Just when I thought that life could not get more complicated, I started working at a Kindergarten. My first day was not as wonderful as I would have liked to boast...
but it has gotten better.
After my initial shock of what working in a Norwegian Kindergarten wore off, I realised that this is one opportunity for me to just expand myself and push me out of my comfort zones. This is, or used to be, something that I found easy. I think the problem was that it involved little kiddies this time.
I'm not going to pretend ... it's been a task to push myself ...
But I've honestly started loving these little munchkins....
I don't care what any mother or father says ... you WILL have a favourite child. They WILL NEVER (and SHOULD NEVER) actually say it, but the fact still remains.
So I too have little munchkins that I enjoy more than others... and true to myself, I gravitate towards the ones that are pleasant, strong and brave..... that would almost always be the ones they call ... boys. lol
It's amazing how much my attitude towards kiddies has changed. I'm no longer "fearful" for want of a better word, of them, nor do I have any hang -ups about how they behave. There will always be those that will have more behaviour, or know where the boundaries are than others.
I've been subject to sneezing, coughing on me, giving me spitty toys and even reading stories - YES in NORWEGIAN! - to impatient listeners, to spitty good byes, and hugs when I ask for them, laughing and giggling and hushed tears when I kiss the hurt finger or head.
I've become someone that they are not afraid of, but sometimes even gravitate towards. I've become someone who helps them to eat all their food and not someone who lets them get away with things.... as long as I know how to say it in Norwegian, I will.
It is great practice.
There was a particular day when I came home and my hubby told me " You smell like babies".
Of course what he really meant was that I smelt like dirty diapers. Yes, you are forgiven husby... and I quickly showered so that he would not smell other people's kids diapers.... however, he better get used to his own kid's Diapers! LOL ....
One thing that I thought might happen that hasn't .. and neither do I see if happening, is that it's harder to make "friends" at a kindergarten then originally thought. In fact, the only time we really get to socialize is during the break for lunch - which is as it should be. But, how does one make friends when u hardly even get to talk .. in norwegian... or English.
Oh, by the way, the young lady who had given me the wonderful ending to my day, is still the same way .... with a few more smiles here and there. But that is just how she is .... and I suppose she is lovely to .... I don't assume I will ever know ... But if I were to adopt the attitude that I'm not here to make friends .. then perhaps I would have a more 'profitable' time at the kindergarten.
One day at lunch the director told me "We will have to put you with the older kids soon. You will get more conversation"
Now prior to her telling me this, I understood pretty much fully when she was discussing it in Norwegian with her collegue. When she started to talkto me I knew what was coming.
"Yes sure, I'm looking forward to the conversations so that I can stare blankly at them wondering .. what the heck did they just say?"
They had all snickered, including the south american who had gone through the same thing. hmmm ... glad u guys think it's funny.
It's amazing how organised the Kindergarten is though. There is a vast amount of information that the teachers/ assistants put out there - in books, on the computer,and also each parent pretty much gets a run down on their kid for the day ... if they want to and can be bothered to wait .. of course.
I've gotten used the the rhythm now and it doesn't seem so hectic, only precise.
There are a few things that have really struck me working here.
1. The beauty of the Parent/child reunion at the end of the day
2. How much we as teachers get the opportunity to see these 1 and 2 year old grow up in front of you, start talking, saying things, and playing fairly, walking properly and stop crawling, eating better and using spoons properly.
3. How much a little kid can make your day. Sometimes just a kid running up to me for a hug without me asking can make my day feel so much more worthwhile than I could have imagined.
Today, one of my favourites called my name. He said "Har det, Saemie!" hehehe ... an immediate tear jerker!
So before I start getting all choked up and teary-eyed .... I'm glad that I'm here ... I can't wait to be able to have great ole conversations with my neices and nephews! :) But the best part, is knowing what to do, how much clothes to put on and how to change these darn diapers!
Whey yuh say?
Wednesday 3 November 2010
Sunday 31 October 2010
50 hrs continues...... can we have silence and English?
Ok.... there is not much that I ask for these days ... Yes .. Ok a full paying job might be great, but I understand my journey right now .... and the Kindergarten is it right now. I need to hurry up and learn quickly though, its hard to make "friends" there. You don't really have any time to socialize or get to know someone else.
The fact that I am working for 3 days a week earning not even enough to buy a blouse here in Norway (lol ) and then going to Norskkurs (Norwegian Course) for the other 2 days of the week AND then going to a spouse class (Social Studies) on Saturdays to do my obligation of 50 hours equates to a very FULL week.
Now, like I've said before (I think), the Norwegian Teacher has said that they usually organise it by language. So if you speak English or are very fluent in it then you would do it in English. This is because its VERY IMPORTANT information and we are all expected to join in the class discussions.
In our class we have 3 native English speakers, on and off about 5 Filipinos, 2 Ghanaians, 2 People who speak Russian, 1 who speaks Spanish and 1 who speaks Turkish.
If you wake up early on a Saturday after a full week of activities lasting at least 6 hours, and you come to something that you hope you would learn something... wouldn't you want to learn?
or at least HEAR what the Norway is going on (lol... get it ..??? France?? Norway ??? oh .. never mind!)
Well today was definitely one of those days when you start to wonder .....
While the facilitator is talking and explaining things and looking for people to have a discussion, the 2 Russians decided to have a Russian conversation... across the round table setting.
Seriously... we ALL want to know what happens in Russia .. hows about ya share? huh?
Nope, the discussion goes on in heated debate while the Facilitator is still talking .. in English. Of course it's a little difficult to focus on what is going on here!
The Facilitator sort of looks at them as in "I'm talking here" .. but nothing is really said.
How does one as a teacher/facilitator continue talking while 2 people are having their own little conversation across the table? How about showing some respect people?
After a small pause, the facilitator continues to ... facilitate.
Someone starts to discuss something with the teacher and a murmur starts, first with the Russians and then with the Filipinos. Come on people! We are supposed to be adults here. Can we all SHARE in discussions? The longer the teacher/student discussion went on while I was straining my ears to hear what was going on , the teacher was talking louder and louder, I suppose in the hope that everyone will shut up.
Fat chance. That just made the murmur grow louder and louder.
Worse yet now, all discussions are done and the Russians are still talking away ... in Russian... wow.
I was trying so hard not to look at them, but between them, I would really have expected more. One being a very highly educated person and the other a much older woman, who should know a bit more about respect!
My patience was waning. Thank God for a BREAK!
After Lunch, I noticed that the Ghanaians decided to join us. Of course, this session is supposed to start at 8:30 - the Lunch is at 11 am. How UNFAIR is it that they join us after they get to sleep soundly and still get to sign their name on the list as having attended a 6.5 hr session.
UGH! ... No wonder the people in your country beat the kids....
ok ... that's so not fair .... but that was the level of my disgust.
Oh by the way ... we are talking about someone who's dad used to go to the school to "beat up" the teachers if they "whipped" they kids.... which was a rule of the school .. (albeit it may have been abused), but I mean .. seriously .... what a bad representation of someone from Ghana ...
Anyhoos it gets better.
One of them has a kid with them. Oh cute! ..... she didn't have anyone to take care of her kid while she fulfilled her "obligation" today. But that "cute" very quickly became "cut" ... as in "cut it OUT!"
If I didn't have a headache before from the Russians .... I got one now...
Between the Russians having their conversations across the table, the Filippinos jabbering away in Togalo .. or whatever it is... and the Ghanaian girls shoshoing, I had no space to tolerate the kid.
Now, I've had people tell me that its easier said than done to control your kids, but hear me out before you try to defend your motherhood and especially this particular one.
This kid was an adorable mix of Ghana and obviously red headed Norwegian. He had the eyes of his mother and seemed spunky and ... well .. a normal little boy.
"Mama ... mama ... mama..." The kid's monotone drone was loud enough for everyone to hear.
Now... I don't know .. maybe its the Trini mama in me that impulses me to say "SHHHH" at the VERY first Word.
If I HAVE to bring my kid to a class, then that Kid BETTER stay quiet or I better STAY home. I mean, its not like no one else will be affected... I'm toting the kid to the grocery here...
How about a little " Shh .... play with your crayons??"
nope.
By the last break ... one of the guys in the class had said, "Is it just me, or have you had enough of this kid too?"
Yea .... its not just you.
This kid had tapped upon the table and his mother said nothing until I looked back VERY annoyed that she would not stop him. Then it was just a quick , "Nei"....
This kid had gone outside run down the corridor screaming.. while his mother shouted at him ... inside the class ... oh .. did I tell you that the door was closed... but maybe this was a bionic kid and could hear through walls.
This kid had come along the classroom and had tapped and banged on the glass very loudly .... While the mother got up (and I'm not here to help her out ... but she looked MOST amused at all that her son was doing) She called out to her son and got up and walked outside again.
I have to admit .. I was impressed with the kid though. At around 5 years old, he was speaking between English, Norwegian and the mother tongue from Ghana.. There certainly is an advantage for being born in a non English speaking country!
But back to this kid.
This kid had sat down and eaten a burger .. making loud slurping noises while he ate, and no one stopped him.
Now, I don't know about you .. but after 1 1/2 hrs with this kid and his mother I was started to think that this must be one of the most annoying days I've had yet.
There came a point with the talking in a million languages with a kid trying to be heard above everything else that I really couldn't take it anymore. I mean, what was the point of coming here on a Saturday if it was not going to be AT LEAST pleasant enough to LEARN something about Norway?
A Cell phone rang loudly .... and I was aghast to hear the man answer the telephone, speaking normally ... and for him normal is loud ... It was a quick call ... but still ... I'm glad he's got a job now.... maybe he's not as scary....
That was the last straw....
"Ok .... people ...... Between you guys talking in Russian very loudly might I add... you guys talking in Filipino and you guys talking in Ghanaian and your kid ..... sorry to say ... that you cannot seem to control or even keep quiet or SOMETHING... I'm wondering if you appreciate having to wake up on a Saturday morning, or that you respect the teacher in front of you???? So I don't know about you guys ... but I am here to get SOMETHING out of this session other than a feeling of total frustration and disgust of the people that were here ... so if you don't mind .. if yuh wanna talk .... talk quietly or IN ENGLISH so we all can benefit... and if you have no one to take care of yuh kid mama .... I'm sorry to hear ... but you have some work to do in order to show that you understand that you have brought your kid to an adult CLASS and not a kindergarten .... So hows about you control your kid or GO HOME!" I finally Shouted.
.......
There was silence in the class.
....
And then reality must have hit .... because I came back to it! Ah well... if only I did get riled up enough...
There was still all the murmuring in different languages ... and this kid was still talking ... almost incessantly now.
I started closing my eyes and willing myself not to live out what I REALLY wanted to shout to all these people in the class.
The kid was talking louder and louder and it was becoming almost impossible for the teacher to talk..
"Please , please , please! .. I'm sorry that you don't have anyone to take care of your kid but he's obviously not enjoying the class. Perhaps its better if you take him home" The teacher finally said.
"Yes I think so too" the Girl blurted a little too quickly.
She perhaps is another character that I would love to expound on .. .. but I really don't think I'll give her the glory of my typing fingers ... I don't think very highly of her. She seems to be one who is only interested in what money she can get, how else she can whatever she wants and a host of other things including that she likes or wants or needs some attention ... and that one was told to me by someone else. So its not just me.
ok that's enough of that.
She got up and took an enormous amount of time to dress her son and herself. The class was silent and I chose not to look in that direction at all. I honestly felt sorry and embarrassed FOR her. Something I'm pretty sure .. she didn't feel for herself .. but such are people everywhere right?
But then again, maybe this was a "special" kid. Maybe he has ADD or something.... isn't that extremely popular these days? ... Maybe she had issues as a kid and let's her kid express himself ... any and all the time?... How impressive ...
Maybe I'll have a kid like that .. that I can't control, that I lose all luster TO control; that I just couldn't be bothered to try too hard over? Or maybe it was just a bad day for the kid ... or the mom? These things happen ... no kid is perfectly behaved all the time. Perhaps I'm just being hard on the poor girl and her mothering skills... but why is it that it got to other people too?
The class got pretty quiet after that. Everyone paid attention and didn't talk.
Why is it that we have to be prodded like animals, or embarassed for us to behave... like if we are 7 or 8? How can we be made to understand that no matter where we are in life .. what country, we are called to be adults .. first and foremost... which requires a measure of respect ... and that I think and I worry. .. is something I realise Norwegians are not very good at.
Whey yuh say?
The fact that I am working for 3 days a week earning not even enough to buy a blouse here in Norway (lol ) and then going to Norskkurs (Norwegian Course) for the other 2 days of the week AND then going to a spouse class (Social Studies) on Saturdays to do my obligation of 50 hours equates to a very FULL week.
Now, like I've said before (I think), the Norwegian Teacher has said that they usually organise it by language. So if you speak English or are very fluent in it then you would do it in English. This is because its VERY IMPORTANT information and we are all expected to join in the class discussions.
In our class we have 3 native English speakers, on and off about 5 Filipinos, 2 Ghanaians, 2 People who speak Russian, 1 who speaks Spanish and 1 who speaks Turkish.
If you wake up early on a Saturday after a full week of activities lasting at least 6 hours, and you come to something that you hope you would learn something... wouldn't you want to learn?
or at least HEAR what the Norway is going on (lol... get it ..??? France?? Norway ??? oh .. never mind!)
Well today was definitely one of those days when you start to wonder .....
While the facilitator is talking and explaining things and looking for people to have a discussion, the 2 Russians decided to have a Russian conversation... across the round table setting.
Seriously... we ALL want to know what happens in Russia .. hows about ya share? huh?
Nope, the discussion goes on in heated debate while the Facilitator is still talking .. in English. Of course it's a little difficult to focus on what is going on here!
The Facilitator sort of looks at them as in "I'm talking here" .. but nothing is really said.
How does one as a teacher/facilitator continue talking while 2 people are having their own little conversation across the table? How about showing some respect people?
After a small pause, the facilitator continues to ... facilitate.
Someone starts to discuss something with the teacher and a murmur starts, first with the Russians and then with the Filipinos. Come on people! We are supposed to be adults here. Can we all SHARE in discussions? The longer the teacher/student discussion went on while I was straining my ears to hear what was going on , the teacher was talking louder and louder, I suppose in the hope that everyone will shut up.
Fat chance. That just made the murmur grow louder and louder.
Worse yet now, all discussions are done and the Russians are still talking away ... in Russian... wow.
I was trying so hard not to look at them, but between them, I would really have expected more. One being a very highly educated person and the other a much older woman, who should know a bit more about respect!
My patience was waning. Thank God for a BREAK!
After Lunch, I noticed that the Ghanaians decided to join us. Of course, this session is supposed to start at 8:30 - the Lunch is at 11 am. How UNFAIR is it that they join us after they get to sleep soundly and still get to sign their name on the list as having attended a 6.5 hr session.
UGH! ... No wonder the people in your country beat the kids....
ok ... that's so not fair .... but that was the level of my disgust.
Oh by the way ... we are talking about someone who's dad used to go to the school to "beat up" the teachers if they "whipped" they kids.... which was a rule of the school .. (albeit it may have been abused), but I mean .. seriously .... what a bad representation of someone from Ghana ...
Anyhoos it gets better.
One of them has a kid with them. Oh cute! ..... she didn't have anyone to take care of her kid while she fulfilled her "obligation" today. But that "cute" very quickly became "cut" ... as in "cut it OUT!"
If I didn't have a headache before from the Russians .... I got one now...
Between the Russians having their conversations across the table, the Filippinos jabbering away in Togalo .. or whatever it is... and the Ghanaian girls shoshoing, I had no space to tolerate the kid.
Now, I've had people tell me that its easier said than done to control your kids, but hear me out before you try to defend your motherhood and especially this particular one.
This kid was an adorable mix of Ghana and obviously red headed Norwegian. He had the eyes of his mother and seemed spunky and ... well .. a normal little boy.
"Mama ... mama ... mama..." The kid's monotone drone was loud enough for everyone to hear.
Now... I don't know .. maybe its the Trini mama in me that impulses me to say "SHHHH" at the VERY first Word.
If I HAVE to bring my kid to a class, then that Kid BETTER stay quiet or I better STAY home. I mean, its not like no one else will be affected... I'm toting the kid to the grocery here...
