The other day I got an invitation to a Ramadan night party from a hotel our company dealt with only twice in the whole past year. The great thing about the invitation is that they considered me -and not the manager- the company’s official representative.
Anyway, the invitation was for one person, so I called to cancel since I can’t go at a late time alone. To my surprise they said: no, we’ll make an exception for you, you can bring your husband with you.
Anyway, we went, it was last weekend. At the entrance I was shocked that they recognized me, and knew my last name as well! I introduced my husband, got a nice bag stuffed with things, but didn’t find it really appropriate to start checking what’s in it immediately, so I just smiled, got an envelope, smiled again, and was asked to pick a piece of paper with a number on it from a basket to be counted in for the night’s tombola.

We entered, the place was amazingly beautiful, decoration was out of this world, and the whole atmosphere was comfy. There was this band, candles everywhere, some people scattered here and there, and no one I knew. The tables were filled with appetizers and we were served tea, juice, more sweets and more delicious things all night long.
Anyway, my husband and I checked the bag, it was stuffed with brochures and samples from CLARINS, one of the party sponsors. I got a set for facial care, and a full-size product for body care. As for the envelope, it had an invitation for 2 people to play bowling in the bowling section of this fancy 5 star hotel 🙂 Ah, what a great surprise. Made me love my job 😉 I really love bowling.

Anyway, few minutes later, I saw the first familiar face, it was a former coworker and her boyfriend, and obviously she didn’t want me to see her, she avoided me, but I saw her and I’m blogging about it, lol. I find this so typical of ladies. If you don’t want to be seen in public, then it’s something wrong, why do it in the first place if you’re gonna spend the whole night on your nerves fearing you’ll be caught?
Anyway, we kind of liked the idea of having the whole yummy table to ourselves, but soon enough I spotted the woman who works next door. I told my husband, he remembered her, it was the same woman he met in a market once, the one I keep telling to speak Arabic, but insists on French. She’s a nice person actually, but could get really annoying when she insists on speaking French. I hate this. Arabs should speak Arabic, but people became obsessed with the false fact that speaking a foreign language will make them sound cool and educated. Anyway, between all those people, she saw us, so she came running, and sat beside us. We chatted a bit, it was nice, but during the whole conversation I was wishing she’ll finally stop speaking French. She got out her mobile phone, and took a pic of us, after showing us the pic, she was like :
She (1/2 Arabic, ½ French): You know, all my thinking is in English.
We: hmmm (in our minds we were like: you liar)
She (French): Even my mobile settings are English coz my work and my clients all speak English.
I: (WHATEVER!)
She (French): I can’t. This is me, I think in English, and I find it easier and more practical that I do so.
We: (that’s so obvious, specially that you didn’t utter one English word)
She(French): I don’t like French, English is the best. I THINK IN ENGLISH and I just love it.

Anyway, the first round of tombola was up, and our number was among the first to be withdrawn 🙂 We got a beautiful decorative wooden piece, with an amazingly beautiful decorative table cover, and a delicious smelling scented-bag for decoration as well. A beautiful set that suits our home colors PERFECTLY 🙂

We listened to more music, songs, a comedian who made me laugh like crazy although his jokes involved many Tunisian words used in the village accent not the city, but still I enjoyed myself. A famous singer came, amused us with his weird multi-cultural dancing, and his feminine moves. At 12:50 a.m. we were totally sleepy. We went back home with big smiley faces 🙂
It was really nice.

On Monday while reaching out for the office keys, I met the woman next door and she was like: Bonjour Imen, comment vas tu? Il est froid aujourd’hui, n’est-ce pas! Ton mari est très gentil. Ah, je ne peux pas porter des chaussures! mes pieds sont ………. blah blah blah………you think in ENGLISH alright !

