India Part 4 – Life of an Indian Intern
After all is said and done, India Tan has to get down to work and earn his right of existence in this country.

India Tan has started his industrial attachment in a local engineering company. Having worked many jobs in Singapore, Intern Tan still feel lost all the some times at work.

Lets take a peek at Intern Tan’s typical day at work.


0845hrs - Intern Tan has to squeeze into the company bus which brings him deep into an industrial estate to his office.


The bus is not smelly.


0900hrs - Reported for work.

Intern Tan ’s desk.

But he won’t be seeing it until 6pm, cos’ his actual operating area is in the calibration lab

0905hrs -Calibration lab

Indian company, Indian workers.

This is the same calibration lab, 5 minutes later. There is a sudden power cut off and it is not uncommon to have power cut off in the lab.

1015hrs- Self-declared water break

Water dispenser with only one metal cup, and every Indian drink from the same cup and put it back without washing. Intern Tan use his own water bottle.

1230hrs - Lunch Break, only 30minutes.

Indians queuing to take food (Veg only).

1500hrs - TeaBreak (-+5minutes)

Tea is provided, and all Indians enjoy tea, including Intern Tan

Intern Tan is new, so he is attached to a more senior worker.

This is how their daily conversation would go:

Intern Tan: “Why do you need to measure this?”
Indian: “10 minutes.”
Intern Tan: “How long have you been working here?”
Indian: “530pm end work.’

Because of the way their conversation goes, Intern would rather keep quiet.

However, there are times like

Intern Tan: “How often does this error happen?”
Indian: “Not a lot of times”

At times like this Intern Tan would brisk-walk to a corner and give his left hand a High 5 with his right hand. It’s these rare moments when the Indians understand the question that made Intern Tan press on.

NEXT WEEK ENTRY - India Part 5 – Animals of India street