How about a little " Shh .... play with your crayons??"
nope.
By the last break ... one of the guys in the class had said, "Is it just me, or have you had enough of this kid too?"
Yea .... its not just you.
This kid had tapped upon the table and his mother said nothing until I looked back VERY annoyed that she would not stop him. Then it was just a quick , "Nei"....
This kid had gone outside run down the corridor screaming.. while his mother shouted at him ... inside the class ... oh .. did I tell you that the door was closed... but maybe this was a bionic kid and could hear through walls.
This kid had come along the classroom and had tapped and banged on the glass very loudly .... While the mother got up (and I'm not here to help her out ... but she looked MOST amused at all that her son was doing) She called out to her son and got up and walked outside again.
I have to admit .. I was impressed with the kid though. At around 5 years old, he was speaking between English, Norwegian and the mother tongue from Ghana.. There certainly is an advantage for being born in a non English speaking country!
But back to this kid.
This kid had sat down and eaten a burger .. making loud slurping noises while he ate, and no one stopped him.
Now, I don't know about you .. but after 1 1/2 hrs with this kid and his mother I was started to think that this must be one of the most annoying days I've had yet.
There came a point with the talking in a million languages with a kid trying to be heard above everything else that I really couldn't take it anymore. I mean, what was the point of coming here on a Saturday if it was not going to be AT LEAST pleasant enough to LEARN something about Norway?
A Cell phone rang loudly .... and I was aghast to hear the man answer the telephone, speaking normally ... and for him normal is loud ... It was a quick call ... but still ... I'm glad he's got a job now.... maybe he's not as scary....
That was the last straw....
"Ok .... people ...... Between you guys talking in Russian very loudly might I add... you guys talking in Filipino and you guys talking in Ghanaian and your kid ..... sorry to say ... that you cannot seem to control or even keep quiet or SOMETHING... I'm wondering if you appreciate having to wake up on a Saturday morning, or that you respect the teacher in front of you???? So I don't know about you guys ... but I am here to get SOMETHING out of this session other than a feeling of total frustration and disgust of the people that were here ... so if you don't mind .. if yuh wanna talk .... talk quietly or IN ENGLISH so we all can benefit... and if you have no one to take care of yuh kid mama .... I'm sorry to hear ... but you have some work to do in order to show that you understand that you have brought your kid to an adult CLASS and not a kindergarten .... So hows about you control your kid or GO HOME!" I finally Shouted.
.......
There was silence in the class.
....
And then reality must have hit .... because I came back to it! Ah well... if only I did get riled up enough...
There was still all the murmuring in different languages ... and this kid was still talking ... almost incessantly now.
I started closing my eyes and willing myself not to live out what I REALLY wanted to shout to all these people in the class.
The kid was talking louder and louder and it was becoming almost impossible for the teacher to talk..
"Please , please , please! .. I'm sorry that you don't have anyone to take care of your kid but he's obviously not enjoying the class. Perhaps its better if you take him home" The teacher finally said.
"Yes I think so too" the Girl blurted a little too quickly.
She perhaps is another character that I would love to expound on .. .. but I really don't think I'll give her the glory of my typing fingers ... I don't think very highly of her. She seems to be one who is only interested in what money she can get, how else she can whatever she wants and a host of other things including that she likes or wants or needs some attention ... and that one was told to me by someone else. So its not just me.
ok that's enough of that.
She got up and took an enormous amount of time to dress her son and herself. The class was silent and I chose not to look in that direction at all. I honestly felt sorry and embarrassed FOR her. Something I'm pretty sure .. she didn't feel for herself .. but such are people everywhere right?
But then again, maybe this was a "special" kid. Maybe he has ADD or something.... isn't that extremely popular these days? ... Maybe she had issues as a kid and let's her kid express himself ... any and all the time?... How impressive ...
Maybe I'll have a kid like that .. that I can't control, that I lose all luster TO control; that I just couldn't be bothered to try too hard over? Or maybe it was just a bad day for the kid ... or the mom? These things happen ... no kid is perfectly behaved all the time. Perhaps I'm just being hard on the poor girl and her mothering skills... but why is it that it got to other people too?
The class got pretty quiet after that. Everyone paid attention and didn't talk.
Why is it that we have to be prodded like animals, or embarassed for us to behave... like if we are 7 or 8? How can we be made to understand that no matter where we are in life .. what country, we are called to be adults .. first and foremost... which requires a measure of respect ... and that I think and I worry. .. is something I realise Norwegians are not very good at.
Whey yuh say?
Sunday 24 October 2010
We celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary in Rome. It was a fabulous trip filled with history and awe, dirt and shopping. The best part about it was the shopping! ... I've never been much of a shopper. I could never really get into blowing all my hard earned money on something. ... although I have to admit that when you don't have a job sometimes the window shopping becomes a happy pastime.
But this is NOT about shopping. Nope this is about Language! Yes!
Now while I have been learning Norwegian as a new language, old habits die hard. I have been struggling to have the muscle memory switch from Spanish to Norwegian. I would be making sentences and the first thing that comes to my head is a spanish word. "Maybe" was one ... the spanish word kept coming into mind. I have been struggling to make that go away.
So I 'm very impressed when people can speak more than 2 languages .... and keep them separate to!
Heck I'm pretty impressed with kids learning these languages!
Can you imagine the language callallo my poor brain went through this past few days?..... I have been learning Norwegian, I go to a new country with a new language and I have the HARDEST time just saying No or Si .... Gratsi .... or Buongiorno! Buona sera! For the Life of me, it took me until the very last hour (it felt like it) before I was saying the right thing!.
I kept starting in Norwegian .... going to english or spanish and hardly ever to Italian!!
My husby was having a fun time while I was wondering how he knew so much Italian! lol .
Now its always been a dream of mine to be Bilingual .. in fact I think it was 2 days before we left Norway for Rome, we had our first full length conversation at Dinner in Norwegian. Yes yes yes ... i was very proud of myself and of him too .. for being so good at pronounciating (think a Trini dialects ... its like learning the Queen's English and someone is talking to you like they from Penal.... u get my point (not that his dialect is bad .. its just not what I'm learning)).
So now I come to Italy ... and I keep saying Nei Takk to people ... how on earth they would know what I am saying .... I'm not even saying it in English!! hahahah ... So that is how my entire trip went ... Nei .. I mean No Grazi .. or Ja .. I mean Si Grazi.
Language confused, Language dyslexia Call it what ever you want ... i was a confused little kitten ...
But it was fun, and I am even more determined now to learn this language.
I start my first introduction to the work place soon and I'm excited to see what I do. I will be working in a kindergarden. The best place really to learn a language, since the kids INSIST upon talking to you and they will ONLY talk to you in Norwegian and not kick into English if you don't understand.
Let's see how fast I learn this language now!! :)
But this is NOT about shopping. Nope this is about Language! Yes!
Now while I have been learning Norwegian as a new language, old habits die hard. I have been struggling to have the muscle memory switch from Spanish to Norwegian. I would be making sentences and the first thing that comes to my head is a spanish word. "Maybe" was one ... the spanish word kept coming into mind. I have been struggling to make that go away.
So I 'm very impressed when people can speak more than 2 languages .... and keep them separate to!
Heck I'm pretty impressed with kids learning these languages!
Can you imagine the language callallo my poor brain went through this past few days?..... I have been learning Norwegian, I go to a new country with a new language and I have the HARDEST time just saying No or Si .... Gratsi .... or Buongiorno! Buona sera! For the Life of me, it took me until the very last hour (it felt like it) before I was saying the right thing!.
I kept starting in Norwegian .... going to english or spanish and hardly ever to Italian!!
My husby was having a fun time while I was wondering how he knew so much Italian! lol .
Now its always been a dream of mine to be Bilingual .. in fact I think it was 2 days before we left Norway for Rome, we had our first full length conversation at Dinner in Norwegian. Yes yes yes ... i was very proud of myself and of him too .. for being so good at pronounciating (think a Trini dialects ... its like learning the Queen's English and someone is talking to you like they from Penal.... u get my point (not that his dialect is bad .. its just not what I'm learning)).
So now I come to Italy ... and I keep saying Nei Takk to people ... how on earth they would know what I am saying .... I'm not even saying it in English!! hahahah ... So that is how my entire trip went ... Nei .. I mean No Grazi .. or Ja .. I mean Si Grazi.
Language confused, Language dyslexia Call it what ever you want ... i was a confused little kitten ...
But it was fun, and I am even more determined now to learn this language.
I start my first introduction to the work place soon and I'm excited to see what I do. I will be working in a kindergarden. The best place really to learn a language, since the kids INSIST upon talking to you and they will ONLY talk to you in Norwegian and not kick into English if you don't understand.
Let's see how fast I learn this language now!! :)
Tuesday 19 October 2010
Telling Time in Norwegian
Telling the time in Norwegian is definitely one of those things that is special to a culture ... and Language .... and when I say special .. i mean Special. Hva er klokka? As we ask here ... loosely translated from the old Celtic languages means ..what bell?
So .. we tell time by saying it is 5 past 3, Quarter past three, Half past three. Now after Half past, we have the options to say ... past the hour .. OR to the hour right? Here is a little Norwegian class for ya!
Not here. They think of their clock in 4 quarters. The first Quarter is Past the hour (up until 15). The Half Past 3 is Half 4!! ... So they start thinking of the new hour once it past 15 mins of the hour!!! .
The 2nd quarter of the clock is minutes to Half of the hour and the 3rd quarter of the clock in Minutes PAST half the hour. The 4th quarter is pretty much the same ...
So in essence what I understand is that they don't like to say more than 14 minutes to something ... Its confusing isn't it? It's only now that I understand some of the misscommunication that my husband and I had. When he says Half four in English but thinking Norwegian, he really means Half 3 in English. No wonder they are always an ON TIME people!!!
Its even harder for me to figure it out sometimes because they use the 24 hour time, but they say it in 12 hour, so if I see something like 17:38 .. I first have to figure out what 17 is!! .. yes I am getting better, but it still is not something that comes naturally to me.
But it is an interesting way to tell time I can tell you that much .... just one of those things!!....
Whey yuh say? ... Klokka?
So .. we tell time by saying it is 5 past 3, Quarter past three, Half past three. Now after Half past, we have the options to say ... past the hour .. OR to the hour right? Here is a little Norwegian class for ya!
Not here. They think of their clock in 4 quarters. The first Quarter is Past the hour (up until 15). The Half Past 3 is Half 4!! ... So they start thinking of the new hour once it past 15 mins of the hour!!! .
The 2nd quarter of the clock is minutes to Half of the hour and the 3rd quarter of the clock in Minutes PAST half the hour. The 4th quarter is pretty much the same ...
So in essence what I understand is that they don't like to say more than 14 minutes to something ... Its confusing isn't it? It's only now that I understand some of the misscommunication that my husband and I had. When he says Half four in English but thinking Norwegian, he really means Half 3 in English. No wonder they are always an ON TIME people!!!
Its even harder for me to figure it out sometimes because they use the 24 hour time, but they say it in 12 hour, so if I see something like 17:38 .. I first have to figure out what 17 is!! .. yes I am getting better, but it still is not something that comes naturally to me.
But it is an interesting way to tell time I can tell you that much .... just one of those things!!....
Whey yuh say? ... Klokka?
Thursday 14 October 2010
Dear Lord, Please help me on my first day out to Kindergarten.....
For anyone who really ... and I mean REALLY knows me ... knows that I'm not a big fan of kids. It sounds horrible just writing it!! .. Its not that I hate them or anything.. and I have no idea where it came from too. My mother used to say that I had to get over my "thing" of children and old people. Maybe because I wasn't as wonderful as she is with them... but then ... maybe that's where all this insecurity started. She shared so much of herself with other kids ... and she often called them her kids and they often called her their mom .... maybe I just didn't want to share my mom ... maybe ... after all she was mine ... go get your own .. .
so perhaps that selfishness has manifested itself into something deeper ....
Babies - Babies are fine ... the don't do much ... but they get heavy after a while ... (gorsh I sound like Jake's Grandmother from 2 1/2 men!) They are beautiful to look at .. the miracle of birth... But I'm grossed out by the process OF birth that I see on TV .. OH! except water birth ... that makes so much sense to me!.
Toddlers - they are fine ... but they get so unruely ... how do you tame kids? And now that I live in a country where spanking is against the law, how do you teach a child respect, draw lines and boundaries without them turning out like Politically Correct American kids who will call the police on you if you slap their hand for digging into the cookie jar?
Kids - I like well behaved kids. Nothing drives me up a wall more than badly behaved kids. And that, I know is subjective. A badly behaved kid is not one who is running around in excitement or playing too roughly ... its the one who answers back.. Then again ... I am a firm believer in the Child Whisperer .... a child is only as badlly behaved as a parents allows them to be.
Anyhoos ... on with the story .. yes on with the story.
I needed a job, or at least some way to learn the language while making a bit of dinero to spend here in Expensive Norway (lol). A kindergarden was suggested. And thus began the plight, culminating after 2 months, in my first day of school.... barnehagen ... as its called here.
I must first admit that it took this long because I was very apprehensive. Did i REALLY WANT to work in a Kindergarten. That would mean being with kids all day long; hearing them talk and not understand them; having to deal with badly behaved kids and have no legal means of setting them straight. ..... did I really want this?
I walked in toting a bag filled with rain and warm clothes, extra shoes, rain pants .. everything that i could need for a trip outside... whatever the weather.
Norwegian names are now hard. They were not like that before. In fact, I think it was the government that prevented people from having many different names. So its NOW a fad to have a cool and different name. So of all the names that I learnt that day ... I remember ... a sum total ... of .... none.
I would be working with 1 and 2 year olds. The ones who are supposed to sleep all day, move slowly and eat alot, and not have that big of a vocabulary.
I was banking on the fact that we were perhaps at the same level in language .. these kids and I. The one thing I totally forgot, is what they would be learning is not how to meet people and where-are-you-from sort of conversation, but animals, colours, shapes etc . I hadn't reach there yet in my studies ... so it came down to the sentence "Hva a det?" Which I really hoped was "What is that?"
Of course what ever they told me ... I would just smile... because .. chances were... I didn't know it either.
Our group had 3 teachers/Assistants and I would be the 4th.
I honestly assumed that with any new job you would either have to shadow someone, or someone would be with you the whole time.. I mean we are talking about people's children here aren't we?
I had asked one of the ladies to please speak to me in Norwegian. If I didn't understand something that she said, I would ask her.
I followed her in a maze that the kindergarden was to where we would spend the day. Kids, as I past by, were staring at me like I was from a totally different planet. Its hard to gain confidence when the most honest of human beings looks at you strangely. They only show on their face what others around you are sometimes good at masking.
They are only children ... and you are bigger than them ... I kept chanting to myself ... trying to find the confidence I needed to start the day. It was obviously in some place where it could not hear me!
I walked into a large play area filled with 11 kids. All of different ages and heights from 1 to 2. There was one child crying. I remembered her from the first time I came there. She had cried for the whole time. She cried playing in the sad .. she cried ... oh no .. she actually was screaming. But she was screaming and doing things! It was like that was the way she breathed! She walked around doing things and screaming. So odd.
The Kids were darling. It was hard for me to get close to them because they were so afraid of someone new.
"Ok. We go outside now" the main teacher said.
"Everyone?" I asked..
"Everyone!" she replied.
I had to go and put back on all the clothes that I had. I knew that what u wore to work at Kindergarden with small children and what you wear as "home clothes" is going to be pretty much the same. I couldn't really sit on the ground too much because my jeans were a little too tight. I didn't have a pair of tights to destroy OR a sweat pants.
"Can you dress that one?" Someone said to me
I looked at the organisation. Every kid had a section, had their name on their pram, had a box for diapers with all their own stuff in it. The organisation alone is amazing! And Overwhelming.
I took the clothes out of the box.
Now, let's put this in some perspective. I am from Trinidad. We have summer clothes. We only wear summer clothes and when it rains .. some people think "it making cold' and put on a sweater. All this tights and jacket and gloves and understockings and fleece and ting ... I have no idea about. I could barely dress MYSELF here and I have to dress a child? Hmmp!!.. Learn Jaemie .. Learn ... "
A little direction and I dressed the little boy. I couldn't believe the things that I should know! How on earth do you buy clothes for kids??? It must cost a fortune! Of course I put things on back-to-front and ting. And it was only after we were outside playing in the rain that I realised the little strap at the end of the rain clothes was supposed to go over the shoes .. and NOT the socks ... no worries ... it stays cleanner that way.
