i was typing a long overdue post in picturesinthemaking but my train of thoughts keep stopping. I dont know whether its the photoblog effect or i'm just more comfortable writing here.
A bit of update...
Told a few of my colleagues that I'll be leaving soon. Havent made the official announcement to my supervisor and agency, but i reckon I'll be doing in on Monday when the weekend ends. Yes. I have been slacking in my work terribly, but if only you understand what I do you'll realized in amazement how come I havent commited suicide yet.
I had wanted to talk about cultural differences, but the thoughts just doesnt come out nicely. Things like them eating rice with fork and how I was considered weird to be eating baked beans with rice (one of my favourite combination actually).
But soon enough, we begin to realize the reason behind the differences. Below are just some of the things I noticed:
- Yes, their public transportation is very good but its only because they have evolve so much that there is only so much they can do.
- Self awareness was to a stage where people were fine for simply having a glass bottle in the bottom of their bin.
- Rubbish is (proposed to be) collected every fortnightly to force people to recycle.
- Human rights is such that service industry close the same time you get of work because everyone deserve personal and family time.
- Minimum discrimination is not putting up ur pictures in resume and saying ur age/marital status.
- Development is such when you're given money to support yourself while you're (supposed) to look for job.
- Hygiene is such that street food is of non existance.
- Ipods is only popular because everyone cannot afford to drive to work and have to take the train.
- Reading is popular because the train goes through underground and there is nothing else to look at.
- Personal space is important thats why Ipods and reading are popular.
- Lunch-ing together-gether on a regular basis is expensive and unpopular.
- Personal grooming means girls are taught to put makeup when going to school.
I noticed several changes in our lifestyle too. Never would I have believe I would:
- Wait 15 minutes to complain to the manager that they overcharge the vegetables that we bought by 24cents.
- Compare, compete and boast with our friends on who gets the best deal in buying eggs (The record so far is 30 eggs at 1.69).
- Rely on the public transport again.
- Have 1 pound in my purse and survived the whole week not spending a single penny.
- Understand the advantage of being spoonfed because you learn to ask when u noticed missing pieces.
I'll b lying if i say we both doesnt miss home. However, I believe there are many times when we were walking to work, taking the bus, reading newspaper, etc that we suddenly realized we're actually in London.
It doesnt matter that we're in the bottom of the ladder once more.
It doesnt matter that we're only earning peanuts right now.
It doesnt matter that the fridge is empty cause its end of the week.
It doesnt matter that our job does not reflect our capabilities.
It doesnt matter that we're second class citizen.
As great as the media has make us believe that they are more superior, we're the one who has made it to their country.
Indeed, my perspective about certain things has changed.
Their way is not necessary the best way.yes, we still have a long way to evolve. And its time to enjoy it. Cause once we reach their state, it really isnt something to look forward to.
Seriously, their way is certainly NOT the best way.
And the countdown begins!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Buang masa aku je!
Recently, I came across many idiots in my life. While I dont dare to give away too many details in fear of some of them coming here and thinking it was in reference to them, i still want to write about them to clear my head.
In fact, the narcissistic side of me of wanting to talk about what happen has pushed me to start a anonymous blog so that I can tell all about what happen. Certainly, there is no pleasure in keeping such juicy story to myself eh?
Obviously you wont get to read about it here, and I'll go on and on about it today though.
Overall, I miss having constructive arguments. Arguments where people come together to argue about something and then challenging each other to get the right answer. Getting the right answer meaning everyone knowing what their talking about.
I had a horrible feeling that I was being bullied and outcast. Not that I mind anyway, cause why would I mind being outcast by idiots right? But the need to be part of a social circle means that my long weekend is ruin and I will spend all of the weekend wandering what I did wrong...
Obviously I wasnt close enough to be a part of a joke that everyone else is. Obviously, offering my help over something that I very much enjoy was not appreciated. Obviously, keeping quiet when the answer is right in front of you is the correct was of doing things here. Oh yea, and obviously making a fuss over something you know is wrong is not right because it was supposedly to be at your advantage (when clearly it is not).
