濃濃湖湘情

2008年湖南的冰災令我難忘，大家都積極參加抗擊冰雪的行動，我和華菱鋼鐵的同事們也參加了這些活動，到長沙火車站清除冰雪。廣播和電視臺采訪了我們，哥倫比亞廣播公司北京辦事處也采訪了我，大家似乎都想知道，一個美國人為什么會加入這場抗冰救災的活動中，同中國人民并肩戰斗?

我來長沙已經兩年半了。之前，我對長沙的了解僅來自互聯網的介紹:長沙是湖南省的省會城市，市區約有160萬人口，加上周邊地區共600萬人口。全省約有6000萬人口，氣候多變，南部地區屬亞熱帶氣候，經濟以農業為主，水稻產量占全國的15%左右，這里也是毛主席的家鄉和最初的革命根據地。但我仍不清楚這里是平原還是山區?是綠樹成蔭還是荒山禿嶺?經濟發展到什么程度?開車的人多還是騎自行車的人多?華菱鋼鐵經營業績怎么樣?這里的人們會友好地對待我嗎?還是會認為我是一個自私的西方人?帶著這些問題和疑慮，我來到長沙這個陌生的地方，來到華菱鋼鐵這個我為之奮斗的公司，我將努力地去適應新的環境。當然，我對米塔爾集團的委派感到非常高興，這對我來說是一個很好的機會，我可以利用自己30年鋼鐵工業的實踐經驗，為集團和華菱鋼鐵做出自己的貢獻。

我親眼目睹的一切已超過了我最好的想象:華菱鋼鐵的生產工藝和研發配備了最新和最好的技術裝備，同時投入大量的資金進行技術改造，以進一步提高技術先進性和生產能力。我的同事們知識豐富，勤奮工作，工作中取得了許多成就，對我的建議也是積極采納和實施。另外，政府在住房和基礎設施的投入是巨大的，舊樓改造，新的高層建筑拔地而起。許多人從全省各地來到長沙求職，尋求高薪工作。城市房地產和基礎設施的建設速度令我這個初來乍到的外國人感到吃驚，我把它稱之為“中國速度”!

2008年湖南的冰災令我難忘，50年一遇的寒冬嚴重地影響了人們的生活，工廠停產，供應短缺，供電設施損壞嚴重，造成停電事故。交通運輸也受災嚴重，數萬人滯留機場、火車站和高速公路。但是在抗冰救災活動中，凸顯了中國人民所擁有的奮斗精神和美好情操，大家都積極參加抗擊冰雪的行動，清除道路、橋梁、火車站和人行道的積雪。我和華菱鋼鐵的同事們也參加了這些活動，到長沙火車站清除冰雪。廣播和電視臺采訪了我們，哥倫比亞廣播公司北京辦事處也采訪了我，大家似乎都想知道，一個美國人為什么會加入這場抗冰救災的活動中，同中國人民并肩戰斗?

我認為湖南的地形很適合農業，有利于生產水稻和其他農作物。湖南綠化搞得很好，讓我吃驚。行駛在縱橫交錯的公路上時，兩旁滿眼都是綠色。這里有豐富的水源，有利于農田灌溉。湖南真是一個美麗而富饒的地方!

另一個令我驚訝的是湖南人對毛澤東深深的愛戴和崇敬，雖然他已過世，但人們經常自豪地談論他，以及他對于新中國的巨大貢獻，他的故居、曾經就讀的學校和博物館，無不展示著他的豐功偉績。

華菱鋼鐵的領導和同事們，不但對我非常友好，而且對我的生活也是無微不至地關心。為我配置舒適的住所，幫助我購買日常用品、食品和其他必需品，讓我感受到家庭一樣的溫暖。同事們經常邀請我到他們的家里做客，或者一起去餐館品嘗長沙的美味佳肴，陪我參觀湖南的名勝古跡，讓我領略了偉人家鄉的秀美、張家界的奇觀、龍舟賽的精彩。他們還教我學中文，使我對中國的古代文明有更多的了解，悠久的歷史甚至勝過希臘。湖南已成為我的另一個“家” ，我已經適應了這里的飲食，熟悉了這里的人和他們工作、生活的方式。