All bundled up we took the kids outside.
It was not as cold as I thought it would be, although I know that I had on alot of clothes for the first day because I was not sure how cool the inside of the kindergarden would be.
Long story short I stayed with 2 of the little boys. One was moving on his knees around the swing area leaving a line as his little boots dragged along the mulch. The other was on a little cycle trying to push. Neither of them was into walking. Two of the other teachers were with about 5 of the kids playing in the sand, while the other teacher was playing with the rest of them on a big tyre swing.
I think this was the time when I started wondering to myself....
What the hell am I doing here? I didn't know what to do with them?
Everyone, as if by queue, went inside, and I was left with these 2 kids. Trying to get them to walk was obviously not the right thing, as one of the teachers came along and whisked one away in her arms. I continued walking with the other. I'm a firm believer in making kids walk. I think its good for them. All these strollers and prams for kids is over done. (I say this now... but I know the real benefit to parents when arms are free and there is extra "drop stuff" space)
Inside we headed for lunch. I think it was the most eye opening point. Everything is sanitized, I'm sure. There was food on the table, on the floor, in the hair, on the clothes and everywhere. Only one kid gets fed. Everyone else can eat for themself. But yet again, I felt helpless and pretty much like a fool.. How does one communicate with kids, if one is supposed to be in the business of teaching them their OWN language; stimulating them with their OWN words???? I couldn't even ask "Do you want more" ?
Once lunch was over ... it was time to change diapers. Oh joy.
"Can you change her diaper, Jaemie"
"Sure"
I took her to the spot where the diapers are changed. She explained yet again an important documentation of what happened in the particular diaper. I was impressed. You document that? interesting...
She walked away.
I looked at the child looking up expectantly at me. I looked back at where the woman had walked away.
The last time I changed a diaper I was SEVEN! And this lady leaves me alone like if I've had 10 kids and knows just want to do.
Ok ... Ok .. no problem .. How hard can it be? ... I picked up the kid and started to the process. Between the time when you take off a diaper and put back on another one, I started back agast...
"Oh my Gorsh!" .. I stepped back. I stared horrified at what I saw.... did I cause that? .. this is disastrous..
"His pee pee is broken!".... I thought to myself that that could not be. Surely he would be crying. I took a closer look. Oh .. no ... its just very very small.
What did I really expect from a 1 year old?
N.B. The last time I changed a diaper I WAS SEVEN!!!.. This is NOT like learning to ride a bike.
I put on the diaper, and saw 5. .. hmm .. 5 .. what did that mean?? ... was that for the front or the back? ..
Some how the diaper didn't look quite right. So I turned it over and started again ... hmm .... still ... is this right?? ... Why does this look so wierd?
"How ya going in there" I heard a voice over my shoulder.
" Ummmmmmm .... which way is up?"
She laughs and tells me the tabs are always at the back. Note to self. When yuh ha yuh baby.. de tab is to de back!
That accomplished, it was sleep time.
That meant a whole new set of "sleeping clothes" pacifiers, Cuddle Clothes, stuffed animals and all the things that will make them sleep. All very warm clothes.
"We have to get them in very warm clothes and they all sleep in their prams outside" one teacher said.
"Outside" .. I was looking at her with disbelief
"Yes!" hmm.... interesting
And they all slept outside. The temperature was 9C and they slept outside. They slept outside.... I'm still trying to get over the fact that they all slept outside. Except one.
She finally stopped crying and was loving the attention that she got from 3 teachers. She was brilliant with reading and words and sentences for a 2 years old. Perhaps she is a little Einstein in the making? Who knows ... you never know with kids.
This is the only time that it was quiet. Each teacher had their "paperwork" to do. It was filling out internet updates for parents, filling out books that they do for each child to ensure that their parents have a picture documentation of what their kids were doing each day.
The documentation is amazing. Its very good as well. I'm sure it puts the Parents at rest and makes them feel like they are not missing out on their kids development so much.
It was lunch time for me and it was a time of meeting other teachers...They all seemed very nice, friendly and many of them knew each other from before or were related. It must be such a pleasant place to work.
Things really slowed down from there.
For the rest of the afternoon, I started wondering if this was something that I wanted to do for a long term; if by some miracle, I would turn into this child magnet and be able to communicate fluently, be as comfortable around kids as my mom. Perhaps that would happen one day ... .. Oh Pleeeease .. who am I fooling?
At the end of the day it was just 2 of us. We were having fruit with the kids. I think I had had alot for the day already. I was tired and very overwhelmed.
There was no conversation or communication between us 2 teachers. She manned her side of the table with the kids and I manned mine. At one point in time I thought maybe I wasn't there. Silly me. Maybe she's just not good at talking.
She reached over and broke apart some fruit for one of the kids on "my" side.... I could have done that... Just ask me. Would you like me to leave? Would you like these kiddies all for yourself? Gorsh ... she didn't even look in my direction .... I really might have just been a piece of fruit ... chewed up and spat out but a very hungry boy.
Maybe I should have been more talkative. This was really not making the day have a "happy ending".
Once food was done, we went back in for play. I finally got some of the kids playing with me and having fun. One by one Parents came along and it was wonderful to see their faces... both the kids and the parents of a reunion.
I hadn't stop looking at my watch waiting for 4 pm to come along ..... since 12:30pm.
It was now 3 pm. I had 3 children playing and I was actually starting to feel that I could do this ... albeit in very small doses.
Suddenly things start getting packed around me by the teacher. She seems a little angry to me. I have no idea what is going on. I assumed that we have to pack things back up .. but I'm not sure where .. how or why... I started helping her ... or at least trying to.
I wish she would just say what she is doing. Maybe she didn't want my help? Maybe I was a thorn in her side. Whatever it was, she was not being very friendly.
By the time I realised that she was taking everything off the floor and clearing it for proper cleaning, she had done it all already - No help asked for there. No problem superwoman.
After that it was watch and follow. No direction. I was left to figure out what was happening.
The last kids left and I still had 20 mins to wait. At this point, the friendliness had made me start to melt... in my eyes at least.
A cute Half chilian boy came up to me and asked me something. I had no idea what he said... I looked back at an older boy working there for a short while with a helpless look on my face...
The little boy repeated what he said ... There were adults all around .... Why couldn't anyone translate for me what this little cutie said? Maybe that was the last straw for the day for me... I fought back irritation in my eye...
At 4 pm.. I looked for the teacher to tell her that I was leaving. She spoke to me in Norwegian asking if I was ready. Yes I was. I was very ready ... you can't imagine how ready I was to leave.
As I packed up my things I cleared everything that I had planned to leave away, convinced that I would not spend another day in this place. This was not for me .... not all these kids and certainly not these feeling of incompetence and inability or unfriendliness.
I wish that I could say that it was a funny, exciting, thrilling or even just exhausting day. The whole day was one that I don't think I would ever forget... althought I would really like to..
I got into the car and was so overwhelmed with all the feelings that I had... I started to cry.
I cried all the way home and then cried some more at home.
I couldn't believe how horrid it seemed to me. It was just like a horrid first day of school.
But that doesn't mean that I won't give it another try. If its one thing that I must be here ... its step out of my comfort zone .... and I must learn this language ... or... By George... I won't make it here....
Besides .... Whey yuh say? its better I break someone else's kid ... and not mine .... right?
so perhaps that selfishness has manifested itself into something deeper ....
Babies - Babies are fine ... the don't do much ... but they get heavy after a while ... (gorsh I sound like Jake's Grandmother from 2 1/2 men!) They are beautiful to look at .. the miracle of birth... But I'm grossed out by the process OF birth that I see on TV .. OH! except water birth ... that makes so much sense to me!.
Toddlers - they are fine ... but they get so unruely ... how do you tame kids? And now that I live in a country where spanking is against the law, how do you teach a child respect, draw lines and boundaries without them turning out like Politically Correct American kids who will call the police on you if you slap their hand for digging into the cookie jar?
Kids - I like well behaved kids. Nothing drives me up a wall more than badly behaved kids. And that, I know is subjective. A badly behaved kid is not one who is running around in excitement or playing too roughly ... its the one who answers back.. Then again ... I am a firm believer in the Child Whisperer .... a child is only as badlly behaved as a parents allows them to be.
Anyhoos ... on with the story .. yes on with the story.
I needed a job, or at least some way to learn the language while making a bit of dinero to spend here in Expensive Norway (lol). A kindergarden was suggested. And thus began the plight, culminating after 2 months, in my first day of school.... barnehagen ... as its called here.
I must first admit that it took this long because I was very apprehensive. Did i REALLY WANT to work in a Kindergarten. That would mean being with kids all day long; hearing them talk and not understand them; having to deal with badly behaved kids and have no legal means of setting them straight. ..... did I really want this?
I walked in toting a bag filled with rain and warm clothes, extra shoes, rain pants .. everything that i could need for a trip outside... whatever the weather.
Norwegian names are now hard. They were not like that before. In fact, I think it was the government that prevented people from having many different names. So its NOW a fad to have a cool and different name. So of all the names that I learnt that day ... I remember ... a sum total ... of .... none.
I would be working with 1 and 2 year olds. The ones who are supposed to sleep all day, move slowly and eat alot, and not have that big of a vocabulary.
I was banking on the fact that we were perhaps at the same level in language .. these kids and I. The one thing I totally forgot, is what they would be learning is not how to meet people and where-are-you-from sort of conversation, but animals, colours, shapes etc . I hadn't reach there yet in my studies ... so it came down to the sentence "Hva a det?" Which I really hoped was "What is that?"
Of course what ever they told me ... I would just smile... because .. chances were... I didn't know it either.
Our group had 3 teachers/Assistants and I would be the 4th.
I honestly assumed that with any new job you would either have to shadow someone, or someone would be with you the whole time.. I mean we are talking about people's children here aren't we?
I had asked one of the ladies to please speak to me in Norwegian. If I didn't understand something that she said, I would ask her.
I followed her in a maze that the kindergarden was to where we would spend the day. Kids, as I past by, were staring at me like I was from a totally different planet. Its hard to gain confidence when the most honest of human beings looks at you strangely. They only show on their face what others around you are sometimes good at masking.
They are only children ... and you are bigger than them ... I kept chanting to myself ... trying to find the confidence I needed to start the day. It was obviously in some place where it could not hear me!
I walked into a large play area filled with 11 kids. All of different ages and heights from 1 to 2. There was one child crying. I remembered her from the first time I came there. She had cried for the whole time. She cried playing in the sad .. she cried ... oh no .. she actually was screaming. But she was screaming and doing things! It was like that was the way she breathed! She walked around doing things and screaming. So odd.
The Kids were darling. It was hard for me to get close to them because they were so afraid of someone new.
"Ok. We go outside now" the main teacher said.
"Everyone?" I asked..
"Everyone!" she replied.
I had to go and put back on all the clothes that I had. I knew that what u wore to work at Kindergarden with small children and what you wear as "home clothes" is going to be pretty much the same. I couldn't really sit on the ground too much because my jeans were a little too tight. I didn't have a pair of tights to destroy OR a sweat pants.
"Can you dress that one?" Someone said to me
I looked at the organisation. Every kid had a section, had their name on their pram, had a box for diapers with all their own stuff in it. The organisation alone is amazing! And Overwhelming.
I took the clothes out of the box.
Now, let's put this in some perspective. I am from Trinidad. We have summer clothes. We only wear summer clothes and when it rains .. some people think "it making cold' and put on a sweater. All this tights and jacket and gloves and understockings and fleece and ting ... I have no idea about. I could barely dress MYSELF here and I have to dress a child? Hmmp!!.. Learn Jaemie .. Learn ... "
A little direction and I dressed the little boy. I couldn't believe the things that I should know! How on earth do you buy clothes for kids??? It must cost a fortune! Of course I put things on back-to-front and ting. And it was only after we were outside playing in the rain that I realised the little strap at the end of the rain clothes was supposed to go over the shoes .. and NOT the socks ... no worries ... it stays cleanner that way.
All bundled up we took the kids outside.
It was not as cold as I thought it would be, although I know that I had on alot of clothes for the first day because I was not sure how cool the inside of the kindergarden would be.
Long story short I stayed with 2 of the little boys. One was moving on his knees around the swing area leaving a line as his little boots dragged along the mulch. The other was on a little cycle trying to push. Neither of them was into walking. Two of the other teachers were with about 5 of the kids playing in the sand, while the other teacher was playing with the rest of them on a big tyre swing.
I think this was the time when I started wondering to myself....
What the hell am I doing here? I didn't know what to do with them?
Everyone, as if by queue, went inside, and I was left with these 2 kids. Trying to get them to walk was obviously not the right thing, as one of the teachers came along and whisked one away in her arms. I continued walking with the other. I'm a firm believer in making kids walk. I think its good for them. All these strollers and prams for kids is over done. (I say this now... but I know the real benefit to parents when arms are free and there is extra "drop stuff" space)
Inside we headed for lunch. I think it was the most eye opening point. Everything is sanitized, I'm sure. There was food on the table, on the floor, in the hair, on the clothes and everywhere. Only one kid gets fed. Everyone else can eat for themself. But yet again, I felt helpless and pretty much like a fool.. How does one communicate with kids, if one is supposed to be in the business of teaching them their OWN language; stimulating them with their OWN words???? I couldn't even ask "Do you want more" ?
Once lunch was over ... it was time to change diapers. Oh joy.
"Can you change her diaper, Jaemie"
"Sure"
I took her to the spot where the diapers are changed. She explained yet again an important documentation of what happened in the particular diaper. I was impressed. You document that? interesting...
She walked away.
I looked at the child looking up expectantly at me. I looked back at where the woman had walked away.
The last time I changed a diaper I was SEVEN! And this lady leaves me alone like if I've had 10 kids and knows just want to do.
Ok ... Ok .. no problem .. How hard can it be? ... I picked up the kid and started to the process. Between the time when you take off a diaper and put back on another one, I started back agast...
"Oh my Gorsh!" .. I stepped back. I stared horrified at what I saw.... did I cause that? .. this is disastrous..
"His pee pee is broken!".... I thought to myself that that could not be. Surely he would be crying. I took a closer look. Oh .. no ... its just very very small.
What did I really expect from a 1 year old?
N.B. The last time I changed a diaper I WAS SEVEN!!!.. This is NOT like learning to ride a bike.
I put on the diaper, and saw 5. .. hmm .. 5 .. what did that mean?? ... was that for the front or the back? ..
Some how the diaper didn't look quite right. So I turned it over and started again ... hmm .... still ... is this right?? ... Why does this look so wierd?
"How ya going in there" I heard a voice over my shoulder.
" Ummmmmmm .... which way is up?"
She laughs and tells me the tabs are always at the back. Note to self. When yuh ha yuh baby.. de tab is to de back!
That accomplished, it was sleep time.
That meant a whole new set of "sleeping clothes" pacifiers, Cuddle Clothes, stuffed animals and all the things that will make them sleep. All very warm clothes.
"We have to get them in very warm clothes and they all sleep in their prams outside" one teacher said.
"Outside" .. I was looking at her with disbelief
"Yes!" hmm.... interesting
And they all slept outside. The temperature was 9C and they slept outside. They slept outside.... I'm still trying to get over the fact that they all slept outside. Except one.
She finally stopped crying and was loving the attention that she got from 3 teachers. She was brilliant with reading and words and sentences for a 2 years old. Perhaps she is a little Einstein in the making? Who knows ... you never know with kids.
This is the only time that it was quiet. Each teacher had their "paperwork" to do. It was filling out internet updates for parents, filling out books that they do for each child to ensure that their parents have a picture documentation of what their kids were doing each day.
The documentation is amazing. Its very good as well. I'm sure it puts the Parents at rest and makes them feel like they are not missing out on their kids development so much.
It was lunch time for me and it was a time of meeting other teachers...They all seemed very nice, friendly and many of them knew each other from before or were related. It must be such a pleasant place to work.
Things really slowed down from there.