I was relatively quiet for most of the time. When finally there seems to be the end of the road, I relax and opened up a bit. But apparently, they equates loudness to stupidity. Hence, lesson learn. I really should keep my mouth shut. Even though I know that horrible things are blatantly done wrong around me.
I can feel my brains are rotting and I really wanna do something else. I cannot understand how anyone could feel so interested in it. At first, I thought that I was the only one doing stupid things and the rest are doing far much better things, but as time goes by, I come to realized nope, it is just as stupid, yet they seems so interested?
Oh Uh, did i just give away too much? I dont really care now do I?
Is it me failing to see the big picture, or am I really noticing better ways to do things? The excel is practically screaming its answer right in front of you, yet you choose to "use your eyes". If you're already using Excel, why not let it finish the job for you? Why open yourself to dispute every single week when you yourself dont even understand the equation?
Seriously, dont get me started on the rest. But I forgive them, for they really dont know what they are doing. But you, you of all people. You are part of us, and I feel greatly embarrassed by you. A couple of them are part of us too, but I dismiss them as I can see that they are officially in to the rest already. No amount of help can save them anymore. But you. YOU.
I dont know why I feel a great sense of responsibility over this. Obviously it is none of my business and who am I to "save" anyone at all? True, I really shouldnt care at all. But when it involves me it is where I cross the line. I dont care what the rest do and even more dont care what you do to the rest. But when you do stupid things to ME, I'm not gonna sit there and complaint about it like everyone else. I will make sure things are done correctly where it is supposed to.
Furthermore, I KNOW what i'm doing and i KNOW i am right. Imagine my bengang-ing when you came and said "yea, I did make a mistake but it was to your advantage". IT WASNT TO MY ADVANTAGE, you !@#$%!!!
*pengsan, then wake up again to remember what happened, then pengsan again*
Seriously, I'm now dismissing the rest of them as it is unimportant. It shouldnt be important. I should just find more music and keep quiet for the rest of the three weeks. Or maybe two if I really cannot tahan.
Damn, I should have berbelog dalam bahasa melayu so gerenti dia orang takan faham. Buang masa I saja.
Ada satu lagi perkara yang buat aku bengang. Tapi itu mengandungi angka angka and kiraan, jadi kalau saya letak kat sini, yang tak tau baca pun tau yang aku cakap pasal itu.
Hai, sememangnya aku tak patut tambah dua orang dari kerja kat MukaBuku aku. Aku memang nak tambah lagi, tapi malu. Tapi aku ingat, dia orang takkan pandai sangat sampai cari kat sini. Maklumlah, siapa saya kan? Tapi, aku harap juga diaorang cari sampai sini, tengok yang aku ini bukan bodoh macam diaorang. Mungkin, itulah sebab aku dapat kerja ini. Untuk aku belajar untuk jangan jadi bangga and belajar untuk bergaul dengan orang orang macam itu.
Tapi sememangnya, susah untuk kerja dengan orang bodoh. Susah, memang susah. Masalahnya, ini bukan orang yang tua dan tak belajar tau. Ini orang pandai, pergi sekolah and orang muda! Ini yang aku tak tahan ni. Baru keluar uni, ada pun yang sedang dalam uni, takan boleh lupa benda benda yang sepatutnya pengetahuan am??
Sebab, tujuh perpuluhan lima tolak empat puluh minit bukan enam perpuluhan enam tujuh! Ada pula yang cakap enam perpuluhan satu pun boleh! Yang bodoh pun tau lima puluh minit mana boleh jadi point enam tujuh?
Dah dah, dah lah tu, yang tak nak dituliskan pada mulanya pun dah tulis. Cukuplah tu, inilah masanya untuk menikmati minggu minggu ini. Kalau memang tak tahan, berhenti je lah eh?
In fact, the narcissistic side of me of wanting to talk about what happen has pushed me to start a anonymous blog so that I can tell all about what happen. Certainly, there is no pleasure in keeping such juicy story to myself eh?
Obviously you wont get to read about it here, and I'll go on and on about it today though.
