Working Travel: Realizing a Dream in a Year

Chapter 8 Working as a Chinese Chef in a Korean-Owned Japanese Restaurant

In this door last year today

It takes 3 hours to drive from Napier to Palmerston North, and the first car I got in went straight to Palmerston North.In the car was a young couple, with the husband, Juno, driving.He and his wife, Stana, are from the UK and are back to New Zealand on vacation this time to visit friends.Along the way, rain and sunshine alternated, which had not changed for many years. Juno showed a thoughtful expression and began to recall New Zealand back then.

"I used to study at Palmerston North, Massey University, you've heard of it."

"Ah."

"If you like a city like Napier, maybe Palmerston North isn't for you."

"Oh?"

"Because Palmerston North has many schools and many young people, it is very lively at night, unlike Napier in winter, where it is quiet at night."

Ah...is it a city with a lot of bars?I thought to myself, that's not my thing.Little did I know at the time that a month in Palmerston North would become my drinking festival in New Zealand.

The vehicle meandered along the narrow mountain road, and when it was approaching Palmerston North, the canyon on the right was getting deeper and deeper, and yellow torrents could be vaguely seen galloping at the bottom of the valley.

"Palmerston North often rains, and the Manawatu (Manawatu) River was flooded a few years ago. Look at the barbed wire fences on the side of the road, all built to prevent falling rocks."

We arrived in Palmerston North at noon, the rain had stopped and the sky was still overcast, and Juno drove me to a "King" youth hostel, but a new building had been built on the old site.He shrugged helplessly: "This place has changed."

After we broke up in front of the tax office, I went straight to the information office, got a list of employment agencies in Palmerston North, and spent the afternoon combing through the companies on the list.This information is a bit outdated, and many of the companies have closed their doors. I filled out the job application information for two companies. Judging from the responses of the other companies, there should be little hope.

Fortunately, the cities in New Zealand are very small, and it only takes half a day to get familiar with the streets and alleys of a city.The urban layout of Palmerston North is quite simple. There is a war memorial square in the center of the city, and four roads start from here, leading to the southeast, northwest, respectively.I did a quick visit to most of the eateries in Palmerston North, the holidays for international students don't start until November so there are hardly any vacancies right now.Compared with Auckland, there are fewer Chinese here, but Chinese restaurants and supermarkets are not uncommon.

I don’t know when it started, but I think it’s natural to work in a restaurant or an orchard, like sitting down when you see a chair after walking a long way.But life is a kaleidoscope, no matter how hard you try to move forward, you can't predict the scenery at the next stop.

Clay Bodhisattva

There is only one cheap hotel called Pepper Tree in Palmerston North. The owner was chatting with a resident. When he saw me coming in, he said, "Wait a minute, I'll help the Japanese check in."

I was mistaken for a Japanese many times in New Zealand. At first I felt baffled. After thinking about it, it was probably because most backpackers with Asian faces came from Japan.But in recent years, more and more Chinese backpackers have gone abroad, and I think this means changing the world's perception of us.

There was someone in the room. We shook hands and greeted him. His name was Milken, a local. When I found out, my buddy was traveling around the island.

"You look young, don't you work?"

"No, I injured my back, and now I receive government subsidies, more than 200 New Zealand dollars a week."

"Feel sorry."

"It's all right, it's a lot of fun to walk around like this. Are you coming to Palmerston North looking for work?"

"Yes, working holiday."

Then I introduced my experience in New Zealand for less than 4 months as an endorsement. Milken heard that I was owed wages in Hastings, and asked me: "Do you want me to lend you money?"

He looked serious, not joking.It seems that he doesn't know what a mud bodhisattva crossing the river is, and I don't intend to explain it, so I just declined it with a smile.

War in the post office workshop

The interview time at the post office was the next morning. It was strange to say that every morning when there was an interview, the weather was beyond imagination.I took a walk to the huge mail processing center building.As a Chinese, I have a deep-rooted understanding of the benefits of state-owned enterprises. The post office is one of the few state-owned enterprises in New Zealand. I have high expectations for this opportunity.I entered the roaring workshop with another black-faced strong man from Fiji, and there were already two other applicants waiting for the seat.

The first is a mock test.

The first item, the reading test, is a test to identify the correctness of the mailing address in a short period of time, and I got a full score.

The second item, the letter sorting test, arranges all the letters in the same direction in the shortest possible time.

The third item is the letter sorting test. In the shortest possible time, seven kinds of letters are classified into the corresponding seven windows.

The fourth, the weightlifting test, with two sacks of letters, was a no-brainer for me.

The last item, the unpacking test, completes the unpacking and packaging in the shortest possible time.

The entire test lasted about half an hour, and we were told that only by passing the test can we enter the interview stage.While waiting for the test results, we visited the workshop of the letter center, and the highly automated automatic letter sorting system opened my eyes.

Soon, I was taken to the interview room, which means I passed the test just now.The interviewer was very impressed with me, because I said in my self-introduction that my nickname is Pigeon, and I am a messenger in ancient China.She smiled and asked me, are you the guy who calls himself "Dove"?

The beginning of this interview was perfect, but the ending was tragic. The whole reversal took only 2 minutes. After seeing the special restrictions of my work visa, Miss Sanders said regretfully: "I think we You can skip the interview. This position requires you to work at least until Christmas, but you can only do it for 3 months."

It is not the first time that I have been rejected because of a visa, and I was prepared in my heart. I put away my passport with a smile, and shook hands with the two interviewers politely to say goodbye.

The sky outside the post office is blue and the grass is green. In short, there is no environment that can make me depressed. I took a big step and headed towards the city.I have worked so hard to get to Palmerston North, but I can't be knocked down like this. It's not my first day in New Zealand.If he fled like this, he would definitely be laughed at by his yesterday self.I was determined, no matter what, to find work in Palmerston North.

There is no way out

I went to some restaurants that I didn't have time to visit yesterday. There is a large shopping mall on the main street, and there are many restaurants on the ground floor. A sushi restaurant caught my eye.A man who looks like a boss is cleaning the window. He is not tall and has a fashionable hairstyle.As soon as I struck up a conversation, I recognized the other party's Japanese accent.So I switched to Japanese, which seemed to bring us closer together.

"Do you still speak Japanese?"

"I used to work in a Japanese company."

"Have you ever made sushi?"

"I did, but the ones in your store seem to be quite rare..." (actually, I worked in Oakland one morning)
"That's no problem, the method is similar."

"Then do I have a chance?"

"We are indeed recruiting. Do you have a resume? Give me your resume. I will recommend it to my father-in-law, who is the boss."

"Then do I have a chance?" I actually asked the same question again, probably out of joy.

