掉。机器跑得那么快，要把它们迅速地放入纸盒已经是一个很大挑战了，哪有时间去看它们身体上有没有那么一小个伤口。有时主管还站在旁边看着我做，感觉痛不欲生。

我和我的女partner好不容易找到自己能克服的岗位，完全没有问题包装57颗奇异果。我还沾沾自喜终于胜任这份工作了。怎么知道第二天，被主管发现我的朋友摆放奇异果的姿势不够轻，就过来纠正，却刚好让她发现我们的奇异果当中，很多都是有小伤口的。

最后我们都被调到33颗奇异果。可能她觉得数目比较少，我们会有更多的时间去检查奇异果的品质。但是我最讨厌这个岗位，因为它们必须被排入设有形状的托盘，头部要对准某个方向，这样把我搞得更加慢，也因为要把奇异果的方向转来转去，手腕也更加酸，连操控驾驶盘都不舒服了。

我那位朋友也不喜欢这个岗位，不喜欢主管盯着她，就刻意放慢速度。主管看到她应付不来，又把她调到后面和我另外一位男partner排纸盒，她如愿以偿地得到她想要的岗位，轻松的来，薪水也跟我的一样。现在我是最后一位站在packing岗位的人，也不懂何时我会遭遇像我那两位朋友的命运。

我过不了自己那一关，我不能刻意做错事而被调，我想尽我所能克服它，证明给主管看，我是能的。两位朋友看到我承受着那么大的压力，劝我换公司，或者换岗位，不值得过得那么不愉快，我们的目的是working holiday，不是打工的。但是谁又能保证之后的路会更加顺？为什么其他人都能，我不能？我还是把它当作是个体验好了，好让我体会原来钱是那么的难赚，工厂的工作是会有压力的。

差不多每一晚手指都会被割伤或磨损。因为害怕向主管拿胶布，因为不喜欢带着手套工作（贴了胶布一定要带塑胶手套），有的时候流血就被逼用最嘴巴吸，或者去厕所用冷水清洗，要不然用奇异果标签贴纸贴着伤口，也不懂会不会感染细菌。只看到自己的手，有4-5根手指都是受伤的。手指也开始生死皮了，每当我用食指scan in/out时，都得尝试几次才成功。真的搞不懂为什么工厂不要提供布手套给员工，难道真的那么贵吗？

我的‘事业’会更加顺吗？

pic: the closed colleague from Germany and French. Friendly couple

Picking and Packing Kiwi

14 May 2011

还记得第一次在果园採奇异果的那一天，虽然中午才开工，但是却一直倒数放工的那一刻。才做了短短的五个小时，就精疲力尽，感觉颈项和肩膀都断掉了。回家后只是做了一个结论，就是对奇异果产生了厌倦感，希望第二天能够下一场大雨，那么我就不用上班了。

听说packing比picking来的容易，就到数家packhouse找工作，最后让我们如愿以偿找到了packing的工作（虽然是夜班），却发觉原来要付出更大的精神压力。身为一个packer，就只是负责把奇异果从运输管放入纸盒里，然后把盒子关上。

每一个盒子都有特定的奇异果数量，比方说size36的就要有72颗。但是每运输一次的数量都是刚刚好，所以如无意外是不用算的，把全部奇异果包起来就行了。听起来挺简单吧。但是如果运输的速度太快，而packer的动作又应付不来，就会产生一种现象。后来的奇异果会跟之前的堆积在一起，那么这个时候packer就必要计算72颗，把它们放到盒子里。既然是要计算，动作就肯定会更加慢，而这个时候，奇异果就会越积越多，卡在运输管的出口了。在这种混乱的情况，一位计算师就会出现，挑选一盒重新计算，如果被发觉数目不正确，就要挨骂了。

我是一位新人，有一次被发现数目不正确，就被调到33颗的。分别在于33颗的是有托盘，托盘里有33个洞，洞子满了，就能关上盒子。问题又来了。洞子是有方向的，奇异果的头都向着一个方向，最后一行是反方向，所以摆放的时候，又须要一些技巧，动作相比起来也是慢。不懂怎么了，是因为我是一位新人呢，还是我天生手脚就比较慢，做了两天，都还应付不来，晚上还发恶梦，自己像个机器般的在包果。手腕酸痛，手指也容易刮伤。如果受伤了，就必要贴他们的胶布，而且一定要戴上塑胶手套，戴上手套后，动作反而来得更慢。如今的我，倒是满害怕上班。