For the rest of the afternoon, I started wondering if this was something that I wanted to do for a long term; if by some miracle, I would turn into this child magnet and be able to communicate fluently, be as comfortable around kids as my mom. Perhaps that would happen one day ... .. Oh Pleeeease .. who am I fooling?
At the end of the day it was just 2 of us. We were having fruit with the kids. I think I had had alot for the day already. I was tired and very overwhelmed.
There was no conversation or communication between us 2 teachers. She manned her side of the table with the kids and I manned mine. At one point in time I thought maybe I wasn't there. Silly me. Maybe she's just not good at talking.
She reached over and broke apart some fruit for one of the kids on "my" side.... I could have done that... Just ask me. Would you like me to leave? Would you like these kiddies all for yourself? Gorsh ... she didn't even look in my direction .... I really might have just been a piece of fruit ... chewed up and spat out but a very hungry boy.
Maybe I should have been more talkative. This was really not making the day have a "happy ending".
Once food was done, we went back in for play. I finally got some of the kids playing with me and having fun. One by one Parents came along and it was wonderful to see their faces... both the kids and the parents of a reunion.
I hadn't stop looking at my watch waiting for 4 pm to come along ..... since 12:30pm.
It was now 3 pm. I had 3 children playing and I was actually starting to feel that I could do this ... albeit in very small doses.
Suddenly things start getting packed around me by the teacher. She seems a little angry to me. I have no idea what is going on. I assumed that we have to pack things back up .. but I'm not sure where .. how or why... I started helping her ... or at least trying to.
I wish she would just say what she is doing. Maybe she didn't want my help? Maybe I was a thorn in her side. Whatever it was, she was not being very friendly.
By the time I realised that she was taking everything off the floor and clearing it for proper cleaning, she had done it all already - No help asked for there. No problem superwoman.
After that it was watch and follow. No direction. I was left to figure out what was happening.
The last kids left and I still had 20 mins to wait. At this point, the friendliness had made me start to melt... in my eyes at least.
A cute Half chilian boy came up to me and asked me something. I had no idea what he said... I looked back at an older boy working there for a short while with a helpless look on my face...
The little boy repeated what he said ... There were adults all around .... Why couldn't anyone translate for me what this little cutie said? Maybe that was the last straw for the day for me... I fought back irritation in my eye...
At 4 pm.. I looked for the teacher to tell her that I was leaving. She spoke to me in Norwegian asking if I was ready. Yes I was. I was very ready ... you can't imagine how ready I was to leave.
As I packed up my things I cleared everything that I had planned to leave away, convinced that I would not spend another day in this place. This was not for me .... not all these kids and certainly not these feeling of incompetence and inability or unfriendliness.
I wish that I could say that it was a funny, exciting, thrilling or even just exhausting day. The whole day was one that I don't think I would ever forget... althought I would really like to..
I got into the car and was so overwhelmed with all the feelings that I had... I started to cry.
I cried all the way home and then cried some more at home.
I couldn't believe how horrid it seemed to me. It was just like a horrid first day of school.
But that doesn't mean that I won't give it another try. If its one thing that I must be here ... its step out of my comfort zone .... and I must learn this language ... or... By George... I won't make it here....
Besides .... Whey yuh say? its better I break someone else's kid ... and not mine .... right?
Tuesday 12 October 2010
50 hours of Social Studies .... with an attitude..
Yes ...yes .. yes .. I know .. its been AGES!! ... I've missed you too .... :)
Not much is happening in my neck of the woods ... but things are picking up.
Last 2 weeks in my Norwegian class, my teacher speaks to a Canadian Guy and I who are both spouses (why couldn't we say spices???? Do you think that would make marraiges last longer??? Food for thought) and tell us that we have to do 50 hours of Norwegian social studies.
Mind you ... this is going to be a social studies class.... and there is a book AND the internet on all the chapters. So pray tell this lil chile... WHY must these people tek up meh Saturday? ... its just not fair!! Not Fair I tell thee!. So grudgingly I wake up at some horrific hour on a Saturday to trapse my little frozen bum to the same place I take it for Language ... To tell you how early it was ... I usually look at my neighbour's light in the morning while I'm doing something at the kitchen sink ..... there was no one blinking back at me ... who wakes up at 6:45am for a 8:30 am Class on a Satuday????? .... oh By the way! .. telling time in Norwegian is a language in itself! ... I heard that Denmark has a hard counting system .... well Klokka here is pretty horrid too....
At the class there are some recognisable faces from my language class and this is not a teacher student class the teacher tells us... its an interactive one. This is great. I leave my warm home for an interactive class with an interactive Teacher instead of interacting with the same thing on the computer ... .geez . Computers are so much more sensitive of our time. humpf!
There is nothing exciting about this class .... save one thing.
An American Man. This blog is dedicated solely to my friend ... who seems to .... well... here's the story from my brown eyes.
He walks into the class after being on the phone "Found it!" he says loudly ... as Americans do. He slumps down annoyed into a chair ...
The teacher asks kindly to come over to the other side so that we can all see each other ... there were after all .. only 2 of us sitting on the opposite side. He moves to the chair next to him facing the teacher in the "U" formation of chairs.
The teacher explains and forms our deepest darkest thoughts .. why they would bring us out on a Saturday .... it turned out to be better for 7 Saturdays than many evenings... I could dig that. It will be done soon too! Thank God!.
Anyhoos ... the end all and be all the story is we need to do this in order to complete the 'program' for immigration ..if we don't want to be kicked out .... put it bluntly.
"What if you don't care?"
Ah yes .... my American comrade.... of course an American would say this ... I am not against US .. just let me make it clear ... but honestly ... the people there have a pride and glory thing that while admirable is sooo ohhhh sooo annoying!.
He rephrased his question to say " What if it didn't matter to you?" ...
Poor teacher .. she did such a good job of being nice ... but I can just see a Trini teacher telling de man..
"Well den bro .. doh waste my time, your time and de res ah people in de class time... if yuh eh tink it worth coming to .... ride out broddah!"
But that's not what she said. I think from then on he just became an annoyance to me ... and the more he was there .. the more he annoyed me.
Why is it that he annoyed me so much?
Cuz he was a black man. Why is it HE.. of all the people.. had to have no behaviour... steups... geez and ages!
Now I LOVE to delve into people's minds, cultures, past etc to figure out what makes them behave the way they do. Caribbean Black men and American Black men do not behave the same way in their Country (Very important fact there).
The guy started claiming that Norwegians were discrimiating against language etc and that he couldn't get a job. I understand and sympathize. I can imagine what it must be like for a guy to be home stuck without a job while his wife is the breadwinner for the whole family. It must dig into the ego... but this guy seemed to bring his grips of American back to Norway. He tapped the table with his pen, Moved and shifted in his seat a million times. Honestly .. it took everything I had in me to not get up calmly and walk accross to him with my book and wakk him accross his head telling him" Chile yuh better get some manners here and behave yuhself or I'll throw you out dis class eh."
Between 3 of us I realised that I was not the only person who was having stories to tell about the Norwegian system. And truth be told I think the teacher was seriously embarrassed about the stories that we could tell her. She said that we should write a book ... Of course I told I already had a blog! .... :)
Poor guy ... I kept thinking to myself that he must be going through a really tough time here ... he couldn't even get a job as a cleaner or a bus driver.
I would like to tell him what his down fall is.... his attitude. Can you imagine someone coming up to you and telling you that you can't get a job because you don't speak the language? and then that person raising his voice and getting pretty scary about it in front of you... I imagined him like that ...yes that is judging ... but don't tell me you have not looked at someone's behaviour for 7 hrs (as I did) and decide that he was his own worst enemy.
At lunch time, I decided to try to be nice ... since I was another red person in the room :) ...
Trying to be calm, understanding etc, I asked him ... "So ... Why ARE you here then?" ..
"Same reason as you are" He retorted, never looking up from the Norwegian book he was reading.
I looked at him for a few more seconds .... then looked away with a tiny sigh to the book that I was pretending to thumb through.... but there was one thing and one thing only that I wanted to say to him ....
"And THAT Ladies and Gentlemen .... is why YOU can't get a job .... yuh Addiduuuuude.... it stinks!!!..." in typical Monique the Comedian Fashion. But instead I calmly got up, went meh way with a little smile...
A few says after the class, I saw him in the grocery. He was at the cashier ...about to leave. I was walking in. I looked at him and smiled and waved, then continued on my way.
Suddenly he was behind me, as I was looking at the lettuce, with his hand outstretched to shake mine.
"I'm sorry about the other day. I was having a bad day"
I was totally confused... ... what did he do to me??? I just kept staring at him bewildered.
"I was very short when you asked me a question" ..
"OH THAT!" .. don't worry about it" I replied and shook his hand.... albeit unwillingly, but in the back of my mind, I was thinking that I hoped he got up in class and made that same apology.
It was not just me that was subjected to his "bad day" ... it was everyone.
I was not in class the next Saturday so I can't say if there was a change ... but I'll see this Saturday if there is any change, and maybe ... just maybe... I might drum up enough courage to tell him to put his ego aside and see if he has better luck getting a job...
Whey yuh Say? ... Addidude people ..... addidude!!
Not much is happening in my neck of the woods ... but things are picking up.
Last 2 weeks in my Norwegian class, my teacher speaks to a Canadian Guy and I who are both spouses (why couldn't we say spices???? Do you think that would make marraiges last longer??? Food for thought) and tell us that we have to do 50 hours of Norwegian social studies.
Mind you ... this is going to be a social studies class.... and there is a book AND the internet on all the chapters. So pray tell this lil chile... WHY must these people tek up meh Saturday? ... its just not fair!! Not Fair I tell thee!. So grudgingly I wake up at some horrific hour on a Saturday to trapse my little frozen bum to the same place I take it for Language ... To tell you how early it was ... I usually look at my neighbour's light in the morning while I'm doing something at the kitchen sink ..... there was no one blinking back at me ... who wakes up at 6:45am for a 8:30 am Class on a Satuday????? .... oh By the way! .. telling time in Norwegian is a language in itself! ... I heard that Denmark has a hard counting system .... well Klokka here is pretty horrid too....
At the class there are some recognisable faces from my language class and this is not a teacher student class the teacher tells us... its an interactive one. This is great. I leave my warm home for an interactive class with an interactive Teacher instead of interacting with the same thing on the computer ... .geez . Computers are so much more sensitive of our time. humpf!
There is nothing exciting about this class .... save one thing.
An American Man. This blog is dedicated solely to my friend ... who seems to .... well... here's the story from my brown eyes.
He walks into the class after being on the phone "Found it!" he says loudly ... as Americans do. He slumps down annoyed into a chair ...
The teacher asks kindly to come over to the other side so that we can all see each other ... there were after all .. only 2 of us sitting on the opposite side. He moves to the chair next to him facing the teacher in the "U" formation of chairs.
The teacher explains and forms our deepest darkest thoughts .. why they would bring us out on a Saturday .... it turned out to be better for 7 Saturdays than many evenings... I could dig that. It will be done soon too! Thank God!.
Anyhoos ... the end all and be all the story is we need to do this in order to complete the 'program' for immigration ..if we don't want to be kicked out .... put it bluntly.
"What if you don't care?"
Ah yes .... my American comrade.... of course an American would say this ... I am not against US .. just let me make it clear ... but honestly ... the people there have a pride and glory thing that while admirable is sooo ohhhh sooo annoying!.
He rephrased his question to say " What if it didn't matter to you?" ...
Poor teacher .. she did such a good job of being nice ... but I can just see a Trini teacher telling de man..
"Well den bro .. doh waste my time, your time and de res ah people in de class time... if yuh eh tink it worth coming to .... ride out broddah!"
But that's not what she said. I think from then on he just became an annoyance to me ... and the more he was there .. the more he annoyed me.
Why is it that he annoyed me so much?
Cuz he was a black man. Why is it HE.. of all the people.. had to have no behaviour... steups... geez and ages!
Now I LOVE to delve into people's minds, cultures, past etc to figure out what makes them behave the way they do. Caribbean Black men and American Black men do not behave the same way in their Country (Very important fact there).
The guy started claiming that Norwegians were discrimiating against language etc and that he couldn't get a job. I understand and sympathize. I can imagine what it must be like for a guy to be home stuck without a job while his wife is the breadwinner for the whole family. It must dig into the ego... but this guy seemed to bring his grips of American back to Norway. He tapped the table with his pen, Moved and shifted in his seat a million times. Honestly .. it took everything I had in me to not get up calmly and walk accross to him with my book and wakk him accross his head telling him" Chile yuh better get some manners here and behave yuhself or I'll throw you out dis class eh."
Between 3 of us I realised that I was not the only person who was having stories to tell about the Norwegian system. And truth be told I think the teacher was seriously embarrassed about the stories that we could tell her. She said that we should write a book ... Of course I told I already had a blog! .... :)
Poor guy ... I kept thinking to myself that he must be going through a really tough time here ... he couldn't even get a job as a cleaner or a bus driver.
I would like to tell him what his down fall is.... his attitude. Can you imagine someone coming up to you and telling you that you can't get a job because you don't speak the language? and then that person raising his voice and getting pretty scary about it in front of you... I imagined him like that ...yes that is judging ... but don't tell me you have not looked at someone's behaviour for 7 hrs (as I did) and decide that he was his own worst enemy.
At lunch time, I decided to try to be nice ... since I was another red person in the room :) ...
Trying to be calm, understanding etc, I asked him ... "So ... Why ARE you here then?" ..
"Same reason as you are" He retorted, never looking up from the Norwegian book he was reading.
I looked at him for a few more seconds .... then looked away with a tiny sigh to the book that I was pretending to thumb through.... but there was one thing and one thing only that I wanted to say to him ....
"And THAT Ladies and Gentlemen .... is why YOU can't get a job .... yuh Addiduuuuude.... it stinks!!!..." in typical Monique the Comedian Fashion. But instead I calmly got up, went meh way with a little smile...
A few says after the class, I saw him in the grocery. He was at the cashier ...about to leave. I was walking in. I looked at him and smiled and waved, then continued on my way.
Suddenly he was behind me, as I was looking at the lettuce, with his hand outstretched to shake mine.
"I'm sorry about the other day. I was having a bad day"
I was totally confused... ... what did he do to me??? I just kept staring at him bewildered.
"I was very short when you asked me a question" ..
"OH THAT!" .. don't worry about it" I replied and shook his hand.... albeit unwillingly, but in the back of my mind, I was thinking that I hoped he got up in class and made that same apology.
It was not just me that was subjected to his "bad day" ... it was everyone.
I was not in class the next Saturday so I can't say if there was a change ... but I'll see this Saturday if there is any change, and maybe ... just maybe... I might drum up enough courage to tell him to put his ego aside and see if he has better luck getting a job...
Whey yuh Say? ... Addidude people ..... addidude!!
Wednesday 15 September 2010
"Travelling" to Knarvik Center
I hate "travelling". It's a term we Trinidadians use to mean "Taking public transport". There is a big difference with our Public Transportation and American, English or even norwegian Public Transportation. Its hot and sweaty and you litterally have to fight to get into a taxi sometimes. Not just a taxi all for me... its a 'shared' taxi. Where the taxi driver waits to 'fill' up his car or mini van. This can sometimes take as long as 30 mins. Its usually as annoying as having to wait in line ... only its hot, sweaty and drags your day on for what seems like hours. Trying to fight the Maxi Taxi line in City Gate..... that is another story ... one of which I hope to not have to tell ... in association with Norway LOL ... Anyways .... on with the story ... (YES! On with our story!)
Last week was perhaps the better week to try to use public Transportation with wonderful weather, but that's not how it worked out.
I had to grudgingly wake up 30 mins earlier than I usually do, and get ready faster. Hubby was off to work unusually early and had to pick up someone from the airport , or else I would have begged for a drop to school.
Ah .. yes ... rain .. of course. Bundled up and scarffed I walked to the bus stand with my umbrella ... A cute little wooden shed on one side .. .and a .... well lame sign on the other side going the other direction. I got the shed :).
I got to school ok. Asked someone just to make sure I got on the right bus. School was especially tiring.
I sorted out my bank card and account right after school and walked outside to find the bus.