Overall, I miss having constructive arguments. Arguments where people come together to argue about something and then challenging each other to get the right answer. Getting the right answer meaning everyone knowing what their talking about.
I had a horrible feeling that I was being bullied and outcast. Not that I mind anyway, cause why would I mind being outcast by idiots right? But the need to be part of a social circle means that my long weekend is ruin and I will spend all of the weekend wandering what I did wrong...
Obviously I wasnt close enough to be a part of a joke that everyone else is. Obviously, offering my help over something that I very much enjoy was not appreciated. Obviously, keeping quiet when the answer is right in front of you is the correct was of doing things here. Oh yea, and obviously making a fuss over something you know is wrong is not right because it was supposedly to be at your advantage (when clearly it is not).
I was relatively quiet for most of the time. When finally there seems to be the end of the road, I relax and opened up a bit. But apparently, they equates loudness to stupidity. Hence, lesson learn. I really should keep my mouth shut. Even though I know that horrible things are blatantly done wrong around me.
I can feel my brains are rotting and I really wanna do something else. I cannot understand how anyone could feel so interested in it. At first, I thought that I was the only one doing stupid things and the rest are doing far much better things, but as time goes by, I come to realized nope, it is just as stupid, yet they seems so interested?
Oh Uh, did i just give away too much? I dont really care now do I?
Is it me failing to see the big picture, or am I really noticing better ways to do things? The excel is practically screaming its answer right in front of you, yet you choose to "use your eyes". If you're already using Excel, why not let it finish the job for you? Why open yourself to dispute every single week when you yourself dont even understand the equation?
Seriously, dont get me started on the rest. But I forgive them, for they really dont know what they are doing. But you, you of all people. You are part of us, and I feel greatly embarrassed by you. A couple of them are part of us too, but I dismiss them as I can see that they are officially in to the rest already. No amount of help can save them anymore. But you. YOU.
I dont know why I feel a great sense of responsibility over this. Obviously it is none of my business and who am I to "save" anyone at all? True, I really shouldnt care at all. But when it involves me it is where I cross the line. I dont care what the rest do and even more dont care what you do to the rest. But when you do stupid things to ME, I'm not gonna sit there and complaint about it like everyone else. I will make sure things are done correctly where it is supposed to.
Furthermore, I KNOW what i'm doing and i KNOW i am right. Imagine my bengang-ing when you came and said "yea, I did make a mistake but it was to your advantage". IT WASNT TO MY ADVANTAGE, you !@#$%!!!
*pengsan, then wake up again to remember what happened, then pengsan again*
Seriously, I'm now dismissing the rest of them as it is unimportant. It shouldnt be important. I should just find more music and keep quiet for the rest of the three weeks. Or maybe two if I really cannot tahan.
Damn, I should have berbelog dalam bahasa melayu so gerenti dia orang takan faham. Buang masa I saja.
Ada satu lagi perkara yang buat aku bengang. Tapi itu mengandungi angka angka and kiraan, jadi kalau saya letak kat sini, yang tak tau baca pun tau yang aku cakap pasal itu.
Hai, sememangnya aku tak patut tambah dua orang dari kerja kat MukaBuku aku. Aku memang nak tambah lagi, tapi malu. Tapi aku ingat, dia orang takkan pandai sangat sampai cari kat sini. Maklumlah, siapa saya kan? Tapi, aku harap juga diaorang cari sampai sini, tengok yang aku ini bukan bodoh macam diaorang. Mungkin, itulah sebab aku dapat kerja ini. Untuk aku belajar untuk jangan jadi bangga and belajar untuk bergaul dengan orang orang macam itu.
Tapi sememangnya, susah untuk kerja dengan orang bodoh. Susah, memang susah. Masalahnya, ini bukan orang yang tua dan tak belajar tau. Ini orang pandai, pergi sekolah and orang muda! Ini yang aku tak tahan ni. Baru keluar uni, ada pun yang sedang dalam uni, takan boleh lupa benda benda yang sepatutnya pengetahuan am??
