I keep getting mistaken for being Philipino everywhere I go. Most shops here are manned by Philipinos (like literally every salesperson!), and 9 out of 10 times they will ask me if I'm "Kabayan" or countrymen. I was at a mall once looking at the mall directory, and these 2 Philipino ladies came to me and said "Kabayan?". They were so embarassed when I replied No. Once I also stumbled into the office pantry and 3 Philipino ladies were having their lunch, so I said hello, and immediately, one of them asked if I was Philipino. When I replied No, they told me that they had been guessing if the new girl (me!) was Philipino or not!
People have always had a hard time telling what ethnicity I am, but I think it's unanimous that if I had to look like anyone, I would be Philipino. Even when I went to Manila 2 years back, people were talking to me in Tagalog. Maybe I should learn the language, that would really put people in a spin as now, most of them tell me that they know I'm not Philipino once I open my mouth. One Aussie lady did ask me if I was Aussie as soon as I said a sentence, I really didn't think that my Aussie accent was remotely noticeable, but who knows!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
JUST...SO...TIRING...
I had an interesting conversation with a colleague last Thursday...it was the end of the week and we were all so exhausted. Not because of work, I think I have had the best work-life balance I've had for the longest time (getting in at 8.15, leaving by 5.30 or 6 is so novel!) but because achieving anything is never straightforward.
Everyday there is h some drama, some complication...with taxi drivers, with banks, with telco providers, with anyone and anything. It's come to a point where I always expect the worst when having to do something, and generally I"m fine, but it does get to a point at the end of the week where everything just heaves down and I feel completely exhausted. Last week, the trigger was my bank loan, when the bank couldn't just scan the approval letter to me though they said they would, and this resulted in my car being delayed by 2 days. All it took was 1 person scanning a simple letter over, but 20 unanswered phone calls, smses and emails later, I"m still waiting.
It does get to me, and I feel like know I understand what an expat setting up home in Malaysia would feel like. There is this big hump of stuff to get over when you first arrive, and dealing with developing country inefficiencies can really drain someone. Thankfully I think I'm nearly there, and hopefully I can lead a fairly protected life away from all these painful touchpoints soon.
Everyday there is h some drama, some complication...with taxi drivers, with banks, with telco providers, with anyone and anything. It's come to a point where I always expect the worst when having to do something, and generally I"m fine, but it does get to a point at the end of the week where everything just heaves down and I feel completely exhausted. Last week, the trigger was my bank loan, when the bank couldn't just scan the approval letter to me though they said they would, and this resulted in my car being delayed by 2 days. All it took was 1 person scanning a simple letter over, but 20 unanswered phone calls, smses and emails later, I"m still waiting.
It does get to me, and I feel like know I understand what an expat setting up home in Malaysia would feel like. There is this big hump of stuff to get over when you first arrive, and dealing with developing country inefficiencies can really drain someone. Thankfully I think I'm nearly there, and hopefully I can lead a fairly protected life away from all these painful touchpoints soon.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Yoga at last!
I am so happy to be finally close by to a yoga studio (www.theyogajuice.com). It has been about 7 weeks since I attended a yoga class and I was really craving for a studio environment where I could practise. There are only 2 dedicated yoga studios in Abu Dhabi, and I live 5 mins walk away from one of them and 10 minute drive from the other. I went to my first yoga class last week and another a few days before and they have a good variety of ashtanga, vinyasa and hatha styles.
While I know I shouldn't compare, I do miss the amazing Stella (www.shinyoga.com) and the awesome Body Mind Life (www.bodymindlife.com) in Surry Hills.. The good thing here is that they organise workshops and yoga by the beach which I cannot wait to try out once I get my wheels!
While I know I shouldn't compare, I do miss the amazing Stella (www.shinyoga.com) and the awesome Body Mind Life (www.bodymindlife.com) in Surry Hills.. The good thing here is that they organise workshops and yoga by the beach which I cannot wait to try out once I get my wheels!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Naughty naughty..a little scary actually!
Taken from Gulf News..
Dubai: A couple who claimed they kissed on the cheek in a restaurant while under the influence of alcohol face one month in jail and deportation.
