Abu Dhabi in June is very hot: we had up to 49 ºC and a lot of humidity and a lot of humidity.
On the other hand, when you are inside a building or a car, Emirates people likes to keep air conditioning at a temperature that would freeze a polar bear.
I have been in UAE several times, but it was the first time for some of my team members. Usually people from western countries are a bit suspicious before they visit Abu Dhabi, but the second impression is always good (we always enjoy asian food a lot and people are very open and friendly).
In the 5 days before the press conference we have been trying the robot and everything was going smooth.
On the other hand, we were observing the stage were the demo was going to be given becoming bigger and bigger and we realized that the demo was going to be spectacular.
It was exiting and scaring at the same time and I could not predict if everything would work well or not.
The 8th od June I had the opportunity to meet for the first time His Highness ("Big Boss" for friends) and I was very surprised and pleased to find that, even if he is a VVVVVIP, he his a very nice person, that does not need to overstress his hierarchical position to be respected.
We had some nice moments, as for example the day when we had to show the robot to the President of Panama.
The 10th was the day to do the rehearsal with the presenters, the light, the audio and so on. There was even Big Boss (that was not expected to assist the rehearsal).
Introduction of the speaker, light, dramatic music and a signal from the director: "robot, steady... go".
REEM does not move.
Silence...
"I have got a problem".
"what is going on with the wireless connection?"
"Ok, ok, it moves... Fuck, i cannot stop it ! Catch it!"
"This is not going to work, reboot it".
Second rehearsal: one of the motors on the foot ot the robot stop working and the robot almost falls.
"Ok guys, open the foot and see what is going on with that motors".
In few minutes, all my hopes regarding the success of the demo crashed down.
And I felt crashed, too.
I searched a corner to stay alone and nerves got to me: could it be this the end of it?
After half an hour Joan come to talk me and he told me: "come on Davide, come back with the other people of the team".
I don't think people understand what I felt, I don't expect them to do it and I don't need them to agree with me. What I felt was just mine.
But it was time to come back to my position and be a man. And so I did.
Que paso? al final salio todo bien? eso espero, he venido siguiendo el Blog, ojala este todo Bien.
Saludos a Reem
Posted by: sara | June 22, 2008 at 09:55 AM
Nice story...
Posted by: Faisal Aljundi | June 24, 2008 at 05:33 PM
Que paso? al final salio todo bien? eso espero, he venido siguiendo el Blog, ojala este todo Bien.
Posted by: gaia gold | June 20, 2009 at 08:45 AM