"Interview, interview, understand? If you want an interview, I will recommend it to you first. You wait for my dad to call."

This man seems to have a good impression on me.

As a result, at 6 o'clock that night, I received a call from an old man who asked me to meet and chat at the food court in Palmerston North at noon the day after tomorrow.

"I heard from my son that you are a very nice young man. He called me twice in a row to recommend you, saying that you are amazing. I'm curious and want to meet you."

I'm stressed out about it.

It seems that this thing has a good chance of success. The expensive pepper tree is not a place to stay forever. Since this job is very promising, it is time for me to find a place to settle down.

In a service company run by a Chinese in Palmerston North, I was inquiring about renting a house when someone next to me said: "I just have a vacant room at home, would you like to take a look? The room is very nice and the price is cheap. It has always been rented out to Massey University students."

Tips
Looking for housing in New Zealand:

Big cities (such as Auckland, Palmerston North), urban centers, general decoration, 150 New Zealand dollars (about 740 yuan) per week (shared rental), including water, electricity, gas and other expenses.Small towns (such as Opotiki), no more than 100 New Zealand dollars (about 493 yuan) per week.

Purely looking at the cost, staying in a youth hostel in a big city may not be uneconomical.But in small towns, because there are relatively few backpackers, the price of youth hostels is higher. Therefore, how to quickly find cheap housing is a top priority for tourists with tight budgets.

I often use the following methods:

1. Newspapers, such as the Manawatu Standard Daily, will have advertisements for roommates and rent every day;

2. Bulletin boards, notice boards of major supermarkets (Countdown, PAK"n Save, New World);
3.Trademe, the largest comprehensive service website in New Zealand, for job hunting, house hunting, item trading, full-featured, and a lot of cheap shared rental information;

4. Passers-by, there are many Chinese in New Zealand, and there will be unexpected gains in Chinese restaurants, supermarkets or other business establishments;
5. Introduced by friends.

I turned my head and saw that it was an aunt in her 50s.

The next night, I went to see the room.The landlord is the aunt's son. He immigrated to New Zealand after graduating from a key domestic undergraduate university. He is currently working at Massey University, and his conversation is quite intellectual.We didn't haggle much, and I moved into my new home that night.I have a room of my own, and I usually cook and live with the landlord, which reminds me of the happy time when I changed rooms at Julie's house.

The landlord has two children, a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl.Sometimes the landlord wants to go out, so he asks me to take care of it for him.The boy looked helplessly outside the French door, tears streaming down his face, and kept muttering that he wanted to go out with his mother.He stopped crying when he saw me, I hugged him and watched cartoons for a while, and he laughed.However, he soon ran to the door and cried again.The little girl has always been very obedient, neither crying nor fussing.In fact, she also loves to cry - always being made to cry by her younger brother.The little boy who is afraid of being alone and the little girl who is always wronged, even if they are together, one is afraid of being lonely and the other is wronged.I don't know when they will understand the precious affection of brothers and sisters.I am actually quite envious of them. Most of the only children born in the 80s feel that they have a little regret in their childhood - longing for a brother or sister for company.

Liu An Hua Ming You Yi Village

After living in the new home for two days, it was time for the interview.The owner of the sushi restaurant, surnamed Li, is an old Korean man with a gray beard.Every wrinkle on his face is smiling, but his eyes are as sharp as a knife.It makes people feel kind, but they dare not get close.

He took my resume and asked one by one.

"I've been to a lot of countries."

"Some are on business trips..."

"Have you ever run a marathon?"

"Yes, I was in Shanghai last year, but my grades were just bad, haha." I was a little embarrassed.

"Have you ever translated books? Is it from Chinese to English?"

"No, translated from English to Chinese. They are all mystery novels, my favorite genre."

"What about the copyright agent?"

"I happen to know some foreign writers, and I am looking for Chinese publishers for them."

I'm a little surprised, how can he ask questions that have nothing to do with making sushi?The culinary knowledge prepared yesterday is completely useless!As if he understood my question, he said: "I don't require you to have a lot of experience, because you can learn all the kitchen work, the important thing is to be able to get along with our team happily. You seem to be an interesting person. People, if you want, please join us."

He held out his hand to me, his hand was warm and strong, not like an old man at all.

I asked him: "I can only work for 3 months, is it okay?"

"You can work for 4 months, and you don't pay taxes for the first month. Christmas is very busy, and international students are going home again. There will be shortage of people by then."

I had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree.

Another reason for my decision is that the wages at the vineyard are still outstanding.Smiling Indian Vikas has gone on vacation since making the promise of a rock.I made a lot of phone calls and the answer was always a voicemail.In the end, I contacted the big boss of the company and threw the threat over. Most villains are a bit bullying.To be honest, I was really tired to toss about these hundreds of dollars of wages. I probably didn't have the energy to go back to the Napier Labor Office to complain.Uncle Randall's words are still in my ears: Nothing is easy in this world.Yes, even a lot of things that should belong to us can only be obtained by hard work. How much emotion do we have to have such a luxury as ideal?

On 8th August, a week after arriving in Palmerston North, I started working as a sushi restaurant.The way to work was a bit long, so I borrowed a bicycle from the landlord and drove against the wind. When I arrived at the food court half an hour later, I was already sweating.

The lobby on the first floor has ushered in a new day, and people who get up early are often busy.The Subway clerk at the entrance was arranging the tables and chairs. I passed by their site. On the left was a Chinese restaurant and an Indian restaurant. The Indian chef behind the counter greeted me with a smile.The third one is Ogi Sushi.

Putting on my uniform, I entered the kitchen a little nervously.In the center of the kitchen is an operating table. Two girls, one old and one young, stopped the sushi in their hands and turned to say good morning. The operating table is surrounded by stoves, refrigerators, sinks and various machines. There seems to be no fragrance in the kitchen.We go around to the other side of the console.

"This is Master Maeda, and he will be your teacher from today." Uncle Li introduced me to a middle-aged man who was busy tinkering with a strange machine.

"I'm Wu Fei. It's the first time we meet. Please take care of me." I lowered my head and repeated a sentence in Japanese that I have said thousands of times in the past five years.

"Sorry, my hands are wet." He turned around, revealing a chubby oval face, the lower half of which was discolored by dense mustaches.

"Please take care of me too." His smile was very cheerful, his eyes were bent into two small crescents, and he didn't have the pretensions of a chef at all.

Uncle Li handed me over to Maeda and went to the front desk.I stood in the small kitchen at a loss, for fear of becoming a superfluous person.Unexpectedly, Maeda said: "You don't have to do anything today, just watch."

