Showing posts with label adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adventures. Show all posts

Settling in: Perception vs reality

It never ceases to amaze me, how many things you need to do, to set up your own little nest. Based on first-hand experience now, I can tell you that it’s not too bad. All you need is patience, some ingenuity and of course money. I started off with getting the basics and am building on that. From what you see in the previous pictures, I really don’t have much for now, but I’m ok with that.

The reality is that setting up a home takes time, effort and money. I’m looking at completing it in about two months…what? You didn’t think I could wave a magic wand and have things magically appear, did you? I hope you have more brains than that. Next things on the list are home broadband, a telly, and some bar stools for my little nook…then the dream bed and other home accessories. But what the hey, if you are suddenly feeling generous and wish to make a quick donation to my housing fund or send me some furniture, I shall gladly accept and perhaps cook a meal for you J I am by no means loaded or cash rich, hence I am open to all donation channels. It’s funny how you can live without a lot of things in the initial months, so I’m taking my time to shop and scout for the things that I like.


The aforementioned nook - not from Barnes and Noble
When it comes to moving and setting up a new base, there are a lot of things that you have to learn to cope with in order to get through. You have to learn a new culture, adjust to the new work routine and priorities, pick up your new subject matter in a flash, size up your bosses /colleagues /
environment and either understand how people do things or whip them into shape if they are in a constant state of chaos (which they are). The foundation months are essential in establishing who you are and proving your worth. Work is constant and to top it all off, you have to settle things on the personal front.

Confession time: Who thinks I live like this?
This means finding and settling into a home. You are responsible for making sure that you have all the basics covered or have enough money to settle things like your security deposit, agent’s fee, electricity and make basic furniture and kitchen purchases to start off with. The thing that annoyed me the most is people’s perceptions of how things are or should be. Surprisingly, this includes my mother. She thought that I was renting a place that came fully furnished and that I am living the life of some frivolous expat with no thought of my responsibilities. In reality, I am working longer hours, leaning a new job where some people not used to working on timelines and mark everything urgent. I am making enough to cover my housing expenses and often, when I come home, I am too tired to make a proper meal. I just eat something, try to unwind from a hectic day and then head to bed. I am trying my bloody best to cope and constantly haranguing me doesn’t help in any way.  Of course I have time-outs where I relax with friends and those times are really cherished but that is it. I have yet to explore this city. I don’t spend my time getting drunk or being promiscuous or misbehaving. I am old enough to have some sense! Sometimes, I don’t understand how perceptions can be so freaking skewed. It pisses me off, big time.

Building a home also means that a huge chunk of your initial salary goes into furnishing and of course, you have your daily expenses – you sure as hell can’t eat the couch! Luckily for me, my place is partially furnished with the major appliances, ie washer, refrigerator and cooker. Those are the big ticket items that I don’t want to buy or have to cart home when my stint is done. The bed and the rest of the furniture is what I am building up to now.  If this is your first move, you can always choose to get either 2nd hand or buy new stuff. Just know that nothing else comes with the house and it is your responsibility to ensure that you purchase all your necessities.

So what’s the status now? Well, I am working hard and living as I see fit. A friend recently remarked, “You are finally restless. I have been so for ages!” Fuck off. I don’t need your opinion to get through my days. Work keeps me occupied then I just want to rest, go dancing or hang out with friends. But what I really want right now is a TV and some barstools…LOL

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The great Ramee Rose adventure!

The what?! The Ramee Rose…Apparently, when I first told my bosses that I was going to move into a building with “Rose” in its name, they thought that I was going to move into a dodgy establishment called the Ramee Rose – home to one of Tecom’s dodgiest bars, happy ending massages and all round hive. Cue suspicious looks and a few rounds of “are you really sure it’s a good place?” *what’s wrong with these people?” I thought.

The infamous Ramee Rose
Well, I am glad to report that I have got gone totally mad in the time that I have been here. In fact, this weekend, I would be moving into my new apartment. The non-dodgy Rose and it is fiinnneeee J Granted, all I have is a bed, a rack and 2 little standing shelves for now, but I can’t complain. Things are slowly getting on track.
 
The new digs
To be honest, I am a little shell-shocked that it’s only been a slightly over month since I’ve been here. It feels like FOREVER! It took me one weekend to find the place I wanted, three more weeks to get the paperwork, my residence Visa and all sorts of nonsense sorted out. At the same time, I am working 12 – 14 hour days, got evicted from my hotel (thank you, freaking HR!) It was a weekend of massive drama and total frustration – it’s worse when there is absolutely no one to turn too. Apparently, if I was to continue staying in the hotel, it was to be at my own expense. WTH?! That is unheard of! Even when I was a Tenancy Manager back in the day, companies always booked their expats into serviced apartments for at least a month or two upon their arrival. I was subsequently rescued by my boss and managed to somehow buy some basic furniture, get my electricity up and running. The only thing I can’t do yet is, get cable/broadband and open a bank account. Why? Cos I still don’t have my Emirates ID.  ARGH!

You never realize how frustrating these little things are, until you move to a totally new country and have to fix up these little things on your own. Previously, it’s always easy to let your parents take care of these niggly bits. One good thing is that I’ve been doing a lot of things on my own for really long time and so, these things are just another thing to be taken care of.

Throughout all this madness, I have been really lucky to have a great boss who not only dives into the work with both feet – we work really crazy hours for now, especially with a series of back to back events. She really helped me out when things got tough – she didn’t need to but I am ever grateful that she did. Unlike freaking HR and its senseless policies; if it was up to them, I’d be camping in the office or actually IN the dodgy hotel.
 
The boss is also responsible for introducing me to the ‘inner circle’ – also known as the people who help keep me liquored up and sane. Weird, but true… apart from the people who are simply your colleagues, you definitely need a support system of sorts. Or in my case, a system that gets you drunk twice in the time that I’ve been here. But, who’s complaining? ;)

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Ever prodded a sleeping dragon, only to have it whip up and bite you in the ass? Well, neither have I. But I advocate that you should try everything...once ;P

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