holy rollin' frac pump!

I'm in big-kid heaven. At my new post in Jingzhou, I get to learn not only how an international corporation came into being and is operated but also how humongous oil drilling tools are manufactured. The latter means I get to hang out with engineers and play in hardhats and walk around warehouses and workshops with enormous, larger than life equipment that I only got to read about in my energy classes last year. Basically, it's like my childhood Tonka Truck toys have come to life and are moving all around me... sweet!

In order to hang out with liquid nitrogen tanks and 11 ton trucks, first you get "250 guy"(an expression in Chinese that means "stupid guy") safety training. After I was explained that I should not slip on oil, look at directly at welding, touch sharp metal objects or take flying leaps into moving machines (obviously, some people DO need this training), "the leader" (as the Chinese sometimes refer to "the boss" or the guy in charge) took me on a tour of the company workshops. When "the leader" handed me a hardhat and safety goggles, I wasn't sure the day could get any better (much giggling inside to self). But later we passed by a 12 ton cement mixing machine and my expectations were exceeded once again (much whooping inside to self).
After gazing with awe at fracturing machines, and pumps and cement mixers and huge engines, they let me play with the super-smart brain team that designs all the equipment. At first, they were a little scared of me.. well, some of them were a lot scared. It might have been the thought of having to speak English with me for a while or maybe something else? But the most terrified of them all (he turned some lovely shades of red while trying to explain a program to me) overcame his fear most admirably and mustered up the strength to ask for my phone number before I left their department. Fortunately, the truth bites: I haven't got it memorized!
The various teams taught me how fracturing equipment is designed and made, how cement mixers work, and how a pump is made. (Dad, I have been inspired to build that "Invisible Engine" you bought me back when I was 16. Set aside some time one weekend this fall!) It was a learning experience! But getting the info out of the geek-squad took a little doing. Each engineer would ask the same questions and the dialogue went something like this:

Q "Soo, um, Pah-sher (what my name sounds like in Chinese), what you study in school?"
A "Well, I did Comparative Literature for my BA. And for my MA, I am studying Economics and International Relations, with a focus on Energy and Technology in Emerging Markets."
**a confused look. perhaps, processing**
Q "So.. Um, I don't know what to tell you about (fill in name of large equipment here). What you want to know...?"
A "Well, why do you just show me how you design (fill in name of large equipment here) and how it works!"
Q "Really? You want to know that?"
A "Sure, why not?"
Q "You don't think it boring?"
A "No! I think it's fascinating"
**confused look followed by fascinating barrage of information**

And the day comes to an end with yet more lovely Chinese people and the Leader trying to kill me with more delicious Chinese food and drink. When dinner ended at 9pm, the Leader said "why don't you take this opportunity to have a rest." And I said, "well, fortunately tomorrow night I have no plans." "That's what you think," he replied with a slightly evil grin.

Lesson of the day: the word in Chinese for "engineer" and "eunuch" sound very similar (really, no joke).