Only then did I realize that the strange cylindrical machine was a blender. Maeda poured the cooked rice into it, drizzled it with vinegar, stirred it quickly with a rice spoon, and then closed the lid again.After pressing the start button, the cylinder will roll up by itself, making a buzzing sound.

"This is the rice that the guys who make sushi use. Our restaurant has two departments, sushi and hot food. In the future, you can mix with me, and the two of us can only be in charge of hot food."

"This is Teriyaki, teriyaki chicken. Those foreigners don't know what teriyaki is. The most important thing is the word 'shine'. In Japanese, it means bright. A successful teriyaki chicken must have a shiny surface. Like this." He dipped some sauce with a brush and lifted it to a high place, and the viscous teriyaki sauce immediately merged into a thin shiny line and fell into the container.

"These marinated chicken strips were prepared the night before, and the sushi department will use them early in the morning. I am cutting chicken breasts, and I will cook them in the pan in a while. The marinated chicken you saw just now is chicken breasts. Teriyaki chicken is delicious. Use chicken thighs. Onions, carrots, and broccoli are the most common side dishes, so prepare them ahead of time if you don’t have them in stock.”

Maeda never stopped working from 8:10 to [-]:[-]. Not only him, but the other two sushi workers were also immersed in the sushi non-stop. I didn't expect the kitchen to be busy from early in the morning.

"Let's go out to get some air." Maeda said to me suddenly.

We exited the back door of the food court through the staff passage, and Maeda rolled a cigarette and started smoking.

"Don't worry, the staff who work in the kitchen can take a break," he comforted me, "Did you come to work at the sushi restaurant to study?"

"I quit my job and came here on a working holiday."

"Oh, where is home?"

"Shanghai, China."

"I have been to Beijing, and I have always wanted to go to Shanghai."

"Where is Maeda-sensei? Where is your hometown in Japan?"

"I am from Kyoto and have been in New Zealand for 8 years."

"A long time."

"Actually, I also came here on a working holiday visa back then. I didn't expect to stay like this."

"Does your family have any objections?"

"Both my parents passed away, and now only one younger sister is in Japan."

"Feel sorry."

"fine."

We were silent for a while, and Maeda finished his cigarette.

"No, are you a backpacker too?"

"I guess..." I didn't know how to answer this question for a while, so I had to give an ambiguous answer.

"I really miss those backpack days. Before I came to New Zealand, I wandered around Southeast Asia for a while. Hey, I think, you can't be a backpacker if you haven't been to India! Have you ever been to India?"

"No."

"If you have a chance, you must go."

"Ms. Maeda, do you intend to stay in New Zealand?"

"Of course not. I'm still on my way. I want to go to South America. I plan to save enough money to go to Argentina and Chile after New Zealand is over. I want to go to Patagonia. It's a pity," he pretended to pull The long tone made me wonder what he was going to say next, but he went on to say, "You're going to be one step ahead of me."

This naughty old boy!I started to get the feeling that not only was he my teacher, we might have a chance to be friends.We went back to the kitchen with unfinished business and agreed to have time to have dinner together.

From 10:[-], Maeda seemed to be busier.

"Noon is always the busiest," he told me, shaking the pan. Before 11 o'clock, the hot food department should prepare a sufficient number of bento and fried shrimp, because you never know when the first customer will come.If you meet diner customers, sometimes you have to put down other work in your hands.

Sure enough, as noon approached, the frequency of the front desk running to the kitchen became higher and higher.

"Fried chicken nuggets bento, dine-in, one serving!"

“Chicken udon, to go, two servings!”

“Not enough fried shrimp!”

The demeanor shown by Maeda at this time is worthy of the word "peerless master".No matter how urgent the situation is, he can always resolve it while strolling in the courtyard.Just like a singer is on the stage and a general is on the battlefield, that kind of calmness is enough to shock every bystander and make them feel admiration spontaneously.I have always believed that every career has the most brilliant moments. I have watched many cooking shows on TV, and the heroic gestures of those chefs turning the wok are deeply imprinted in my mind, but standing in a real kitchen, I was overwhelmed by Surrounded by hot oil fumes, it is the simplest movements that are impressive.It is calm, calm and determined that is incompatible with high temperature, noise and busyness.

Such a man is really cool.

The lunch at Ogi Sushi Restaurant is very simple. I thought that the staff should have at least one bento per meal, but I didn't expect it to be just a few impromptu handmade sushi.Maeda whipped up a large sushi roll, stuffing it with chicken and avocado.

"This is a special edition, young man, eat more."

The mellow and thick avocado and the slightly salty chicken mixed with the sweet and sour fresh rice produced an indescribable charm, and my taste buds felt truly satisfied and happy.

In the afternoon, the number of customers gradually decreased, and I thought the kitchen would be a little free.Contrary to my expectations, in addition to the sporadic front desk orders, the hot food department also has a lot of pre-work, such as the processing of ingredients and the production of sauces. Whenever I thought I could finally take a breath, Maeda assigned me a new one. Task.

At around 3:[-] in the afternoon, the busy day finally came to an end. Maeda began to clean the room and the various tools that had been used, and looked back at the passenger flow at the front desk on the monitor from time to time.

"We work in the kitchen, and we can't wait for the front desk to notify us before we start to act. Many times we have to react immediately. Our enemy is time," he explained, "Starting tomorrow, I will teach you various techniques."

"I hope I can help you as soon as possible!" I nodded vigorously.

When I got off work, Uncle Li gave me a day's wages.On the way home, the Manawatu River flowed through my left hand, and the sun just set. I was very happy with my long-lost wages, tens of dollars, in my pocket.Looking at the continuous street lights, I imagined that this is the Avenue of Stars in the North District of the school.Pleasant memories are like cosmic starlight. When you see them, they no longer exist.However, we will still look back on those years full of strength and appreciate the softness deep in our hearts.

Practicing basic skills hard

Maeda did what he said, and from the second day on, he asked me to start with the most basic tasks.He brought several large bags of frozen chicken breasts from the warehouse, soaked them in the sink, and after thawing, he showed me how to cut them with a knife.

"Chicken breast is relatively thick, so it can't be cooked directly. It has to be divided into two from the middle like this." He rummaged through a large pile of chicken to find a particularly thick piece, and added, "This way, you have to cut it twice and divide it into pieces." Three dollars."

I opened my eyes wide, trying to remember his every move.

When it was my turn, I flattened the chicken and aimed at the middle seam of the chicken.I dare not cut too fast, for fear that the thickness of the two pieces of chicken will be uneven.Even so, the blade was unknowingly deflected.I cut a few chicken breasts with great difficulty, Maeda put down his work, took my knife, and scrubbed it on the whetstone a few times.