Today is November 1st, a day to remember, because today I BROKE THE RECORD! Yes, just like today, one year ago, I went for my first day of work in my current job. It means, I’ve been working for this company for a whole year, which is the longest work period I’ve ever had up till now 🙂 In Jordan, I had 3 jobs, the last two were the longest, 9 months each. And I would’ve most probably stayed for as long as it takes in my last job if I wasn’t leaving the country.
In Tunisia, and before I completed my first year of residency, I found a job, but after getting my first month’s salary the work stopped for budget problems, leaving me “jobless” again. 4 months later I got this job. So far, so good. It’s tiring, stressing and not related to what I usually love doing, but I thank God for it.
This job I have now is really weird, as stressing as it is, it’s been offering me so many chances to have fun. I’ve been invited to so many great events, I’ve been introduced to so many interesting people, and to be honest, I must admit that with all his nagging and his difficult work moods, my boss is considered one of the very respectful and helpful managers.

Work helped me develop a clearer picture of the Tunisian culture, and introduced me to so many details that I would’ve never known if I didn’t have a daily contact with different kinds of the Tunisian people.
Sometimes I just wish I’d be home relaxing, taking care of our home, and getting enough sleep. But then I say, this is the age of exhaustion, if people don’t get tired when they’re young, how would they survive their old age?! I have to play a positive role in building our future, as long as there are no other bigger and more important responsibilities for me to handle, such as children for example. So I always say, let me do my best, before I have something bigger to take care of .
As for my personality, there’s no doubt that I became stronger now that I have a job. Each day brings me new challenges and offers me more surprises. Each day is an adventure. I didn’t know Tunisia, and I had no friends, I was so lonely and felt my life is being wasted with me sitting doing nothing. But I never gave up hope, and I took a decision to succeed wherever I am. Because a successful person is successful regardless of the surroundings.
Being the only employee (along with the cleaning woman who comes 3 times a week) with the boss showing up occasionally, I must say that I always feel lonely. Not to mention the sad fact that our company has very strict regulations leaving me no chance to check my email, or surf any entertaining or shopping websites. But thank God I can always blog… for the time being that is 😛 And with the piles of files I have every day, blogging is not that easy! But I force myself to take breaks every now and then.

Having no one in the office to celebrate my 1st year work anniversary, doesn’t mean I will miss this occasion, I’ll celebrate with my dear husband 🙂
Anyway, I just hope my new year at work will be better, and that a miracle will happen to make me love what I do now, or else I’ll have to find another job where I can break this new 1-year- record 😉 Wish me luck…

Remember the INSAT party I talked about a couple of days ago! It was yesterday, my husband and I went. Besides the fact that this party is to collect money for the Tunisian Association for fighting AIDS and the sexually transmittable diseases, all I knew was that my boss was involved in a way. Before the party he told me: “Eman, we’re going to throw a party for the association. I’d appreciate it if you can show up. Actually, it’d be BETTER if you show up, since we’re involved”. Now what I understood in this “we” he kept saying, was “we” as in “the company”. Anyway, my husband and I went to the party, which took place in INSAT, a beautiful faculty of science, really big, and very nice decorated. They gave us the program of the party, some brochures, and a red ribbon to put on before we enter. To my surprise, the place was almost full. I didn’t think it was a big party. Anyway, we got ourselves a couple of nice-located seats and I started looking for my boss in the crowd, but couldn’t find him. Few minutes later I spotted his brother in the participants’ room behind the stage, knowing that he’s a tv producer, I thought he might be supervising the whole thing. Anyway, we kept tracing him till we found my boss, also in the participants’ room. Which was normal, I mean, if his brother is in a cosy room, where else would he be?! My boss went out of the room, to say hi to a “very important client” of ours, in the first or second row. After arguing whether it was the right time to go say hi to my boss, my husband and I made up our minds and head straight to the room. On our way, the speakers went on, participants were taking their places on stage AND MY BOSS WAS ON STAGE WITH A VIOLIN IN HIS HANDS!!! I thought he was holding it for a friend in the band, but NO, he was holding a BOW and was looking at the notes of the musical pieces!
We were almost there, we couldn’t return to our seats without saying hi to him, so we did. I was really shocked, and to add to my astonishment my boss’ brother took a place in the opposite corner and stood there with his CELLO!
It turned out, when my boss said “we”, he actually meant himself and the musical band he trains with, which mostly consists of university professors who teach in INSAT!
They played great music, some of them sang old songs, and it was really nice. It’s true that there were times when my husband and I couldn’t take our eyes off of our watches, waiting for it to end. But it was the fault of some few bad voices.
As for my boss, seems like he’s in love with violin and looks like he’s been training really hard, coz he played pretty good. And he looked so peaceful and calm, exactly like the person I deal with every day in the office 😛
Two incidents made me laugh like crazy yesterday, the first was when a kid shouted out loud at the end of the 2nd musical piece: “DADDY, ENOUGH PLAYING, COME ON, LET’S GO!”, the poor kid didn’t know there were still more 15 to go.
And the second was when a lady went nutts in the last song and danced like crazy in front of the people of the 1st row, LOL! She wasn’t embarrassed that all VIP’s in the 1st row were looking at her angrily, and her little daughter gave her one hell of a support. She’s not older than 5 years and she was dancing as fast and as professional as her mommy 😛 That was really funny.
All in all, it was a nice party, and it was well-organized. Not to mention the great fact that a decent amount of money would be going to aid victims of AIDS.
Hoping we’ll see more similar activities to help all those in need.