Hmm .. I'm not too sure which one I'm taking, since the bus I took- the 341 -didn't drop me in front the Center, but at a school nearby. Perhaps I should walk back there?
I walked to a friend who worked at a store in the Center and she got online and told me I had 15 minutes to catch the same 341 heading back home. Perfect ... Piece of cake.
I headed out the Shopping Center .... Vooosh .... as I opened the umbrella the entire head of it came off..... there went my umbrella.... a guy walking into the Center was snickering at me ... I thought it was funny too ... sort of... I tried to get the top back on the stick .... Nope ... it was not staying ... there must be something broken. Ah well. I tossed it in the bin nearby and noticed another umbrella in the bin... hehehehe ... That's why people just where the rain coats.... it won't break on you. I didn't have that luxurious item. It would not have matched my outfit today....
I raced upstairs to where I had seen some umbrellas and bought the first black one that could fold into a smaller back. Hurrying back downstairs, I got ready to open my umbrella .... no rain... Of course. I tossed it in my bag.
I walked back to where the bus had dropped me off. I couldn't see the bus stop sign ( a little bus on a stick .. literally), so I walked along the route backwards and waited at the nearest Bus Shed on the main road. I had15 mins.
I pulled out a book to read. Glad I brought it along. 3:15pm. Any moment now the bus should come along. Oh yes! .. I forgot my watch is fast so that I would be ontime. Typical trini move. Oh Lovely the sun came out. No need for the new umbrella now. How Murphy! About 3 busses have passed already, all slowing down in anticipation that I would hop on. 3:20.... Hmmm .. its late ... it should be coming filled with school kids.
3:30pm ... not a single bus has passed with 341 on it. I thought that I must be at the wrong bus stop and decided to walk to the other main road and see if I could find another spot to pick up the 341. I walked past a bus rest stop .. i think .. there were lots of buses saying "nobina" .. what ever that means...... what ever it was , I realised it must mean "no service" "off duty" or something, since they were all empty.
Maybe I should have asked one of the bus drivers where I could get the bus, but my pride stopped me and besides I figured that it really couldn't have been THAT complicated? .. Could it?
Yea Right.
As I passed under the bridge and reached the other side of the big main road, I started walking back ..
Oh.....
No.....
I stopped and stared in disbelief at what I was seeing ... that is NOT a 341 I seeing and I on the WRONG side of the road now ....
Steups.
That bus was EMPTY. Which means it must have just started right there.
That's ok.
I can walk..
. I'll just walk back to the first bus stop that it would make.
I walked over the bridge...now its not a small bridge eh .. this bridge joins 2 islands together and the wind was blowing so much, I was sure it was going to blow me into the oncoming cars, trucks and of course busses... just rub my nose in the dirt.
I pass under the by pass again now and walk on the other side of the road. At least I was on the right side to get the bus. Good! Now I was in the perfect position to not only get the bus.. but to get the best seat in the house!
I keep looking in one direction, to the left from whence my bus will come.... the rain starts to drizzle... I'm so glad I rushed back to get that umbrella. It was one of those cute push button ones that just pop open. I love those. They are so easy!. I was pressing the button. Press ... press .. press .. it says up and down so i guess I need the up button ... press press press ... I was trying hard NOT to look like I was fighting with the umbrella I JUST bought now. The rain is getting heavier... Come ON stupid Umbrella .... ! Finally the umbrella grudgingly decides to open and not a minute too late.... the rain came pouring!! ... I look down and realise that the button is broken and I have to keep my finger on it in order to prevent it from falling off and not being able to open or close the umbrella at all. Great!!!! ... This is a new Umbrella.... broken .... Yuh know I taking it back to the store next time I go to class!
Of course I started feeling like a poe-me-one. I'm standing on the side of the road, Rain pouring, its cold, the wind is blowing, and cars are vooshing past me like Wow!
A 341! ... Yay! ..and it was empty! I'm so glad... its now been 35mins or so since I left the last bus shed. This has been a Whole hour of waiting and I was getting very hungry. School was over since 2pm! and I still had to walk the dog! I walked out further to signal that I was interested in boarding.. I started to flag my hand since I thought it was driving too fast. I looked the driver right in the eye.
VOOOSH!!!!!!!.
The Bus past me straight..... I turned to watch it leave .... Splashing rain mist in the air ..... I waited until any car that might have seen that bit of ignoration would have gone.....
In complete dejection, Slumping under the umbrella that I had to carefully hold to keep the broken button, I continued walking in the direction that the bus passed me straight. It MUST stop somewhere. I started having all these thoughts of why on earth would I be taking a bus when I feeling cold.??? That is just NOT cool. I don't think its cool ever to move from a tropical place to have to take a bus in the cold... that is not my idea of cool ... and I may as well head back to warmth.....
You know usually when you walk you see so many more things than you do not when you drive past a place. Well this time I didn't see a THING except the ground. I had the umbrella right at my head so people couldn't see my face as I walked. The rain and wind continued to do its thing. All the while , I was working my self up into a serious frenzy. There were moments of tears and then anger that I could be so stupid to not check it out before I left home in the first place.
Finally I reached a change point for busses. There were 4 different bus sheds on the same side with different names on them. I got under the right one and finally settled down to wait for the bus.
In about 3 minutes the 341 came around and I couldn't be happier that it stopped.
I reached home around 5 pm. It took a total of 2 hours to make a trip that normally takes 10 mins by car.
Of course, when I reached home, my husband showed me that there was a bus terminal right across the road from the Center and I should have gone there and they would have told me what I needed to take. Too late buddy! Misery done already. Next time.... grrrrrr... next time...
I hate taking public transportation ... ... don't you?
Whey yuh say?
Last week was perhaps the better week to try to use public Transportation with wonderful weather, but that's not how it worked out.
I had to grudgingly wake up 30 mins earlier than I usually do, and get ready faster. Hubby was off to work unusually early and had to pick up someone from the airport , or else I would have begged for a drop to school.
Ah .. yes ... rain .. of course. Bundled up and scarffed I walked to the bus stand with my umbrella ... A cute little wooden shed on one side .. .and a .... well lame sign on the other side going the other direction. I got the shed :).
I got to school ok. Asked someone just to make sure I got on the right bus. School was especially tiring.
I sorted out my bank card and account right after school and walked outside to find the bus.
Hmm .. I'm not too sure which one I'm taking, since the bus I took- the 341 -didn't drop me in front the Center, but at a school nearby. Perhaps I should walk back there?
I walked to a friend who worked at a store in the Center and she got online and told me I had 15 minutes to catch the same 341 heading back home. Perfect ... Piece of cake.
I headed out the Shopping Center .... Vooosh .... as I opened the umbrella the entire head of it came off..... there went my umbrella.... a guy walking into the Center was snickering at me ... I thought it was funny too ... sort of... I tried to get the top back on the stick .... Nope ... it was not staying ... there must be something broken. Ah well. I tossed it in the bin nearby and noticed another umbrella in the bin... hehehehe ... That's why people just where the rain coats.... it won't break on you. I didn't have that luxurious item. It would not have matched my outfit today....
I raced upstairs to where I had seen some umbrellas and bought the first black one that could fold into a smaller back. Hurrying back downstairs, I got ready to open my umbrella .... no rain... Of course. I tossed it in my bag.
I walked back to where the bus had dropped me off. I couldn't see the bus stop sign ( a little bus on a stick .. literally), so I walked along the route backwards and waited at the nearest Bus Shed on the main road. I had15 mins.
I pulled out a book to read. Glad I brought it along. 3:15pm. Any moment now the bus should come along. Oh yes! .. I forgot my watch is fast so that I would be ontime. Typical trini move. Oh Lovely the sun came out. No need for the new umbrella now. How Murphy! About 3 busses have passed already, all slowing down in anticipation that I would hop on. 3:20.... Hmmm .. its late ... it should be coming filled with school kids.
3:30pm ... not a single bus has passed with 341 on it. I thought that I must be at the wrong bus stop and decided to walk to the other main road and see if I could find another spot to pick up the 341. I walked past a bus rest stop .. i think .. there were lots of buses saying "nobina" .. what ever that means...... what ever it was , I realised it must mean "no service" "off duty" or something, since they were all empty.
Maybe I should have asked one of the bus drivers where I could get the bus, but my pride stopped me and besides I figured that it really couldn't have been THAT complicated? .. Could it?
Yea Right.
As I passed under the bridge and reached the other side of the big main road, I started walking back ..
Oh.....
No.....
I stopped and stared in disbelief at what I was seeing ... that is NOT a 341 I seeing and I on the WRONG side of the road now ....
Steups.
That bus was EMPTY. Which means it must have just started right there.
That's ok.
I can walk..
. I'll just walk back to the first bus stop that it would make.
I walked over the bridge...now its not a small bridge eh .. this bridge joins 2 islands together and the wind was blowing so much, I was sure it was going to blow me into the oncoming cars, trucks and of course busses... just rub my nose in the dirt.
I pass under the by pass again now and walk on the other side of the road. At least I was on the right side to get the bus. Good! Now I was in the perfect position to not only get the bus.. but to get the best seat in the house!
I keep looking in one direction, to the left from whence my bus will come.... the rain starts to drizzle... I'm so glad I rushed back to get that umbrella. It was one of those cute push button ones that just pop open. I love those. They are so easy!. I was pressing the button. Press ... press .. press .. it says up and down so i guess I need the up button ... press press press ... I was trying hard NOT to look like I was fighting with the umbrella I JUST bought now. The rain is getting heavier... Come ON stupid Umbrella .... ! Finally the umbrella grudgingly decides to open and not a minute too late.... the rain came pouring!! ... I look down and realise that the button is broken and I have to keep my finger on it in order to prevent it from falling off and not being able to open or close the umbrella at all. Great!!!! ... This is a new Umbrella.... broken .... Yuh know I taking it back to the store next time I go to class!
Of course I started feeling like a poe-me-one. I'm standing on the side of the road, Rain pouring, its cold, the wind is blowing, and cars are vooshing past me like Wow!
A 341! ... Yay! ..and it was empty! I'm so glad... its now been 35mins or so since I left the last bus shed. This has been a Whole hour of waiting and I was getting very hungry. School was over since 2pm! and I still had to walk the dog! I walked out further to signal that I was interested in boarding.. I started to flag my hand since I thought it was driving too fast. I looked the driver right in the eye.
VOOOSH!!!!!!!.
The Bus past me straight..... I turned to watch it leave .... Splashing rain mist in the air ..... I waited until any car that might have seen that bit of ignoration would have gone.....
In complete dejection, Slumping under the umbrella that I had to carefully hold to keep the broken button, I continued walking in the direction that the bus passed me straight. It MUST stop somewhere. I started having all these thoughts of why on earth would I be taking a bus when I feeling cold.??? That is just NOT cool. I don't think its cool ever to move from a tropical place to have to take a bus in the cold... that is not my idea of cool ... and I may as well head back to warmth.....
You know usually when you walk you see so many more things than you do not when you drive past a place. Well this time I didn't see a THING except the ground. I had the umbrella right at my head so people couldn't see my face as I walked. The rain and wind continued to do its thing. All the while , I was working my self up into a serious frenzy. There were moments of tears and then anger that I could be so stupid to not check it out before I left home in the first place.
Finally I reached a change point for busses. There were 4 different bus sheds on the same side with different names on them. I got under the right one and finally settled down to wait for the bus.
In about 3 minutes the 341 came around and I couldn't be happier that it stopped.
I reached home around 5 pm. It took a total of 2 hours to make a trip that normally takes 10 mins by car.
Of course, when I reached home, my husband showed me that there was a bus terminal right across the road from the Center and I should have gone there and they would have told me what I needed to take. Too late buddy! Misery done already. Next time.... grrrrrr... next time...
I hate taking public transportation ... ... don't you?
Whey yuh say?
Thursday 9 September 2010
The Saga Continues with Kiwi Frekhaug
Obviously ... Kiwi Frekhaug and I have a love Hate relationship ... and its fast leaning towards the HATE feelings. Remember last time when I needed to get my post? And I needed all sorts of ID? .. then after all the trouble I needed to go through to Actually GET the post including a letter from the bank saying the information was incorrect, including having to return 3 times...?...
Well I needed to go to the Bank. We have already established that my passport is my ONLY recognisable ID in a country where no one really knows me.... So if this were to be lost by me ... it would horrible....
So imagine my mortification .... I can't think of anything more horrible .... when I realised that I had forgotten my passport in the KIWI Frekhaug :( .
Yes .... Multiply MY response by 1000000.... the world has just turned into all those folklore tales with La Diablesse and ting? ... well this is now my horror.
I go back to check to see if I per chance .... of horror... and nightmare on elm street... forgot my passport in this beautiful example of 1st world Service and effeciency
"Ah yes " The SAME girl I dealt with last time tells me.
I had gone there at 8:20 am before my class in the hope that it would be a quick and painless recovery.
What on earth was I thinking....
The girl was still looking for it ... and after her initial reaction of " Oops ... hmm I'm sure I put it here", the horror movie had begun.
After about 5 mins of looking, and asking the ONE other girl there, she comes back and tells me casually, "No, we can't find it" ....
I beg your pardon??? .. you .... can't.... fiiiiind .. it?.... you .... can't FIIIIIIIND .... iiitt??? ..
Calm Jaemie, think of the poppies in the field.
She tells me to come back afterwards, when she would have talked to everyone...
I give her my phone number and ask her to please call me.
In class I'm thinking ... She must be crazy. Didn't I fill out a form with my name and Telephone number on it? Why didn't she call me to tell me I forgot the passport? ... After she left it in the photocopy machine.... ok ok ok . I . ME ... JAEMIE ... didn't remember to TAKE it back... but that's only because I was soooo focused on getting my ONE letter that had a norwegian ID on it back.
I come back after class confident that it must have just been placed in a "safe keeping" and not in the cashier's box at the front.
Its not there..... She still can't find it.
to be continued.....
Well I needed to go to the Bank. We have already established that my passport is my ONLY recognisable ID in a country where no one really knows me.... So if this were to be lost by me ... it would horrible....
So imagine my mortification .... I can't think of anything more horrible .... when I realised that I had forgotten my passport in the KIWI Frekhaug :( .
Yes .... Multiply MY response by 1000000.... the world has just turned into all those folklore tales with La Diablesse and ting? ... well this is now my horror.
I go back to check to see if I per chance .... of horror... and nightmare on elm street... forgot my passport in this beautiful example of 1st world Service and effeciency
"Ah yes " The SAME girl I dealt with last time tells me.
I had gone there at 8:20 am before my class in the hope that it would be a quick and painless recovery.
What on earth was I thinking....
The girl was still looking for it ... and after her initial reaction of " Oops ... hmm I'm sure I put it here", the horror movie had begun.
After about 5 mins of looking, and asking the ONE other girl there, she comes back and tells me casually, "No, we can't find it" ....
I beg your pardon??? .. you .... can't.... fiiiiind .. it?.... you .... can't FIIIIIIIND .... iiitt??? ..
Calm Jaemie, think of the poppies in the field.
She tells me to come back afterwards, when she would have talked to everyone...
I give her my phone number and ask her to please call me.
In class I'm thinking ... She must be crazy. Didn't I fill out a form with my name and Telephone number on it? Why didn't she call me to tell me I forgot the passport? ... After she left it in the photocopy machine.... ok ok ok . I . ME ... JAEMIE ... didn't remember to TAKE it back... but that's only because I was soooo focused on getting my ONE letter that had a norwegian ID on it back.
I come back after class confident that it must have just been placed in a "safe keeping" and not in the cashier's box at the front.
Its not there..... She still can't find it.
to be continued.....
Wednesday 8 September 2010
Fly yuh Flag!
Norway is a new independent nation. They became a free Independent Kingdom in 1945. This is Norway's National Day. The entire country is very patriotic since they were once joined with Denmark and Sweden and are happy to be independent and free!
But the most beautiful thing to me are the flag poles in almost every yard!. This is not like america where you have a pole attached to your house or something .. These are the big ole 9 meter tall poles!!!!
On May 17th, Norway's National Day, it is traditional to fly a full sized norwegian flag. Of course in the streets there are the smaller ones, there are parades, there is fireworks etc ... but at your house there is a huge Flag flying proudly.
There are set "Flag days" they call them. You can see all of them here if you are interested in some more history. These days include the Birthdays of the monarchy, Easter, Christmas, New Years.
