irritated, misunderstood, and otherwise engaged

Those of you who know me, know how much I hate seams that irritate my skin. I am wearing an underarmor compression t-shirt and the seam around the neck is rubbing. I buffed it with a nail file and it helped a little. I need to do it some more though.

Yesterday I was irritated by the language barrier. There is a mosque across the street. I am not sure if they are buidling it, redoing it or what but there is construction material all over the place. There are some shelves sitting there that would go nicely in the kitchen! I went over early in the day. Some Kuwaiti pulled up in a BMW. I asked if he spoke English but he said no. This was going to be hard. I tried to ask if the shelves were garbage or trash. I tried to show that I wanted to pick them up and carry them away. He thought I meant the wooden pallets and said yes. when I grabbed the shelves, I got a flurry of No No No. He gestured they were going back inside the mosque. Damn. Then he starts making hand gestures and asking family questions. Family, married, kids? etc. He was holding his hands in front of him with the index finger extended, other fingers curled. He moved his hands side to side bringing the fingers together. I vaguely recall seeing that before somewhere and didn't like where this conversation was going. I think, I can't say for sure, but I think that gesture means sex. I started saying No No No and backing up. I will tell you that I have a spring loaded gerber knife in my pocket at all times. I practice. I wasn't in any danger really. I just kept backing up and walked away. I am lucky that he didn't follow but the guards are by the building.
So my attempt to negotiate with a Kuwaiti failed. No news there really.
Yesterday afternoon, I walked down the street a few blocks to get something to eat. I called for delivery but they said the driver was out. It's not far but the roads are narrow, full of garbage, rif-raf, and vagrants. This is an internet, pool hall, and restaurant geared for Americans. It's a target because of that. It things get heated up, we won't be able to go there anymore. Just delivery to the buidling maybe, definitely not your room. As if they don't know where all the Americans live.
Anyways, the staff was very nice. I think she said her name was Ursa and after some conversation, she said she would deliver just for me. Which isn't true, but what she was saying was that now that we had a "relationship" started she would deliver to me. It's all about building that relationship here. So while I was waiting for my food a Kuwaiti came in. He of course sat next to me at the bar/waiting area. I was getting my food to go but ordered ice tea while I waited. I knew I didn't want to be here long. He sat a sachel on the counter and flipped it open. There was a pistol in a holster inside. Mental note to self. He struck up a conversation. He was a Kuwaiti policeman in civilians. He asked where I was from. We tell people Canada but they know I'm American. The 2 Asian staff, probably Phillipino, translate a little for us. He decides to show me his pistol. Great. He's showing off. He doesn't remove the pistol completely from the holster or the clip but he shows he his spare clip. Only 4 rounds. Good intel. Wish I was getting paid for this. And the bullets are worn and old looking. I'd actually be afraid to shoot with them. The staff is worried that I am getting scared. I smile at them and we make gestures behind his head. The conversation continues. He's asking about my family which seems to be another way of asking if you're married or have kids. Since I'm not married or have kids, the word family still means siblings and parents to me. He offers to pay for my food and drink. There is a little of tone from the staff when they explain to me that will allow him to pay for my drink but not my food. I'm not really sure what is happening but I say thank you trying not to be rude. To redirect the conversation, I ask him where the police station is but the conversation comes back to me. Some where in the confusion, marriage came up I think. I begin to get my money out to pay and gather my belongings. There are 4 people talking at once. I lay some money down and start to head out. The staff try to reassure me that it's safe to come back. I smile and slither away. He doesn't follow me which is surprising. I keep an eye out all the way home and enter my buidling through another door far from my own side. Just another day in paradise.

Monday's post June 15

I am now writing in Word, then copy/paste here. This allows me to spell check as well not sit on this webpage where others can see what I am doing.
I can’t believe I haven’t posted anything since the 10th. You know that can only mean one of 2 or 3 possible things. I was working a lot, I was sick, or I found a new man. Fortunately it’s the last one. I have a new man. I am just having the time of my life.