"I forgot, you are a novice, a sharp knife is easier to use."

When re-cutting the chicken, I found that it saves a lot of effort. After the force is reduced, it is easier to control the direction of the wrist and the knife.It took me over an hour to process 10kg of chicken, which is unbelievably slow.

"Come help me mix the sushi rice." Maeda handed me the rice spoon.

I hurriedly washed off the oil on my hands, and stretched it into the blender with the rice spoon, but the scalding steam made me scream.

"Add vinegar first, and use that plastic pot to fill it up."

I followed the instructions and poured the vinegar into the steaming rice, and the strong sour smell made me back again and again.I can only extend my arms and try my best to "chop" and stir, and the movements of my hands can't stop.After the initial mixing is done, the machine does the rest.This is a wheel-type mixer. The cavity is divided into two from the center of the circle. Usually, the semi-cylindrical cover of the upper part can be opened. When mixing, cover the cover, lock it and turn on the power.

The machine turned back and forth several times before returning to its original state. Maeda opened the lid and poured rice mixed with white vinegar into a large plastic tray.

"Wait until the rice is cold and then put it into a box, so that the guys in the sushi department can take it. The amount needed is different every day. The busiest time here is Thursday, and the plaza is open until 9 pm, so you need to prepare at least 10 boxes of rice. On weekends Not a lot, Monday and Tuesday are the easiest, just prepare 5 boxes. You have to remember the amount of food you need every day, so you can know when you are cooking. Also, have you seen the sushi cutter over there? There is a counter on it, and the approximate amount of food needed per day can be calculated according to the number of the counter. We need to prepare sushi rice for the next day every day."

"It takes about 50 minutes to cook one pot of rice. One pot of rice can probably fit a little more than one box. There are three pots here. When you are busy, you can cook rice at the same time for three rounds. You'd better use a pen to write on the whiteboard. The start time of each pot, if you remember this time wrongly, it will be troublesome, rice is the key to the success of sushi."

"I didn't expect to have to memorize so many numbers in the kitchen..." The long test has just begun, and I am already exhausted.

Like the day before, by noon Maeda was visibly busy and I got more involved in making the bento.I haven't learned how to make teriyaki chicken yet, so the tasks Maeda gave me were relatively simple serving and packing meals.

"Hey, your way of serving rice is wrong. We want to use the least amount of rice to get the fullest appearance. Like this, try to make the rice fluffy as much as possible. Look, do you think this box is full? In fact, it is more You should eat less just now. Don't underestimate these details, this is the way of survival in the catering industry!"

I put the bento box with rice on the counter, and Maeda's teriyaki chicken is finished.

"Look, cut the teriyaki chicken into strips of this size and spread it evenly on the rice. Put more of the smaller ones, and each bento should have as much chicken as possible."

After arranging the chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and green beans, and the chicken teriyaki bento is complete!The luster of the chicken is very attractive, but unfortunately, I can only stare, swallow my saliva, and continue to produce the next bento.

People think that the lowest job in the kitchen is to wash dishes. When I was in Opotiki, Ahua told me about his experience of looking for a job.

"At that time, I went to a restaurant and they hired a dishwasher. I thought it would be difficult to wash dishes, so I went to try the job. After only a few minutes of washing, they said, "You haven't done it before, have you?"

"I did it." Ahua lied.

"Come on, it's not like this before, you're too slow."

"I just want to get clean."

"We don't need you."

When Ah Hua said this, he laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Then I learned how to be good. Later, when I applied for a job as a dishwasher, I didn't care whether it was cleaned or not. It was done in a whirlwind. I was hired as a result."

I remember Ah Hua's words, but it is still difficult to convince myself with such a reason, so that I can go faster.The result was naturally scolded by the proprietress.

"Washing dishes is not like this. Use dishwashing liquid to wipe everything, and then rinse with water. Put the big things on the bottom, and put the small ones on top..."

In between helping Chef Maeda, I was also responsible for cleaning various kitchen utensils, such as used sushi molds, containers filled with sauce, and bowls and chopsticks brought in by the front desk.Because it is a sushi restaurant, many tools are naturally covered with rice grains, and it is not easy to clean.He even knows how to wash dishes. It is not something that can be learned in just a few months to complete everything in the kitchen quickly and well.Although Maeda is a chef, in many cases, he also washes dishes and cleans, and does a lot of work as a helper in the kitchen.

"When I was studying cooking in Japan, I started with these little things. You are lucky to meet me! At that time, I was knocked on the head every day." He playfully gestured on the head with his hands.

Learning to cook with Maeda is completely stress-free.First, he didn't seem to be in a hurry to let me learn all the skills, and second, he was a big boy who liked to play tricks. He always made fun of people from time to time, and everyone liked to make fun of him.

For example, "Master, if this goes on like this, I won't have a wife" and other jokes, Maeda's only reaction was just a chuckle, not taking it seriously.

But my good days didn’t last long, and one day Maeda suddenly said to me: “No, you know, before you came, I was the only chef here, and I had to work 7 days a week without rest. Look at me like this , In fact, I am very tired, you are here, I can be regarded as liberated. From now on, I will rest at home every Tuesday, and you will replace me."

I was a little panicked: "You mean, you won't come that day?"

"What's the matter? No?"

"It's not impossible, it's just that at my current level, I must have smashed the signboard of Aoji Sushi..."

"Not next week, I will teach you for a while. In short, if not, the value of your existence will not be reflected, right?"

What can I say, it is an honor to be able to replace Maeda as the chef, it is a kind of precious trust and a good opportunity to prove myself.If it is really possible, the probationary period may end early.

Thinking of this, I am full of fighting spirit again.

"Okay, I must work hard! Please teach Maeda-sensei a lot."

Since the announcement of this news, I have always had a sense of crisis and a sense of mission in my heart, and my enthusiasm and concentration in learning have also greatly improved. Even after get off work every day, I have to record what I have learned that day at home, so that Review anytime.Even so, I still often get the seasonings mixed up for fried chicken bento and teriyaki chicken bento, sometimes with extra mayonnaise, and sometimes with teriyaki sauce omitted.Also, when making udon noodles, I always forget the timing of putting green onions. The last process of fried shrimp udon is bread crumbs, and I often can’t remember it.Several times when I was about to serve it to the girl at the front desk, Maeda said coldly behind me: "Have you added the bread crumbs?"

I immediately got a black line.

In any case, I'm making mistakes less and less frequently.Just when I was a little complacent, Mr. Maeda took a cutting board to work one day and said, "Look, there are many scars and knife wounds." I thought to myself, this is normal, this is the existence of cutting boards meaning—the scars are its medals.As a result, Maeda said, "It was all cut by you." I took a closer look and found that the incisions were really deep and fresh, and I was immediately frustrated.

