A Day at the Office

Several people have asked what the Air Mekong Corporate Office is like.  Unfortunately, it's pretty non-descript and surprisingly like most any other business office on the planet.  As I've mentioned before, we're on the third floor of the Syrena Tower, a mid-size mall/office/hotel complex all in one.  The Air Mekong offices are located on the entire third floor of the building.

When I was first here in January, I was in a small, ok, very small, office that also served as an even smaller conference room.  After returning in March, I was given an interior office next to our Maintenance Department.  It was nice, but I was far removed from the people I need to associate with, so just last week, I moved into a new exterior office (as in, I now have a window).

The office itself is pretty unremarkable.  There are, however, two notable things:

1) Being next to the window is not all it's cracked up to be.  Now that the sun is actually shining here, it's gotten warm very quickly (90s already) and rumor has it that 100 degree temperatures and 95% humidity are the norm all summer long.  Seriously.  (Of course, that's a whole 'nother subject).

What is a big deal is that at least half the time, the office air conditioning either isn't working properly or isn't working at all.  Given my east facing view, the office gets very warm each morning, so the blinds get shut.  By afternoon, I'm drenched.  And it's not pretty.  Fortunately the Fivi-Mart sells fans, so I'll be visiting there this weekend to make a purchase (along with some "Want Want Shelly Senbei!", of course)!

2) Most everything in my office functions just like it would at home.  Except for the lights.  Initially I couldn't figure out how to turn the lights to the office on and off.  Then decided that it must be a master switch for the entire sector: when the sector's lights were on, my lights were on.  When the sector's lights were off, my lights were off.

For reasons I'll share in a moment, that doesn't always work so well.  So one day I happened to ask the previous occupant about the light situation.  After giving me a blank look, he pointed to the wall only to reveal the obvious:

Standard office light fixture

Not-so-standard office light switch

Outside my office, there are two other things that make working here uniquely Vietnamese.

The first is that every day in the office breakroom, a woman, who's only real job is this one I believe, prepares tea for everyone.  There are always warm pots of both green and herbal teas, made fresh throughout the day.



Check out the wicker basket; it keeps the tea warm. 



Normally, instead of the small plate you see, there's a huge pan full of fresh tea leaves.
And there's also usually a gold fish in the center bowl; it wasn't there today, so that's probably not so good for the goldfish.

The second is that while the staff generally takes lunch from noon to one o'clock every day, upon their return at 1:01, they promptly turn off the lights on the floor (hence my early issues with a dark office) and promptly nap for the next thirty minutes. 

(Quiet please...these people work for me)

Sleepytime.
It's hard to inconspicuously take a pic while folks are sleeping, so this didn't turn out
as well as I had hoped.  Obviously the midday lights are off; on the far left are two
employees asleep in their seats, dreaming of ca phe sua da no doubt!

They bring blankets and pillows.  Some nap with their heads down, others lean back in their chairs, mouth's agape.  Rumor has it a few will actually stretch out on the floor.  The only one's who work are the expats in the office...who do so very quietly so as to not wake anyone up.