I moved into a new building (which you'd know if you followed my facebook, Gawd *rolls eyes*) and yesterday I was lounging around my apartment in my tiny shorts and tank top when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was my significant other, I answered it and there was a small asian woman standing there. I said "Hi" and just just stared at me. "Yes?" Still staring...awkward silence. "I clean for you?!" Me: "Oh, no thanks, I have a cleaning lady." All pissed off-she leaves. Now really, my building is almost all teachers and I know you need a cleaning job lady-but perhaps think about what you might say to the person who answers the door to solicite said job and/or don't kill your chances by being pissed when I say no.
***
Moving on. I went jet skiing last weekend and got my sandals all wet, and they were smelly. (There is a point to this story other than that I have smelly feet). I decided to leave them out in front of my car to dry in the underground parking lot, so they wouldn't smell up my house. I did, in fact, forget that I totally have a balcony and could have put them out there. Anyways, I left them there overnight, and when I went back to get them, they were gone! Now, someone would have had to LOOK for them or see me put them there because they were hidden by my car and not easily spotted. There are some workers at my building who are very poor, so I think perhaps one of them scooped them up. If they needed new shoes, then good-I'm glad I left them there. I do have to admit though, every time I drive through my complex, I look at all of the workers feet to see if they are wearing bright pink Birkenstocks.
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The other day when driving I was discussing with my colleague how its so crazy that people get in to accidents SO frequently in this country that they don't even bat an eye when they crash into the back of someone's car. You will see an accident happen, the driver's casually get out, shake hands (or rub noses if they are Emirati) and then have a smiling chit chat in the middle of the round about while surveying their smashed cars. I know that the day I drove into someone (more like- I slightly bumped their bumper with no damage) we got out of cars, they screamed at me in Arabic, looked at the bumper, then drove away. I sat for a while trying to decide what to do while people honked at me, and the police officer who was standing 15 FEET AWAY FROM ME in the roundabout just stared at me. There is a separate traffic accident team that will come when you call them, but you'd think the police officer would help a sista out given the confused look on my face. Nope. I handled it the way any mature 26 year old would, but calling my S.O. and saying "I GOT IN AN ACCIDENT...WHADOIDO?!" and then pulling off the road to cry for a few minutes before continuing on to work.
***
Today I was showing my students their marks on an excel spreadsheet on my laptop, when the file accidentally minimized to reveal my background picture of me and my S.O. on a jet skii. The girls made a gasping sound and immediately started giggling. I quickly brought the file back up and said "You saw nothing!" *Totally Busted* In most other places in the world it wouldn't really matter, but here these things are supposed to be kept strictly under wraps.
***
Moving on. I went jet skiing last weekend and got my sandals all wet, and they were smelly. (There is a point to this story other than that I have smelly feet). I decided to leave them out in front of my car to dry in the underground parking lot, so they wouldn't smell up my house. I did, in fact, forget that I totally have a balcony and could have put them out there. Anyways, I left them there overnight, and when I went back to get them, they were gone! Now, someone would have had to LOOK for them or see me put them there because they were hidden by my car and not easily spotted. There are some workers at my building who are very poor, so I think perhaps one of them scooped them up. If they needed new shoes, then good-I'm glad I left them there. I do have to admit though, every time I drive through my complex, I look at all of the workers feet to see if they are wearing bright pink Birkenstocks.
***
The other day when driving I was discussing with my colleague how its so crazy that people get in to accidents SO frequently in this country that they don't even bat an eye when they crash into the back of someone's car. You will see an accident happen, the driver's casually get out, shake hands (or rub noses if they are Emirati) and then have a smiling chit chat in the middle of the round about while surveying their smashed cars. I know that the day I drove into someone (more like- I slightly bumped their bumper with no damage) we got out of cars, they screamed at me in Arabic, looked at the bumper, then drove away. I sat for a while trying to decide what to do while people honked at me, and the police officer who was standing 15 FEET AWAY FROM ME in the roundabout just stared at me. There is a separate traffic accident team that will come when you call them, but you'd think the police officer would help a sista out given the confused look on my face. Nope. I handled it the way any mature 26 year old would, but calling my S.O. and saying "I GOT IN AN ACCIDENT...WHADOIDO?!" and then pulling off the road to cry for a few minutes before continuing on to work.
***
Today I was showing my students their marks on an excel spreadsheet on my laptop, when the file accidentally minimized to reveal my background picture of me and my S.O. on a jet skii. The girls made a gasping sound and immediately started giggling. I quickly brought the file back up and said "You saw nothing!" *Totally Busted* In most other places in the world it wouldn't really matter, but here these things are supposed to be kept strictly under wraps.
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