Sebab, tujuh perpuluhan lima tolak empat puluh minit bukan enam perpuluhan enam tujuh! Ada pula yang cakap enam perpuluhan satu pun boleh! Yang bodoh pun tau lima puluh minit mana boleh jadi point enam tujuh?
Dah dah, dah lah tu, yang tak nak dituliskan pada mulanya pun dah tulis. Cukuplah tu, inilah masanya untuk menikmati minggu minggu ini. Kalau memang tak tahan, berhenti je lah eh?
SEMEMANGNYA, BUANG MASA I!
Friday, May 09, 2008
Price of Happiness?
As I sit on the bed watching tv while absent mindedly trying to "clean up" my resume, my thought wanders to event today...
Just what was the objective was this trip anyway? Was it really for the money or for the experience?
What is £30 per week?
Would you give up RM30 each week in exchange for a better life? Fine, if you want to convert, would you give up RM160 each week for a better job? Would you give up your current job for something that you would probably (I say probably cause there is a risk factor, cause you'll never know) enjoy, for the price of RM160 each week? Equivalant to RM640 per month?
Ok, bad example I know.
I had been wanting to write down the list of pros and cons, it never works for me. Cause I know exactly what matters and I'm only entertaining doubts. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but I'm only looking for justification. But do I really know what I want?
As usual, ask me the moment it happen and I'll tell you exactly what I want to do. Ask me again four hours later and my mind would be flooded with what ifs. And now, almost 12 hours later, my mind is changing. Or is it?
Just what is the price of happiness (if there is any?)
The problem is, I knew that my desire to leave is more than what was offered. It doesnt really matter WHAT is offered, as long as I can LEAVE. Hence, I really need help to take me out from the "attraction" of being able to leave what I have behind. I'm really not sure. I guess for what its worth, if its been of a sales nature, I wouldnt have been so tempted. Or would I?
See, I just cant make up my mind. I cannot decide which side I am. I keep getting confused, one minute I'm convinced that it is the right thing to do, the other minute I'm reminded of all the negative sides of it.
I guess I knew what I wanted to do. But I'm just taking my time, and remind myself not to jump into conclusion yet. I need to be absolutely sure of this. And perhaps, the weekend will clear up some issues.
Afterall, I have till Monday.
P/S: I really dont know how to present my resume. Coming from HR background, I'm caught suprised by the things that I thought I knew but in fact was frown upon in the culture here. Hmm...
Just what was the objective was this trip anyway? Was it really for the money or for the experience?
What is £30 per week?
Would you give up RM30 each week in exchange for a better life? Fine, if you want to convert, would you give up RM160 each week for a better job? Would you give up your current job for something that you would probably (I say probably cause there is a risk factor, cause you'll never know) enjoy, for the price of RM160 each week? Equivalant to RM640 per month?
Ok, bad example I know.
I had been wanting to write down the list of pros and cons, it never works for me. Cause I know exactly what matters and I'm only entertaining doubts. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but I'm only looking for justification. But do I really know what I want?
As usual, ask me the moment it happen and I'll tell you exactly what I want to do. Ask me again four hours later and my mind would be flooded with what ifs. And now, almost 12 hours later, my mind is changing. Or is it?
Just what is the price of happiness (if there is any?)
The problem is, I knew that my desire to leave is more than what was offered. It doesnt really matter WHAT is offered, as long as I can LEAVE. Hence, I really need help to take me out from the "attraction" of being able to leave what I have behind. I'm really not sure. I guess for what its worth, if its been of a sales nature, I wouldnt have been so tempted. Or would I?
See, I just cant make up my mind. I cannot decide which side I am. I keep getting confused, one minute I'm convinced that it is the right thing to do, the other minute I'm reminded of all the negative sides of it.
I guess I knew what I wanted to do. But I'm just taking my time, and remind myself not to jump into conclusion yet. I need to be absolutely sure of this. And perhaps, the weekend will clear up some issues.
Afterall, I have till Monday.
P/S: I really dont know how to present my resume. Coming from HR background, I'm caught suprised by the things that I thought I knew but in fact was frown upon in the culture here. Hmm...
