We got the grill home and up as far as our entryway. And there the rather large box sat in wait of someone with a keen mechanical ability or at least someone with a box cutter and a screw driver. Damon spends a lot of time working (including many night-time conference calls-hey I’m not complaining…I’ll leave that for another blog) and this project would cut into his off time. I have access to a box cutter and a screw driver and I like to read the instructions, who needs mechanical ability? Besides I am a Civil Engineer (registered as non-practicing in case anyone from the Texas Board of Engineers is reading this). This would be an excellent project for me especially because it was way too hot and sunny to go outside and do what I was really supposed to be doing: buying more food.
I unpacked the box in the living room, (the balcony was out of the question-too hot, remember) opened the curtains wide to take advantage of the bright light and laid all the parts out on the rug. There were so many pieces, hmmm. As I mentioned I like following the step-by-step assembly instructions unlike many (male) engineers and (male) non-engineers I know. I pulled out the plastic bag containing the parts list and instructions. In contrast to many of the appliances that we have purchased most of the writing on the box was in English so I figured the instructions would be in English too: wrong. But, there were pictures, I would manage just fine. However, I began noticing that some things were in English and some in Chinese.
This is very important. Wonder what it says?
At this point I will mention that the sky turned suddenly very dark and started rumbling. Was this I bad sign? I choose not to think so. This had been happening most of the past week, the sky would darken and it would pour for a couple of hours and quit, the next day would be just as hot and sunny again. Of course today this was happening about 4-5 hours earlier than usual. I stood up and turned on all the lights in the living and dining room. It was time for a lunch break anyway.
Back from lunch I started to examine the written materials and divide them by language. You may be thinking “Isn’t she supposed to be putting this thing together?” But, I had already attached the handle! Although it was number nine on a list ten steps it looked like the easiest thing to do so I went ahead and did it first. Besides the lid kept slamming down every time I would open the grill to peer inside; I didn’t want to lose a finger!
Back to the written materials: I began to wonder how it was determined what would be in English and what would be in Chinese. Was there a Chinese engineer or technical writer at the factory in Guangdong who had this job? The warning on the plastic bags that they are NOT toys and not to be given to children was written solely in English. Apparently a Chinese reader would never mistake these for toys and hand them to their children. “Accessories and Food Not Included” was also shown only in English. Again, a Chinese person would know better than to assume their grill would come with skewers, utensils and a chicken ready to be cooked. While the parts list was in both English and Chinese the assembly instructions and 10 pages of what I can only assume are technical specs and operating instructions were in Chinese. Does the writer think I (as the English-only-reader) don’t want to know how to operate the grill? Does he or she think I can figure it out on my own? Would the technical specs be too complicated for an English reader? By the way, I was so relieved that there was no chicken in the box. They always leave the head and feet on the chickens here and I don't want to have to chop those off.
I found the whole process very interesting. So much so that you (and I) are both thinking that I need to get out more. It's starting to cool off now so I will try to do so--to buy meat for grilling. Unfortunately, there is no gas canister beneath the grill. That task requires that I call the gas company and ask that they deliver a small gas canister with the proper connector. I must accomplish this task in Chinese. I'll let you know if we ever get to fire up the Valencia. See the finished grill below.
MM
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