I have been working hard to live, even cutting meat, maybe there is nothing wrong with it, because the mystery of life is hidden deep in life.However, the significance of the existence of scars as medals does not matter whether they are present or not on a brave body.People say great wisdom and great courage, and those who have great wisdom must also have great courage.Like me, running a marathon to prove something, and finally suffering a patellar tendon strain, is really stupid and brave.Yes, human humility is like the skin of a chameleon. It is safe to put on a low profile when we need to protect ourselves, but most of the time, we don’t know where the danger lies.

Ogi Sushi's working hours are usually from 11am to 3pm, and when I'm not working, I'm at home translating Edward Hawke's new book.He is the former president of the American Association of Mystery Writers, the winner of the Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the king of short mysteries. These auras should not be approachable, but he is.We started contacting 4 years ago, from the relationship between readers and writers at the beginning, to partners in the future, but unfortunately he passed away before we became further friends.The day he left was Thursday, and we were still discussing work on Monday. The full future is like the ears of autumn wheat. Who would have expected it to come to naught so quickly.So I was surprised at first when I saw the title Tribute to Edward Hawke, and then my mind went blank.It was only when more and more mourners joined in that I began to believe it all.

I called and broke the news to a friend.

On the other end of the phone, the friend said: "No way?" The tone was a bit surprised, like a falling celestial body, which will reflect the ripples of shooting stars in the eyes of the world, and then return to calm.After a while, I also calmed down.It's just that whenever I think of those unfinished interviews and plans, there will always be sticky regrets entangled in the corner of my heart.Before I came to New Zealand, in the turbulent days, these regrets became the beams that alerted me.

On September 9, Christchurch, the second largest city in New Zealand, was hit by an earthquake measuring 4 on the Richter scale, cutting off water and electricity throughout the city.As soon as I woke up, I got the news from the landlord.Because Palmerston North is in the North Island, there was no tremor at all.It was still early in the morning in China, so I called home to report that I was safe after get off work.

"Hi, Mom? There's an earthquake in New Zealand, you know that?"

"I know, I read the news at noon. Are you all right?"

"I'm in the North Island, and I'm fine. And there were no casualties in this earthquake. New Zealand's earthquake resistance level is too good."

"It's fine, is it cold over there?"

"It's not cold, it's already spring in September, don't worry."

"Shanghai is still very hot now, Qiu Huo!"

"It's so cool, I escaped the most difficult season in Shanghai, hahahaha..."

We ended this conversation quickly.As I have been in New Zealand longer and longer, the time I spend talking with my family has become shorter and shorter, and the frequency of calls has changed from once a week in the first month to once a month... To my relief, the other end of the phone The voice is calming down again and again.

Tagore wrote in the collection of birds: by touching you may kill, by keeping away you may possess (touching, you may kill, staying away, you may possess).
Now I think of this poem.The vines and the old wall bid farewell to each other. The former climbed a new high pole, while the latter embraced the long-lost sunshine. Those originally intertwined lives each opened up new meanings.

The gap year separates yesterday and tomorrow, and also separates two generations. Each generation has its own life. I suddenly feel that this seems more important.

Be the chef

After working in the kitchen for two weeks, with all kinds of apprehensions, I ushered in the first time in my life to take the lead.Before getting off work on Monday, Maeda wrote all the precautions on a small white paper and placed it in a conspicuous position.

"If you forget anything tomorrow, just take a look at this piece of paper. The important things are here. If you have any questions, call me, and I can come over at any time."

He was trying to reassure me, but I didn't want the situation to be so serious that I needed to call for help.

On Monday nights, I recited the recipe over and over again.

Chicken udon is the simplest, two tablespoons of sauce, one tablespoon of water...

Then there is the fried chicken bento which is medium difficulty.Sauce, water, chopped onion, boil on high heat, one egg, add appropriate amount of water and stir, pour in the boiled soup, low heat, roll properly... Chicken breasts are wrapped in flour and egg flour paste from the inside to the outside Put the meat and bread crumbs into the oil at 170°C and fry until the bubbles become larger, the color is golden and slightly burnt...cut into strips... put the rice in a bowl, pour the soup, put the chicken strips in a bowl neatly, pour teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise , garnished with broccoli and carrot slices...

The most difficult thing is the teriyaki chicken, but because the sushi department uses two pots every morning, this has become the one I am most proficient in.

The next day, I got to the kitchen earlier than usual, and the sushi guy was already busy.Because I didn't see the familiar Maeda master, my heart calmed down.Even if you die, no one will come to save you, you can only rely on yourself.

I looked at the clock, it was 8:[-], took a deep breath, and the ordinary day of a chef in a Japanese restaurant began.

I mixed two different types of rice according to a fixed ratio, washed them and threw them into a large rice cooker. The amount of water had been practiced many times, but I was still a little uneasy when I was alone.I measured the water level with my wrist several times, then flipped the switch.

"The water level must be measured with the wrist every time, and you can't just look at it." Mr. Maeda said.

Then, I tidied up all kinds of appliances that will be used later, energized the oil heater, and set the temperature at 170°C.By the way, I will be cutting chicken breasts in a while, so I hurried into the warehouse, fetched two bags of 5kg chicken breasts and threw them into the sink to defrost.Then what should I do? I froze for a second, and suddenly remembered that the sushi department was waiting for my teriyaki chicken.Quickly turn on the fire, heat the oil to [-]%, dip the cut chicken thighs with flour on both sides, shake off the flour on the surface, and fry in the oil pan. I remember that when I first started learning this dish, I always mixed up the chicken. The front and back, although the back can also make a very shiny feeling, but compared with the front, it seems a little inferior.Although Maeda is a happy king, he is always strict with himself and demands me at work. For him, the spirit of meticulousness is the foundation of becoming a qualified chef.

"Customers may not be able to tell the difference, but the dignity of being a chef will never allow us to make such a mistake!"

Now I can finally clearly distinguish the front and back of the chicken thighs, and keep in mind the order of frying. After the edges of the chicken are golden brown, the frying of the oil gradually decreases. I pick up the chicken and turn it over, slightly Fry and pour out the oil.

"These oils can only be used up to 3 times before they have to be replaced with new ones."

I added the teriyaki sauce to the pot, cooked it over high heat, and the foam gradually became thicker. I turned the chicken over, cooked the side that had been cooked before, and then took it out of the pot and cut it into strips!

I handed the finished teriyaki chicken to the sushi guys across the counter, and they showed a relieved expression.It's no wonder, I'm a complete novice!God knows why old man Li and Maeda trust me so much.

