Friday 20 February 2009

RAGE

Rage: angry fury; violent anger

So ends the second week of work. My friend at work said there is always a period of intense rage when you return to work following a long relaxing holiday. And rage there was. It felt like it was a new year, but nothing had changed. My supervisor was still taking liberties he shouldn't, and annoying me with his lack of involvement. I stalked around yesterday in a blind rage, near snapping at anyone who attempted to say something stupid to me.

So I went home. Stopped at the shops on the way home, bought some green tea, made a huge pot at home, and just...relaxed. Stared out the window and came to terms with returning to work.

It made such a big difference! Getting back to work today, I felt like I drank away all my bad karma. I even managed to get back into my work and get tonnes done today. And now I am at home, relaxing with more tea, and a few episodes of torchwood before I start work on my presentation for monday...I suppose a friday night could be worse spent.

Wednesday 11 February 2009

lawls

a lawl for yall

It seems like I haven't even been away

First few days back at work and it feels like I haven't even left. Work picked up right where I left it, no slow easing back into it. Monday was a full on 2 day experiment that had been scheduled in my name. I only found out about it when I came in at 8am. Of course, this was one of those collaborative experiments that someone else was doing part of, so I couldn't even put it off and get organized. Oh no. Straight back into it.

ah well. back to gossip girl I guess

Monday 2 February 2009

At last, some good customer service

As some of you may know, I left the Maldives last night for Singapore, on my way back to australia. I could probably now pass as a fairly experienced traveller, given that I have been shuttling in between countries by myself for the last 16 years. Usually I travel SQ, mainly because of the ease in terms of connection (MLE-SIN-MEL) and exceptional customer service...at every SQ office except the hulhule check in desk. Don't get me wrong, theyre usually polite if brusque, and don't give me a hard time about a few kilos excess. Its just that they don't measure up to SQ's other international staff.

Last night though, an incident happened that made me shed a happy tear; finally, some integrity in maldivian service!

We were all lined up, waiting to check in. I was at the internet check-in line, as I had already checked in and picked my seat - just needed to drop off my bags. A tourist was ahead of me being served. Just as they finished and were walking off, this loud, rude maldivian guy barged in front of me to the counter. He was wearing the uniform of a nearby resort, and loudly demanded that the staff member put his tourists through first "as they were very important". I was about to tell him that there was a queue and he was welcome to join it when the maldivian supervisor interrupted him and told him to go join another queue, as this was for internet check-ins only.

Yay.

5 minutes later, I was getting my boarding pass when I saw the resort fella go up to the supervisor and say

"hey, why don't you do me a favour; these tourists are 15kgs over-weight in their luggage, why dont you put them through for free?"

Supervisor: "I'm sorry sir, but I can't do that. I can put through about 5kgs for free like I do for a lot of other travellers, but 15? I'm sorry"

Resort guy: "C'mon just do it for me, I'll make it worth your while *winks*"

Supervisor: "If I did that for everyone who asked me to, the plane wouldn't take off. The excess baggage office is there *points*"


Good to see that not all people can be bought.

Why do Maldivians always complain?

Lawl. They complain when they don't get flats, and then complain when they do.

Aih foaraa hisaabah huriHAAAA eccheh

Hulhumale' Winners Complain About Down Payment
29 January 2009
Aishath Shazra
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A number of Hulhumale’ flat lottery winners have complained the Rf100,000 (US$7,843) down payment for the apartments is too high, with many saying it will be impossible to pay the money without resorting to loans.

Speaking to Minivan News, one winner, Fareehsa, 31, a working mother who currently shares a small flat with her parents, said, “I am extremely happy to have won the flat but I have not given much thought on how to pay the down payment.

“I am against borrowing money, but I if I have no other choice, that’s what I have to do.”

But the deputy director of HDC, Nuha Mohamed, has said it is important to remember the development project is a non-profit venture: “We have just included the construction cost and the cost of land in the pricing.”

She said the HDC had received “some” complaints about the down payment and the issue was raised on the night of the draw. “The ministry of housing has said it will try to lower the down payment amount,” she added.

Another winner, a 28-year-old woman who wishes to remain anonymous, said although she had won a two-bedroom apartment she might be forced to give one room to “whoever can make the payment”.

At present, she lives with her mother and six others in the 400 ft² house and since she got married, her mother has been sharing a room with her sister.

“I am lucky to have won the flat,” she said, “but I should be able to afford it. Let’s see how the government can make this affordable for us.”

In addition to the down payment, she said the selection process for the lottery remained unclear. “My half-sister is in the same situation as me. Her dad’s house is 100ft², has two floors and he lives with his wife and kids.

“From this house she probably only owns a space the size of a tile, yet she wasn’t chosen for the lottery.”

As a result, many have complained that some people may have provided false information in order to be chosen for the lottery. On this point, Nuha said the HDC was currently in the process of verifying information given by winners.

“We had over 8,000 applicants so we waited to confirm the information after the draw. It’s easier to verify the information of a smaller number of people.

“We are consulting with various government institutions like the municipality to verify everything. Each category has 50 people on the waiting list, so if the information provided is incorrect, someone else will get chosen”.

After confirming the information, the deadline for the down payment will be announced, she added.

Hulhumalé is built on reclaimed land and was completed in 2002. The 188-hectare island was designed with the intention of housing 60,000 inhabitants from the capital Malé.

HDC allocated 488 newly built flats to the winners of a lottery draw and the organisation estimates 4,000 people will move into the flats.

The apartments, which fall into the category of the Social Housing Scheme, consist of two- and three-bedroom flats.

The flats are handed over to the winners after the down payment, which is 20 per cent of the total price. The remainder will be repaid in monthly installments for the next 20 years.