Thursday, May 08, 2008
07/05/08
What shall I say?
Its like I wanted something really badly and yet I dread what comes with it.
Anyway, for all its worth, more good comes out of it. I am certain.
I forgot, that's all.
I just need to remember.
I'll be alright.
:)
Its like I wanted something really badly and yet I dread what comes with it.
Anyway, for all its worth, more good comes out of it. I am certain.
I forgot, that's all.
I just need to remember.
I'll be alright.
:)
Sunday, May 04, 2008
London is only temporary...
What can I say?
After nearly two months being here, I would say that I've achieved that I wanted to be when we came here.
Yes, wanted to BE.
For those of you who do not know, let me give you a background of us of where we came from.
We came from a very comfortable life with a promising job. We'll wear powersuits to work, walk the executive walk and talk the executive talk. A daily life would consist of waking up to get ready for work, wearing my black coat and my trademark 4-inch "dont-mess-with-me" black pumps (almost as if its my "mask" for the day), stroll to the office 20 mins later than 9am and sit down at my desk to start work. Oh yea, right before that, I would have made a compulsory stopover at the canteen to "tapau" a Milo O Ais as breakfast, but will be on my desk probably the whole day, much to the disgust of some of my colleague :P
My life uphill pretty much revolves around the weekly schedule, we call it Group A,B,C and D. Hence, my lunch date also revolves around that time too. Come Group A would see me at my worst, and I'll be moping around and staying back in the office for the longest time. Group B & C will see me having lunch the exec way, it would usually be at a chinese restaurant eating dim sum or 3 course meal (with dessert no less), sometime it would be buffet (but on rare occasions) and there are a couple of time when we could squeeze in a lobster meal as well. Come D group, you'll most probably find me in the canteen with my colleagues having a few of my regulars; mix pork porridge or white rice with char siu, pan mee, tom yam lousu fan to name a few.
When the day is over, I'll return to my room and watch tv to past time until its time for dinner. At11pm. Yeap, I have no life up there and my dinner is usually 11pm. The thing is, unlike life in the city where everyone spends an average of 2 hours commuting back to and from work, it takes us less than 10 mins. Hence, we have loads of time to kill, and usually I'll sneak in a nap to wake up at 10pm to get ready for dinner, or supper, whatever you call it.
Why am I doing this? Why am I documenting my life back home when I choose to drop everything that I've know to be so comfortable and be here?
I'll show you what life here is about and you'll see...
I'll wake up in the morning to go work in my casual clothes, which usually consist of jeans and a t-shirt. Oh yea, and sports shoes too. Those who know me back home knows that I have loads and loads of shoes but NEVER a pair of sports shoes. Yeap, so difference #1 Sport shoes. Why sport shoes? Cause I have to walk to take a bus and hop on two trains to get to work, which will take me roughly 1 1/4 hours. I havent found a pair that entices me to wear, and the price too (refer below about money) and I dont see the idea of wearing a pair of black pointy heels when I'm gonna be dressed casually anyway.
Luckily, the fashion here is high heels as well and I've come across many black pumps that could very well cured my yearning for my black pumps, but Issue #2 stood in the way. Money. Yeap, back home, we've develop a VERY BAD habit of not looking at the price tag of everything that we eat/buy. Bags/shoes? Buy lah, credit card will solve the problem. Lobster for lunch? Just sign our allowance away. Extra live prawns for the steamboat, just order. Money was not a problem back home, and with such an extravagent lifestyle (For two person, lunch could be 80++, dinner could be 200++, On.A.Daily.Basis), its certainly an eye opening experience when you only earn 5 per hour. I couldnt afford the £10 even if I want to. Lunch for £80? you must be joking. I couldnt even part with £10! Forget about lobster. Well, actually we DID have lobster for dinner once, and the succulent meat just transport me back miles and miles back to the hill.