I felt that the time had passed for a long time, and when I looked up at the clock, it was only 9 o'clock.Goodness, this long day has only just begun, and the real test is yet to come.

I closed my eyes and tried to recall the content of Maeda-sensei's work.Now, it's time to prepare the ordinary rice for the bento. The power of another rice cooker is on, and the meat in the sink is ready to be cut. I turn off the fire, transfer from the stove to the cutting board, and start cutting the chicken breast. It's about halfway through. Hours later, the two pots of sushi rice were already cooked. I put down the knife, poured the rice into the machine, quickly stirred it with the vinegar, and then turned on the power. While the blender was running, I made two new pots of sushi rice...

"There is no way to stop in the kitchen. If you have time to stop, there must be something wrong. You need to think about what else is waiting for you." Teacher Maeda's words echoed in his ears from time to time.

By the way, I forgot to boil the water, and the chicken breast should be boiled immediately after cutting.I poured two large pots of water and continued to cut the chicken breasts fiercely, and finally finished cutting the chicken breasts before the water boiled.

Around 10 o'clock, the ordinary rice is cooked, it's time to make teriyaki chicken bento for the guests who come at noon!I went back to the stove. At this time, the stove was on full fire, and the two pots of chicken breast were tumbling in the boiling water, and the oil in the remaining two pans also emitted green smoke.

At 10:[-], the teriyaki chicken was out of the pot, and I was about to make a bento when the chubby Japanese girl at the front desk ran into the kitchen.

"A serving of chicken udon! Eat it! Please!"

"learn!"

I've waited so long for this moment.I can use my cooking skills to serve the guests.After eating this bowl of noodles, he might belch contentedly and rub his belly.If the taste is good enough, he may even lick his lips, reminiscing about the little happiness brought by this bowl of noodles for a long time.

I quickly took out the special soy sauce for udon noodles from the refrigerator, mixed it with water at a ratio of 2:1, then poured it into a small pot, added a handful of chopped onions, a packet of udon noodles, and turned the heat to the maximum.

"Before opening the packaging bag of udon noodles, you should break it first, otherwise the noodles and the bag will be tightly attached."

"After the udon noodles are put into the pot, stir them with chopsticks."

Every movement of Maeda, accompanied by every sentence of instruction, vividly appeared before my eyes.

The liquid in the pot boiled ploppingly. I put in one piece of broccoli and one piece of carrot, and then carefully filled the bowl with chopsticks as a guide.

"Don't forget to taste the soup before putting it in a bowl." I seem to see Maeda scooping it up with a spoon and putting it to his lips.

The soup sizzles as it hits the hot metal walls.

In the light yellow noodle soup, I sprinkled some shredded shallots, crushed some fried noodles, some marinated chicken breasts, and finally sprinkled sesame seeds.

Completed!

The bowl in front of him suddenly became sacred, it was more like entrustment than passing it on.I entrusted it to the Japanese chick and asked her to help pass it on to the owner, the paying guest.Things created by oneself usually have feelings in them.You may even feel that they are alive.If these lives cannot have a good destination, we must feel regretful and sad!If that customer finds the bowl of noodles unpalatable, how embarrassing it would be for me as a cook.

Fortunately, the fate of that bowl of noodles seems to be quite smooth.A few minutes later, while I was frying shrimp, the receptionist returned to the kitchen with an empty bowl: "Please!"

I let out a sigh of relief.

From 11:[-] onwards, more and more orders came pouring in. I was greatly encouraged by the successful debut, but I was able to cope with them one by one, and I was secretly happy.

At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when he was about to leave work, Maeda appeared unsteadily.When he wasn't working he always acted like he didn't care about anything.

"How are you doing today?"

"Yes, he can." I didn't say anything, but other employees answered for me.

"Fortunately, nothing too big a problem," I said.

"Great, I can rest assured every Tuesday in the future." He said happily.

I am very pleased with the recognition of my colleagues and guests.Coupled with the fact that I finally received the arrears of wages from the vineyard two days ago, many happy moments made me feel that Palmerston North is really a blessed place.

The first day as a chef is coming to an end, and apart from the first half hour, I don't think it's too long.Maybe it was because I was too busy. Not only did I not have time to go to the toilet, but I was also busy cooking with one hand and stuffing food into my mouth with the other.

An ideal life should be complete in color and fragrance, and the kitchen is a place with complete color and fragrance, so anyone who pursues it should go to the kitchen to smell the ideal smell.

When I stood in this small area, I realized that people who think the color and smell are wonderful, most of them have forgotten that there is still blood, tears and sweat. The dining table is the place where you can really enjoy the beauty of food.During these days, I have often been scalded by boiling soup, and the skin on my hands has become rough and dull.Behind a glamorous lunch, there are many invisible sacrifices.I used to think that beating an egg with one hand was a chic posture. When I practiced every day and was able to complete this movement, I didn't have much sense of accomplishment. I just thought of my parents.They are really amazing. After standing in the kitchen for decades, how much love is needed to support the constant fragrance?

A parent's love is real love, and that's not measured in a gift or a house, but in moderation, example, and sacrifice...

After getting to know Maeda well, we often go out to eat or drink together after get off work. His health is not very good, and he has a bad cough.

I said do you take medicine?

He said alcohol was his medicine.

In an Irish pub in Palmerston North, there is a metal list of who's who, and over the years the bustling drinkers have accumulated their names on the list.Maeda said to me proudly: "Look, my name is also on it. Backpackers, we used to be simply changed by this world, but now we can gradually leave some traces of ourselves in this world , can also change some of the scenery of this world more or less."

"Yeah..." Irish beer has very little bubbles and is Maeda's favorite type of beer.I took a big sip and echoed his statement.

Under the light of the bar, the engraved metal nameplate reflects a soft luster, which is an approachable pride.

"Speaking of which, this sushi restaurant is actually not Japanese cuisine at all. Don't think that all Japanese cuisine is of this standard."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because the real Japanese cuisine is done by the human brain, our current work can be completely replaced by robots. Besides, how can Koreans understand Japanese cuisine? Boss Li used to be an architect and has no experience in the catering industry. He is a Businessmen, don’t care about the taste at all, just make money. Many things in the kitchen are very unreasonable..." He gushed a lot.

"Brother Maeda, if that's the case, why do you want to work here? Why don't you just find a job in another Japanese restaurant."

"Me, I'm accumulating experience, I want to try various restaurants, and I will do it myself in the future."

I remembered asking him about his dreams.At that time, he told me that he wanted to open a small restaurant and produce food without borders.

