Introduction to a New Career Opportunity

Lenert looked at Rachel and chuckled. Then turned to wave the tour driver off.

“You’ve done your job well. Give my regards to Kathy when you get back and tell her I’ll see her in Brisbane next week when I go there on business. I need to know when the group of backpackers will be coming in next month so we can make things ready.”

He turned to his mother.

“Bringen Sie sie zuerst in eines unserer Gastezimmer und dann zuruck zur Orientierung.”

The old woman went to pick up the backpack, but Emma prevented her and picked it up herself and followed the woman to the homestead next door. It was ultra-modern with all facilities inside, and the guestroom was fitted out like a motel room. The woman conversed in English as Emma unpacked and put things in the cupboards and hanging spaces provided marvelling at the unexpected luxury. She could certainly life with this lifestyle. When Emma had finished freshening up at the ensuite to the guestroom, she followed Anika back to the administrative building and ushered her into Lenert’s office. Emma took a careful look at him this time and he was a rugged handsome man obviously of Teutonic ancestry. She tried to imagine him in lederhosen on the mountains, and he looked at her quizzically.

“Are you happy with the accommodation?”

Emma nodded.

“Good, let’s get down to business. I believe you’re a qualified pharmacist, is that right?”

She nodded.

“Well, that is a little different to what I have in mind for you now but wonder if you’d be prepared to be an assistant in the plant research department. We are shorthanded and it’s different to your area of studies but related I suppose so you might be of assistance there. What do you say?”

“I’d love to learn something about what you do there but obviously I’m untrained in that area of studies.”

“Good let’s go check that out and I’ll leave you under the care of Ray Carpenter who runs that department for us for the rest of the day to see if you can be a useful helper to him. We call him the professor. He lives in his own little professional world but has been able to communicate to us lesser mortals in language we can understand, and he looks at the control of diseases and development of new types of fruit. He’s a very valuable man and constantly being enticed by universities and other large industry scale orchards but for some reason he likes it here. We make it worth his while financially to stay with us but do loan him to universities for lectures.”

Entering the research centre, they were passed through reception to a sterile inner sanctuary where perhaps a dozen men and women hovered over microscopes test tubes and a host of other exotic equipment some of which she recognized from her university studies. This energized her as she remembered the excitement she felt working under the direction of tutors and laboratory assistants complementary to her lectures. Lenert called Ray’s name and after a brief pause, he lifted his eyes from the large computer screen in front of him. He introduced Emma and departed to check on what was happening on the estate. Ray spoke.

“I suppose Lenert told you to call me the professor because he knows that baits me every time. Just call me Ray as everyone is known by their first name here unless it’s some kind of nickname which you may think as a foreigner is disrespectful but here in Australia it’s not considered so and is in fact a term of endearment. For example, Wes over there is called prickle head and Sue over there is called size 12 and it’s all in good fun. Half the crew here works for or with the CSIRO Australia’s national science agency dedicated to solving challenges through innovative science and technology. The CSIRO funds part of the projects we carry on here, so we are considered one of their field experimental sites around Australia. If we are working on something they consider is worthwhile to share around industries in Australia, they fund it on the understanding we get to use what is considered valuable without paying royalties and they get the patient. Wes is one of their scientists and he has some university students here with him as part of their course requirements. The lab and equipment are owned by Paradise Fruit Orchards.”

Ray looked around the lab and spotted a spare chair. He moved over and picked it up depositing it next to his computer station and indicated Emma should sit.

“Let me start by describing in broad terms what we are doing here. Our lab assistants check out the orchard methodically and inspect for any form of unusual issues with root and tree growth.
They take samples and bring to the lab for inspection under microscope and are cross checked against samples taken in this orchard and others around Australia and the world. We keep what we have on our data base but share with the servers in the main CSIRO laboratory. The growth process is monitored, and we are also responsible for the health of the beehives scattered throughout the plantation. That is a most necessary element of an orchard’s health, so these bees are an important resource. Between Australian customs and CSIRO Australia attempts to avoid foreign biological threats decimating our orchards. The CSIRO deals with any of these overseas threats by studying them in a strictly protected lab to find ways in advance to combat them should they slip through the customs net. We have too many invasive species introduced in the 1800’s without thought of their potential threat to the environment that cause havoc today.”