相比picking起来，虽然肩膀会酸痛，但是乐趣无穷。最大原因是现在跟工头和工作人员的关系都很要好了，加上我们可以一边採果，一边听mp3，一边谈天，一边吃熟透的奇异果。採黄肉奇异果，因为怕它们受伤，所以我们都是被要求慢慢地，一颗一颗地採。但是做了packer后，才发觉到工厂后，因为动作要快的关系，很多时候我们都会弄伤奇异果，顿时感受到白天小心翼翼的採果功夫被浪费了。

虽然有了packing的工作，但是我不愿意放弃picking的工作，所以我不在意同时间打两份工。就好像前几天，星期四和五做了packing夜班，睡了三个小时再去picking，结果回来就足足睡了11个小时，睡醒后收到工头的信息，说人手不够，结果我们又再去picking，然后晚上上packing夜班。幸好我们跟工头说好了， 如果当天有值夜班，我们只须要採半天的果。

pic: waiting the rain to stop at the middle of the work along with contractor, George. Kiwis were our shelter.

Satara Kiwi Packing Night Shift

12 May 2011

We received a call from Satara today. Finally we obtained packing offer, but it would be night shift (6pm - 4.30am). Night shift is paid 1.50 NZD more per hour than day shift and packing's working hour is longer than picking's. We had no choice but to accept the offer in order to earn more and cover our weekly expenses.

Since packing and picking both do not work everyday, probably only a few days per week, we wish to work both if there is no conflict, of course not on the same day. For example, if we only need to pack on monday, tue and wednesday, we can actually pick on the following few days if there is no rain. Unfortunately, it may not work out as planned as picking and packing can fall on the same day. Hopefully our kiwi picking contractor doesn't mind we only work on free day.

Kiwi Picking Experience

11 May 2011

今天下雨了，因此没有开工。还记得第一天採奇异果后，双肩痛得不得了，还需要搽muscle cream，一直希望第二天能够下雨，盼望能够採一天，休假两天。昨天已经是连续三天都开工了。而今天的我，看着下雨天，不懂怎么了，却很想到果园开工。看来我已经适应了採奇异果的辛苦，还开始慢慢享受其中的欢乐。

在果园里，奇异果比我们还宝贵。每踏入果园，鞋底都必须冲洗消毒水；戴上手套前，双手也一样需要消毒。手套，衣服必须每天更换，以避免病毒从一个果园带到另外一个果园。每一位员工，都必须戴上头罩。

採黄肉奇异果需要谨慎处理。原因在于它很脆弱，很容易受伤，所以我们一定要确保採了奇异果后，它们的顶端完全没有小树枝，要不然就会刺伤其他奇异果。因此，工资都是以计时的。而青肉奇异果，工资一般都是以一箱来计算，採得越快，就越多箱，工资也就越多。

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150188940999633&set=a.10150188920969633.312174.719609632&type=1

奇异果被採了，就会被放入挂在身前的袋子里，当袋子满了，就轻轻的把它们滑入箱子里。对于我的身体来说，半袋已经是满重了，所以我通常每半袋，就倒入箱子里。如果一天里被发现有三次树枝，就会扣半个小时的工资。

放午饭的时候，所有员工都会涌去车里拿便当，打开椅子享用只有仅仅半个小时的午餐，好让身体充电一下，继续劳碌。

昨天的採果，是最开心的。动作开始熟练，也没有被投诉採的奇异果带有树枝。到最后，因为天色暗了，还得加班，有的督工就带着头灯，他们还开着拖拉车的车头灯照亮果园，我就经历了不一样的採果经验。我们昨天十二个人分工合作负责三行大概有200米的果园。在最后的十分钟，第一行就完成了，第一行的人就跑到第二行帮忙，数分钟后，第二行也完成了。所有人又跑到第三行帮忙，这时候，第三行非常拥挤和热闹，就在那短短的几十秒里，所有人的手突然敏捷起来，採得特别快，我们大家也就完成了第三行，心里顿时感受到那分成就感。我想如果我能坚持到季节完毕，把所有果园里的奇异果都採光，我一定为我自己骄傲。但是，由于薪水不高，工作时间也不稳定，工作时也有很多小树枝和沙粒掉在脸上或者眼睛里，如果有更好的工作，我想我也应该离开。

People in New Zealand

7 May 2011

I love the people here. They are so friendly and helpful.

If you are standing at roadside and looking at map, people passing by will stop and help you.

Whenever you reach the cashier counters, they will smile and greet you.

There are so many i-sites (tourist information centers), at least one at each town to assist the tourists.

Even when we are working at the kiwi farm, they guide us nicely, well at least I have not been scolded once so far and hopefully it wont happen in future.

It is common that the passengers to say 'Thank you, driver" before they get down from the bus.