"Japanese food is not the most perfect. If you can combine French, Italian or Chinese food, maybe you can make a more attractive delicacy!" When he said this, the idle old boy disappeared.

From time to time in the bar, locals greet Maeda, and it seems that he is a regular customer here.

"There's hardly anyone I don't know in Palmerston North," he said triumphantly.

"What are your plans next?" Maeda asked me.

"Uncle Li asked me to work here for at least four months."

"It's been so long, can't you do it?"

"I think it's been too long, too."

"Leave him alone, you are not studying or working in Palmerston North, you have your own life, you can leave when you want, don't worry."

"Then no one will help you." I said half-jokingly.

"That doesn't matter. Maybe my assistant will come back by then. He is a basketball player and is now playing basketball in Japan. In short, don't think too much about others. To be a person, you must first be worthy of yourself."

Maeda is such a person who can call me a brother.

Most of the staff in the kitchen are Korean. Maeda and I often talk in Japanese, which is a kind of tacit understanding. Whenever we talk about sensitive topics, such as talking badly about the boss, we adjust the language mode to Japanese. The thrill of putting on a cloak of invisibility and doing bad things.

"I don't want to be a robot to him all the time."

"I will try my best to help you fight for the working hours. You can talk to Lao Li directly if you have anything to do. It's okay."

As I drank, I recalled his bluntness.

After 3 weeks at Ogi Sushi, I have proven that I can do most of the chef's work on my own.My working hours are still 20 hours a week, without any increase, and the natural salary has not increased.If things go on like this, I won't be able to save much money. Although I have already made up my mind to endure hardship for a year, but when I think of being separated from traveling in mountains and rivers, of course I feel unwilling.Can't go on like this anymore, I decided to find a second job.

Being a stranger in a foreign land

Over the past few days, I have been to billiard halls, barbecue restaurants, and dumpling restaurants, and finally got a trial job at a Thai restaurant near the food court to deliver food.Although I have a driver's license, I have never been on the road before. In the end, I had a hard time and gave up.When I got home that night, I asked the landlord to make up lessons and teach me how to drive a vehicle in the right-hand driver's seat.After a lot of tossing, I was unconsciously discouraged, and all kinds of worries gathered more and more. Finally, I told myself that life-saving is the most important thing, and it is better not to touch such a dangerous job.The next night, I went back to the Thai restaurant kitchen and declined the opportunity on the grounds that the working holiday visa was not suitable for a long stay.When I left the store, I felt relieved.At first I couldn't tell why, so I had to think about it while walking. I pushed the car and strolled along the familiar streets. The night in Palmerston North was not as lively as I was worried about. Pedestrians passed by in twos and threes.

This incident at least shows that I am not very interested in working to make money, but I am not interested in pure vacations either.

At the junction of Fitzroy Street and the square, I stood under the red light, waiting for the green light to come on.

When we arrived at the downtown square, the wind gradually picked up, and the winter temperature came from the jeans against the wind, which was very cold.At that moment, the longing for warm friendship made my nose sore, looking around, there was no one to talk to.For a lonely person, the bright lights at night are a terrible sight, because he knows that such warmth does not belong to him, but he is also afraid of the darker night, so he has to stand not far or near, and occasionally raise his head. With a glance, I told myself that this was not a mirage, but an oasis.

I started calling my friends in China as if asking for help, just to hear their voices.So I made 3 consecutive phone calls to 6 people, but no one answered.At this time, my mobile phone was dead, and I couldn't call other friends anymore.I was so disappointed that I sat tremblingly on the back seat of the bicycle, listening to the square bell ringing every 15 minutes.It was a white bell tower, and the ground lamps were cool shades of purple and green, and the whole building made me shudder.I don't know if it was because of the bell or something else, but when my attempts to talk to my friend failed, I was suddenly at a loss.

After being on the road for a long time, many people will be at a loss and question why they are here at this time and why they are doing such and such things.In fact, it is also difficult for people who live a well-behaved life to escape the same confusion. Confusion is the platform on which life is forced to park.It's just that when I was working in China, it may have been used for several years when I entered the station.Working holiday, I can't bear it for 4 months.If a person's life rhythm is very fast and life pressure is particularly high, he will have less time to listen to his inner call, and he will be slower to respond to obstacles encountered in thinking.This is a vicious cycle. By the time you want to stop and solve the problem, the train has already passed the station and will not wait.The cost of sudden braking is very high, and most people are unwilling to try it.

night owls on campus

Unexpectedly, the second job will be available soon.I got a call from New Zealand's largest cleaning company asking me to come in for an interview.They are looking for cleaners for Massey University and they will work from 4am to 8am every morning.Although it is hard work, it does not conflict with my working hours in the kitchen, and I think the campus must be beautiful in the morning.

The interview went through in minutes, and I wandered the campus by myself.Spring has landed in this largest university in New Zealand, and the tender green shoots are covered with branches of various trees, illuminated by the sun.All kinds of flower buds dotted every unexpected corner, and the college students walked leisurely to the teaching buildings and libraries, I was so intoxicated.I can't even explain why I am so attached to the campus.

Because the landlord works at Massey University, he always suggested that I have time to go to Massey University to attend the courses I am interested in.To be honest, when I was walking on campus, I really had the urge to learn something.But thinking of all kinds of domestic pressure, I had no choice but to give up such thoughts.For me, going back to school is already an unattainable dream.

Maybe it is for this reason that I like to take a walk on campus, that is when I am closest to my dream.

I started working at Massey University on the third Monday in September.I was afraid of being late, so I got up an hour early. At 9:3, the whole house was still in darkness. I rustled my clothes, got out of bed, washed up, and made breakfast. It dazzled the yawning me.There is a big moon hanging by the window, oh, it turns out that it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival.I really want to eat mooncakes with coconut filling, but I probably won’t be able to eat any mooncakes this year.

Cycling from the landlord's house to Massey University, the road conditions are a bit dangerous.After riding along the Manawatu River for 10 minutes, I entered a holiday park. The park has no special trails and lanes.Leaving the park and entering the main road, there is a bridge across the river in front of you. The wind passes between the iron bars on the bridge, making a huge whine.I've been terrified of every T-junction in Palmerston North ever since I was blown over by the side of the road with a car and a person.I stepped on the pedals hard, trying to cross the bridge as quickly as possible, and the black turbulence under my feet was terrifying.

After crossing the bridge, there was a long downhill. The bicycle continued to accelerate and rushed into a curve under the bridge hole. I held the handbrake slightly, but fortunately, there was no traffic coming from the other direction.The last section is an ascending mountain road, with steep slopes and giant trees. The wind is blowing everywhere, and the leaves on the top of the head are sighing in pain, rustling, rustling... I rushed forward and charged.A lightly swinging dark red light sign appeared far ahead, and the light was flickering, reflecting the vicissitudes of a white-haired old man. He held up a light stick and kept waving it.I put my foot down and parked the car in front of him.

