The other lunchtime I was in a taxi heading home, sitting in the back seat and minding my own business as I often do.
We (the taxi-driver and I) were driving up the middle lane in a 3 lane street. Further up the road, on the left side was a small slip road which would take you off across the 3 lanes on the opposite side of the road. Also, traffic coming on that side could also use the slip road to come across the 3 lanes that I was travelling up. Any driver could then either continue in the direction I was heading or go right across the 3 lanes and continue up an ajoining road. /if that all makes sense?/
So, in the lane to our left were 2 cars - a black one and a blue one. The black was slowing to turn left onto the slip road whilst the blue one didn't really notice that the black car was going left. The blue car then cut over onto the middle lane infront of us. We then tried to break and move to the right hand lane to avoid the blue car. Meanwhile, as we were trying to slow down another car that had been attempting to come across our 3 lanes of traffic pulled out in front of the blue, missing it. Alas, our car was not so lucky and we hit this other car. Thankfully, as we were slowing it wasn't a high impact crash and in fact the car only had a minor bump. The other car who had caused the crash - well, his bumper was hanging on by a thread!
My taxi driver pulled over as did the other driver. They started 'discussing' who was at fault whilst examining the damage. Meanwhile, I was in a bit of a state of shock. I've never really been in a car crash. The taxi driver explained that he wasn't going to take me to my destination. The cheek of him. And what was even more of a cheek, he asked me to pay for my ride upto that point. Huh!
So, the moral of the story - don't sit in the front seat of a taxi and always wear a seat belt. In fact, I might as well just say - don't travel in a car etc in Dubai. It's not good for your health.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Songfor
I'm not very sure if any of my postings are actually being posted. On blogger, I write them and then click on the post button but when I got to the website the new posting doesn't appear. I just went to the main page to find the 'last' post was in the middle of March which isn't actually correct because I've definitely posted some since then. So, I'm not sure what's going on. As for deleting comments - I can say that I have 100% not deleted any at all.Anyway, I'll keep writing and see what happens.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Diplomatic
Yep honeymoon is over.
Fed up in all honesty.
The initial excitement of a new job and a new place and a new environment have evaporated into the sand dunes and the full realisation of the task in hand is becoming clearer.
On the plus side, the apartment situation seems to have resolved itself. The Landlord that went back on our agreement called me back to say that we could have his apartment if we still wanted it which, given that there were no real alternatives, was something of a godsend. Whether or not I want to share is another issue but needs must. At least the apartment is not going to break the bank.
On the slightly negative side...this whole job task really is huge. Essentially creating a very specific English Language textbook/program would take experience authors in publishing houses months and months of time to research, plan, write, proof-read, trial and that would be within a team of other experienced teachers. Yet, I have only myself and it is frustrating. I guess the rewards at the end might be good but as it stands its not all a bundle of laughs.
hmm.
Fed up in all honesty.
The initial excitement of a new job and a new place and a new environment have evaporated into the sand dunes and the full realisation of the task in hand is becoming clearer.
On the plus side, the apartment situation seems to have resolved itself. The Landlord that went back on our agreement called me back to say that we could have his apartment if we still wanted it which, given that there were no real alternatives, was something of a godsend. Whether or not I want to share is another issue but needs must. At least the apartment is not going to break the bank.
On the slightly negative side...this whole job task really is huge. Essentially creating a very specific English Language textbook/program would take experience authors in publishing houses months and months of time to research, plan, write, proof-read, trial and that would be within a team of other experienced teachers. Yet, I have only myself and it is frustrating. I guess the rewards at the end might be good but as it stands its not all a bundle of laughs.
hmm.
45.33
Why is it that some people that you haven't spoken to for a while think they can just waltz back into your life as if everything is all grand and dandy?
It's not on.
It's not on.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Twinkle
Having a bit of a 'mare to be honest.
It's all accommodation, or to be more specific the lack of accommodation. I've been looking at a number of apartments but some are better than others and the better ones are in the hands of landlords that are less than honest.
Their unrealistic demands and their going back on their word leaves a bad taste in the mouth and if they are going to behave like that then I'm much better off not getting involved with them. Which still eaves the problem of finding an alternative place to stay.
And that is stressful.
It is defintely causing problems and headaches and a loss of focus at work.
It's all accommodation, or to be more specific the lack of accommodation. I've been looking at a number of apartments but some are better than others and the better ones are in the hands of landlords that are less than honest.
Their unrealistic demands and their going back on their word leaves a bad taste in the mouth and if they are going to behave like that then I'm much better off not getting involved with them. Which still eaves the problem of finding an alternative place to stay.
And that is stressful.
It is defintely causing problems and headaches and a loss of focus at work.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Caramel
So, I'm currently shadowing people at the Airport - seeing what they do and seeing what kind of language they need or would need with the eventual aim of creating some kind of English language training program for them.
