Just being there makes job worthwhile

Job makes Chen Huamei the envy of family and friends, Wei Tian reports.

Chen Huamei's job in the Expo Garden allows her to go to the Expo 2010 Shanghai everyday for free, a benefit envied by her family and many of her friends.

"Forget how much money you make," said Chen's husband. "Just the idea of being able to go to the Expo for free every day makes the job worthwhile."

Chen is one of the 7,000 workers responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the Expo Garden.

Luckily for Chen, she doesn't have to work in the sun, but the 40-year-old from Anhui province says her job in an air-conditioned building is not as easy and comfortable as it looks.

"I have to get up at 6 am for the bike ride to get to the Expo Garden by 7 am," she said. By the time Chen has everything prepared for work at 8 am, there is still one hour before the Expo Garden opens to public.

Chen's shift lasts 14 hours from 8 am until 10 pm. Her duties are to keep the public areas at the press center clean at all times.

As organizers pledged to provide the best working environment for media from around the world, Chen's job has to be of a high standard. There are to be no finger smudges on the door handles or puddles on the floor. If she is slack in her job, she could face a 50-yuan fine. She circles the 12,000-square-meter area at least seven times a day to ensure it's kept clean.

After being cautious at work all day, Chen can relax a little after work, walking along the streets in the Expo Garden at night without the crowds and noise, seeing the pavilions sparkle and feeling the breeze from Huangpu River, Chen said she sometimes takes the long way home just to have more time in the Expo Garden.

Chen does get days off, but she won't risk visiting the Expo Garden for free by using her pass like some of her colleagues.

She has heard rumors that wandering around the Expo Garden during off days could result in her pass being confiscated or even losing her job. For Chen, with her husband out of work and one son in college, this is simply not affordable.

Chen's biggest wish is to see the Expo Garden with her family, especially with her 20-year-old son who is now a college student in Hefei, Anhui province.

"Every time he calls, he tells me how much he wants to come and see the Expo," said Chen.

But Chen makes just over 1,500 yuan a month, so spending 480 yuan on three Expo tickets for her two sons and husband is not feasible.

"I am considering maybe we can buy night tickets, which only cost 90 yuan each," said Chen.

"We may not have enough time to see what's inside those pavilions, but we could take pictures of the buildings."

"I personally would like to see the Expo Cultural Center because I've heard that there are performances from foreign countries there," said Chen. "It must be a very different world."

(China Daily 06/04/2010 page37)