But the more endearing practices are Family Birthdays. It is allowed to fly the flag for someone's birthday since it is a celebration.
Weddings - When someone is getting married, the family usually hoists the flag for the day. It is also customary for the entire village to do the same, whether or not they are invited.
Funerals - It is perfectly appropriate for the village to hoist their flag at half mast for members of their family or members of the community who have died on the day of the funeral.
When I learnt of this comradery, it made my pores raise. It is such a beautiful thing to join together in something like weddings and funerals to show your support for your neighbours!
But then again , Trinis does make Anything a celebration .. so maybe the flags will be hoisted every day. And yuh know how we have big mamajama weddings and funerals where everyone from all over will come to pay the last respects? ... hmmmm well actually .. the way tings going now, there will always be a flag flying half mast and/or full mast in a village... so much ting is go on nowadays.
I can imagine that it would be such an amazing thing. Do you remember when the Soca Warriers made it to Germany?? ... The patriotic spirit was so evident. Can you imagine having a huge flag pole with large Trini flags flying?
For Independence day this year ... I wanted to fly my flag high as well. Unfortunately though, our flag pole didn't have string. My husband, as ingenious as wonderful as he is,devised a plan to get that flag flying for the day!
A Window Washer screwed to the wall and the flag was up! :) ..
Whey yuh say??? All meh people living outta Trini? HOLLAAA!
But the most beautiful thing to me are the flag poles in almost every yard!. This is not like america where you have a pole attached to your house or something .. These are the big ole 9 meter tall poles!!!!
On May 17th, Norway's National Day, it is traditional to fly a full sized norwegian flag. Of course in the streets there are the smaller ones, there are parades, there is fireworks etc ... but at your house there is a huge Flag flying proudly.
There are set "Flag days" they call them. You can see all of them here if you are interested in some more history. These days include the Birthdays of the monarchy, Easter, Christmas, New Years.
But the more endearing practices are Family Birthdays. It is allowed to fly the flag for someone's birthday since it is a celebration.
Weddings - When someone is getting married, the family usually hoists the flag for the day. It is also customary for the entire village to do the same, whether or not they are invited.
Funerals - It is perfectly appropriate for the village to hoist their flag at half mast for members of their family or members of the community who have died on the day of the funeral.
When I learnt of this comradery, it made my pores raise. It is such a beautiful thing to join together in something like weddings and funerals to show your support for your neighbours!
But then again , Trinis does make Anything a celebration .. so maybe the flags will be hoisted every day. And yuh know how we have big mamajama weddings and funerals where everyone from all over will come to pay the last respects? ... hmmmm well actually .. the way tings going now, there will always be a flag flying half mast and/or full mast in a village... so much ting is go on nowadays.
I can imagine that it would be such an amazing thing. Do you remember when the Soca Warriers made it to Germany?? ... The patriotic spirit was so evident. Can you imagine having a huge flag pole with large Trini flags flying?
For Independence day this year ... I wanted to fly my flag high as well. Unfortunately though, our flag pole didn't have string. My husband, as ingenious as wonderful as he is,devised a plan to get that flag flying for the day!
A Window Washer screwed to the wall and the flag was up! :) ..
 |
| The Trinidad and Tobago Flag flying proudly in Norway on Independence Day 2010 |
I can't believe that I don't have Trini Tshirt???!!! None!! .. I didn't even have something Red white and black to wear on Independence day! ... Terrible I know!! .. I'll fix it next year!..
But we still have Republic day to come .. so YUH know I have to get meh a HUGE trini flag to fly high here! .... If you feel so inclined, feel free to ship one over for me :)
I love being patriotic when I'm outside of Trinidad... it makes the pride of the Islands so much more real.
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Which comes first.. the Post or the ID Part 2
UPDATE:
2 weeks later......
Since then ... just to let you know ... I STILL was not let off the hook. Mail came in the post to tell me that I had to go back to the Post Office because they had not completed the information correctly.
STEUPS!!! What were they going to do? Take my card if I didn't go? Cancel it? Its being used .. surely they could see that?
Fine!
Went back to the Post and presented my letter along with my country registration letter.
Needless to say ... another long line was created behind me, unfortunately for the hot, blond, too made up, too short skirt for her age chick who came to the desk just behind me (and was making alot of noise that there were no one at the counter in the first place), the girl was unsure of what to do for me.
She seems to read the letter I got from the bank.... taking a rather long time.
"ah ... I see " the girl is saying ...
when it is obvious that she is not sure why on earth I'm giving her my letter of registration to the country.
"Do you have a number for the package"
"I picked up the package already. There was a problem with the form that you guys had filled out. You have to fill it out again and take this number down (pointing the letter)" I summarized the letter for her.... Since she obviously had difficulty doing it herself. All this WAS mentioned in the letter.
Ah .. ok ... she goes again ... she better really get it this time .. because my patience with this stupid system has reached all all time low. Why can't we just pick it up from the bank itself? .. What is SOOO hard with that? That way you can take a mug shot, my finger print, my toe print ... what ever you want so that I don't have to be subjected to the post incompetence and Lack of knowledge of the BANK way of working! ..
sigh all is well now ...
What is to is... it can't ARE right?
But if I get another letter from the bank ... yuh know dis red gyul eh going back to no grocery-store-acting-for-the-post-office-acting-for-the-bank again. I going STRAIGHT to the bank and let them clear it up...
wha ..? yuh feel I like waysin' meh time feeling like a dotish chupidee ah wha?
Whey yuh say?
2 weeks later......
Since then ... just to let you know ... I STILL was not let off the hook. Mail came in the post to tell me that I had to go back to the Post Office because they had not completed the information correctly.
STEUPS!!! What were they going to do? Take my card if I didn't go? Cancel it? Its being used .. surely they could see that?
Fine!
Went back to the Post and presented my letter along with my country registration letter.
Needless to say ... another long line was created behind me, unfortunately for the hot, blond, too made up, too short skirt for her age chick who came to the desk just behind me (and was making alot of noise that there were no one at the counter in the first place), the girl was unsure of what to do for me.
She seems to read the letter I got from the bank.... taking a rather long time.
"ah ... I see " the girl is saying ...
when it is obvious that she is not sure why on earth I'm giving her my letter of registration to the country.
"Do you have a number for the package"
"I picked up the package already. There was a problem with the form that you guys had filled out. You have to fill it out again and take this number down (pointing the letter)" I summarized the letter for her.... Since she obviously had difficulty doing it herself. All this WAS mentioned in the letter.
Ah .. ok ... she goes again ... she better really get it this time .. because my patience with this stupid system has reached all all time low. Why can't we just pick it up from the bank itself? .. What is SOOO hard with that? That way you can take a mug shot, my finger print, my toe print ... what ever you want so that I don't have to be subjected to the post incompetence and Lack of knowledge of the BANK way of working! ..
sigh all is well now ...
What is to is... it can't ARE right?
But if I get another letter from the bank ... yuh know dis red gyul eh going back to no grocery-store-acting-for-the-post-office-acting-for-the-bank again. I going STRAIGHT to the bank and let them clear it up...
wha ..? yuh feel I like waysin' meh time feeling like a dotish chupidee ah wha?
Whey yuh say?
Monday 6 September 2010
Whatever happened to "home clothes"
Ever watched those sitcoms on TV and ever wondered if these people wake up and put on nice clothes and makeup and do up their hair and ting???
I did.
I used to wonder whatever happened to "home clothes"? ... surely these people can't expect us to believe that they wake up and look fabulous for the "unsuspecting camera" ???
Alas, I think that I have gathered that it must be true.
Since I have been here ... I have not worn ONE of my "home clothes" .... it just seems too ... well ... old ?... its more to be thrown away... turned into rags, burnt at the stake rather than something that you are happy and comfortable in.
I mean, it is almost a guarantee that you have to go out and do something like shopping or pay a visit to a neighbour ... and you dont want to be looking like a lamo.
So all my summer dresses and "good clothes" have been turned into "home clothes". So technically, they ARE still home clothes .. .things that I could be seen outside in ...
And then there is home jeans (lol) ... oh lors ... but this is not the bussup poom poom shorts you used to wear in Trini ... this is proper jeans. After all .. it needs to keep you warm!.
Its hard to tell my husband's home sweaters from his "going out" sweaters .. because they all seem good to me ... I mean I know the new ones but the ones that have been around for a while .. they are the tough ones...
So, I'm seriously considering that wonderful world of wake up like yuh going to work ... when yuh really staying home .. and yuh MIGHT hadda go to de super market to get ... oh bread and milk (which we seem to buy EVERY DAY because , according to my husband, de bread ole).
Cleaning house looking WELL dandy with makeup (at least mascara and blush for me - I won't leave home without it!) So if someone comes knocking on your door .... JUST like in the sitcoms ... yuh doh have to run inside and put on something decent!
Whey yuh say?
I did.
I used to wonder whatever happened to "home clothes"? ... surely these people can't expect us to believe that they wake up and look fabulous for the "unsuspecting camera" ???
Alas, I think that I have gathered that it must be true.
Since I have been here ... I have not worn ONE of my "home clothes" .... it just seems too ... well ... old ?... its more to be thrown away... turned into rags, burnt at the stake rather than something that you are happy and comfortable in.
I mean, it is almost a guarantee that you have to go out and do something like shopping or pay a visit to a neighbour ... and you dont want to be looking like a lamo.
So all my summer dresses and "good clothes" have been turned into "home clothes". So technically, they ARE still home clothes .. .things that I could be seen outside in ...
And then there is home jeans (lol) ... oh lors ... but this is not the bussup poom poom shorts you used to wear in Trini ... this is proper jeans. After all .. it needs to keep you warm!.
Its hard to tell my husband's home sweaters from his "going out" sweaters .. because they all seem good to me ... I mean I know the new ones but the ones that have been around for a while .. they are the tough ones...
So, I'm seriously considering that wonderful world of wake up like yuh going to work ... when yuh really staying home .. and yuh MIGHT hadda go to de super market to get ... oh bread and milk (which we seem to buy EVERY DAY because , according to my husband, de bread ole).
Cleaning house looking WELL dandy with makeup (at least mascara and blush for me - I won't leave home without it!) So if someone comes knocking on your door .... JUST like in the sitcoms ... yuh doh have to run inside and put on something decent!
Whey yuh say?
Saturday 4 September 2010
Just the Simple life.... on the Islands
Just to be clear .... this has not been a big ole jolly life (well in some respects it has)... but it is also filled with missing home, missing friends and missing people I love like family.....
But the Life here on the Islands (They call them Islanders .. funny that!) is actually quiet simple.
A long time ago, the islanders were not joined to the main land. Their main economy was fishing and agriculture, there were many many farms. In fact, where we lived right now, used to be part of the land that my husband's family had their farm. Yes, the hubby was a "farm boy"... which only added to his charm for me.... because it is such a genuine person.... no pretences and knows what it means to work hard for something. His father worked really hard and created quite a name for himself on the island and the area.
Some of the things that are very endearing about the Islands now is that there is never any clutter; the houses, the cars, the groceries etc. There is space for everyone and most people have a fair amount of space around them.
Once the island was connected to the main land via ferries. There were ferries to and from everywhere, row boats (in place of the little speed ones now). And most of the houses that were not part of a farm, were actually vacation or summer cabins. These cabins, unlike in Trinidad (where u can find a beach house as larger or even larger than a normal house) were usually tiny.. and when I say tiny .. I mean tiny!!!. It was amazing that people can be comfortable in them... much less have a vacation!
Something that I find very endearing about the island Holsnøy are their Postboxes! ...
Many people have artistic talent or try to and have some beautifully painted boxes.
Now you must be thinking painting a mailbox would be like sculpture on the inside of a needle ... which by the way is amazing, but their mailboxes are not like ours back home in Trinidad. They are usually bigger.
But that is nothing new to the world of post boxes .... There are apparantly many different ways you can have a post box in this world.. if only we could have more interesting ones in Trinidad! ..
But the Life here on the Islands (They call them Islanders .. funny that!) is actually quiet simple.
A long time ago, the islanders were not joined to the main land. Their main economy was fishing and agriculture, there were many many farms. In fact, where we lived right now, used to be part of the land that my husband's family had their farm. Yes, the hubby was a "farm boy"... which only added to his charm for me.... because it is such a genuine person.... no pretences and knows what it means to work hard for something. His father worked really hard and created quite a name for himself on the island and the area.
Some of the things that are very endearing about the Islands now is that there is never any clutter; the houses, the cars, the groceries etc. There is space for everyone and most people have a fair amount of space around them.
Once the island was connected to the main land via ferries. There were ferries to and from everywhere, row boats (in place of the little speed ones now). And most of the houses that were not part of a farm, were actually vacation or summer cabins. These cabins, unlike in Trinidad (where u can find a beach house as larger or even larger than a normal house) were usually tiny.. and when I say tiny .. I mean tiny!!!. It was amazing that people can be comfortable in them... much less have a vacation!
Something that I find very endearing about the island Holsnøy are their Postboxes! ...
Many people have artistic talent or try to and have some beautifully painted boxes.
Now you must be thinking painting a mailbox would be like sculpture on the inside of a needle ... which by the way is amazing, but their mailboxes are not like ours back home in Trinidad. They are usually bigger. Not only are they bigger, but they are also usually all together. You won't find a postbox on your gate.... the post man (or lady) will not drive or walk all the way to your very deserted house out here in the "wilderness" called the islands.
They would have a little house of their own and the postperson can put all the post in one place. It makes for very effecient post collecting and post putting ... I mean imagine that the post people would be sooo happy! ... No dogs scratching ... cats barking at them ... it would be a blissful job ... at last!
But that is nothing new to the world of post boxes .... There are apparantly many different ways you can have a post box in this world.. if only we could have more interesting ones in Trinidad! ..
In our little road, we have darling post boxes as well. The pictures are of Dogs, Norway Scenery, Norwegian Trolls.
We thought that we wanted something to remind us of home :) ...
So we got Astrid to do something extra special for us and she did an amazing job!!! .. Thanks Astrid!! We love ya! |
| Holsnøy Postboxes |
Thursday 26 August 2010
First day of school jitters, blues and shoes
Ever since I've reached to Norway, there has been talk about me learning the language. I'm anxious to be part of conversations .. or at least be able to respond to people... especially the jokes- since there seem to be so many!.
to be ready for 8:30 am seems like a Port of Spain run to me now.... After I have been waking up at 8 am .... and more recently a bit earlier... but this time I have to be ready, belly filled, hair and make-up, drive and arrive .. by 8:30 am.
Needless to say, I was late. But only by a little bit. Had I chosen to eat something before I left, maybe I would have reached at the break and no one would have noticed me sneak in. I reached, parked and then I couldn't find the actual door to get into! Alas. I was not the only one that that had happened to. The girl I sat next to (from Poland) told me that the reason she didn't come last week was because she could not find it either. Poor chile, she drove 40 km to reach here and turn right back around.
Jaw and I had just come back from a little road trip. We needed some groceries. When I walked outside, even though the class had been dismissed early, there were tons of young people all around.... the kind that would perhaps be cruel to you I imagined. They were talking loudly, incessantly and were everywhere .... like germs...
You gots to be kidding me.....
My boot sole was coming off. Starting at the heel. It was making a loud slapping noise everytime I walked.
I had about 10 huge stairs to walk down past all these young girls sitting on it... at a perfect angle to hear and see it.
I think Murphy must be following me around or something .... How does this happen to me? I started almost dragging my feet as the flapping of the shoes increased. I could feel it coming off more and more, faster and faster. How far is the car??? Oh gorm man.... why dis hadda happen now?
hmmm . opps.... now one foot was higher than the other ...
A lady and her daughter were walking past and pretended not to see my poor embarrassing plight.
Thanks lady .. I really appreciate that ....
I walked back to pick up the sad and sorry sole from off the ground and dumped everything into the trunk. On tiptoe with one foot I humbly got into the car and drove away.
The end? I wish.... Driving home ... the other sole was feeling a bit left out and started to come out more and more with each press of the clutch.
Sure why not ....
