Missing the days of sticking to Dongguan for 12 years

Everything is a moment, everything will pass, and everything that passes will become a kind memory.

When someone knows that I am from the Northeast, they always ask: It’s so far away, why did I come here? Every time I have to explain: "I came to Dongguan because I was recruited by the company half a year in advance before I graduated from college when I was studying in Chongqing." This is something I was once proud of.

When 10 of our classmates took the train from Chongqing to Dongguan for more than 40 hours, although it was a hard seat, we were still very excited about the life that we had longed for and that we were about to start making money.

Three days later, at around 5 o'clock in the morning, we finally arrived in Dongguan, the place we had been waiting for. When we got off the train with our big and small bags and boarded the bus designated by the conductor, we had not yet arrived in Dongguan, where we were going. When we were in a small town under our jurisdiction, the bus left us on the main road. We discovered that we had encountered a black bus. Fortunately, there were many of us and we were not afraid. We asked several buses before we found the bus in that town. We stopped at the bus station and later called the company. The people from the company heard that we had been cheated and asked us to wait at the bus station. The company sent a car to pick us up. I was very touched.

The moment I arrived at the entrance of the company, I really felt like Grandma Liu had entered the Grand View Garden. Everything was fresh and beautiful. Because it is an industrial area, the surroundings were very clean and tidy.

The company provides a one-month trial period of 750 yuan including food and accommodation, and 850 yuan if performance improves after the trial period. Most of the college graduates in 2002 were in the same situation. When they called home, their families were very happy. I still remember that I joined the company in mid-December 2002, so last month’s salary was paid in January 2003. Because we only worked for 10 days in December, we only received 350 yuan.

I planned to send 300 yuan to my family, so I queued in front of the bank. When we arrived an hour later, we discovered that we had to go to an ATM to remit money under 10,000 yuan. I was very annoyed at the time, and suddenly realized how insignificant we were. , I thought I was earning quite a lot, but I didn’t know that it was really pitiful. However, this also gave me the determination to work hard to make money.

In the blink of an eye, the trial period passed, and the 11 of us were divided into groups. Because it was the R&D department, we were divided into several groups: mouse group, HUB group, digital group, wireless group, and structure group. But at that time, we didn’t know what to do. I chose because I didn’t know what each group did. Later, I heard the department manager say that the HUB (HUB is a USB hub, commonly known as the USB interface on a computer. We made it a separate product) group is very simple. Why is no one chosen? I chose the HUB group because of his simple words.

My boyfriend chose the structure group. This group is dedicated to drawing. They draw the internal structure diagrams of the company's products such as mice, HUBs, card readers, HDDs, etc. But they must first learn drawing software. Therefore, he learned the drawing software Proe by himself in this company, because no one will teach you, and others are not obligated to teach you, but he learned it.

He is the kind of person who can study while watching TV and reading, so I am not surprised that he can learn it. I remember when he didn't learn well at the beginning, his supervisor said that if he really couldn't learn it, he could be transferred to another group and he shouldn't force himself. But he firmly replied that he would definitely learn it.

The next year was spent in confusion. I felt like I didn’t learn anything during this year because I didn’t know how to learn. The biggest gain was that I was very familiar with electronic materials and had a good relationship with the people in the warehouse. We got along relatively well, because my main job during this year was basically running errands and picking up materials.

In 2004, I encountered a turning point. The digital team assistant resigned, so I was transferred there. I went to report with an uneasy mood. At that time, I didn’t know what work I was going to do, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do it. Okay, I later discovered that in addition to continuing to collect materials, I also had to do clerical work such as compiling and issuing BOMs. I also occasionally soldered PCB boards. I never thought I would do this again, but it also made me interested in electronic products. Got some preliminary understanding.

In less than half a year, the leader of the digital group resigned, and I was the only one left in the digital group. So of course I shouldered the heavy responsibility of being the leader. To be honest, I was pushed to the top. Yes, the department manager was afraid that I would be too busy, so he assigned me two assistants, both of whom were fresh graduates and could not be relied upon. So during that time, I only knew how to work, and everyone would often leave by the time it was time to get off work. I just got off work and was really, really busy.

Because I personally handle all the details from new product introduction to trial production and then to factory mass production, I am very clear about all the processes of new product introduction. I also get generous rewards for my efforts. I don’t need to mention my salary for this year. From the department head to the manager, I take the initiative to increase my salary, and I get it twice a year. I am really happy. Let me firmly believe that hard work will really pay off!

Looking back now, it seems that I can finish it in a few sentences, but only those who have experienced the hardships at that time can understand. That year was the most fulfilling and energetic year I have ever lived. I am busy from morning to night and even work overtime at night. Because I am young, I don’t feel tired at all. The next step is to become a product leader smoothly.

I have been working in this company for 8 years, from a young graduate to getting married and pregnant. Five years after graduation, I walked into the marriage hall with my husband (my boyfriend from college). Completed some major events in my life.

In 2010, I discovered that morning sickness was severe during pregnancy, so I took a year of maternity leave. However, I didn’t expect that the embryo would stop developing on its own when it was almost 8 weeks old, so I made up my mind to resign and focus on raising my baby. Good health. At that time, the department manager also advised me not to resign and that I could take unlimited leave. He also promised me that even if my position is no longer available when I come to work in the future, he will arrange an equivalent position for me as long as he is still there.

Because my husband was no longer in the company at that time, I politely declined, but I am still very grateful. My husband and I have been working smoothly for so many years without facing the difficulty of finding a job. It’s really Very lucky.

Because of my first child, I didn’t look for a job after I resigned. I didn’t get pregnant again until 2011, and gave birth to my baby successfully in 2012. I lived in a rental house in Dongguan until the baby was born in 2014. I am over two years old and will go to kindergarten in the second year. In addition, my husband works in Shenzhen, so we are ready to leave Dongguan, where we have lived and worked for 12 years, and go to Shenzhen.

After so many years, the people and everything around me have become so familiar. To be honest, I really feel reluctant to let go, but there is nothing I can do about it. People will always face many choices in their lives.

Seeing the fellow villagers running up and downstairs sweating so many times, helping to move things, I sincerely thank them and sigh with emotion that they have lived in this small one-bedroom apartment all these years. There are so many things accumulated here. The fellow joked that you were coming out of the countryside to go to the city, so you don't have to be so sad and you are welcome to come back at any time.

Later, when I occasionally went back to Dongguan to meet up with friends, I still felt an indescribable sense of familiarity when I sat in the car and looked at the tall buildings, plants and trees on the roadside. It was very cordial!

I have walked many roads, met many people, and made many friends. The things I encounter in each period are different. Standing in this period, I miss those days in Dongguan.