I spent whole 3 weeks away from work. No work, no pressure, no deadlines, nothing. Just good time and plenty of fun. But the great vacation had to come to an end, and here I am back in my work cell. Once again, I’m trapped in an office with nothing to hear but the sound of my keyboard typing, a mouse click, a print coming out of my dear friend the printer, and the shouting of the annoying noisy out-of-paper fax machine. Not to forget the ringing phone, which seems to love keeping me company that it rings every 5 minutes! Today a new soundtrack has been added: the “lovely” noise coming from the people working on this new building opposite to ours.
Of course my desk gave me a very “warm” welcoming, it missed too much that it overloaded itself with paper for me to work on to guarantee I never leave it again!
God, work sucks, I’m still in the mood for relaxation and a warm family environment surrounding me. I can still smell the trees in our street and taste the yummy cooking of my dear mother. I can still hear dad’s precious pieces of advice and the really loud laughs coming from my bro and sis after a joke one of us told or a silly dance we created… well, work is not as bad as it may seem, right! Specially when you feel you’re in the wrong place, filling the wrong position in the wrong company 😛 not to forget having just the right kind of employer giving you instructions in the right time, as he believes!
When I got back to work I didn’t know where to start, I found piles of files, a 120 email to reply to, and more than 10 urgent reports to be done. I sorted out my priorities after discussing them with my boss and started working. But seems like my boss is a record-breaker when it come to changing his mind. He gave me a thing to do and said: “this should be your #1 priority, forget about everything else for the time being”. After 15 minutes he came back again and said: “forget about that and start working on this, if I come to you later on and ask you to do anything else, just IGNORE me”. 20 minutes later he came and gave me a new thing to do, so I just took the papers and put them aside till I’m done with what I’m doing. He called me in 10 minutes asking about the papers he gave me last, so I told him I just “ignored” them -as he advised- till I’m done with my #1 priority. He came to me and explained that I should work on the last papers he gave me, they’re the most urgent. So I had no choice but to follow the orders. 15 minutes later he came AGAIN, asking me to double-check a report, he told me to leave everything and do it. So I left everything, and started double checking it. After 20 minutes he came ONCE AGAIN and asked me to stop checking the report, leave everything and start entering data in a software after I get it upgraded. So I just left EVERYTHING, went to the office kitchenette, made myself a cup of tea, got myself a piece of chocolate, got back to my office, and started writing this post 🙂

