Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Tuesday- I know I know a couple of days without photos...The fact I don't have a camera means I'm dependant on my friends. Although I haven't tried the camera on the phone I have here. The temperatures are cooling, I can really start to feel the difference. There is hope yet.
We had a Melbourne Cup sweep. Spent 20 Qatari riyal (first money I've managed to spend since my arrival) which is about USD$5.50 or AUD $7.11 on that. I picked "On a Jeune" out of the hat and it came in 20th so no luck there. With a bit of training maybe next year. That's typical of expats to keep some sort of tie back to home. I can imagine people in Antartica doing the same.
Have done some major changes to my space. I realise I've made a few friends because the sort of changes I've asked were pretty inconvenient at this late stage but Dennis from Technology (normally my department) was very accommodating and I owe him big time. He's Greek and all the Greeks I've met have been nice, lovely and accommodating which paints a different picture from what I was expecting.
Tonight is round two of volunteer training where I'll get my second batch of volunteers. We've been through it all Monday so we know what to expect. Something which wasn't thought about is that a Qatari woman is not to be left alone with a Qatari man. Which makes it all a bit difficult if you have three volunteers, two of which are men. Means I have to escort the woman everywhere. Not great considering we have the minimum amount of volunteers we need to function and we are not even sure it will work with the language difficulties. Another issue is that if they wear the Qatari dress, no one will know they are volunteers. I also have 40 plasma screens perched high up and each time the channel is changed two signs will have to be changed on the television to indicate the sport being viewed. I can't imagine that women will be able to do this. Furthermore, there may be problems with women addressing foreign men. Aye, aye, aye.
I know only too well what a busy press work room at Games looks like and how many issues arrise from our customer (the Press) to know I cannot handle this on my own. Inshalla...God willing. Or our own common comment: "It is what it is!".
Mostly Indian staff are looking after the buffet (excellent) breakfast at the accommodation. All of them greet us upon arrival. Hi Mam! Good morning Mam! They won't let us do anything. They will toast bread for us even hold the hot water level down so we can fill the cup of hot water. Michele this morning says: "Ok guys, enough with the Mam. My name is Michele and she is Anne; no more Mam". "Yes Mam" replies Johnson the toast guy.
We had a Melbourne Cup sweep. Spent 20 Qatari riyal (first money I've managed to spend since my arrival) which is about USD$5.50 or AUD $7.11 on that. I picked "On a Jeune" out of the hat and it came in 20th so no luck there. With a bit of training maybe next year. That's typical of expats to keep some sort of tie back to home. I can imagine people in Antartica doing the same.
Have done some major changes to my space. I realise I've made a few friends because the sort of changes I've asked were pretty inconvenient at this late stage but Dennis from Technology (normally my department) was very accommodating and I owe him big time. He's Greek and all the Greeks I've met have been nice, lovely and accommodating which paints a different picture from what I was expecting.
Tonight is round two of volunteer training where I'll get my second batch of volunteers. We've been through it all Monday so we know what to expect. Something which wasn't thought about is that a Qatari woman is not to be left alone with a Qatari man. Which makes it all a bit difficult if you have three volunteers, two of which are men. Means I have to escort the woman everywhere. Not great considering we have the minimum amount of volunteers we need to function and we are not even sure it will work with the language difficulties. Another issue is that if they wear the Qatari dress, no one will know they are volunteers. I also have 40 plasma screens perched high up and each time the channel is changed two signs will have to be changed on the television to indicate the sport being viewed. I can't imagine that women will be able to do this. Furthermore, there may be problems with women addressing foreign men. Aye, aye, aye.
I know only too well what a busy press work room at Games looks like and how many issues arrise from our customer (the Press) to know I cannot handle this on my own. Inshalla...God willing. Or our own common comment: "It is what it is!".
Mostly Indian staff are looking after the buffet (excellent) breakfast at the accommodation. All of them greet us upon arrival. Hi Mam! Good morning Mam! They won't let us do anything. They will toast bread for us even hold the hot water level down so we can fill the cup of hot water. Michele this morning says: "Ok guys, enough with the Mam. My name is Michele and she is Anne; no more Mam". "Yes Mam" replies Johnson the toast guy.
# posted by AdeC @ 2:41 AM 
