Documenting the work insights of a nearly 50-year-old excavator driver.
Eight actions, one lifetime. For survival, for family, I dropped out of school early, followed my father, soaked up knowledge, inherited the family business, fell in love with machinery since childhood, all to become a master excavator operator.
I’ve been toiling on the front lines of construction sites. I’ve tasted all kinds of hardships, diligently working for most of my life. Hardship is a given, but the job also brings a sense of accomplishment. I want to share my feelings with everyone.
First: About the industry.
Choosing excavators means choosing loneliness. Faces weathered by the sun, youth touched by time, accompanied by isolated construction sites, weary bodies, and humble dormitories.
Second: About the equipment.
Operating machines worth hundreds of thousands or millions, control levers like fighter jets, F1-like hydraulic seats, helicopter cockpits, engines with six cylinders or more, configurations surpassing Lamborghini and Bugatti, even Hummers would call them “big brother.”
Third: About wages.
Wages are a curious topic for everyone. Although wages are private, since operating excavators, I no longer need to scrape yogurt lids (can’t bear to throw away the yogurt stuck on the lid), dilute shampoo with water (can’t bear to waste the shampoo stuck at the bottom of the bottle), or take selfies while drinking Starbucks (occasional indulgence, just in case others don’t know). In short, the income is acceptable.
Fourth: About holidays.
No weekends, no holidays, work must continue even on rainy days to meet deadlines.
Fifth: Living environment.
In the excavator industry, always on the move, people leave, machines follow, and machines move with the construction sites. No matter what, always move forward because we are all pioneers. If there’s no road, pave your own. I’ve lived in prefabricated houses, yurts, and endured harsh conditions.
Living each day facing the earth, working hard to earn a living. When feeling low, I think of my dreams, gaze at the stars, and stay grounded!