There is this hotel we were trying to get an agreement with to provide us with special room rates. So we contacted the marketing responsible in January 04. He promised to send us the contract in a couple of days, but we reached February and heard nothing from him. We kept calling him, he couldn’t be reached for some reason. We tried to meet him, but it never worked out. So we never saw him.
Anyway, we switched to another Hotel in April, and forgot TOTALLY about the other hotel, and I also forgot the man’s name.
The other day, someone comes to our office, he introduced himself to me, he was from the same hotel we were trying to deal with. He asked me about the possibility of making a contract, I explained that we tried to earlier but we had no response so we had to deal with another hotel. He insisted on giving them a chance, so I took the guy to the boss. A mistake I really REGRET.
Boss: I think you know now that the mistake was from your side, we did our best to reach this loser from the marketing department, but he never cooperated with us.
Guy: I apologize for this, what can I say! employees these days… you know, lazy, irresponsible and are such a shame for their employers.
Boss: But we’re talking about marketing here! Your hotel should be selective, it has such a great reputation, it’s a big loss for the hotel to lose many clients coz of some lazy bastard!
Guy: If you can tell me his name I’ll teach him some responsibility and respect.
Boss: Eman, what was the name of this stupid marketing responsible in this hotel?
I: Hmm, I don’t remember, but I guess it doesn’t matter any more. Let’s just forget about it, do you see any possibility of dealing with them?
Boss: I will only consider this possibility if I teach the sick bastard a lesson. Please Eman, go check his name in your address book.
I: Ok.
I go check out the name, only to find that the “bastard” is actually H.S. the guy in our office!!! I went to the boss’ office tried to make him understand that the guy sitting with him is the “bastard” he’s talking about. I stood behind the guy, looked at the boss and pointed to the guy. He didn’t understand.
Boss: What was the loser’s name?
I: Sorry I don’t have it. Must have written it somewhere on a piece of paper and it was lost.
Boss: No way, come on, remember.
I: It really doesn’t matter any more. If we remember him we’ll tell this gentleman here and he’ll do his job.
Boss: No, I need to know his name right now.
Guy: Ok, let me list the names of the marketing department to you, maybe you’ll recognize the name.
(I took a paper and wrote: the bastard is the one with us)
I: Sir, I forgot, can you please sign this paper for me, it’s really urgent.
Boss: Eman, nothing’s more urgent than teaching this bastard some manners.
(I go to his desk and put the paper in front of him)
I: Sir I’ll leave it here, just take a quick look at it and tell me if I can get the initial ok, client is waiting.
Boss: Later Eman, later, please.
Guy: We have L.L, S.D, ….etc.
Boss: None of them sounds familiar.
I: Sir I think Mr. H.S is trying to do his best to help you, why don’t we contact him later when I find the paper.
Boss: YES YES, H.S is the name of the ********* bastard.
(I wished he falls down unconscious to save us the embarrassment)
Guy: Sorry? What did you just say?
My boss seemed to have FINALLY realized that I was talking about the guy with us, so to make things worse he went like:
Boss: You are HIM!!!
Guy: You are talking about ME!!!
Boss: I will NEVER EVER deal with you.
Guy: Neither would I!
The guy left, and forgot his offer on the boss’ desk. 5 minutes later, my boss calls me:
Boss: Shit, his offer is a lot better than the one we have with the current hotel. Eman, do me a favor and work things out with him.
I: After all that’s happened, I guess we have no way of dealing with him.
Boss: You’ll find the right way, I’ll be waiting for a confirmation on the offer on my desk by next week.
The guy refused, so my GREAT boss talked to the manager of the whole hotel complaining about the service and requested a contract asap.
Till this very day, we got no offers from them 😛