This is why people, we Trini women LOVE to have a million shoes in our car .... for days like these!
to be ready for 8:30 am seems like a Port of Spain run to me now.... After I have been waking up at 8 am .... and more recently a bit earlier... but this time I have to be ready, belly filled, hair and make-up, drive and arrive .. by 8:30 am.
Needless to say, I was late. But only by a little bit. Had I chosen to eat something before I left, maybe I would have reached at the break and no one would have noticed me sneak in. I reached, parked and then I couldn't find the actual door to get into! Alas. I was not the only one that that had happened to. The girl I sat next to (from Poland) told me that the reason she didn't come last week was because she could not find it either. Poor chile, she drove 40 km to reach here and turn right back around.
Its getting colder these days.. it was 11 C this morning.. I thought that it would stay that cold all day .... so I put on my trusty boots ... something that I hung onto since my Aussie days, 6 years ago! :) .. I knew it would come in handy SOMEday!
The class was taught in Norwegian. yes ... Its a norwegian class, taught in Norwegian. There were 17 people in the class, 3 men and almost all the other girls were wives brought to the lovely cold by their husbands, be it for their jobs, or that they were from Norway. Note to self. Norwegian guys sure do like their Thai girls!! :) There were 5 of them there!Of course no one had ever HEARD about Trinidad and Tobago .. but that's besides the fact.... The 2 polish girls I sat next to were in the back .... an easy seat to get to when you would like to sit after interrupting the class for coming late.
Really it was not that bad. Although I MUST remember that I need something to eat ... I totally forgot about this school thing .... recess.... meeting new people etc ... its so alarmingly difficult. I think everytime I've started a new school I knew at least one person. Oh no wait .. I lie.... that Event Management course ... I didn't know honky dory.There were many times in the class I was totally bermused ... bewildered and confused ... what was she talking about?... I would put my face in the most questionably confused contortion that I could to make her say whatever she said in English. Thanks fuh dat eh.... Talk about throwing us to the sharks???whhheeeeyy sahhh!
I've grown fond of studying people a little bit, making up stories of their life. There was a lady to the back who was making jokes with her seat mate alot. I could tell that she was going to be the class comic relief ever so often... She must have been in her 50s .... Good on her to learn a new language now!There were 3 or 4 from Poland, 1 from Canada, Latvia, 1 Girl From El Salvador, 1 guy from ... gorsh .. I have no idea where .. somewhere in Africa and they speak Arabic, 6 from Thailand - 5 girls 1 boy. And me
The class was over early. The teacher is young. She could be my age I suppose. But her manner was very cold and stand offish... Does she smile? I wonder ..... funny that.Jaw and I had just come back from a little road trip. We needed some groceries. When I walked outside, even though the class had been dismissed early, there were tons of young people all around.... the kind that would perhaps be cruel to you I imagined. They were talking loudly, incessantly and were everywhere .... like germs...
Groceries in hand almost bursting in the bag, there was no space for the bread so I was holding that in my hand, back pack on my back I started walking towards the car.
What is that noise? And what is ..... You gots to be kidding me.....
My boot sole was coming off. Starting at the heel. It was making a loud slapping noise everytime I walked.
I had about 10 huge stairs to walk down past all these young girls sitting on it... at a perfect angle to hear and see it.
I think Murphy must be following me around or something .... How does this happen to me? I started almost dragging my feet as the flapping of the shoes increased. I could feel it coming off more and more, faster and faster. How far is the car??? Oh gorm man.... why dis hadda happen now?
I taking deep breaths hoping that it would not fall apart on me then and there leaving behind an un wanted sole.
I was almost to the car .... I tried to drag my feet even closer to the ground to help the noise.... hmmm . opps.... now one foot was higher than the other ...
A lady and her daughter were walking past and pretended not to see my poor embarrassing plight.
Thanks lady .. I really appreciate that ....
I walked back to pick up the sad and sorry sole from off the ground and dumped everything into the trunk. On tiptoe with one foot I humbly got into the car and drove away.
In the car I was shaking my head ... what is going on with my shoes.. that's the second one to do that to me!
I love a reason to shop ...but good grief ... this is ridiculous!The end? I wish.... Driving home ... the other sole was feeling a bit left out and started to come out more and more with each press of the clutch.
Sure why not ....
This is why people, we Trini women LOVE to have a million shoes in our car .... for days like these!
 |
| Right sole had had enough of people walking on it. |
Whey yuh Say?
Tuesday 24 August 2010
Make sure your side kick is WIDE awake
Last week my husband was away for business for 3 whole days. I know its not that much .. but I missed him, and since I'm sitting at home with not much to do, I thought that I would tag along this trip.
We took a ferry (Norway is King of Ferries!) from Bergen to Ålesund. The ferry itself was nothing to brag about, but when at 4 am the stabalizers on the boat kicked in .... and kicked in ..... and kicked in ... I no longer was having a sweet sleep. These things sounded as though we were running aground to me. I kept looking outside to make sure we were far away from land!
This coupled with only one cup of coffee for breakfast and my eyes were red. I felt wide awake... why were my eyes red?
Hubby's first customer was a darling man. He owned his own Surveying business and had a huge building for his massive company .... of 2. He spoke in English and was jolly and looked like he loved life! I was staring at surveyed pictures of many different things including people on his walls. I stuck the gum I was chewing to the roof of my mouth. I had visited my own Customers once - chewing gum was not considered professional.
Once the pleasantries were all over, they got down to business. Norwegian was the language spoken and of course the equipment. Move along people, nothing to interest here. My eyes started wandering around looking at all the things in his office.
I opened my eyes..... oh my Gorsh! ... did I just BEP? I looked first at my husband, Jaw then at his customer. Neither was looking my way .... at this time... my brain added.
Ok Ok ... my eyes started crossing and my head started feeling like it was about drop suddenly ... light and lovely quick sleeps were filling my innermost desires.
Please Jaemie , stay awake. I started opening my eyes as wide as I possible could.
How embarrassing it would be if my husband's client saw me falling asleep?? What a terrible image for Jaw that would be! .... oh dear ... think Jaemie.
I started digging my nails into the back of my hand, trying to think of stimulating thoughts..... raunchy or otherwise. I had to keep my eyes awake. I had to stay professional for the sake of my husband! Thank God they were looking away from me intently at a screen! Maybe they won't notice if I have a slip.
A Laptop opens. Their attention is now turned towards that, which , Murphy's Law, is right in front of me. If I only dipped my head slightly, Closed my eyes or blinked - they would notice.
I was digging my nails even harder - a tactic I've often used in church if I was very tired. The idea behind it is the the pain would push adrenaline into my system and wake me up. Was it working? Obviously .. not today.
The gum came off the roof of my mouth and I started to chew as inconspicously as possible. Nibbling it between my teeth so I won't make slurping noises.. which would add to my inevitable embarassment.
Jaw looked at me and smiled. I could tell he was saying, just a little while longer.
I looked longingly at a used cup of coffee on the table. Imagining that the dried up coffee on the rim was hot and in my own cup. Maybe if I imagined drinking coffee I could trick my brain?
Wait! Is that a whole thermal of coffee down there?? Oh if only I could get some.
Why was this office so quiet? if it was in Trinidad there would definitely be a radio with 95, 94 or 105 or maybe even Issac 98 going on! SOMETHING!!!
People please look at the other screen .... I'm fighting a losing battle here. My eyes were burning and I could tell that they were no longer interested in my mind games.
In the background I was hearing REO Speedwagon'.. and I can't fight this feeling anymore.... I forgotten what I started fighting fooooooooorrrrrr.....'
In a minor Panic I looked around lest I had closed my eyes.....
I hear a big sigh.....
'Coffee anyone?' The customer says...
In my most calm and hesitant voice I say .... 'hmmmm Ja..... Takk'
He walks away to get some mugs and I let out a breath and physically open my eyes with my fingers. Jaw starts chuckling at me.
'You need to make sure your side kick is wide awake next time .. ok?' ent?
whey yuh say?....
We took a ferry (Norway is King of Ferries!) from Bergen to Ålesund. The ferry itself was nothing to brag about, but when at 4 am the stabalizers on the boat kicked in .... and kicked in ..... and kicked in ... I no longer was having a sweet sleep. These things sounded as though we were running aground to me. I kept looking outside to make sure we were far away from land!
This coupled with only one cup of coffee for breakfast and my eyes were red. I felt wide awake... why were my eyes red?
Hubby's first customer was a darling man. He owned his own Surveying business and had a huge building for his massive company .... of 2. He spoke in English and was jolly and looked like he loved life! I was staring at surveyed pictures of many different things including people on his walls. I stuck the gum I was chewing to the roof of my mouth. I had visited my own Customers once - chewing gum was not considered professional.
Once the pleasantries were all over, they got down to business. Norwegian was the language spoken and of course the equipment. Move along people, nothing to interest here. My eyes started wandering around looking at all the things in his office.
I opened my eyes..... oh my Gorsh! ... did I just BEP? I looked first at my husband, Jaw then at his customer. Neither was looking my way .... at this time... my brain added.
Ok Ok ... my eyes started crossing and my head started feeling like it was about drop suddenly ... light and lovely quick sleeps were filling my innermost desires.
Please Jaemie , stay awake. I started opening my eyes as wide as I possible could.
How embarrassing it would be if my husband's client saw me falling asleep?? What a terrible image for Jaw that would be! .... oh dear ... think Jaemie.
I started digging my nails into the back of my hand, trying to think of stimulating thoughts..... raunchy or otherwise. I had to keep my eyes awake. I had to stay professional for the sake of my husband! Thank God they were looking away from me intently at a screen! Maybe they won't notice if I have a slip.
A Laptop opens. Their attention is now turned towards that, which , Murphy's Law, is right in front of me. If I only dipped my head slightly, Closed my eyes or blinked - they would notice.
I was digging my nails even harder - a tactic I've often used in church if I was very tired. The idea behind it is the the pain would push adrenaline into my system and wake me up. Was it working? Obviously .. not today.
The gum came off the roof of my mouth and I started to chew as inconspicously as possible. Nibbling it between my teeth so I won't make slurping noises.. which would add to my inevitable embarassment.
Jaw looked at me and smiled. I could tell he was saying, just a little while longer.
I looked longingly at a used cup of coffee on the table. Imagining that the dried up coffee on the rim was hot and in my own cup. Maybe if I imagined drinking coffee I could trick my brain?
Wait! Is that a whole thermal of coffee down there?? Oh if only I could get some.
Why was this office so quiet? if it was in Trinidad there would definitely be a radio with 95, 94 or 105 or maybe even Issac 98 going on! SOMETHING!!!
People please look at the other screen .... I'm fighting a losing battle here. My eyes were burning and I could tell that they were no longer interested in my mind games.
In the background I was hearing REO Speedwagon'.. and I can't fight this feeling anymore.... I forgotten what I started fighting fooooooooorrrrrr.....'
In a minor Panic I looked around lest I had closed my eyes.....
I hear a big sigh.....
'Coffee anyone?' The customer says...
In my most calm and hesitant voice I say .... 'hmmmm Ja..... Takk'
He walks away to get some mugs and I let out a breath and physically open my eyes with my fingers. Jaw starts chuckling at me.
'You need to make sure your side kick is wide awake next time .. ok?' ent?
whey yuh say?....
Thursday 19 August 2010
Common sense line ... this way..
There is nothing more fulfulling than driving confidently in a place that you have never actually driven yourself.. alone. And that's what I did today. I was VERY proud of myself! no wait .. I AM! Its one thing to drive in a place with crazy drivers (Trinidad) and quite another to do it in a large very controlled one (Bergen). My trip to Bergen today started just fine. I gave myself 45 minutes to make the 30 min drive and reached in good time.
Oopss .. wrong lane and I am forced to turn right with a truck ... ok .. follow the truck Jaemie. I had never been there tho so I can't even figure out where to turn around.... Ahhh ... a car park, maybe I can 3 point turn?? Nope .. there was a road..... even better.
I ended up heading all the way to the top floor of the car park and parked as far away from other cars as I could ... (hubby has the car door ding syndrome nah)! crap... it was a little crooked ... I was certainly not going back to the car ... I had driven around in 5 circles already... before I actually found a spot.
Breathing a sigh of relief I walked in to meet up with a new friend as planned.
I had a lovely lunch in a beautiful city said my good byes and jumped into the car to drive home.
Uneventful.... yes ... what happens next will scare you.
I forgot the parking ticket in the car.... I remember My husband was always a little impatient behind drivers who have to pay at the exit. You have 2 lines to choose from .. depending on how many cars, the line is normally easy to choose.... you think it should be a quick simple .. put the card in, machine tells u how much u have to pay and then you put your credit card in, pull it out, Barrier goes up and you drive on. its not always that easy....sometimes you get stuck behind someone who obviously cannot use their common sense...
Sorry ...I was one of those today.
I reach the machine most annoyed with myself because I know that it does take a little longer and there may be impatient people behind me on this busy second day of school. I was trying to get out of the city before the rush hour started.
I put the ticket in ... someone can't read signs...... i had to put it in a different way ... duh plucky .. read!. I had my Card ready... trying to be as swift as I could....
I pulled the card out and looked at the machine ...
Where do you put the card now??? Ah ... here is the sign .... I tried to put the card into the slot... it would not go in... I pushed upwards towards the sky ... pushed away from me.....
I looked at the machine... Some man shouts something angrily from behind.... I'm sure he was trying to help ... only thing is ... I DON'T SPEAK NORWEGIAN!!!! ......
I've thought about getting a temporary sign to put on the car saying "Forgive me, I speak English and I'm not from here..... just let me squeeze in if I'm in the wrong lane!" .
If I had that on the car, for sure someone would have helped me out in English.
It was a good thing I chose to not put the top down ... surely I would have been looking around at the other drivers with a helpless bambi look ... ... hahaha.. And on top of that everyone who passed by would have gotten a good view of the idiot woman at the ticket pay machine
Where on earth do you put the credit card? ... By now the driver behind me must have given up on the hope of making that green light... again.... and now just shaking his/her head as I was frantically trying to put my credit card into a crevace designed to perhaps open the machine for maintenance. :s
and in a state of panic I just shoved the card in the only available space .... since 4 cars had passed through in the other lane already.....
Ah ... right ... the same place you put the parking ticket in..... of course ... ... ...
MEGGIED myself right there... cuz I really deserved it! Meggie? ..
Wrong way again , Coonoomoonoo.
Then the man behind must have just about opened his car door to come box meh in meh face. and start one big commesse...
Quickly I looked at the sign again and put the bankCard in the right way.....
what now??? What did it say??? .. I have no idea .. : s. it was in Norwegian ... (boy I can't wait to know this language!).... I got back my card .. but there was still no open barrier ...
Why won't it open so that I can drive away and hope that the person behind me was from Timbucktoo or something and not know what to do either....
Yea right ... fat chance but anyhoos...
The Barrier opened when the ticket finally came back out I grabbed it as fast as I could and tried to zoom away.....
At the traffic light, I kept my head down.... I pulled my shades over my eyes and hoped that the person who was behind me did not drive right next to me and give me that dangerous cut-eye look
I started reliving the last few minutes and started digging the hole in road in front of me. Inside, I was Cracking up at myself and how stupid I must have looked. I have no idea who was behind me in the line. I I don't ever want to know ...ever ..... I just wanted the ordeal to be over.
So next time you stuck behind someone and you waiting impatiently for them to do something that you think is easy .... try to help em out nah man eh ..... oh gorm ...
Whey yuh say?
Oopss .. wrong lane and I am forced to turn right with a truck ... ok .. follow the truck Jaemie. I had never been there tho so I can't even figure out where to turn around.... Ahhh ... a car park, maybe I can 3 point turn?? Nope .. there was a road..... even better.
I ended up heading all the way to the top floor of the car park and parked as far away from other cars as I could ... (hubby has the car door ding syndrome nah)! crap... it was a little crooked ... I was certainly not going back to the car ... I had driven around in 5 circles already... before I actually found a spot.
Breathing a sigh of relief I walked in to meet up with a new friend as planned.
I had a lovely lunch in a beautiful city said my good byes and jumped into the car to drive home.
Uneventful.... yes ... what happens next will scare you.