A 24-year-old British man, who works in Dubai, and a 25-year-old woman, visiting from the UK, will appear before the Appeals Court next week, seeking acquittal or reduction of the primary judgment. The Dubai Misdemeanours Court sentenced the Britons to one month in jail followed by deportation for kissing and touching at a restaurant in Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR).
Presiding Judge Ebrahim Khalil Abu Shamma, who handed out the primary verdict, also fined them Dh1,000 each for consuming alcohol.
Prosecutors charged the couple with kissing and drinking alcohol, after an Emirati mother claimed her children saw the man kiss the woman on her lips around 2am in the restaurant. When the defendants appeared in court they denied kissing on the lips and said they kissed each other on the cheek. However, they pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol.
Court records said a 38-year-old Emirati woman testified that she spotted the woman walking into the restaurant along with four men. "My daughter told me that the accused were kissing on the mouth. Then I spotted them doing so myself. I also saw them touching each other, as they were seated two to three metres away from our table. A number of customers witnessed the scene as well," claimed the Emirati in her statement.
A forensic laboratory report showed that the defendants had 22mg/dl of alcohol in their blood. Sources close to the case told Gulf News that the couple appealed the primary judgment. "The couple is seeking to acquit themselves or to win a reduced punishment," said the source.
Prosecutors asked the court to implement articles 121 and 356 of the Federal Penal Law.
Article 121 stipulates that any expatriate suspect, who gets convicted for a crime related to honour or modesty [such as kissing, groping, hugging, cuddling etc…] faces compulsory deportation. According to the same article, a court can instantly deport a suspect for a misdemeanour crime instead of imposing a jail sentence.
The verdict sheet of the primary judgment said: "The court concluded that the man kissed and touched the woman's leg and shoulder in the restaurant in JBR.
"She consented to what he did. The court deemed their behaviour as public indecency and a breach of modesty and honour.
"The man had asked the court to hear the statements of the Emirati woman's children but the court disregarded his plea because her statement was enough. Besides she had also seen the crime herself."
Presiding Judge Abu Shamma handed out a lenient punishment as per articles 99 and 100 of the Federal Penal Law.
Dubai: A couple who claimed they kissed on the cheek in a restaurant while under the influence of alcohol face one month in jail and deportation.
A 24-year-old British man, who works in Dubai, and a 25-year-old woman, visiting from the UK, will appear before the Appeals Court next week, seeking acquittal or reduction of the primary judgment. The Dubai Misdemeanours Court sentenced the Britons to one month in jail followed by deportation for kissing and touching at a restaurant in Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR).
Presiding Judge Ebrahim Khalil Abu Shamma, who handed out the primary verdict, also fined them Dh1,000 each for consuming alcohol.
Prosecutors charged the couple with kissing and drinking alcohol, after an Emirati mother claimed her children saw the man kiss the woman on her lips around 2am in the restaurant. When the defendants appeared in court they denied kissing on the lips and said they kissed each other on the cheek. However, they pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol.
Court records said a 38-year-old Emirati woman testified that she spotted the woman walking into the restaurant along with four men. "My daughter told me that the accused were kissing on the mouth. Then I spotted them doing so myself. I also saw them touching each other, as they were seated two to three metres away from our table. A number of customers witnessed the scene as well," claimed the Emirati in her statement.
A forensic laboratory report showed that the defendants had 22mg/dl of alcohol in their blood. Sources close to the case told Gulf News that the couple appealed the primary judgment. "The couple is seeking to acquit themselves or to win a reduced punishment," said the source.
Prosecutors asked the court to implement articles 121 and 356 of the Federal Penal Law.
Article 121 stipulates that any expatriate suspect, who gets convicted for a crime related to honour or modesty [such as kissing, groping, hugging, cuddling etc…] faces compulsory deportation. According to the same article, a court can instantly deport a suspect for a misdemeanour crime instead of imposing a jail sentence.
The verdict sheet of the primary judgment said: "The court concluded that the man kissed and touched the woman's leg and shoulder in the restaurant in JBR.
"She consented to what he did. The court deemed their behaviour as public indecency and a breach of modesty and honour.