LOL! I really can’t stop laughing, this is so damn funny. Lol!
Well, the thing is, my boss has this special taste in music. He only listens to Beethoven, Mozart and this kind of music. Every once in a while he’d play a new CD he got from a country he visited. And although I love this kind of music too, but it all depends on my mood. Sometimes I’m really sleepy and stuff like Beethoven makes things worse. Anyway, he’d always mention that he stopped listening to Arabic music veeeeeeeeery long time ago because of his traveling. But now, and thanks to The International Carthage Festival , he comes every day with a new music collection of Arabic music and plays it all day long till I’m about to throw up of boredom.
Anyway, the trick is, he made up his mind to go to all concerts of the festival this year, and to enjoy himself, he can’t go to a concert with songs he’s not familiar with. Therefore he buys a CD with the top hits of each singer he’s going to a day or two before the concert takes place. He plays the CD till he’s satisfied with his “background” of the style and lyrics, and after he goes to the concert, and if he really liked the singer he goes on and buys as much albums as possible, and of course, his office is the best place for playing them 😛
And to see a loyal fan of Mozart and Beethoven listening to new fast beat music with really stupid lyrics sometimes is just funny 😀 Today’s Amr Diab concert, so today’s CD is with Amr Diab songs, I have no problem at all 😉 and while I’m posting here, Amr Diab’s Hit “Habeebi wala ala baloh” is playing in the boss’ office, and I can see the maid dancing her head off not knowing I’m actually writing about her, lol, bad, bad, me 😀
Anyway, Arabic music has the nice and the bad in it. And the nice part is really great with talented people, beautiful voices and meaningful lyrics. And I guess it’s about time my boss knows Arabic music, the music of the world he belongs to. Still that doesn’t mean he has to play the CD over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over……

The manager asked me to arrange with a driver, who is the stupidest person God could ever create, so that he’ll deliver a package to a client. I warned the manager of the consequences that may take place, but he insisted this driver is the best for this mission. So I called the driver and he came to the office.
I: Listen I need you to go deliver this package to Mr. …. Here’s his address and phone number in case you needed any extra details. Anyway, do you know the place?
Driver: Sure, it’s so well known, I go there all the time, plus you provided the address and a street plan, so even if I don’t know it, the plan will help me. No worries at all.
I: Ok, it’s 9:00, it takes you around 30 minutes to get there. We need this package to reach the client before 12:00, ok?
Driver: give me 40 minutes maximum and it’ll be there.
I: That’d be wonderful. You’re sure everything’s clear?
Driver: Sure, sure, please stop worrying will ya!
9:30 ———-10:00———-10:30———-10:35 I call the driver.
I: is everything ok?
Driver: Yes, almost there, don’t worry.
I: Ok, great, call me when you deliver the package.
Driver: No problem.
10:40———11:00———-11:30———-11:45 again, I call the driver.
I: I was waiting for you to call, it’s11:45 already and I didn’t hear from you. Is everything ok?
Driver: No, I can’t find the place.
I: WHAT!! Why didn’t you call me or call the number I gave you?
Driver: It didn’t cross my mind, I just kept looking.
I: Are you kidding me? Don’t you understand how important this is?
Driver: I know, it’s just that time flew by without me noticing.
I: MORE THAN 3 HOURS FLEW SIMPLY BY!! Why didn’t you tell me when I called you earlier?
Driver: Didn’t want you to get worried.
(I almost got a heart attack)
I: Just tell me where are you now!
Driver: I’m in the street where you’ve put an (X) to mark the building.
I: So where’s the problem? Go to the (X).
Driver: I can’t find it!
(I break my pencil in two pieces)
I: I assume you’re in the start of the street with the (X), so the bus station must be to your right.
Driver: Exactly.
I: Just GO ON DRIVING TILL YOU REACH THE end of the street, the building will be facing you, with its name …… written OVER IT. Its number is 10.
Driver: I’m driving towards the end of the street, I can’t see the building.
I: Are you sure you’re in ……. Street?
Driver: Of course I’m sure, I’m a driver for God’s sake!
I: Then WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH YOU??!! JUST DRIVE TO THE END MAN!!!
Driver: I can’t see any ends?! There are only buildings!
I: That’s because the street has a DEAD-END!!! WHERE YOU’LL FIND THE BUILDING …… NUMBER……. FACING YOU!!
Driver: There must be some kind of a misunderstanding, or maybe you’ve made a mistake.
I: Tell you what, I’ll call the client and make him send someone to meet you.
(I called the client and gave him the number of the driver just in case)
At 12:00 the client calls:
Client: We don’t want your proposal anymore ok!
I: Why? What happened?
Client: we call your driver, agree to meet in a certain place, we reach the place we don’t find him! We call again, and he simply says: “I waited 5 minutes, no one came, I turned back to where I came from!”
( I felt like killing them all)
I: I’ll deal with it, I apologize for the inconvenience.

