Construction season in China

13 years ago

Construction season in China

To the editor:

It has been a warm week here in Guangzhou. Temps in the high 70s, low 80s. Seems strange having grown up with ice on the ponds beginning to form, the leaves leaving the trees, Now that it is cooler, construction work is beginning to pick up the pace. Even though it is not at the pace it was two or three years ago, the country is still involved on an ambitious building plan that would leave us in the dust. The first sign of this effort is the building of work houses for the construction workers.

In China it is customary to provide housing for workers who are working for you. As soon as the construction walls go up the workers houses are built. Rarely no more than two stories tall, these shacks are just that. The forty hour week is only slowly beginning to make its way into the work culture here. Most will work for six days and when the project is at full speed, often seven days a week for some work groups is the norm.

The dormitories are crowded with families. Married workers bring their wives and kids with them. While the men are working on site the women are busy preparing meals and looking after the kids. Spartan qualities for the employees but at least they have a house.

A common change in the retail landscape is to group a variety of shops around a central theme. Thus you have computer markets, housewares markets, shoes, clothing, and other markets. Often to corral some of the stalls, the authorities will build huge buildings and each store owner buys a booth. Families work on making the business go. So you will find a collection of kids flitting in and about the shoppers as you wander through the aisles. Stores are noisy and joyful amusement parks as the stacks of stuff become hiding places and markers for games of the imagination. There are only a few daycare centers and while they are gaining popularity most are for those who can afford it or who have no family nearby.

Much like the old time general store these locations are very family oriented and the kids soon learn to play around the customers. Often the older kids will be enlisted to act as interpreters or temporary help in collecting the funds for a sale. In this way China begins to teach its children the ins and outs of commercial life.

Orpheus Allison

Guangzhou, China

orpheusallison@mac.com