Issue #3 was our pride. We were so sure of our job back home that many a time I feel that we're at the peak of our learning curve when we should still be learning. Things up the hill is pretty messed up and its not your usual company. Believe it or not, it has come to a point where I'll pick up the phone and will be able to solve your problem no matter what. Regardless of whether I'm able to give you a proper step by step on what to do, or be able to pin point you to the correct person that will be able to assist you, nothing challenges me anymore. And of course, regretfully, the company is grooming me to head a direction that I've repeatedly voice out my concerns. I feel at that time, its not about me to take up the challenge, but rather, they couldnt find anyone better, so they just shove me with it. (Hey, isnt this the story of our life???).
Anyway, back to point 3. We were at a position where we wouldnt have any trouble getting any other job. Imagine our dissapointment, and very much our shame, when we couldnt get any when we're here! I went to some employment agency and did some test on Excel/Word. Believe it or not, all they test me was "How to open a document?" and "How to you add B2 and C2?" and when I'm done, you know what they say? "Wow, your test results are very good!". Unfortunately, this is not a good news. Because apparently, even though you excel in the tests, we still have problems securing a job. For reasons that are clear to you, I also want to add that currently they are also having recession, which makes job even harder to get. More people hunting for lesser job? Gettit?
So imagine what our ego must have felt like when we, the high flying exec, couldnt even get a job as a Office Clerk or Receptionist! WTF? If you only expect your receptionist to only know how to open and save and document, shouldt I who know how to turn your excel report into a fantastic presentation should be more qualified? Overqualified you say? No, there is a much more sinister reason behind it. However funny it is, this is exactly what I was looking for. I was hoping for this experience which will humble us and send us back straight to earth. Life in the hill was very, VERY exclusive, and nothing would prepare us for the life in KL. Hence, hopefully with this experience, we'll be heading back KL with a better preparation for the difficult life ahead.
So will we decide to stay for good? Apparently, 80% of the immigrant who comes to UK only want to work with the ultimate goal of returning to home one day. Loads of our friends says that they envy us when we told them we're here. But seriously, if you only know about their parking rules and the rubbish bin fine, you WILL be VERY GLAD about what we have back home.
The grass is always greener on the other side. Seriously.
If you ask me what is things that I hope to see changed back home compare to here, I would only have ONE thing in mind. Despite the fact that their transportation system is good, their human rights/discrimination is in place *roll eyes*, their infrastructure is beautiful, I could only say, the weather here is nice. Other than that, be VERY grateful about your car, about our shopping mall, about our mamak and our steamboat and pasarmalam. Oh, about the preferred race, forget about it. We're definately more tolerance type, and we all ARE living in harmony. Wait until you read what is reported in the newspaper here.
I have decided that no matter what, I am NOT going to raise my child here. The better way to teach your kid about life and discrimination is to bring them up in a place that TOLERATES it. Rather than a place that thinks there are non when it is right smack at your face. *roll eye again*.
Perhaps, I strongly suspect that it is purely based on cultural different. When a friend tells me to "embrace their culture", I shot back by saying, I'm here to only EXPERIENCE their culture, I have absolutely no plans to "embrace" it as I will be returning home. Can you imagine the difficulty I'm gonna have if I "embrace" the culture here and goes back home just to be "culture-ly shocked" again? Hmm.. I wander if I'll go back and start complaining about having to declare my age in my CV?
The point is, I hope to leave this place with 101 stories about life here and ultimately be very glad about the things we have back home. I'll recommend this to anyone who wants to take a punch into their ego and not let excuses dictate their life. I used to be one of those who said, "I have so much commitment that I cant just leave", or "I cannot imagine life without a job and no money coming in", or "I've got bills/commitment/responsibilities" people. Its funny how they think that WE dont seem to have any. We dont have a mortgage to pay off, we dont have a car to pay off, we dont have insurance to pay off, we dont have responsibilities, we dont have to think about money to spend on our wedding ceremony, we dont have to think about securing a life and building a family, we dont have to worry about money to raise a kid, we dont have to think about starting all over when we come back to KL at 30, we dont have anything to worry about!
