Over the years I've participated in different engineering projects in Hong Kong, some big and some small, but many of them are quite interesting and make me wonder the ambition of Human.
I've built a traditional Chinese archway (called Pai Lau, 牌樓):
A temporary tunnel to rescue a trapped turnnel boring machine under the river:
A bridge crossing a major highway:
And a staircase inside a crowded metro station:
The construction industry in Hong Kong is a challenging field for everyone involved. We face a multitude of issues, such as an aging workforce, unhealthy competition in tenders, poor design and construction planning due to budget and time constraints, and increasing demands from the public, among others.
These obstacles are a daily struggle, exacerbated by the 24/7 connectivity of modern times. I know many engineers who have aged prematurely due to the stress and demands of the job. It is a demanding and exhausting profession.
However, despite the difficulties, I am grateful for this job. Overcoming these challenges and accomplishing our goals is incredibly fulfilling.
As Jordan Peterson once said,
Perhaps happiness is always to be found in the journey uphill, and not in the fleeting sense of satisfaction awaiting at the next peak.
But that sense of satisfaction is not fleeting at all. The feeling of walking on or even looking at the structures we build is special. It's special because we know that a part of ourselves is in it, but it will endure long after we're gone.
I guess that's how human grow along the way.