It's approaching 6 months since I have bravely taken up this job. And to be honest, since I came here in August, I have not looked back. From starting with nothing, to an up and running company with modest sales figures increasing every month, I can't help but look back thinking that it was all worth my while.
In the last few months, I have:
1. Rented and renovated a home-office, dealing with contractors who were unprofessional and instructing them using sign language.
2. Applied for water, electricity, internet, corporate bank accounts, set up cctv systems, company data backup systems, sounds straightforward enough, but trust me, when the official language is thai, achieving the above stated is a MONSTROUS task.
3. Signed millions of documents that were scripted with bean sprout characters, feels like signing my death sentence 20 times a day.
4. Lost my passport and my hp within 2 months.
5. Nearly got conned by taxi drivers twice but take note of the word nearly.
6. Called ard 25 pple for interviews and only managed to interview 12, one of them applying for the wrong position.
7. Gotten screamed at by my staff at 10pm in the night for sending him an email asking him to send me clearer pictures if he wanted me to help me look at them and tell him what the object was.
8. Received a resignation letter after sending an email to ask a constantly-2-hrs-late-for-work-or-AWOL staff to try to be punctual.
9. Consistently worked 6-7 days a week to make sure everything in the company is running properly.
BUT, I also have:
1. Had my ROM with the most beautiful lady in the world.
2. Gotten complete trust from my board, which I appreciate so immensely that I will fight tooth and nail to make the company work.
3. Found an amazing man called Rit who is my good staff, as well as my good friend. My life would be upside down if he was not around, and I will make his life better in return.
4. Gotten closer to my ex-clients, Khun Nivest, Weerapong, Nat and Mew. They are now my great friends.
5. Sat at a VIP table at possibly the largest and grandest wedding I will ever attend.
6. Visited most parts of Thailand and realised how beautiful and blessed this country actually is amidst the political uncertainty.
7. Taken photos with a country music superstar, watched a hiphop star perform and a new up-and-coming local band strut their stuff on stage.
8. Found and attended a great church with the most sincere and inspiring lead Pastor.
10. Been nicknamed "village head" by my manager for being greeted by everyone around my home office when I step outside though I speak an awfully mini bit of Thai.
Oh.... looks like I have more positives than negatives.... guess I can't complain much. Before I sign off, here's a sneak peak at how TES Power Equipment Co., Ltd. looks like.
In the last few months, I have:
1. Rented and renovated a home-office, dealing with contractors who were unprofessional and instructing them using sign language.
2. Applied for water, electricity, internet, corporate bank accounts, set up cctv systems, company data backup systems, sounds straightforward enough, but trust me, when the official language is thai, achieving the above stated is a MONSTROUS task.
3. Signed millions of documents that were scripted with bean sprout characters, feels like signing my death sentence 20 times a day.
4. Lost my passport and my hp within 2 months.
5. Nearly got conned by taxi drivers twice but take note of the word nearly.
6. Called ard 25 pple for interviews and only managed to interview 12, one of them applying for the wrong position.
7. Gotten screamed at by my staff at 10pm in the night for sending him an email asking him to send me clearer pictures if he wanted me to help me look at them and tell him what the object was.
8. Received a resignation letter after sending an email to ask a constantly-2-hrs-late-for-work-or-AWOL staff to try to be punctual.
9. Consistently worked 6-7 days a week to make sure everything in the company is running properly.
BUT, I also have:
1. Had my ROM with the most beautiful lady in the world.
2. Gotten complete trust from my board, which I appreciate so immensely that I will fight tooth and nail to make the company work.
3. Found an amazing man called Rit who is my good staff, as well as my good friend. My life would be upside down if he was not around, and I will make his life better in return.
4. Gotten closer to my ex-clients, Khun Nivest, Weerapong, Nat and Mew. They are now my great friends.
5. Sat at a VIP table at possibly the largest and grandest wedding I will ever attend.
6. Visited most parts of Thailand and realised how beautiful and blessed this country actually is amidst the political uncertainty.
7. Taken photos with a country music superstar, watched a hiphop star perform and a new up-and-coming local band strut their stuff on stage.
8. Found and attended a great church with the most sincere and inspiring lead Pastor.
10. Been nicknamed "village head" by my manager for being greeted by everyone around my home office when I step outside though I speak an awfully mini bit of Thai.
Oh.... looks like I have more positives than negatives.... guess I can't complain much. Before I sign off, here's a sneak peak at how TES Power Equipment Co., Ltd. looks like.
Hello...
ReplyDeleteIts been a long time since we talked and I didn't know you started a blog!!
Anyway... what u are doing makes what I am struggling with so miniscule...
Lets meet up in Bangkok! :)
Hello Minli
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping by to have a peek at my modest blog, haha.... and reaching out to friends like you makes the time spent on this thing all the more worthwhile.
Nah, what I am doing is nothing, I am selling the simplest of products to the grassroot population in Thailand. The technical know-how is minimal, so I can't really compare my difficulties with everyone else.
When are you coming over the Bangkok? We MUST meet up.
Eddie
I cannot imagine trying to communicate in Thai, despite 4 year of working with Toyota Thailand, I dun speak any. Tell me all about how you set things up and interviewed people when you dun speak the language!! and I wanna ride your Fortuner. :) it was the first model I was in charge of when I joined Toyota. =D
ReplyDeleteIn order to go Bangkok, I first have to go back to Singapore. And I am returning permanently on the 27th of Feb. :)
Of course I try to do everything in English right, including interviewing staff.
ReplyDeleteLet me know when you plan to come ok, so that I can make sure I am in Bangkok.