milan
Right back at you with your vocabulary. Thanks for calling me nice. That's very generous of you. Simple? Let me teach you something. With that very same simplicity; it has taken me so far... And not in Surabaya only which I have been 3 times. How about that?
BaliLife
having only been here three times, you might be wise to limit your assumptions about what opportunities exist in surabaya then..i can assure you, if i decided to relocate to italy, i could - and not as a maid :wink: oh i'm sorry, now that was uncalled for..ct
chilli
we start off with "no one seems to be buying anything/Giorgio Armani caffe'", we enter "costs of living", cross over into the soccer game, turn right into England, turn right again into opinion alley, left at relocating to Italy and then do a U turn towards Maids ????????????????????????????????We are such diverse people on this board from various countries/ cultures/realities. I find this interesting. Where were we ?sorry, rainy, stormy night here, a bit bored, logged on to see whats happening and itsround three again. :roll: hows my [color=#40BF40]beautiful Bali [/color]going ?
Bert Vierstra
hows my [color=#40BF40]beautiful Bali [/color]going ?[/quote]I can assure you Bali doesn't bother about us at all. 8)
milan
Okay, where were we? I just finished ironing. That's right, I'm a maid, but it's my off day today, tuan?? Apparently, you don't give a hoot what everyone else is writing but your own.Thus, your remaining "ignorant".But I do admit you make me laugh. You're so funny to a point of being pitiful! Carry on, you're entertaining.Just because I'm Indonesian, a word "maid" has to be injected into that. You're such a racist and classist. Yet, you're married to one.
BaliLife
Ok, so i think i just had a post knocked (not entirely sure), but if so, fair enough..Anyway, I think it's time to end this.Milan, I don't think you're a maid - it's obvious that you are not a maid and I'm sorry for suggesting such - it was inappropriate and cruel.I'm not a racist or a classist - but I don't think many would stand acknowledge such even if they were.Your posting in the 'hygiene' thread 'rubbed me up the wrong way', as i felt and still feel it's a valid discussion and I felt you were hopping on-board the 'do-gooders' train. This is a public forum and I think some things need to be open for discussion in a candid manner without having to worry about every Tom, Dick and Harry jumping on the "that's offensive" ship. Nevertheless, I do believe things need to discussed in a decent manner and I reiterate that I should have been more selective in my language when posting the 'hygiene' thread.It's funny that generalizations are tolerated and in fact embraced when they're positive - but when there's a hint on negativity or controversy, generalizations become a very ore point of contention.Anyhow, hopefully this will end an argument that's probably boring other members of the forum to death.Ct
milan
Just finished my lunch although I didn't have what you had at Warung Italia as I only had salad. And by the way, what you had there is really an authentic way of preparing Italian food with the fresh basil as such. A pity you couldn't ask the owner where did he get his basils from.Apology accepted as you're man enough to come forward with it.And I did agree with you on your first paragraph about the maid (shouldn't be on this thread, but never mind) as I'm worse than you in that am even more fussy than you when it comes to hygiene that even my little daughter was influenced and on our visit to Jakarta, she flinched at one fly that flew and landed on her lap. So, that shows how clean-freak I am.Now as to generalising everything that flipped me out completely. I'm not a nationalist. And I didn't jump on the do-gooder group of people as I sdo peak for myself and myself alone.I'm maybe naive but I see the world in rose-tinted glasses and it has put me to good stead, believe me.You never heard me complaining about the Italians, the French, etc., yet I've had bad experiences in these countries but that's the fact of life when you live in one place for that matter. It's nothing to do with the nationalities. On the contrary, my own husband (being Italian), couldn't even understand how I could easily adapt and even be more Italian now than he is that I had to take over whenever he gets into his Italian temper when faced with certain things here and I feel blessed that I could learn about this culture as well. Therefore, I hope you and also "I" could take these episodes (even though fun), as lessons in learning more about one another with all our respective baggages and what not and be civilised about it. Truce???!!No, just kidding. Arrivederci! Have a pleasant stay in Indonesia.
BaliLife
Truce..Actually, I also wondered where the heck they were gettinmg such large anounts of fresh Basil..I'm now sitting in Cafe Pisa, East Surabaya, where the food is of a considerably lower standard :-(Ct
chilli
Surely they would have no problem growing Basil in Bali, with such rich soil andtropical showers. I would imagine it is easy to grow anything in Bali.
