Decisions, decisions猶豫不決

Martin has been working for a European company doing business in Asia. He’s received a new offer, and is talking about it over beers with his friend, James.

馬丁是一間在亞洲營運的歐洲公司的員工。他正在跟朋友詹姆斯一邊喝啤酒，一邊聊起新的工作機會。

Dialogue 對話

James: So you're thinking of quitting?

Martin: Yeah, the travel is really getting me down. All those trips to China, and they want me to start testing the waters in Vietnam and Thailand, too.

James: Have you thought about what you'll move on to?

Martin: Well, actually, yeah. I've been looking at jobs overseas, but Taiwan is very...

James: Convenient?

Martin: Right, convenient... I was going to say comfortable, but anyway. I actually got talking to another mate, and he's involved with a trading company, importing from Europe. They're an umbrella organization, helping smaller companies with regulations, providing office space, that sort of thing.

James: Sounds pretty cool. You've been doing something similar with the subsidiaries in Asia, right?

Martin: Well, that's what I thought. But I'm kind of conflicted. I learnt a lot from my current boss.

James: I know, I know. Your mentor. But seriously, that job's put years on you. And you've said yourself that the payoff is slow because of the lead time on the contracts. What about this new company?

Martin: Well, it's based in Taiwan, obviously, which is a plus, and they're already up and running – they're looking for a general manager with good English and experience working with international companies.

James: Right up your street, then. How does the salary compare?

Martin: Not too bad...

James: Oh, I see. Your round, then.

馬丁是一間在亞洲營運的歐洲公司的員工。他正在跟朋友詹姆斯一邊喝啤酒，一邊聊起新的工作機會。

詹姆斯：所以你在考慮辭職？

馬丁：是啊。出差讓我很不開心，像那些去中國的出差，而且他們也希望我開始往越南和泰國試試水溫。

詹姆斯：你想過未來要找什麼樣的工作嗎？

馬丁：其實有。我正在找海外的工作，但台灣真的非常……

詹姆斯：方便？

馬丁：對，方便……我其實正想說舒適，但無所謂。其實我跟一個朋友聊過，他在一間從歐洲進口貨物的貿易公司上班。他們是個傘狀的組織，幫忙底下的小公司處理法規、提供辦公空間等等。

詹姆斯：聽起來很酷。你在亞洲的子公司做過類似的事吧？

馬丁：這正是我在思考的事，但我其實心裡很矛盾。我從我現在的老闆身上學到很多。

詹姆斯：我知道我知道。他是你的導師。但認真想想，這個工作讓你看起來老了好幾歲。而且你也說過，因為契約前置作業長，所以結果總是拖很久。那間新公司如何？

馬丁：這間公司在台灣，顯然對我來說是加分，而且他們已經起步，運作良好，對方想找個在跨國公司工作過而且英文很好的總經理。

詹姆斯：很適合你。薪水比較起來如何呢？

馬丁：還不錯……

詹姆斯：喔，我明白了。那這輪就給你請客吧！

Vocabulary 字彙

1. testing the waters 試試水溫

= to try something out before deciding to do it

We're testing the waters before we release the product.

2. get talking to (somebody) 跟某人聊天

= start talking to someone

So I got talking to this cute girl…

3. umbrella organization 傘狀組織

= an organization that covers a wide range of smaller groups

I work for an umbrella organization of small music companies; we share studios and advertising costs.

4. subsidiary [sDb's0d0`Gr0] 子公司

= a smaller company owned by another one

7-11 is actually a subsidiary of Uni-President Enterprises Corporation.

5. conflicted [kDn'fl0kt0d] 矛盾、難以決定的

= to be unsure about different choices

Chocolate or strawberry? I'm so conflicted!

6. put years on you 讓你看起來老了好幾歲

= make you seem older

The workload on that last project put years on me.

7. payoff ['pe`Cf] 結果

= the eventual result of a plan or set up

It took us two years to set up our own restaurant, but the payoff has been worth it.

8. up and running 起步且運作良好

= started and going well

Sorry I'm late – it takes me a while to get up and running.

9. right up your street 很適合你

= suitable, interesting to you

Cheers is right up my street!

10. Your round! 這輪給你請客

= a phrase meaning the other person should buy the next drinks

I bought the last drinks. It's your round!