My last post said 5th and final day of work but I must have been delirious from lack of sleep because I had another night to go. I have truly been discombobulated. I walk into things, bump my head getting in and out of the car, forget words, forget was I was doing at any given moment. Thank goodness folks around me are looking out for me, or looking for me, looking at me,…. Any which way, they are helping me. I am liking the night shift. I get a decent amount of sleep and staying awake hasn’t been too much of a problem. If I am working alone, I can sit and amuse myself with my creative mind. I am going to start writing some of those books I talk about. I have to do it on a tablet though because we are not allowed to have our laptops or other technology at the job site. I’m still too new to push the limits of what I can and can’t do.

Since I got paid Friday, I paid bills and whatnot that afternoon. That was a good feeling. I have money to spare too! I have to spend some extra money to get a few things for the apartment and clothing I need for work. I have 2 days off a week and I’m afraid I’ll spend too much on my weekends consequently not saving as much I want to. It’s the balance between having a life and working towards a goal. I am trying to get a job that I call “up north” meaning Afghanistan or Iraq. It’s more money, more hours, worse conditions, and less opportunity to spend/screw around wasting time. Is my goal of getting to school worth sacrifice a year of my life working 6 or 7 days a week? If I stay in Kuwait it will take me a year and half or maybe even 2 to save enough money. I can make the financial goal in one year up north. I don’t know the answer so all I can do is try and see what opportunities present themselves. Do I really want to go to a war zone as things are escalating? Iran is acting up... North Korea is acting up… things are relatively safe here in Kuwait. We would become a target at this location if things light up. You know I never make decisions on what is safe. The riskier the better is my motto lately. Go for it. I may also get some other interesting jobs with this company that would make even better money and the same risk so that would be nice. I’m working all the angles.
So a quick summary for the last few days – I’m feeling better, stomach is calming down, got some sleep, found a groove, work is going well.

damn she just walked in

wasn't even home for me to annoy. She's got one of the goofy guys with her. can't deal. time to get ready for work. I finished eating some vegetable and fried noodle from down the street. still hungry.............

it's war of the roommates

It's on. I can't even believe they moved psycho roommate to admin or operations. First off I can't believe that she is still here. She is not dealing with a full deck and has intentionally not done well at work. Bitch. It worked. She's sitting in an office in the air conditioning while the rest of us are working. She's getting the same hours and the same pay. I was told that if I fell out of a truck I would be moved to admin. I can't fake it. can't do it. There's nothing worse in my book than her type. Weak, crazy, lame, fake, manipulator.
She left a cutting board with crums on the sink and crums everywhere. I was a millisecond away from putting the board under her door with a note to clean up after herself. I've been contemplating other actions. Evil me is making plans. I know any negative action on my part will come back at me ten fold. I'm doing well at work. Don't screw it up now. I like my room. I like my other roommate. I like living across the street from my man. But there are nicer places. Apartments with gyms and restaurants. Do you know how much shit I have? It would be such a pain to move. Really, that's the only thing holding me back. I was hoping she'd quit. If she's admin, she's not going anywhere. she's sitting pretty. Fuck. I don't want to assume it will be better where I will go. grass isn't always greener. But now she's under my skin bad. I can't let her fuck this up for me. got to get the right perspective on this situation.
In the meantime, I have MTV blasting on the TV. I hope she's trying to sleep. She never leaves her room so you can't tell what she's doing in there.
I have the room change form. Well, if this is the only bad thing that happens to me..... I can deal. Time to fill out the form.