I talked to the manager and told him about the problem which is caused by the driver. The manager calmed down the client, waited for the driver to bring the package, got it from him, had a BIG fight with him, then the manager went to the client in person and things went well.
When the manager came back to the office, he prepared another package. He came to me and went like: Eman, please call the driver (yes the SAME one)and arrange with him to go deliver this package to a client.

There is this client who is really important to our company. The majority of our work is with him. And I must say, my boss just LOVES having business with him, and he is so proud of the story when the relationship between them grew from just a dull formal professional relationship, into a close friendship. So in December 2003, and while I was still getting familiar with the clients and all, I had some papers related to this client, they had to be signed, so I asked my boss to sign them, while signing he went like:
Boss: You know we should do our best not to lose this client. As you’ve already noticed, business with him is so fruitful.
I: Yes, I’ve noticed. I hope things will keep improving with him.
Boss: Yeah, I hope so.
(I took the papers, and turned around to go to my office)
Boss: You know Eman, the great thing about this client is that he’s become a friend of mine as well. Yes, true friendship.
I: Really! That’s good.
Boss: Wait till you know how we became friends.
(I’m sure it was obvious on my face that I had NO INTEREST AT ALL)
Boss: one day he had a car accident, a big one, and since he has no friends in this country, he thought of no one but me to call, I went to him immediately, helped him out, turns out his driving license was expired, so the police wanted to take strict procedures with him, yet I convinced them to give him a chance and paid a penalty in his favor. I invited him home that day to relax, he met my wife and ever since then we’ve become good friends and so did our wives.
I: Hmmm. (an artificial smile)
In January 2004
Boss: Eman, I’m going to have lunch with …. In an hour. We’ll discuss some issues concerning the coming project. If there’s anything you need, call me on my mobile, ok!
I: Ok, no problem.
Boss: This project is really important for us, this client is really important Eman. You know, he’s not just a client, but we have become friends too. It’s when one day he had a car accident, a big one, and since he has no friends in this country,..
I: he called you and… well I believe you told me this.
Boss: Really? Did I tell you that our wives also became friends? Now after I solved the problem with the police.
I: Ah, sir, I believe I’m already aware..
Boss: yes, but I didn’t tell you how I got to invite him, so after I helped him out……………….. ever since then we’ve become close friends and so did our wives.
I: Hmmmm (a disgusted smile)
March 2004:
My boss calls early in the morning:
Boss: Eman, I wont come to the office today, have a meeting with … A very important client as you know.
I: Ok, no problem.
Boss: after the meeting, will have him come with his wife to my place to have dinner. Did I tell you we’re friends.
I: Yes, yes, you told me ALL ABOUT IT.
Boss: Yes, it was a huge huge accident. I remember when he called me, and how I ran to help him. His license was…
( he went on with the boring details,I felt like breaking the phone)
June 2004
Boss: Eman, I don’t have to remind you how important today’s reception is. This client is really important. Tell the maid to clean the office really well. I want the office to be glowing today.
I: No worries. Everything’s set.
Boss: …. He’s a strict person. He loves his work, we can’t lose him. Good thing he and I are friends. Although the circumstances that created this friendship weren’t actually pleasant. You see, one day he had an accident…
I: and he called you, you went to him, then you invited him over, now your wives are friends…
Boss: not only this, but it turned out his license was not valid, a very big problem you know, but I convinced the police…..etc.
(I wished I could kill myself)
July 13, 2004
The phone rings, I pick up, guess who’s on the other end? Yep it’s this extremely important client. He wanted to talk to the boss. I put his call on hold, and rang the boss’ office.
I: … the important client, who once had an accident, then called you, then you went to him, helped him out and paid the penalty of his license, remember! This client whom you invited to your home and both your wives are now friends, (I catch my breath) he is on the phone…
Boss: Oh…, it was a huge huge accident, remind me to tell you about the details later.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember when I got my first job in Tunisia, which lasted for 1 month only –thank God- I had so little things to do. Because others didn’t want to teach me things so that I wont replace them, on one hand, and because the whole work was going through a difficult stage on the other hand. Anyway, one day my direct manager comes to me with a BIIIIG smile on his face. Back then I didn’t know that when this person in particular has a smile, then it means: “a disaster is coming your way”, and I wasn’t aware that the bigger the smile, the bigger the disaster…
Anyway, he goes like: I heard you speak German, are you good at it?
I: I believe I am.
He: So you speak it, you write it and you’re like capable of translating?
I: yes, sure I can translate.
(he shows me a folder with around 50 pages or so)
He: See this?
(I get so excited that finally I’ll be getting some work to prove my skills and be busy, more than that it’s something I love, it’s translation)
I: Yes, you want me to translate these?
He: Yep, INTO FRENCH!
(I was SHOCKED, I thought he was definitely crazy)
Then he simply left without even caring to hear what I have to say. So I went to his office…
I: Sir, I guess you gave me the wrong papers, I can’t translate into French, I only have basic knowledge in it.
He: Maybe you don’t know coz you’re new, I DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES!
I: Then what do you call that?
He: I call it W O R K.
I: Sorry but you know since I was hired for my Arabic & Ebglish not for French. You knew that my French is not that good. And actually you were asking me about my German, can you please explain what’s going wrong in here?
He: You being here arguing with me over work you MUST do is the wrong thing.
I: I’m afraid you didn’t get my point, I can’t translate all these official documents into French!!
He: There are dictionaries upstairs.
I: So you don’t care how would these important documents turn out when you give them to the people concerned. Or maybe you’ll just blame the bad results on me!!
He: All I care about is to have these documents translated… How? Not my problem. What would the impressions be? None of your business.

