00:02You may have some ideas about the workplace in China and think it's similar to other places.
00:09But in fact, that's only one side of what you see from the outside.
00:14Over the past 22 years, I've gone from working in factories to working in offices and later even started my
00:22own business.
00:24I've experienced exhaustion and loneliness as well as hope and setbacks.
00:31Hello everyone, I'm John, an ordinary man living and working in Guangdong.
00:37Today, I want to take you into my world so you can see the real life of an ordinary working
00:44class man in China
00:46and some of the unfortunate experiences I've had in my career over the years.
00:53I'm 40 years old. I started working when I was 18 and now I've spent 22 years struggling in the
01:02workplace.
01:03During this time, I worked for 7 different companies and I also had one attempt at starting my own business.
01:12So in total, I've worked in 8 different places.
01:16If I had to summarize my career, I would say it has been a failure.
01:22If we go back more than 20 years, like many other people, I was full of enthusiasm and hope for
01:31the future.
01:31I thought I could find an easy job but reality turned out to be very different.
01:37At that time, I entered the manufacturing industry, specifically the low-end production sector.
01:45Everyday, the work environment was filled with the low of machines, dust, oil stains and the lingering smell of sweat.
01:53For years, this was almost how I spent every single day.
01:59So let me ask you, what kind of work do you do?
02:03Have you worked in manufacturing?
02:05Do you like your current job?
02:07If you do, please cherish it.
02:10Over this 22 years, I've worked in many different roles including technical position, management and sales.
02:20I've met many people and seen all kinds of things.
02:24Some were good and some were not so good.
02:28Some people were kind and some were cunning.
02:32Sometimes I felt a lot of pain and even loneliness.
02:35At other times, I still felt that life was full of hope.
02:41In China, many people say you shouldn't enter the manufacturing industry
02:47because it's often associated with low pay and hard work.
02:52In fact, manufacturing factories usually run 24 hours a day.
02:58Some factories operate with two ships or three ships.
03:02Some have only daytime ships but almost all factories involved over time.
03:10I often work 12 hours a day, sometimes even 14 hours.
03:16For a period of time, I also work night ships.
03:19The hardest time during night ships was between 2A and 6A.
03:25At that time, I felt like a fool with only 1% battery left, still running.
03:31But ready to shut down at any moment.
03:35During these 22 years, I often receive sudden assignments from my bosses.
03:42It felt almost like military training.
03:46You always had to be ready to move at any moment.
03:50Many times, business dinners were also a heavy burden.
03:56Whenever people gathered for meals, drinking was almost mandatory.
04:02Even if you were already exhausted and didn't want to drink,
04:06you still had to force yourself to have a glass for the sake of business.
04:12Sometimes, you had to keep drinking until the very end.
04:16I haven't had any alcohol for more than a year now.
04:22At the beginning of 2015, I suddenly felt severe stomach pain.
04:30After going to the hospital, the diagnosis was pancreatitis.
04:34The doctor told me it would be best not to drink alcohol anymore.
04:40That illness made me realize that life is unpredictable and health is the most important thing.
04:48Since then, no matter how people try to persuade me, I haven't touched a drop of alcohol.
04:55Before 2019, I have been working in Shenzhen.
05:00It is one of China's major metropolitan cities.
05:05Full of skyscrapers, busy streets and convenient transportation.
05:09Attracting a huge number of young people.
05:12If you visit China as a tourist, I believe you would enjoy your city like that.
05:18But now, I live in a more remote place on the outskirts of the city.
05:23There are no tall skyscrapers here.
05:26Only rows of residential buildings and manufacturing factories.
05:32At the end of 2019, at the invitation of a friend, I left Shenzhen and came to Huizhou to start
05:41a business.
05:42To be honest, it was a huge challenge for me because I didn't have technical knowledge.
05:48My experience was mainly in business development.
05:53We mainly produce small mechanical equipment.
05:57But when the pandemic broke out, our company was hit very hard.
06:03After struggling to keep the business alive for three difficult years, I finally had to admit failure and lost all
06:11my savings.
06:13For someone like me who comes from a rural family, what does failure mean?
06:19It means you have to start all over again.
06:22So I found another job.
06:24The one I have now.
06:26I can say that I love it.
06:28But at least it allows me to support myself.
06:31In 2023, I got married.
06:36In 2024, our child was born.
06:40Time passes very quickly.
06:42Now, he is already one and a half years old.
06:47My wife used to have a stable job.
06:51But after our child was born, she quit and became a full-time mother.
06:58Because our parents cannot help take care of the baby.
07:02We have to handle everything ourselves.
07:05In my small family, I am the only source of income.
07:11I am very grateful to my wife.
07:14She has made great sacrifices for our family.
07:18I also hope that one day she can return to the workplace.
07:23Because a woman's value is not only about taking care of the family and doing housework.
07:30She also has her own value.
07:34Since having a child, the pressure on our family has become even greater.
07:39That is also the reason why I started this YouTube channel.
07:44I want to share my work, my life, and the experiences behind them.
07:51This is my current life.
07:53Maybe it's a little heavy, but it is real.
07:56In your life, have you ever experienced moments when you felt physically and mentally exhausted?
08:03Confused about the future?
08:06Yet still had no choice but to keep going?
08:10If you are willing, feel free to share your story in the comments.
08:15I am John.
08:15I am John.
08:16See you next time.
08:18See you next time.
08:18Bye-bye.
08:19Bye-bye.
08:19And you can see me again.
08:19Bye-bye.
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