Fish Transit
I work in aquatic product transportation in South China, so I spend most of my time on the road or by the water, not in an office. Fish transport usually starts before dawn because the water temperature rises rapidly after sunrise, making the fish weaker. Sometimes we have to wait for a fish farm to finish harvesting, and this delay makes the whole trip more difficult, but we can’t rush the farmers, otherwise the fish will be damaged.
我在华南地区从事水产品运输工作，所以大部分时间都在路上或水边，而不是在办公室里。鱼类运输通常在黎明前就开始，因为日出后水温会迅速升高，导致鱼儿变得虚弱。有时我们需要等待养殖场完成捕捞，这种延误会使整个行程更加困难，但我们不能催促养殖户，否则鱼会受损。
Transporting fish from areas like western Guangdong to inland cities looks simple on a map, but in reality, the situation is always unpredictable. Sometimes there are heavy rains and flooded roads; sometimes there are sudden traffic jams in the city, and the trucks get stuck. In these situations, our focus shifts from time to oxygen levels. I always feel that the fish can sense the road conditions, because if the journey is bumpy, they have a hard time calming down even after reaching their destination.
从广东西部等地区将鱼运往内陆城市，在地图上看起来很简单，但实际上情况总是变幻莫测。有时会遇到暴雨和道路积水；有时城市里会突然堵车，卡车被困住。在这种情况下，我们的注意力就会从时间转移到氧气含量上。我总感觉鱼儿也能感知到路况，因为如果旅途颠簸，即使到达目的地后，它们也很难平静下来。
Different buyers have different requirements, and they often change their minds. Wholesalers only care about weight and price, but restaurant owners will stand there observing the fish’s breathing, checking their eyes and scales. Sometimes during transportation, we receive news that market prices have dropped, so we need to reroute to other places. This job is tough, but that’s just the nature of it.
不同的买家有不同的要求，而且他们经常改变主意。批发商只关心重量和价格，但餐馆老板会站在那里观察鱼的呼吸，检查它们的眼睛和鱼鳞。有时在运输途中，我们会收到市场价格下跌的消息，所以需要改道前往其他地方。这份工作很辛苦，但这就是它的本质。
When I was promoted to Elite Operator of Waterborne Transport (E.O.W.) in the aquatic product market transportation team, I was responsible for handling more valuable cargo, such as high-quality fish from Qingdao. After many years, I no longer see this job as simply transportation. When problems arise, it’s usually not one big problem, but many small problems that come one after another.
当我被提升为水产品市场运输团队的精英水运操作员（E.O.W.）时，我负责处理更贵重的货物，例如来自青岛的优质鱼类。多年以后，我不再把这份工作仅仅看作是运输。当问题出现时，通常不是一个大问题，而是许多小问题接踵而至。