"The man had asked the court to hear the statements of the Emirati woman's children but the court disregarded his plea because her statement was enough. Besides she had also seen the crime herself."
Presiding Judge Abu Shamma handed out a lenient punishment as per articles 99 and 100 of the Federal Penal Law.
Bureaucracy at it's best
Ras Al Khaimah sex-in-car duo to serve sentence
- Taken from Gulf News..
The RAK Criminal Court sentenced the couple after a passer-by heard noises coming from the car and reported it to the police.
Ras Al Khaimah: A Bangladeshi man and an Indian woman have been sentenced to a year's jail and will be deported after they were found having sex in a covered vehicle. The RAK Criminal Court sentenced the couple after a passer-by heard noises coming from the car and reported it to the police, who caught the couple red -handed.
A senior court official said the couple initially denied having an illicit affair despite the evidence the authorities collected against them. During the court session, the suspect provided the court with a marriage contract signed by himself and his partner stating that they were already married.
The court official said that the court did not recognise the contract as it was not attested.
Sorry - you did not get the 10 signatures you needed to get this attested!
- Taken from Gulf News..
The RAK Criminal Court sentenced the couple after a passer-by heard noises coming from the car and reported it to the police.
Ras Al Khaimah: A Bangladeshi man and an Indian woman have been sentenced to a year's jail and will be deported after they were found having sex in a covered vehicle. The RAK Criminal Court sentenced the couple after a passer-by heard noises coming from the car and reported it to the police, who caught the couple red -handed.
A senior court official said the couple initially denied having an illicit affair despite the evidence the authorities collected against them. During the court session, the suspect provided the court with a marriage contract signed by himself and his partner stating that they were already married.
The court official said that the court did not recognise the contract as it was not attested.
Sorry - you did not get the 10 signatures you needed to get this attested!
Crazy taxis
The reason why I cannot wait to get a car is because I am sick of getting cabs around. There are no street addresses here, so each call-cab affair involves me getting on the phone directing a cabbie on how to get to me. Most of them are pretty ok but occasionally you get the really dumb ones that have absolutely no clue, and refuse to listen to what you're saying.
A sample conversation was my colleague and I getting a cab to get us from the office today. Cab asks where we are, we tell him, he says 10 minutes. 15 minutes later, still no cab, so we call him. This is the conversation on my colleague's side:
"Where are you?"
"Can you speak English or Hindi? I cannot speak Arabic or Pashtun.."
"OK you are at 2454?"
"OK, which roundabout??" (there are like 5 around my office)
"No, what do you see, tell me what you see"
"Do you see the pink concrete wall that borders the airbase?" Go towards that, take a right and you will see the building on the right"
"NO NO NO, we are not at 2454. We are at xxxx "
"Listen to me, we are not at 2454, we are at xxxx, You know xxxx?" (obviously he has no clue!)
"Ok we will wait at the road"
Colleague puts down the phone and we both heave a big sigh...
10 mins later, still no cab. Colleague gets on the phone and calls cabbie..
"Where are you?"
"What??! We are not at Cafe Colombia, I know where that is. You have to come to xxxx"
"OK, who is this?" (Cabbie had passed the phone to someone else!)
"Do you see the pink wall, go straight towards it and turn left, ....."
The conversation goes on for another 5 minutes and colleague puts down the phone cursing..
We wait and see a cab passing on the opposite side, so we wave at him, and expect him to make a u-turn..but 3 mins later, no cab! We got so pissed off that I called another cab, and a total of 30 mins later we were finally in a cab.
This wasn't an isolated incident, and I've had so many conversations like that ("Yes i know you are at a roundabout but there are 5 around the office, what do you see, tell me what you see!). It's really annoying and tiring to deal with this so i cannot cannot wait for the car!
A sample conversation was my colleague and I getting a cab to get us from the office today. Cab asks where we are, we tell him, he says 10 minutes. 15 minutes later, still no cab, so we call him. This is the conversation on my colleague's side:
"Where are you?"
"Can you speak English or Hindi? I cannot speak Arabic or Pashtun.."
"OK you are at 2454?"
