It's lunchtime. You look forward to savoring those oven-fresh pizzas whose delicious aromas have been teasing your nose for quite some time now. Your teeth cautiously sink into the tip of the slice. You chew for a while and then you go mmmm....
Suddenly someone storms into the room and launches into a litany of sorts..."Eating in the meeting rooms should not be allowed because it might give the clients the wrong impression. The reception smells of garlic and cheese! What will they think if they see you chatting and eating take-away? You know very well that it is hard to look for new projects..Who knows, this company might close down in a few months..." With each sentence I could feel my anger rise. Finally, I told my friend that I'm about to cry. The person comes back and says we can eat at the back, near the staff entrance. She notices I'm getting all upset and apologizes for it. By then, we decided to move to a different place outside the office. I continue eating my pizza in silence, tears flowing down my face like you would see in some cheesy videoke...hahahah! I laugh at the absurdity of it all but at the same time it felt great that I was finally able to release the negative vibes.
It was back to my cheery self after that, but I somehow feel that there was clearly something wrong with the message I'm getting. 1) That person seems to be throwing her weight around much to the chagrin of the people around her. Whatever happened to respecting the unpaid one-hour break? 2) It is certainly unprofessional for someone to be saying stuff about the possibility of the company closing down as that person is not in the position to say stuff like that. Funny how the lack of tact can cause so much trouble. Nevertheless, I will speak to higher authority about this and hopefully it will not fall on deaf ears.
Dinner was the complete opposite of what happened earlier at lunch. Kuberan and Punitha invited Claire, her husband Chris and me to their house for some Malaysian fare. Conversation was great, the food was good, the house was warm and homey, and the people were very very nice and friendly. It was a great way to cap a crappy day. The energy around was so positive that I feel blessed and grateful to be in these couples' presence. I surely wouldn't mind coming around and spending time with them!!!
I am glad to have survived another day. I just know that things will turn for the better. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and trusting that the universe will conspire with me. ;) For now, I'm just happy to be getting some sleep. Good night! Tomorrow is another day. :)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Strange Saturday
Today I managed to do three batches of laundry and hand washed my favorite purple top. That means I spent roughly three hours doing those. I'm amazed at how many pieces of underwear my flatmate uses in a week.
Today I took a picture of the seafood oil and garlic pasta that i made yesterday. I just thought I would take one last shot before I gobbled everything up.
Today I had one last chat with someone who was going back to his homeland after a brief stint at work. It is a pity to see a free spirit go, but well, that's life. I wish him the best as he embarks on a journey of a lifetime.
Today I told my nephew that I was getting bored. He asked me to just go home. Easier said than done.
Today, another friend asked if I can meet up with her at the mall. I readily agreed since it's been a long time since I last saw her. She also brought me pasalubong: postcards, a magnet, a keyholder, coins, bills and a poster of one of Argentina's national parks. We spent two-and-a-half hours talking about each other's lives and sorting mine out. It's refreshing to have a different perspective amidst all the clutter in my mind. Finally, someone is coming to my rescue. One of the best gifts anyone can give is the gift of time. Muchas gracias, mi amiga Marcela!
Today another friend called me up (he was probably doing that to pass time..hahaha!) and subjected me to a barrage of questions (Why does it seem that all you do is laundry and ironing during the weekend? How much does that flatmate of yours pay you for his laundry? etc., etc!) After which he proceeded to make his opinions known (I think you should charge more for the amount of work that you do for him. You should be going out more often. etc., etc.!) It's strange to be talking to this person again like old times after a brief hiatus.
Today I had a disturbing realization (after the barrage of questions) that I'm relatively living a hard life compared to what I was used to in the Philippines. I almost cried. (Echoes of "What is wrong, Roma? and "Why are you feeling sad?" ring through my mind.) I am not, and will never be, used to living with so many people in one place. Right now, 18 people share a 3-bedroom flat with a large hall. That's a challenge considering that I am only used to living with my mom in a small house. Rent takes up almost a third of my salary and yet the space i have is very small. To earn a few extra dirhams, I took up the task of doing my flatmate's laundry for AED125 and selling Etisalat recharge vouchers to my flatmates.
Today some cheeky bloke made a crazy proposition that scared the hell out of me. It was so bizarre! I sincerely hope he is just winding me up.
Today I encountered a cab driver who knew a lot of Filipino words (sira ulo, kanan tapos derecho, kaliwa, unang kanan, salamat, walang anuman, kumusta ka). I was not prepared when he said this: Ikaw ay maganda (You are beautiful). I say a polite thank you. He said it again. Experience tells me to be suspicious but well, the guy was just probably trying to flatter me. Nice try though. Made me smile nevertheless. Sometimes compliments (genuine or not) come from the most bizarre places.
So much for complaining that my life has suddenly become predictable and boring.
Today I took a picture of the seafood oil and garlic pasta that i made yesterday. I just thought I would take one last shot before I gobbled everything up.
Today I had one last chat with someone who was going back to his homeland after a brief stint at work. It is a pity to see a free spirit go, but well, that's life. I wish him the best as he embarks on a journey of a lifetime.
Today I told my nephew that I was getting bored. He asked me to just go home. Easier said than done.
Today, another friend asked if I can meet up with her at the mall. I readily agreed since it's been a long time since I last saw her. She also brought me pasalubong: postcards, a magnet, a keyholder, coins, bills and a poster of one of Argentina's national parks. We spent two-and-a-half hours talking about each other's lives and sorting mine out. It's refreshing to have a different perspective amidst all the clutter in my mind. Finally, someone is coming to my rescue. One of the best gifts anyone can give is the gift of time. Muchas gracias, mi amiga Marcela!
Today another friend called me up (he was probably doing that to pass time..hahaha!) and subjected me to a barrage of questions (Why does it seem that all you do is laundry and ironing during the weekend? How much does that flatmate of yours pay you for his laundry? etc., etc!) After which he proceeded to make his opinions known (I think you should charge more for the amount of work that you do for him. You should be going out more often. etc., etc.!) It's strange to be talking to this person again like old times after a brief hiatus.
Today I had a disturbing realization (after the barrage of questions) that I'm relatively living a hard life compared to what I was used to in the Philippines. I almost cried. (Echoes of "What is wrong, Roma? and "Why are you feeling sad?" ring through my mind.) I am not, and will never be, used to living with so many people in one place. Right now, 18 people share a 3-bedroom flat with a large hall. That's a challenge considering that I am only used to living with my mom in a small house. Rent takes up almost a third of my salary and yet the space i have is very small. To earn a few extra dirhams, I took up the task of doing my flatmate's laundry for AED125 and selling Etisalat recharge vouchers to my flatmates.
Today some cheeky bloke made a crazy proposition that scared the hell out of me. It was so bizarre! I sincerely hope he is just winding me up.
Today I encountered a cab driver who knew a lot of Filipino words (sira ulo, kanan tapos derecho, kaliwa, unang kanan, salamat, walang anuman, kumusta ka). I was not prepared when he said this: Ikaw ay maganda (You are beautiful). I say a polite thank you. He said it again. Experience tells me to be suspicious but well, the guy was just probably trying to flatter me. Nice try though. Made me smile nevertheless. Sometimes compliments (genuine or not) come from the most bizarre places.
So much for complaining that my life has suddenly become predictable and boring.
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