Emma nodded. The different specialities in science had to have a common starting foundation point in the educational system so Emma understood in broad terms what they were attempting to do and had recognized international symbols for the various elements on the computer screen but obviously her branch into pharmacy was a different speciality and she was curious to know more. Ray continued.

“That was the maintenance part of our job. The other part of our work which I find most interesting is to find new products in the stone fruit industry which may have mass appeal. People will always be buying traditional products like apples, peaches etc. but as you know we already have nectarines which are engineered and we can graft other fruit tree cuttings into a different stone fruit trunk and produce fruit on that tree different to the original tree’s purpose. You know about genetic engineering, so we have experimental fruit in greenhouses climate controlled out the back of this research building. We will go there after your orientation so you can see what our research assistants are doing there. Can certain fruit types be reengineered to provide hybrid’s that are marketable? That requires drilling down to DNA and Chromosome’s and experimenting. What will be the result? Can the result be reproduced. Does the texture and taste prove to be marketable. With the aid of modern technology, we can watch it in process as we experiment and all you need to know is a grounding in the science behind it and of course experience. So far do you have an interest and is there enough background education to be able to help us?”

Emma nodded.

“I have an interest and want to learn. As for education, I’m afraid there are a lot of gaps you need to fill in if you have the patience.”

Ray laughed.

“I do have some experience in teaching, and it excites me to find someone with a genuine thirst for knowledge so let’s give it a go. Wes will be going around the trees tomorrow to check on his assistants scattered around the orchard, and he usually takes stuff with him so needs a driver. Come with me and we’ll check out if you can handle the electric buggy Wes uses for that purpose so he can concentrate on looking after his equipment.”

They exited the building and went to a shed sheltering several electric buggies. Ray sat in the passenger seat and explained the controls which were simple to operate then watched as she nervously operated the vehicle under Ray’s instructions. They went on and on to the furthest reaches of the property passing stand after stand of stone fruit trees of different types with machinery operating between trees to keep weeds down and inspect water lines along with an occasional specialist vehicle spraying the trees. They passed beehives in various positions scattered around the plantation and saw people inspecting them. Emma turned to Ray now more confident in driving this new vehicle.

“Ray this is a huge industrial complex not the little fruit picking farm I was expecting with limited facilities. I’m amazed at what I’ve seen in this brief time here.”

Ray shrugged and looked at his watch.

“Time to get you back to the guestroom. Anika is very strict about us being on time for the evening meal and you’ll want to freshen up after being dusted on these earth tracks. They do eat later than most Australians and I suppose that’s German culture but be prepared for mountainous meals to be served German style. Lenert is fairly insistent his workers don’t work overtime as he feels those who are located in Stanthorpe with their families need to unwind but bachelors in the barracks are so interested in their work and as many work for the CSIRO or are university students seeking experience they go back to work at night because that’s their life and they aren’t interested in the limited night life in Stanthorpe. They are highly motivated. My advice is don’t try and do that as you are on a different employment opportunity, and he’d feel you should be taking time off. Besides, Anika will be anxious for some German talk.”

They headed back to the vehicle shed and Emma parked the electric buggy. Ray motioned she should follow him, and they went to his workstation. He scooped up some research journals and studied them for a few minutes, then turned to Emma showing her one by one.

“Would you find any of these interesting?”

Emma did a quick scan of the journals and nodded reaching out for him to place them in her arms to take back to the homestead. Ray waved her off.

She entered and was heading for her guestroom when she heard the voice of ever watching Anika calling so she diverted to the kitchen.

“Kannst du kommen und reden. Wahrend ich die Vorbereitungen fur das Abendessen abschliese?”

Emma responded she’d be there as soon as she’d deposited her things in the guestroom then sighed and headed for the kitchen getting ready to try her best to comprehend all that was to be communicated as they worked together with the kitchen assistant who looked relieved to see her arrive and begin to converse in German. After some time, Emma began to understand this new German dialect enough but was only able to respond in German which Anika obviously had no problem understanding. This was going to be an interesting assignment, and the old woman was obviously excited to have a companion who understood her culture, but Emma could hardly wait to get to work in the morning and begin her new education. The meal was just as Ray had described it and Emma was well satisfied with all those familiar dishes she left behind in Bavaria.

