This and some of That

Some of the items I am able purchase/use to make me feel like I never left the states:

• Duct tape
• Ben & Jerry's Karmal Sutra (thawed and refrozen...had some crystalization...still yummy)
• Doritos...but mainly sweet pepper...other flavors hard to find
• Oreos!
• Newman's Own spaghetti sauce
• SNL, Stewart, and Colbert are on TV here

A serious issue that I have witnessed WAY too often is kids not buckled in when riding in cars.  I have seen so many kids standing or kneeling on the seats looking out windows that it scares the bejeezus out of me.  Say what you will about the 'nanny state', have child safety seats I totally believe in.

The temp went from 118 last week to 98 and humid this week...and I am getting used to the heat...remarkable.  I may get cold coming back to MN in September!  Deep down, I am looking forward to the day it hits 130 degrees...I want to see how how hot that is without climbing into a sauna.

Ramadan starts in 11 days.  Eating or drinking in public is a punishable offense...mostly fines.  You gotta admit, a people willing to fast for 12 hours a day for 30 days is pretty amazing...especially when it is in summer and the heat is so intense.  To really partake in the culture and get a perspective, I plan to fast along with them...at least during the business day...weekends are mine!

Elevators here are AWFUL.  And I have to ride them often.  I spend nearly 45 minutes everyday waiting for them...aargh!

To purchase alcoholic beverages before noon at my golf club, you must either: be a member; be a golfer...gotta love that!

I feel a lot of guilt using most of the services here.  The labor forces work 12+ hours daily for only a few hundred dollars a month.  For instance, the security guard at my apartment building works 12 hours DAILY...no days off.  Whenever I go to get groceries, I get him a treat...apples, nutritious snacks, etc.  There are so many people like that here.  Some people mollify their guilt because they are making more than they could at home.  It is the hardest part of my being here.

Office politics take on an entirely new face here.  You never know who someone is related to...especially on such a small island.  Everyone will eventually know about you.

I have found that rugby can be quite entertaining.  I don't know all the rules, but it makes sense.  Cricket, on the other hand, is mind-boggling.

Banking here is a nightmare.  I had a check returned because my signature didn't match the signature thay had on file.  Not because of insufficient funds...because MY signature didn't match MY signature.  It took 7 days to wire money home.  My debit card was deactivated because the bank failed to provide me with a document they needed me to sign.  Rather than contact me, they cut access to my cash off.  The list goes on.  I really miss my credit union!

IT support is in India...just like back home!

More another time!