At the end of the day, if things dont work out, we can always go back and say we've been there and done that. No harm done (yea right, funny how I'm saying it when I just when balistic last week about not securing a job). I guess instead of giving advise out to people who got stuck in a boring but secured life and choose to do nothing but complains about it, instead of saying "i know that saying is easier than done", we can finally say, "Look, I've done it!".
Wait till I tell you about Curry being the British food!
After nearly two months being here, I would say that I've achieved that I wanted to be when we came here.
Yes, wanted to BE.
For those of you who do not know, let me give you a background of us of where we came from.
We came from a very comfortable life with a promising job. We'll wear powersuits to work, walk the executive walk and talk the executive talk. A daily life would consist of waking up to get ready for work, wearing my black coat and my trademark 4-inch "dont-mess-with-me" black pumps (almost as if its my "mask" for the day), stroll to the office 20 mins later than 9am and sit down at my desk to start work. Oh yea, right before that, I would have made a compulsory stopover at the canteen to "tapau" a Milo O Ais as breakfast, but will be on my desk probably the whole day, much to the disgust of some of my colleague :P
My life uphill pretty much revolves around the weekly schedule, we call it Group A,B,C and D. Hence, my lunch date also revolves around that time too. Come Group A would see me at my worst, and I'll be moping around and staying back in the office for the longest time. Group B & C will see me having lunch the exec way, it would usually be at a chinese restaurant eating dim sum or 3 course meal (with dessert no less), sometime it would be buffet (but on rare occasions) and there are a couple of time when we could squeeze in a lobster meal as well. Come D group, you'll most probably find me in the canteen with my colleagues having a few of my regulars; mix pork porridge or white rice with char siu, pan mee, tom yam lousu fan to name a few.
When the day is over, I'll return to my room and watch tv to past time until its time for dinner. At11pm. Yeap, I have no life up there and my dinner is usually 11pm. The thing is, unlike life in the city where everyone spends an average of 2 hours commuting back to and from work, it takes us less than 10 mins. Hence, we have loads of time to kill, and usually I'll sneak in a nap to wake up at 10pm to get ready for dinner, or supper, whatever you call it.
Why am I doing this? Why am I documenting my life back home when I choose to drop everything that I've know to be so comfortable and be here?
I'll show you what life here is about and you'll see...
I'll wake up in the morning to go work in my casual clothes, which usually consist of jeans and a t-shirt. Oh yea, and sports shoes too. Those who know me back home knows that I have loads and loads of shoes but NEVER a pair of sports shoes. Yeap, so difference #1 Sport shoes. Why sport shoes? Cause I have to walk to take a bus and hop on two trains to get to work, which will take me roughly 1 1/4 hours. I havent found a pair that entices me to wear, and the price too (refer below about money) and I dont see the idea of wearing a pair of black pointy heels when I'm gonna be dressed casually anyway.
Luckily, the fashion here is high heels as well and I've come across many black pumps that could very well cured my yearning for my black pumps, but Issue #2 stood in the way. Money. Yeap, back home, we've develop a VERY BAD habit of not looking at the price tag of everything that we eat/buy. Bags/shoes? Buy lah, credit card will solve the problem. Lobster for lunch? Just sign our allowance away. Extra live prawns for the steamboat, just order. Money was not a problem back home, and with such an extravagent lifestyle (For two person, lunch could be 80++, dinner could be 200++, On.A.Daily.Basis), its certainly an eye opening experience when you only earn 5 per hour. I couldnt afford the £10 even if I want to. Lunch for £80? you must be joking. I couldnt even part with £10! Forget about lobster. Well, actually we DID have lobster for dinner once, and the succulent meat just transport me back miles and miles back to the hill.
Issue #3 was our pride. We were so sure of our job back home that many a time I feel that we're at the peak of our learning curve when we should still be learning. Things up the hill is pretty messed up and its not your usual company. Believe it or not, it has come to a point where I'll pick up the phone and will be able to solve your problem no matter what. Regardless of whether I'm able to give you a proper step by step on what to do, or be able to pin point you to the correct person that will be able to assist you, nothing challenges me anymore. And of course, regretfully, the company is grooming me to head a direction that I've repeatedly voice out my concerns. I feel at that time, its not about me to take up the challenge, but rather, they couldnt find anyone better, so they just shove me with it. (Hey, isnt this the story of our life???).