Lenert observed that Emma was exhausted after her first afternoon on the plantation and mercifully extracted Emma from his mother to enquire if she needed anything before taking a well-deserved rest for the night. Emma said she’d like to send some messages to her parents and did they have Wi-Fi in this complex Lenert would permit her to use. He went to her room, and she retrieved her phone and laptop. Lenert took them and entered the required details nodding with satisfaction as he saw the Wi-Fi was recognized on her equipment. He then reported on breakfast timing and when work would be commenced next morning asking her to come to his office when she reached the administrative building.

Next day feeling tired after reading journals half the night she entered Lenert’s office and he noted her tired eyes.

“You probably should take the day off and get that jet lag out of your system Emma so why don’t you take the day off and we will commence you at work tomorrow.”

Emma laughed.

“Everyone says you are very kind along with your no-nonsense approach and I feel very comfortable being here and working with you and your amazing team and having Anika mothering me helps heal my resentment and disappointment over what happened to me in Germany to convince me I needed time away to heal. This is the ideal place to do that and it’s not that I’m jet lagging now but I was foolish enough to spend half the night reading the scientific journals Ray gave me yesterday. I couldn’t think of a greater opportunity than to work here and learn and contribute. I’m German. I need to be at work today please.”

Lenert stared at her and laughed at her direct approach.

“Can I ask what caused you to flee your home country to heal here if that’s appropriate so we can be sensitive in what we say so you are not hurt by anything we say innocently while you’re here?”

Emma thought for a few seconds and shrugged.

“The man I trusted and was going to marry was found with my bridesmaid friend in a compromising situation the day before we were to be wed. I’d known him since childhood. My brother assaulted him and it became a scandal the news media learned about and an embarrassment to my parents who are high up in the social order in Germany as a banker. It was horrible with news media camping outside our place harassing my parents so that’s why I’m here for a year.”

Lenert sobered and mumbled his apologies for intruding in her life assuring her that information was safe with him and he’d not share it with his mother or others, but she could feel free to stay here as long as she wished and he had contacts in government to change her visa if she wished to remain longer. She could feel free to request anything that would make her healing here a happy time. He indicated she could head for the research centre and Ray’s opinion was she could over time be a great help to him and the team. Emma paused to consider what Lenert had just said. Her contract was for the harvest season and then she was heading for other parts of Australia to see the usual tourist traps. Now she had another option should she really like this research facility. Something to think about.

She entered the research facility and headed for Ray the Professor who had the group gathered around him handing him paper slips. They all looked up as she approached and began to smile. Ray spoke.

“The team present in the lab have been selecting an appropriate nickname for you and over time you’ll learn to associate each with their own nickname. First we’ll introduce you to those present and you’ll see their real names are on their photo ID card clipped on as you meet them now but they are each assigned a nickname some they won’t use in front of you as the lady among them as you don’t understand our Australian culture well enough to not be shocked.”

He began introducing them one by one and Emma was glad for the photo ID each one wore as it would be ages before she could remember them all without their ID’s and this only represented a fraction of those out there doing research while the regular workers attended to property and tree maintenance. Fortunately, all were tagged including security spread around the property. Then she responded to Ray’s comments assuring them she’d been subjected to more than they could hand out in her high school to university days. They all laughed knowing what she said was true. Ray spoke again.

“They did their individual research of German words before you came and shared their suggestions, and the team narrowed it down to three top contenders. Blute, Schon and Schlau! The final vote came out with Blute chosen so your nickname here is Blute as it represents a token of what we deal with.”

Emma decided to show them she was willing to join in the fun side of their work relationship so pretended to be upset and stared at them with a horrified faked angry look.

“You think I’m ugly? That’s not a nice way to welcome me into the team.”

They all looked at each other horrified. Had the translator misled them?  A subdued Ray decided to try and rescue the team from what looked like her angry reaction.

To be continued.

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