BaliLife
Perhaps.. I always thought Basil was slightly more seasonal and difficult to grow than say Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram and Rosemary, which are much more hardy - and can take dry conditions.. I'm not sure how Basil would cope with the heat..
chilli
Not sure about my reply here, not a basil specialist. But i thought that once the basil plant flowers, it turns bast@@@d (they say in Italy) and its over with.Perhaps growing different basil plants constantly is how they get to have supply of the basil..as i said, not sure, just thinking out loud.
milan
It would be great to plant basil leafs as I really need them for my cooking once I live in Jakarta. When I was there last, I was delighted to see readily packed and even organic salads available that are imported from Aus. or NZ. However, I didn't see any fresh herbs such as parsleys, basils, as well as the Italian dry herbs.I need to cook Italian food at least once or twice a week. It's a must.
milan
I wanted to reply to Jimbo's post on all the shopping he's done. That's exhilarating to have purchased a car, ticketts, computer and a nice dine-out with your daughters. That's very nice! I do know even though working in Kazakstan is tough, my husband was once offered a job there but he couldn't take it as he was on another assignment. But the pay!!! Not to be indiscreet here, but I know more or less the kind of pay one can get per DAY!! It's fantastic, so why not. What's better than to splurge on one's own family. I tried to respond to your Father's Day blog but couldn't so let me write it here.You sound like a very sentimental bloke and rightly so. I feel that sense of happiness within you to see and be surrounded by your very loved ones which is such a magnificent feeling and I couldn't be more happier for you, Jimbo. It's always nice to hear this kind of story as I truly believe in good deeds of which you get a reward for that so somewhere along the line, you've done alright... Bravo! as the Italians would say.So, I wish you a continued happiest times with your family.
milan
so somewhere along the line, you've done alright...[/quote] I meant to write: "you did something right".My English is a mess again when I have to speak more Italian in one day.
Jimbo
but I know more or less the kind of pay one can get per DAY[/quote]They get their pound of flesh though. My average days goes like this:a. Up at 5 amb. Shower, dress and breakfast by 5.45 amc. Get transport to office 6.0 amd. Travel to the office by 6.30 am (Lunch at desk)e. Work until 7pmf. Travel back to camp by 7.30 pmg. Dinner by 8 pmh. Rest and recreation 1 houri. Bed and sleep 9.0 pmThis goes on 7 days a week for 4 weeks at a time and then 4 weeks off which includes travel time. Not a fun routine as I do 8 weeks work in 4 but it enables me to see my family much more often than most other contracts do.
milan
Well, your timetable is more or less like hubby's except his day starts 8 am. He's been working in Iran for the past 8 months now but is glad to be ending it soon. Each month he comes back to Milan but always stops in Dubai for a brief work there. Congo was to be his next but thank God no more. Looks like Kazakstan, Ruwais or Abu Dhabi but most probably Abu Dhabi next.So, back to you, your one month break does sound like a luxury to me which rarely a deal that's given to Italians. But it's because Kazakstan, I presume. I read somewhere you are postponing to go on retirement for another year? Italy doesn't have the same system as US and UK where one can withdraw a lumpsum out of one's retirement fund. It's untouchable which is good but unpractical at the same time should one need for other priority unfortunately. Once we live in Indonesia, I will have to think of taking a private medical insurance also. It's a headache but it's hubby's choice to live in Indonesia and I'm naturally happy about it.I'm sure so is your wife on the prospect of living in Indonesia or are you going to continue living in UK at the same time. How small the world is when one starts talking about all these places because it's just stimulating, exciting and so addictive in the end. At least it is for me.
Jimbo
are you going to continue living in UK at the same time. [/quote]Initially we will spend 6 months in each place but eventually I will sell my house in the UK and live full time in Indonesia.As for my month off the company I work for is part owned by ENI the Italian oil giant and their guys get the same deal.
goldminer
I work 1 week on, 1 week off. Its only a 2 hour flight to work so find it great. 12 hour shifts eat sleep work. I guess u know all about that jimbo :roll: Not sure if i could handle 4/4 jimbo, most i have done is 2/1 for many years, but present roster great!
milan
Congo assignment was for ENI, Jimbo. But due to the some red-tape matters that still have to be resolved, it's postponed. Thus for hubby not about to wait for it and will opt for Abu Dhabi most probably. For Kazakstan, yes, he was offered the same length of time off as you.