2008年我獲得的兩大殊榮，是我一生中最難忘的。我參加了2008年北京奧運會長沙站火炬接力的活動!成為奧運圣火傳遞長沙站接力的兩個外國人之一。雖然1972年在希臘我曾參加過奧運火炬接力，但在湖南這一次參加的奧運圣火傳遞，將成為我一生難忘的記憶。每個人都會因為中國能成功舉辦奧運會而感到非常驕傲，人們將圣火傳遞當成一次盛典。接力活動非常熱鬧，圣火按規定路線傳遞時，沿途都能看到人們揮舞著旗幟，聽到他們大聲喊著“加油!”我想這是每一個圣火傳遞者都難以忘懷的景象。這一年經湖南省外國專家局的推薦我還獲得了湖南省政府頒發的“瀟湘友誼獎”。得知自己獲此榮譽時，我簡直不敢相信，工作中我做出了什么業績能得到如此的殊榮?華菱的同事們非?？隙ǖ貙ξ艺f:你當之無愧!更令我興奮的是，我的妻子當時正好在長沙，和我一起分享這種快樂與榮譽。

盡管全球金融危機已經影響到華菱鋼鐵和湖南經濟，但我很高興地發現，中國也許是受經濟危機影響最小的國家，經濟下滑的程度比大多數國家小，可以樂觀地認為中國將是最先走出陰霾的國家。對于華菱鋼鐵來說，我們將充分利用米塔爾集團先進的技術資源，轉讓其世界領先的汽車板和電工鋼生產技術，實施好十一五規劃中的“四大工程”和“三大基地”，依靠產品結構調整化解世界金融危機對公司的不利影響。

(本文作者納索斯·拉扎里蒂博士，美國人，現任湖南華菱鋼鐵股份有限公司副總經理兼技術總監，2009年度中國政府“友誼獎”獲得者，本文曾獲“感受湖南——外國專家征文比賽二等獎”)

I came to Changsha more than two and a half years ago.Before arriving I knew about it only what I was able to read on the internet: It is the capital of the Hunan Province with about 1.6 million people in the city proper and over 6 million in the metropolitan area.The province has about 60 million people.Its climate varies， being subtropical in its southern parts. It is mostly agricultural， producing about 15% of the entire production of rice in China. It is also Chairman Mao's home province and initial power base.I had no idea whether it was flat or mountainous， covered by vegetation or barren， to what degree it was developed， did it have cars or were people mostly riding bicycles?What was the state of this company called at the time Hunan Valin Steel Tube and Wire Co.， Ltd.?Would the people be friendly and treat me well or see me as a selfish westerner?These and so many more were my questions about the place， the people and the company where I was to spend the next few years of my life. So I came with some apprehension， having some definite work plans in mind but otherwise determined to simply try to fit in and survive as best as I could.Of course I was very excited about the assignment， which for me was a great opportunity to use my previous experience of thirty years in the steel industry in order to make a small contribution to my company and to Hunan Valin.

What I actually found surpassed even my most wishful thinking:The company was already equipped with some of the newest and best facilities in the world for production and research with plans in place for significant additional investments to further improve its technology and capabilities.My colleagues at all levels were knowledgeable， hard working and committed to their company and its success.They were open minded to my suggestions and supported their implementation.

The level of investment in housing， offices and infrastructure was unbelievable.Old buildings were torn down and in their place multi story high rises were built to house businesses and people， many of whom left their homes in the country side and came to Changsha and the other major cities in Hunan in search of a higher paying job.The speed of erecting these buildings and other facilities was and continues to boggle the mind of the uninitiated foreigner.I have come to call it \"Chinese speed\"!

