First Birthday in Paradise Island.. April 10, 2009

Before I arrive to this country, to take up this career path, I know at certain occasions I will have to celebrate my own and one of the occasions was my birthday. It is quite a pathetic situation to celebrate it alone.. But I thought it should be ok.. no big deal..

However, on the day itself, I was so touch that I received sms from my staff, other spa mangers, colleagues, my relative, family wishing me and FB (facebook) messages from friends… It helps me to get through my days.. to know that I was not forgotten.. eventhough I am no longer in Singapore.

Somehow also we organized our staff party on that day. So I passed the food duty to my staff to get it arranged. Little did I know that they also got me a cake – a love shape one somemore! so sweet (of coz that goes into the spa allowance + the 3 pizzas that they ordered, which makes it no more money for drinks). So what to do, no party without drinks right? So I put the drinks into my tab. So we got some beers and soft drinks for the party. (pics as below)

We setup the party behind the spa near to the jacuzzi. While waiting for one or two staff, and to avoid the beer from getting warm, we put all the beers in the chill pool to keep it cool. (Guess who has that brilliant idea? me of coz!) Me with my crazy ideas.. haha..

We used one laptop to provide the songs and we just chill and chat, playing with cameras – god knows, how many cameras we have that night.. one photo taking has so many flashes.. When the party kicked off with me blowing the candles and distributing the cake, we had fun eating, joking, drinking. I am not sure for the last 10 years did i ever celebrate my birthday with so many people? .. well except for my 21st birthday of course!

Once the clock hit 12 midnight, we started to pack up, left over pizza and cake are being put away into the fridge for next day snacks and the guys put away the tables and clear off all the beer bottles and cigeratte butts.. (not mine, mum!.. I swear! I don’t smoke..hehe.. but I drink.. occassionally..)

So even though I am currently far away from my friends and family, at least I was not lonely on my birthday! One my staff even went to buy me a birthday present, isn’t she sweet.. and the best present I ever receive other than the party was the next day when I received a present from my boss.. a STARBUCKS CUP!!! It was one of the thing I asked her to help me buy from Singapore when she was back for a week holiday in early March and I thought she did not have the time to get it for me and I actually got it for my birthday present.. It was so unexpected and I was so happy with my mug! So kind of contented with it and how it turn out to be my first birthday here.!

 

 

Maldivian / Island Cultures.. April 3, 2009

After being here for 1 month and after my colleague and my boss  had informed me bout the culture in Maldives, now I am able to write briefly about the cultures here. One thing, they do things very slowly. They take their own sweet time to get things done. Therefore if you want things done swiftly, you would better of do it yourself! Seriously.. talk also have to talk slower and must have a huge level of tolerence!

Not only that, the thing that they do most of them are gossips! Gossip about management, gossip about departments, gossip even about their own colleagues! Looks like its their most favourite pass time their life, they practically has nothing to do but gossip about other people – regardless its true or not! Amazing!

Eventhough they seems to be very traditional, very conservatives, I tell you those are a pack of lies.. they are just a bunch of hyprocrite! They can have wifes and children in some parts and when they are at the resorts, they have scandals, girlfriends, mistress! This is the part that really totally disgust me. Call themselves religious, so upright, conservatives.. bla bla bla.. woman can’t wear revealing clothes – not even sleeveless! But the men can sleep around! Amazing huh! The men here is acting as though they are being sex deprived for a very very long time. Whenever they see a foreign ladies, they just look at them (even though they try to disguise it..)

Just one incident that happen when I went to Male about 2 weeks ago and I stayed over at my female colleague place, when we return to her apartment, there was a knock on the door, thinking that it was her neighbour, I just told her that there is someone at the door. She peeped thru the peeping hole and saw a man standing outside the door. She open the door slightly and the guy ask her if she stays there alone. Guess what she saw, his fly is open and he is holding his private parts on his other hand!! What a maniac! It is so totally disgusting and only after she threaten to call the police that he left the place.

Well.. that’s the negative side of the people here, but on the other positive side, hmm.. let me think.. in the resorts, most of the people here are quite friendly, but you will need to put some distance between or you will end up in the front page of the verbal gossip tabloids the next day. They like to play volleyball and crickets! (why that does not surprise me huh?) well.. I am sure I will be able to explore and to learn more of their culture here when I am here longer… since I am here for mere 2 months!

Eventhough every Saturday is our Maldivian night in the resort, where some staff – 08 – 10 men will gather around at night at the resort bar to sing and dance with 1 -2 person will play the drum and some ladies (apparently when they are being hired, they are asked to dance in such occasion as one of the criteria in the employment) will dance with the music.. But one thing that is lacking is a navigator to explain to the tourists bout their culture. So this event does not actually explain or show the real Maldivian culture… what a waste, rite? oh well.. one thing that I learn, don’t expect too much from them…