5th and final night of work tonight

I worked outside last night, watching the sand blow. Work is in the desert, like everything else here. There is only a chain link fench with some barb wire that delineates in and out of work. To the wild life, the chain link fence has become a habitat. The garbage, i.e. potential food and water & shelter, collects on the fence line. It's actually a little like national geographic out there - varmin, hedge hogs, birds, snakes, scorpions, camels, horses, wild cats, wild dogs, and all kinds of weird bugs. If you can catch a scorpion and camel spider, I heard it makes a good fight. I am sure I'll be brave and/or stupid one of these nights and try it.
Right now I am not feeling well. I've had stomach issues/diahrrea off and on for the last 2 weeks. I am sure it will settle down but last night was rough. The lack of sleep and schedule change probably made it all worse.
almost home, good night..............................
one more night to go and I have 2 days off.

work schedule & roommates

so to finish up my work schedule, I get home around 7:30 am. I usually run to the bathroom, take a shower, eat a little something and try to get to bed. But the rest of the world is waking up. My phone starts buzzing. I try to be in bed by 8 so I can get 7 hours but if I end up on the phone with somebody, It's 9 and I get 5 hours sleep. Some of the shift goes directly to the pool when we get back to our building to cool off and settle in. It's hard to go straight to sleep. You'll be sitting on the bus home, ready to zonk out, but then as soon as you get home and start your routine, bam, you're awake. So you either have to go straight to bed and literally not do a single thing other than take off your clothes or hurry to get things done & take a sleeping pill. I have discovered that if I take one tylenol PM, I can get up in 6 hours no problem. I don't think I can do the straight to bed routine because that means your going to bed dirty and nasty. There's no way I have time to wash my sheets sufficiently to do that.
After a paycheck or two I will get a maid. It is so cheap and I've heard good things. I think it's like 7KD a month for once a week which is $26. That way I can enjoy my days off and I won't tick off my roommate.
oh, so let me update you on the roommates. During the initial weeks, my first roommate accused me of stealing stuff from her room. She also accused one of my friends and had a whole paranoid view of what was going on in the world. I filed a 7 page report with my sargeant. I don't have a printer so I had to hand write it. ugh. I don't need to disparage her or go into details because her world is spinning around as a result of who she is right now. It's her situation to deal with more so than mine. I filed my report and the powers to be know how it is. Suffice to say, I was offered to move into one of my superiors apartments but unrelated circumstances prevented that from happening. Now that we are on opposite shifts, she's day shift, we don't see each other. I was worried that she would accuse me of stealing her food, laundry, etc but like I said, the report is on file, and my ass is covered going forward. They are "monitoring" her.
Then last week another roommate shows up. She is super nice and sweet. I totally hit the jackpot with this one. She is originally from Ethiopia but her English is pretty good. She was living in US prior to coming here. She cooked a dish from Ethiopia the first night and shared with me. It was delicious and flavourful. You would have been surprised that I ate it. Then she went to the market that night with a friend of hers that lives here. She bought 2 scarfs and let me pick one out that I liked. It was Aqua/light teal colored. perfect. matched half of my stuff. And then 2 days later she left some spaghetti dinner in the fridge for me.
I was going to move to another apartment but I think I'll hang out for a while. Hopefully roommate number 1 will move on to something else. Win some, loose some.....

not pinched yet but...

I just got off the phone with one of my cab drivers. He made up some story about sorry he missesd my call last night. yeah, I didn't call him. He was flirting hard. But he's cool. He's a local resource. He's from Yemen, lived in the US and speaks several languages. His english is excellent. I told him I want to talk about the muslim culture and women's rights. I want to see about helping women with whistles like we do in the US.
Anyways, he is like 10th guy on my tail, seriously on my tail. This is not to mention the casual one hit wonders. I had to verbal beat down this co-worker today. He comes over trying to correct what he perceived as a deficiency in my uniform. Then telling me he's doing it for my own benefit because other people might say something. Let them. I'm right, he's wrong but he thinks he has seniority. He keeps on other stuff trying to tell us how to do things. Then he wants to know my age, then where I'm from, blah blah blah. Have I been to Kuwait City? Would I like a city tour? I told him I had friends that I was going to go around with. Then he really starts. Come on, I'll rent a car, and give you a tour. Don't you want to go? Don't you at least want my number? What about my e-mail? I said, "how about your social security number?" He persisted. I said, "look here, you come over here giving me a hard time and then ask me if I want to go on a tour? I don't think so." It took about 7 no's to get rid of him. Little punk ass too. He ignored me the rest of the morning.