I forgot the parking ticket in the car.... I remember My husband was always a little impatient behind drivers who have to pay at the exit. You have 2 lines to choose from .. depending on how many cars, the line is normally easy to choose.... you think it should be a quick simple .. put the card in, machine tells u how much u have to pay and then you put your credit card in, pull it out, Barrier goes up and you drive on. its not always that easy....sometimes you get stuck behind someone who obviously cannot use their common sense...
Sorry ...I was one of those today.
I reach the machine most annoyed with myself because I know that it does take a little longer and there may be impatient people behind me on this busy second day of school. I was trying to get out of the city before the rush hour started.
I put the ticket in ... someone can't read signs...... i had to put it in a different way ... duh plucky .. read!. I had my Card ready... trying to be as swift as I could....
I pulled the card out and looked at the machine ...
Where do you put the card now??? Ah ... here is the sign .... I tried to put the card into the slot... it would not go in... I pushed upwards towards the sky ... pushed away from me.....
I looked at the machine... Some man shouts something angrily from behind.... I'm sure he was trying to help ... only thing is ... I DON'T SPEAK NORWEGIAN!!!! ......
I've thought about getting a temporary sign to put on the car saying "Forgive me, I speak English and I'm not from here..... just let me squeeze in if I'm in the wrong lane!" .
If I had that on the car, for sure someone would have helped me out in English.
It was a good thing I chose to not put the top down ... surely I would have been looking around at the other drivers with a helpless bambi look ... ... hahaha.. And on top of that everyone who passed by would have gotten a good view of the idiot woman at the ticket pay machine
Where on earth do you put the credit card? ... By now the driver behind me must have given up on the hope of making that green light... again.... and now just shaking his/her head as I was frantically trying to put my credit card into a crevace designed to perhaps open the machine for maintenance. :s
and in a state of panic I just shoved the card in the only available space .... since 4 cars had passed through in the other lane already.....
Ah ... right ... the same place you put the parking ticket in..... of course ... ... ...
MEGGIED myself right there... cuz I really deserved it! Meggie? ..
Wrong way again , Coonoomoonoo.
Then the man behind must have just about opened his car door to come box meh in meh face. and start one big commesse...
Quickly I looked at the sign again and put the bankCard in the right way.....
what now??? What did it say??? .. I have no idea .. : s. it was in Norwegian ... (boy I can't wait to know this language!).... I got back my card .. but there was still no open barrier ...
Why won't it open so that I can drive away and hope that the person behind me was from Timbucktoo or something and not know what to do either....
Yea right ... fat chance but anyhoos...
The Barrier opened when the ticket finally came back out I grabbed it as fast as I could and tried to zoom away.....
At the traffic light, I kept my head down.... I pulled my shades over my eyes and hoped that the person who was behind me did not drive right next to me and give me that dangerous cut-eye look
I started reliving the last few minutes and started digging the hole in road in front of me. Inside, I was Cracking up at myself and how stupid I must have looked. I have no idea who was behind me in the line. I I don't ever want to know ...ever ..... I just wanted the ordeal to be over.
So next time you stuck behind someone and you waiting impatiently for them to do something that you think is easy .... try to help em out nah man eh ..... oh gorm ...
Whey yuh say?
Sunday 15 August 2010
What makes us different ... is what makes us alike
Today was church. My faith in Jesus Christ has long been my stabling ground. He has been the driving force behind my strength, my joy, my faith, my resolute; without the solid rock, Jesus Christ, on which I stand, I certainly would have been much less than what I am today... my life would have been nothing to speak of... if I still had it.
We go to a Pinsekirken here in Norway - A pentecostal Church. At first, I was very dissapointed because I wanted to go to something like Hillsong in Australia. This Church is alive with Worship, music and Artistic glory. Instead this church is filled with old people, sings songs that are slow and sometimes have a defeated tone (don't ask me the words .. its all in Norwegian).
Norway is a Christian Nation, where the church and the state are still one. The school system teaches R.I. and you are taught Communion in school... not in church.
Sundays are days of rest. They hold that dear to them and their families. Not many things are open except those that considered in a certain class. In order to operate your business on a Sunday you need a special permit and you can get a hefty fine if you are doing business on a Sunday.
Alcohol is hidden in the groceries after 8 pm most nights. And there is no selling of Alcohol on a Sunday! Wow! ... this is an amazing feat in a society that has such global influence.
Why then, do they only put importance on one part of the Christian life and not on others?
Getting married in Norway is perhaps one of the rarest activites that you can get invited to. I kid you not. Most couples in Norway are content to have children, live, work and raise children without the legal committment. Of course in this society, this is such a norm. But my Feminie Antenae goes up when I see these things. Perhaps the Norwegian Government has a way to ensure that these women are protected, as well as their children in case of a break up or God forbid a death.
But why they tolerate it, is beyond me. When you live with someone for 10 years, have their kids, wash their clothes etc, how can I be comfortable with that? As a woman? As it seems as though many women WANT to get married, but the guys don't seem to be interested.
This is unacceptable to me. But I have to realise also that to get married in Norway is no cheap feat.
Its is dissappointing to me... for a country who still had the state and church joined together.... (surprise!) Where the kids are still read Bible stories in Kindergarden and not about Politically correct things (as Seasame Street is doing), where Sunday is still sleepy and people value their families so much.
I remember hearing one couple say that if they child asked them to get married... then they would. So much for a committment to each other .... based on child's request.
Caribbean women, although they do have those that perhpas don't believe in marriage etc. they would insist upon it at some point in time perhaps... just to make it "official" even if...
Children learn so much from their parents... whether we want to believe it or not. This is how its continued. If the parents were fine with it .. why should the child do something the parents never did?
Marraige for me has not only made me love this man more .... than I thought possible... but it has also opened my eyes to just how difficult it can be, how restricting we can make it seem, how easy it is to fall out of love with someone just because we have now grown so accustomed to them. But at the end of the day ... and the end of life ..... isn't it wonderful to know that someone made a lifelong committment to you in front of friends, family and wellwishers... to love you ... only you .... through sickness and health, happiness or sorrow, richer or for poorer... the age old words are more powerful than what we can make up.... because it means it is unconditional.... I choose to be with you... I choose to spend my days wrapped up in your successes.... supporting you .... loving you more .... our spouses come first .. even before kids.... it is the reason the kids were their ... the love of a union.....
Despite the stigmas attached to Marraige, I believe it is the most powerful contract that we can ever make in our life..... one that should not be taken lightly .... one that should make our hearts beat faster just thinking about it... One that should be cherished .... forever.....
How can 2 people ... truely... truely .. in love ... not want that from each other?
What yuh say? ..... What do you think of marraige?
We go to a Pinsekirken here in Norway - A pentecostal Church. At first, I was very dissapointed because I wanted to go to something like Hillsong in Australia. This Church is alive with Worship, music and Artistic glory. Instead this church is filled with old people, sings songs that are slow and sometimes have a defeated tone (don't ask me the words .. its all in Norwegian).
Norway is a Christian Nation, where the church and the state are still one. The school system teaches R.I. and you are taught Communion in school... not in church.
Sundays are days of rest. They hold that dear to them and their families. Not many things are open except those that considered in a certain class. In order to operate your business on a Sunday you need a special permit and you can get a hefty fine if you are doing business on a Sunday.
Alcohol is hidden in the groceries after 8 pm most nights. And there is no selling of Alcohol on a Sunday! Wow! ... this is an amazing feat in a society that has such global influence.
Why then, do they only put importance on one part of the Christian life and not on others?
Getting married in Norway is perhaps one of the rarest activites that you can get invited to. I kid you not. Most couples in Norway are content to have children, live, work and raise children without the legal committment. Of course in this society, this is such a norm. But my Feminie Antenae goes up when I see these things. Perhaps the Norwegian Government has a way to ensure that these women are protected, as well as their children in case of a break up or God forbid a death.
But why they tolerate it, is beyond me. When you live with someone for 10 years, have their kids, wash their clothes etc, how can I be comfortable with that? As a woman? As it seems as though many women WANT to get married, but the guys don't seem to be interested.
This is unacceptable to me. But I have to realise also that to get married in Norway is no cheap feat.
Its is dissappointing to me... for a country who still had the state and church joined together.... (surprise!) Where the kids are still read Bible stories in Kindergarden and not about Politically correct things (as Seasame Street is doing), where Sunday is still sleepy and people value their families so much.
I remember hearing one couple say that if they child asked them to get married... then they would. So much for a committment to each other .... based on child's request.
Caribbean women, although they do have those that perhpas don't believe in marriage etc. they would insist upon it at some point in time perhaps... just to make it "official" even if...
Children learn so much from their parents... whether we want to believe it or not. This is how its continued. If the parents were fine with it .. why should the child do something the parents never did?
Marraige for me has not only made me love this man more .... than I thought possible... but it has also opened my eyes to just how difficult it can be, how restricting we can make it seem, how easy it is to fall out of love with someone just because we have now grown so accustomed to them. But at the end of the day ... and the end of life ..... isn't it wonderful to know that someone made a lifelong committment to you in front of friends, family and wellwishers... to love you ... only you .... through sickness and health, happiness or sorrow, richer or for poorer... the age old words are more powerful than what we can make up.... because it means it is unconditional.... I choose to be with you... I choose to spend my days wrapped up in your successes.... supporting you .... loving you more .... our spouses come first .. even before kids.... it is the reason the kids were their ... the love of a union.....
Despite the stigmas attached to Marraige, I believe it is the most powerful contract that we can ever make in our life..... one that should not be taken lightly .... one that should make our hearts beat faster just thinking about it... One that should be cherished .... forever.....
How can 2 people ... truely... truely .. in love ... not want that from each other?
What yuh say? ..... What do you think of marraige?
Saturday 14 August 2010
Which comes first ... the Post or the ID?
During my first (of many many) successful Drives in Norway alone, my confidence levels were at about maximum. I'm being my own independent woman!! whohooo!!
I had a package to pick up from the Post. We suspected it was something from the bank. This was undoubtedly something of high security so a piece of ID was going to be necessary. I walked with my Driver's Licence from Trinidad.
The young gentleman seemed slightly confused. "Do you have another piece of ID"
Sure I had.. I produced the National ID for TT. (Horrid picture but ah well.) This did not seem to satisfy him. He was looking for something specific.
"Do you have a bank card or something with an local ID?" oh no ... sorry.. It was in the package I was here to collect.
"I have to check to see if we can use this" he says. Leaving me with 2 impatient clients waiting behind me.
I needed my passport. He had mumbled something about one side ID. Perhaps he had to photocopy it? Why else would he need one side right?
Like a little child that comes along and innocently whips off an old man's toupe, this boy poked my little confidence bubble that had been growing with the driving.
Feeling silly I slipped away and said I would come back with my Passport. Of course .. how silly of me.. no one recognises a TT driver's permit or ID (doh mind it have a unique number on it eh?)
I came back a little later after my interview with the Kindergarden Director. Hmmm .. a job .....
I proudly produced my passport to the same young man. He pulled out my package and proceeded with the process. Ah success.Sure enough, he photocopied my passport onto a page that had other writing on it... Ahh ... that's why ... ok .. no worries...
Suddenly he stops.... he's looking for something ... again...
"Are you looking for something? Maybe I can help you?"
"Yea .. you don't have a number. ?" Oh no worries .. the passport number is right here. " No, Like a social Security number?" Oh .. no we don't have that in Trinidad ....
"Uh... yea .. no. You don't have a bank card or something with the Norwegian ID on it?"
Ok ..buddy ... the bank card is wrapped up in an envelope in front of u... and Would that be the social security number? Ok .. I'm new to this "All encompassing Number" but I don't see why the POST would need this highly guarded number?
He needed something that had that number on documentation??? What??? how weird does that sound to you? .. ok good .. thought it was just me.
"Ok .. well That's all the ID I have now, I've shown you the Driver Licence, the National ID and now my Passport. I don't have any thing else ."
"Yea .. see the information would be on the bank card" ..
"Yeaaaaaa.... well its in the package .... right there..Isn't it?"
"We can't open the package"
Ok so what do we do now???
My Blood starts to boil... Are you serious?? ... I need all this to pick up one package from the post? ... Don't mind the same thing came in the mail box for my husband.... why was mine locked up behind this incompetent guy?
"Ok Let me check to see if we can use this????" You can't be serious brother ..... are u serious? ... no... are you REALLY serious?......he's serious....
he comes back ... no I'm sorry ..We can't use this.... its really strict here the policy. "Yea ... if you had a bank card or something....."
Steups.....Ok i done dey ... Obviously ....he have a hard head.... I talking to a coconut here.
I go come back with meh husband ... and he go lambase yuh and knock yuh out in yuh rockong-cutongkong...if yuh doh gimme meh cyard.
I riled up myself for a good trini tongue planassing when we returned to the Post people later that day together....if they only give me any trouble eh .. they go hear the bad side of ah trini woman .. ... who just wants her BANK CARD....
don't get in de way of the Caribbean 'Oman and her morney...
Oh alas.... the lady knew my husband and he got the package..... no problems .....with my passport just by the way ....
i guess its still who knows you .... no matter what country you are in....
Whey yuh Say?
PART II
I had a package to pick up from the Post. We suspected it was something from the bank. This was undoubtedly something of high security so a piece of ID was going to be necessary. I walked with my Driver's Licence from Trinidad.
The young gentleman seemed slightly confused. "Do you have another piece of ID"
Sure I had.. I produced the National ID for TT. (Horrid picture but ah well.) This did not seem to satisfy him. He was looking for something specific.
"Do you have a bank card or something with an local ID?" oh no ... sorry.. It was in the package I was here to collect.
"I have to check to see if we can use this" he says. Leaving me with 2 impatient clients waiting behind me.
I needed my passport. He had mumbled something about one side ID. Perhaps he had to photocopy it? Why else would he need one side right?
Like a little child that comes along and innocently whips off an old man's toupe, this boy poked my little confidence bubble that had been growing with the driving.
Feeling silly I slipped away and said I would come back with my Passport. Of course .. how silly of me.. no one recognises a TT driver's permit or ID (doh mind it have a unique number on it eh?)
I came back a little later after my interview with the Kindergarden Director. Hmmm .. a job .....
I proudly produced my passport to the same young man. He pulled out my package and proceeded with the process. Ah success.Sure enough, he photocopied my passport onto a page that had other writing on it... Ahh ... that's why ... ok .. no worries...
Suddenly he stops.... he's looking for something ... again...
"Are you looking for something? Maybe I can help you?"
"Yea .. you don't have a number. ?" Oh no worries .. the passport number is right here. " No, Like a social Security number?" Oh .. no we don't have that in Trinidad ....
"Uh... yea .. no. You don't have a bank card or something with the Norwegian ID on it?"
Ok ..buddy ... the bank card is wrapped up in an envelope in front of u... and Would that be the social security number? Ok .. I'm new to this "All encompassing Number" but I don't see why the POST would need this highly guarded number?
He needed something that had that number on documentation??? What??? how weird does that sound to you? .. ok good .. thought it was just me.
"Ok .. well That's all the ID I have now, I've shown you the Driver Licence, the National ID and now my Passport. I don't have any thing else ."
"Yea .. see the information would be on the bank card" ..
"Yeaaaaaa.... well its in the package .... right there..Isn't it?"
"We can't open the package"
Ok so what do we do now???
My Blood starts to boil... Are you serious?? ... I need all this to pick up one package from the post? ... Don't mind the same thing came in the mail box for my husband.... why was mine locked up behind this incompetent guy?
"Ok Let me check to see if we can use this????" You can't be serious brother ..... are u serious? ... no... are you REALLY serious?......he's serious....
he comes back ... no I'm sorry ..We can't use this.... its really strict here the policy. "Yea ... if you had a bank card or something....."
Steups.....Ok i done dey ... Obviously ....he have a hard head.... I talking to a coconut here.
I go come back with meh husband ... and he go lambase yuh and knock yuh out in yuh rockong-cutongkong...if yuh doh gimme meh cyard.
I riled up myself for a good trini tongue planassing when we returned to the Post people later that day together....if they only give me any trouble eh .. they go hear the bad side of ah trini woman .. ... who just wants her BANK CARD....
don't get in de way of the Caribbean 'Oman and her morney...
Oh alas.... the lady knew my husband and he got the package..... no problems .....with my passport just by the way ....
i guess its still who knows you .... no matter what country you are in....
Whey yuh Say?
PART II
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