If I didn’t need that job, I would’ve turned around and quit right away, but I thought of it and decided not to let that loser ruin my career. Now if I don’t do this and complain to the head manager instead, then I wont win anything coz I was hired 1 week ago. And if I do the work and hand it out with all these mistakes I’ll be taking a huge responsibility and might get fired coz I didn’t explain. So I went upstairs, got around 4 dictionaries, each specialized in the professional expressions, official terms and definitions, each dictionary of a certain field. I translated them alone, and after I was done, I enclosed a paper in the end saying it was my work under my direct manager’s supervision.
Then I emailed the head manager and all those who are possibly getting these documents explaining I was forced to do this, though I didn’t know good French, and that I clear my responsibility.
I didn’t get any reaction whatsoever, but at least I didn’t have to do translation into French for official documents again 😉

The other day the manager’s brother, who happens to be a TV & cinema director dropped by the office with a couple of people.
He entered the room next to me and left the doors open. It turned out the other two people were an actor and the writer of a certain script he was working on. Now the thing is, they were all gathered in an attempt to find a way to end the story 😛 I wasn’t spying, I just overheard them talking. At that day, I had loads of undone work to do, still I couldn’t but think along with them. What annoyed me is no one of the three could come up with something, while I came up with at least 3 ways to end it: a happy ending, or a sad ending or a mysterious ending. I must say, that although I thought this one passion of mine: “writing” has died, but it’s still as strong as before.
Anyway, they spend 3 hours discussing possibilities in the room, and I was just wishing someone would come to me and ask: “so what do you think!” which didn’t happen 😀
The fact that they left the door open and were speaking loudly wasn’t enough for me to go share them my ideas. I was afraid of many things, such as them considering this step as spying, or interfering, or simply giving myself the right to discuss a professional writer and a well-known director. Another thing I didn’t want to happen was them thinking: look at her, instead of doing the loads of work she has to do, she’s just wasting time listening to what we say. So I decided to mind my own business and I just waited for them till they totally lost hope, said bye and left the office.
Whenever I remember this I just hope I had the courage to interfere, but then again not all people are prepared to welcome your opinion, specially if you had nothing to do with their work and profession. Well maybe if you know the people well and you’re close enough then it’s ok, but while at work, overhearing people you barely know and giving your “unasked” opinion wont be always as impressive as you wish it will be…