"OK, which roundabout??" (there are like 5 around my office)
"No, what do you see, tell me what you see"
"Do you see the pink concrete wall that borders the airbase?" Go towards that, take a right and you will see the building on the right"
"NO NO NO, we are not at 2454. We are at xxxx "
"Listen to me, we are not at 2454, we are at xxxx, You know xxxx?" (obviously he has no clue!)
"Ok we will wait at the road"
Colleague puts down the phone and we both heave a big sigh...
10 mins later, still no cab. Colleague gets on the phone and calls cabbie..
"Where are you?"
"What??! We are not at Cafe Colombia, I know where that is. You have to come to xxxx"
"OK, who is this?" (Cabbie had passed the phone to someone else!)
"Do you see the pink wall, go straight towards it and turn left, ....."
The conversation goes on for another 5 minutes and colleague puts down the phone cursing..
We wait and see a cab passing on the opposite side, so we wave at him, and expect him to make a u-turn..but 3 mins later, no cab! We got so pissed off that I called another cab, and a total of 30 mins later we were finally in a cab.
This wasn't an isolated incident, and I've had so many conversations like that ("Yes i know you are at a roundabout but there are 5 around the office, what do you see, tell me what you see!). It's really annoying and tiring to deal with this so i cannot cannot wait for the car!
Car please come quick!
As soon as I got my driving license I decided to shop for a car. Initially I was planning to get a new Honda Accord or something similar that costs around the AED100-110k range (~RM90-100K). Then I learnt of the thriving 2nd hand market here, and that I could buy from the showrooms, and they do all the testing, servicing and even put in warranties for a minimum of 1 year. So I went to check out a few second hand dealers and suddenly owning a luxury car seemed pretty do-able! So, I placed a deposit yesterday for a BMW 320i, 2008 model, 20,000K, 3 year full service warranty that covers everything except tyres plus a couple of very cool options, for a nice sum of AED100k. That's RM90k. Unbelievable..I figured this is likely to be the only time that I would ever drive a BMW as it's so cheap, so heck :) I'm hoping to get it latest by early next week!
It's interesting going around these 2nd hand car dealers, most are not interested in even talking to me, unless it's a proper showroom with english speaking sales people. I test drove a Lexus from a 2nd hand shop, the guy sent his assistant who couldn't speak English to get in the car with me. When I came back with the car, boss wasn't even around to talk to me, I was asked to wait for 5 mins till he comes back from prayers. 15mins later, still no boss so I left.
My colleagues are buying direct from owners and they have even funnier incidences. Yesterday, he went to check out a car, and asked to take it for a drive. Owner says no, because he took 1/2 hour to get his car parked 100m from his house and if he removed the car, there is no way he could ever find parking. So he asked my colleague to come back over the weekend! Then today, my colleague calls another guy, and the guy told my colleague that he asked too many questions and he can only test drive the car if he's really going to buy! He has also been trying to get some Audi dealers to let him test drive a couple of the 2nd hand units they have but it's 5 days later and they still haven't brought in the cars! It's quite funny but really infuriating as well. I'm so glad I'm sorted with the car, while I probably paid 10-15k more because I went to a showroom but being able to just breeze through the process really is worth something..
It's interesting going around these 2nd hand car dealers, most are not interested in even talking to me, unless it's a proper showroom with english speaking sales people. I test drove a Lexus from a 2nd hand shop, the guy sent his assistant who couldn't speak English to get in the car with me. When I came back with the car, boss wasn't even around to talk to me, I was asked to wait for 5 mins till he comes back from prayers. 15mins later, still no boss so I left.
My colleagues are buying direct from owners and they have even funnier incidences. Yesterday, he went to check out a car, and asked to take it for a drive. Owner says no, because he took 1/2 hour to get his car parked 100m from his house and if he removed the car, there is no way he could ever find parking. So he asked my colleague to come back over the weekend! Then today, my colleague calls another guy, and the guy told my colleague that he asked too many questions and he can only test drive the car if he's really going to buy! He has also been trying to get some Audi dealers to let him test drive a couple of the 2nd hand units they have but it's 5 days later and they still haven't brought in the cars! It's quite funny but really infuriating as well. I'm so glad I'm sorted with the car, while I probably paid 10-15k more because I went to a showroom but being able to just breeze through the process really is worth something..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
