 We waited for my wife's cousin to pick us up and drive us to her son's graduation ceremony in Hsinchu, but we got a call that Pinky, her niece’s cat, had just run through the open door. We had to wait until she was found; it really would have ruined the day. Luckily, she was found. We were picked up to head north to Hsinchu. We got to the out-of-the-way college in plenty of time, just in time for a cloudburst.  |
| My Dad was an airplane mechanic for many years, so I had to see nephew Ken graduating from China University of Science and Technology having studied aeronautical electrical systems |
| The college, in the hills near Hsinchu, is rather small, smaller than most high schools in Taiwan. With a pig farm nearby, the smell of pig feces fills the air. It has got to be better inside. |
  |
|
I entertained
myself taking photos with the smart phone of the airplane engines, simulators,
metal shop vices, and model airplanes, not to mention the few private planes
and one small cargo parked on display in little hangers outside. They even have
a spinning radar tower with the school’s name atop, like a McDonald’s sign; a
nice touch for an aeronautical college.
My wife's nephew studied aircraft electrical systems but heaven knows if he can make that his career. There are not too many airline jobs around in Taiwan, and I heard that you have to have connections to get one of them.
Ken was given an internship with a Japanese company doing business in Taiwan in a related field. He had to work there for a year, with no pay, late into the evening. Before the year was through, Ken had had enough; his part-time job at a local barbecue restaurant was putting him past his capacity.
His girlfriend also graduated from the college and was finishing her internship. She hopes to get a job in the airline industry. Ken will do his four-month military service. I wonder if he had completed his internship, if he could have been assigned to an air force position, but that probably requires connections, too.
The obligatory ceremony, MC’ed by an air force WAC, went through its paces. Mercifully, the ceremony didn’t include the nasty American habit of reading each graduate’s name and handing out fake diplomas to them while shaking hands with dignitaries on stage.
CONGRATULATIONS KEN !!!!!!
(Watch the video of the end of the ceremony on the link below:)
No comments:
Post a Comment