This week, I've been following 'Driver's'. The people that transport checked-in baggage from the bagge sorting areas to the aircraft or take the baggage from the nearly arrived aircraft to the terminal or for transfer to other flights. In essence I've been sitting in a tractor thingy going from place to place at a speed not more than 25mph. A strange way to be spending my days. But, thankfully most of the Drivers i've come into contact with have some amount of English - enough to speak with anyway. Which in many respects is a good thing but in others, its not especially when they choose to complain about there job to me. For example, they want to know why they have been passed over for promotion or why they are on the same salary as someone who has been doing the same job for half the time they have. All questions that are well outside my area. I guess that they might see me as some kind of link to 'management'. Some white-boy with a shirt and tie who might be able to do something for them. I see there point especially considering that even there own Bosses rarely speak to them. In some ways, its good for me because they will be more likely to speak to me because they think i'm 'important' and they want to make a good impression but at the same time its not something I want to get involved with. I don't know why they haven't been promoted or whatever.
Anyway, more of the same next week I would say. I have to go back to the office around lunchtime though because it gets hot on the tarmac and I'm not paid to be hot.
This week, I've been following 'Driver's'. The people that transport checked-in baggage from the bagge sorting areas to the aircraft or take the baggage from the nearly arrived aircraft to the terminal or for transfer to other flights. In essence I've been sitting in a tractor thingy going from place to place at a speed not more than 25mph. A strange way to be spending my days. But, thankfully most of the Drivers i've come into contact with have some amount of English - enough to speak with anyway. Which in many respects is a good thing but in others, its not especially when they choose to complain about there job to me. For example, they want to know why they have been passed over for promotion or why they are on the same salary as someone who has been doing the same job for half the time they have. All questions that are well outside my area. I guess that they might see me as some kind of link to 'management'. Some white-boy with a shirt and tie who might be able to do something for them. I see there point especially considering that even there own Bosses rarely speak to them. In some ways, its good for me because they will be more likely to speak to me because they think i'm 'important' and they want to make a good impression but at the same time its not something I want to get involved with. I don't know why they haven't been promoted or whatever.
Anyway, more of the same next week I would say. I have to go back to the office around lunchtime though because it gets hot on the tarmac and I'm not paid to be hot.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Insitu
There I was, sound alseep when someone walked into my room. Shocked and surprised, I looked at my clock '2.15am'. I needed to be getting up in 3 hours. The someone turned out to be the building security guard. He said that someone was here to move into my room...right now. Stunned, I didn't really know what the hell was going on. Half asleep I mumbled something unpleasant whilst thinking this was some kind of joke. I went back to bed hoping that it would all go away and that maybe I was dreaming. Back out in the corridor I heard voices - one belonging to the security guard and the other from an unknown random bloke, presumably the new employee that had arrived and was due to move into my room. They were talking. The random must have glimpsed into the room to see an empty bed with no pillow or duvet or anything. He asked the security guard for all those items. The security guard replied that he didn't have any and that they would arrive tomorrow. The random wasn't impressed and said so. He also said something along the lines of not wanting to share which anyone. 'You're not wrong mate' I thought to myself. He random then said to the security guard that he wanted to go to a hotel room. After a few minutes, they both left the apartment. I'm not sure where they went and neither did I care.
In the morning, I was onto my Boss to complain about the farce at 2.15am. He forwarded my concerns onto someone else who then finally replied to say that this random was meant to move into my room but had been rehoused elsewhere. The reply suggested that I should have been informed of this also. 'No shit, Sherlock'. No apology, no reassurance that it wouldn't happen again, nothing.
I've no idea what to make of it all. Actually, my thought was 'I'm moving out asap if I have to share a room'. In fact, my co-workers said that because I'm at a certain Grade, I shouldn't have to share a room. Clearly someone in Accommodations needs to be made aware of that.
All I'll say is I'm not impressed with certain aspects of Accommodation - lack of communication being one of them. I wonder if this is 'big company' syndrome in which nothnig gets answered or done right away. My flatmate is still waiting for a reply to an accommodation request from last week. It seems that if you want something answered or donw you need to C.C. your E-mails to your Boss and also the Boss of the person you are trying to ask something of. I would call that abit shady but if it is the only way to get something actioned, then so be it. As my Boss said 'use the rules to your own ends'.
In the morning, I was onto my Boss to complain about the farce at 2.15am. He forwarded my concerns onto someone else who then finally replied to say that this random was meant to move into my room but had been rehoused elsewhere. The reply suggested that I should have been informed of this also. 'No shit, Sherlock'. No apology, no reassurance that it wouldn't happen again, nothing.
I've no idea what to make of it all. Actually, my thought was 'I'm moving out asap if I have to share a room'. In fact, my co-workers said that because I'm at a certain Grade, I shouldn't have to share a room. Clearly someone in Accommodations needs to be made aware of that.
All I'll say is I'm not impressed with certain aspects of Accommodation - lack of communication being one of them. I wonder if this is 'big company' syndrome in which nothnig gets answered or done right away. My flatmate is still waiting for a reply to an accommodation request from last week. It seems that if you want something answered or donw you need to C.C. your E-mails to your Boss and also the Boss of the person you are trying to ask something of. I would call that abit shady but if it is the only way to get something actioned, then so be it. As my Boss said 'use the rules to your own ends'.
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