"A tree ahead was blown down by the wind, please go across the road." The wind rang in my ears, and I didn't hear him clearly after he said it twice.

I pushed the cart and walked for a while, passing the scene of the accident, the fallen tree was really thick.I touched the small neck under my head and ran away quickly.

Palmerston North is a dangerous city indeed.

At 4:[-] in the morning, the campus was still dark, and after signing in at the office, I followed a Nepalese guy to the science building.

"Are you studying here?" I asked him.

"Yes."

"How long have you been in New Zealand?"

"For several years, I came here with my dad."

"Homesick? I mean Nepal."

"will not."

I was a little surprised by the answer, so I asked, "Why?"

"Living here is better, earning more than in Nepal."

"You mean this job?" I casually pointed to a certain building on campus.

"Yes, Nepal is very poor."

The science building is a five-story building, and I am in charge of the windows in the hallway and several chemistry labs in it.

The cleaning tools are all placed in a small room on the third floor. There are 4 workers in this building, besides my Nepali brothers and me, there is also a Fijian boy and a Thai girl.We got our vacuum cleaners, mops, and rags, and got busy separately.

Various academic articles were posted on the walls of the corridor. I remembered the time when I was studying, and I was a little distracted. It was so quiet all around, and my three colleagues didn’t know where they were. Suddenly, a certain bluish-white fluorescent lamp buzzed overhead. ring.I turned on the power of the vacuum cleaner, and the huge noise suddenly filled the whole space, and I seemed to gain a certain sense of security.

I endured the constant onslaught of drowsiness to finish my work upstairs, several times I even leaned against the wall of the toilet with my eyes closed, trying to sleep for 5 minutes.When I returned to the first floor to clean the hall, it was already dawn, and the campus in the early morning I was looking forward to was not beautiful at all, because now I just want to have a bed, a soft and warm bed.

It was finally 8:[-], and I flew back home, fell headlong on the bed, and soon fell asleep.Two hours later, I struggled out of bed, and it was time to head off to work in the kitchen.

When the kitchen work was over, it was already 5 o'clock when I got home, and I fell asleep...

Wake up at 7 to make dinner, eat, go to bed again at 9…

After a few days of this irregular life, I quit my job at Massey University and went back to working 20 hours a week.

Steel gun accompany me to fight

Maybe it's because I have too much time. On a weekend near October, I was browsing the Internet and stumbled upon the volunteer program of the Environmental Protection Agency.So I wrote an email to the Environmental Protection Agency in Palmerston North to inquire about the status of the project. Unexpectedly, the other party replied soon and answered my question quite seriously.

The Environmental Protection Agency has very few volunteer projects in Palmerston North. Generally, each project has only one activity a month, mainly for outdoor work.Typical job content includes: weeding, tree planting, pathfinding, species monitoring.It is very simple to become a volunteer. You only need to fill in the basic information online. Once there is a suitable project, the person in charge will notify you by email.EPA will also assist some other organizations to carry out environmental protection projects.For example, in Palmerston North, the Environmental Protection Agency is working with an international Christian nature conservation organization to conduct a community food storage project. Volunteers work on plant irrigation and meet once a month.Another example is the Mountain Blue Duck (Blue Duck) conservation project in conjunction with the Deerstalker Association.In the end, I told Ms. Kelly of the Environmental Protection Agency office that I planned to participate in two projects, one was to clean up the harmful plant Pink Ragwort on the beach; the other was to protect the mountain blue duck.Miss Kelly told me that the pink Senecio will not start until the beginning of October, and the mountain blue duck project may start at the end of September, and let me directly contact the old man Stewart of the Deer Hunting Association.

Tips
The Department of Conservation, also known as DOC, is a New Zealand government agency responsible for managing and protecting New Zealand's unique species and land resources.About 30% of the island's land is under the management of the Environmental Protection Agency.As for the protection of animals and plants, this is a big project, because different regions have different protection targets and priorities, so the Environmental Protection Agency divides its functions by region, and different regions have different volunteer projects.Volunteers are an important asset to EPA.At the starting point of some outdoor hiking routes, you can also see the DOC office. The staff will be responsible for introducing wild safety knowledge to tourists, providing recent weather forecasts, hiking route maps and travel suggestions.

After the beach project ended as scheduled, the Mountain Blue Duck project was postponed again and again due to the weather. From the end of September to the beginning of October, and then to mid-October, the weather in Palmerston North was the worst-tempered child I have ever seen. .

At this time, there was new progress in the domestic publishing business, and I had to go back to China immediately. I bought a plane ticket and resigned to Uncle Li.

"Didn't you promise to work until Christmas?" He still had a big smile on his face, with a hidden knife in his smile, which made me feel very uncomfortable.

"It...was an accident..." I said awkwardly.

"It's a pity, you've only just become proficient, and you're leaving."

My last day at Ogi Sushi is Friday.Every Friday from 4pm to 7pm is the Irish Pub Special Hours with cheap drinks.After get off work, my boss and colleagues gave me a farewell party.

Our conversation didn't revolve around separation, seeing off was the most irrelevant ritual, and everyone wanted to appear happy and indifferent.

During the dinner, the boss asked me an intriguing question: "No, do you like day or night?"

I thought for a while and said, "It's daytime."

He asked me why.

I said, "Maybe it's daytime. I can see more clearly and feel more in control."

He laughed out loud at my answer.

"It's still a child." He stopped laughing and said.

He gave me a bamboo roll for making sushi as a souvenir.

Also participating in the farewell is sushi craftsman Zhu.This former jewelry appraiser is now working hard to roll sushi in order to take root in New Zealand. Maybe sushi has a brighter future than jewelry; of course, my master Maeda, a former backpacker, came to New Zealand 9 years ago on a working holiday , Of course, he is still a backpacker now, the world is under his feet, and the backpack is in his heart.I closed my ears, looked at their mouths opening and closing, and thought of all kinds of people who met and left in my life. The world just passed by me like this, and I never got tired of watching it.

There was a momentary sadness in my chest, like the faint bitterness of Guinness.

"This Irish beer is rich in minerals and vitamins, and you can drink it freely." Uncle Li raised his glass to me.

"really?"

This is the first time I heard that beer is also nutritious. Presumably those past events that can be used to toast are also rich in various nutrients that nourish our spirit.

We clinked glasses, and the glass made a crisp sound.

(End of this chapter)