Anyway, back to point 3. We were at a position where we wouldnt have any trouble getting any other job. Imagine our dissapointment, and very much our shame, when we couldnt get any when we're here! I went to some employment agency and did some test on Excel/Word. Believe it or not, all they test me was "How to open a document?" and "How to you add B2 and C2?" and when I'm done, you know what they say? "Wow, your test results are very good!". Unfortunately, this is not a good news. Because apparently, even though you excel in the tests, we still have problems securing a job. For reasons that are clear to you, I also want to add that currently they are also having recession, which makes job even harder to get. More people hunting for lesser job? Gettit?
So imagine what our ego must have felt like when we, the high flying exec, couldnt even get a job as a Office Clerk or Receptionist! WTF? If you only expect your receptionist to only know how to open and save and document, shouldt I who know how to turn your excel report into a fantastic presentation should be more qualified? Overqualified you say? No, there is a much more sinister reason behind it. However funny it is, this is exactly what I was looking for. I was hoping for this experience which will humble us and send us back straight to earth. Life in the hill was very, VERY exclusive, and nothing would prepare us for the life in KL. Hence, hopefully with this experience, we'll be heading back KL with a better preparation for the difficult life ahead.
So will we decide to stay for good? Apparently, 80% of the immigrant who comes to UK only want to work with the ultimate goal of returning to home one day. Loads of our friends says that they envy us when we told them we're here. But seriously, if you only know about their parking rules and the rubbish bin fine, you WILL be VERY GLAD about what we have back home.
The grass is always greener on the other side. Seriously.
If you ask me what is things that I hope to see changed back home compare to here, I would only have ONE thing in mind. Despite the fact that their transportation system is good, their human rights/discrimination is in place *roll eyes*, their infrastructure is beautiful, I could only say, the weather here is nice. Other than that, be VERY grateful about your car, about our shopping mall, about our mamak and our steamboat and pasarmalam. Oh, about the preferred race, forget about it. We're definately more tolerance type, and we all ARE living in harmony. Wait until you read what is reported in the newspaper here.
I have decided that no matter what, I am NOT going to raise my child here. The better way to teach your kid about life and discrimination is to bring them up in a place that TOLERATES it. Rather than a place that thinks there are non when it is right smack at your face. *roll eye again*.
Perhaps, I strongly suspect that it is purely based on cultural different. When a friend tells me to "embrace their culture", I shot back by saying, I'm here to only EXPERIENCE their culture, I have absolutely no plans to "embrace" it as I will be returning home. Can you imagine the difficulty I'm gonna have if I "embrace" the culture here and goes back home just to be "culture-ly shocked" again? Hmm.. I wander if I'll go back and start complaining about having to declare my age in my CV?
The point is, I hope to leave this place with 101 stories about life here and ultimately be very glad about the things we have back home. I'll recommend this to anyone who wants to take a punch into their ego and not let excuses dictate their life. I used to be one of those who said, "I have so much commitment that I cant just leave", or "I cannot imagine life without a job and no money coming in", or "I've got bills/commitment/responsibilities" people. Its funny how they think that WE dont seem to have any. We dont have a mortgage to pay off, we dont have a car to pay off, we dont have insurance to pay off, we dont have responsibilities, we dont have to think about money to spend on our wedding ceremony, we dont have to think about securing a life and building a family, we dont have to worry about money to raise a kid, we dont have to think about starting all over when we come back to KL at 30, we dont have anything to worry about!
At the end of the day, if things dont work out, we can always go back and say we've been there and done that. No harm done (yea right, funny how I'm saying it when I just when balistic last week about not securing a job). I guess instead of giving advise out to people who got stuck in a boring but secured life and choose to do nothing but complains about it, instead of saying "i know that saying is easier than done", we can finally say, "Look, I've done it!".
Wait till I tell you about Curry being the British food!
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