The weather was about as I expected， except for what I named \"the surprise of 2008\"!The most severe winter for this area in 50 years played havoc with life as we knew it.Plants shut down， supplies became scarce and electricity was cut off because of lack of coal for the power plants and downed power lines.But hardest hit of all was transportation， with hundreds of thousands of people stranded at airports， rail stations and even the wonderful interprovincial highways.People were said to have spent well over 24 hours stuck on the highways without food and water.But out of this catastrophe emerged the wonderful spirit of the Chinese people who all pitched in， manual labor and office workers alike， as best they could to clear ice from roads and bridges， train stations and sidewalks. My colleagues from Hunan Valin and I also participated in this activity， clearing snow and ice from the platforms of the Changsha train station.The response of the people was tremendous: Radio and TV reporters became aware of an American assisting in this effort alongside all the Chinese people and came to hear my story and why I had decided to participate.The next day I even spoke to the Beijing office of CBS (one of the major American TV networks) about it. Everyone seemed to want to know why an American cared to assist in this activity.Inside buildings and offices were very cold and difficult to heat and keep warm.I thought that if I had my way I would propose changing the building codes to improve insulation， at least for all new buildings; in the process I am certain a great deal of energy would be saved even if the initial cost will be a little higher.

The terrain indeed fit the agricultural model that I envisioned for Hunan.There are many fields for growing rice and other staples.But the big surprise was the hilly terrain， with all hills completely covered by trees and bushes.Driving along the highways big and small everything looks green.And there was evidence of abundant water available for irrigating the fields and for human and animal consumption.How richly endowed Hunan really is in this very precious resource!

Another source of amazement is the deep love and adoration people in Hunan reserve towards Mao Zedong.After all this time after his death people frequently proudly spoke of him and his importance to China and were always eager to show his home， school and museum and explain his achievements.

My colleagues at Hunan Valin Steel Co.， Ltd were not only friendly but from the beginning became very concerned about everything affecting my life here.They made sure I had a suitable apartment to live in， helped me purchase the little things necessary to make an apartment a home， arranged for me to have food and other necessities.They made sure I never spent a major Chinese holiday alone and without something to do or something new to see in Hunan. Visits to the Provincial Museum in Changsha， Zhangjiajie during Spring Festival to see its natural wonders and the town of Miluo for the dragon boat races and related history of the area are only a few examples of all the great experiences I have been fortunate to enjoy.They invited me into their homes or out to dinner in one of the wonderful restaurants that Changsha has plenty of.They were from the beginning very eager to teach me their language and their rich history， which even predates my own Greek heritage， and can be proud of at least as many important achievements.

But some of the greatest experiences of my life are undoubtedly connected with two events that took place in 2008: My participation in the 2008 Beijing Olympics torch relay when it went through Changsha and the Friendship Award that I received from the Governor of the Hunan Province at the recommendation of the Hunan Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

Again， through the efforts of my colleagues at Valin and the support of the Hunan Sports Bureau I was one of only two foreigners and the only westerner selected to carry the Olympic flame through Changsha.Even though I had carried the Olympic flame once before in my native Greece during the 1972 Olympics torch relay， participating in Hunan was something that will be etched in memory for the rest of my life.Everyone was so proud of China's opportunity to host the Games and so committed to their success that the atmosphere prior to and during the relay was very festive.With flags waving and \"jia yo\" heard all the time the people of Changsha followed the route of the flame and became participants in this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

When I was informed that I was selected to receive the Friendship award during the National Day holidays at first I was totally incredulous:What had I done， other than my job， to deserve such an honor?Again it was my Valin colleagues who firmly reassured me that I truly deserved it and although I still found it difficult to believe， I was deeply honored and humbled enough to accept the selection and receive the award in a wonderful ceremony.What made it doubly enjoyable was that my wife happened to be in Changsha at the time and was also able to share in this experience.

It is fair to say that Changsha and Hunan have become for me another \"home away from home\". I easily adjusted to the wonderful Hunan cuisine and have become very familiar with the people and their way of working and living.Work continues to be as exciting as ever， despite the global financial crisis that has affected both the companies I work for and the local economy.It is good to see that China is perhaps less affected by the global downturn than most of the other economies and there is optimism that it may pull out of the crisis sooner and better than most.

As to Hunan Valin， we will make full use of advanced technology of ArcelorMittal ， and transfer of its world-leading automotive plates and electrical steel production technology， the implementation\"four major projects\" and \"three bases \"of the Eleventh Five-Year plan， adjust product structure to conquer and resolve the effects of theworld financial crisis on the company.