1) I was heading to Tesco and know that I only have ₤5 to spare
2) I was at Tesco asking for cash back of ₤20 when I know its my last ₤20
3) As I stepped in Top Shop I alrady knew I could not buy anything
4) Spending ₤60 on Acupuncture shoes when I received some money for the week from my wages
5) Wishing that I am no longer in University so I don't have any "issues" with money
6) Going into town for the weekend before Christmas
7) Asking for a Ted Baker jacket as a Christmas Present
8) When he walked in and passed me the bronzing cream from Boots after 2 days of arguing about whether I needed it
9) Millennium party with his family
10) Christmas morning before the roast chicken and potato's
Showing posts with label Second Year 1997-1998. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Second Year 1997-1998. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Christmas
Chirstmas
Christmas back home is normally just a day off watching telly the whole day. Nothing really changes back home. Its just like any other Sunday’s except there are a lot of Christmassy movies with all this little “moral of the story is….” type of movie..
Anyway, the first Christmas in England was pretty much the same as back home. Except, it was with snow…My whole family came over to visit, and we had a hectic Shopping scene for Christmas. There was even a bomb scare in Marks and Spencer on Boxing day, and I will never forget the look on my mom’s face when we all walked out of the shopping arcade with our shopping baskets. Everyone else started to put their “shopping” in their handbags/ other shopping bags, but mom insisted we wait for the alarm to stop and the security to let us back in to pay for the shopping stuffs. I shall leave it at that…
Anyway, the consequent years, was not so similar. I started celebrating Christmas like any other Englishman (or women) would. (I actually meant: how any English students would celebrate Christmas) coz most of their mom’s would be in the kitchen cooking Christmas Roast. Anyway, I was invited to stay over at LD’s house, since I was his gf at that time, and his mom and dad really wanted him home for Christmas.
And Ive never received so many presents in my life. I woke up the next morning (I was sleeping in his sister’s room, she was on the bed, I was on the extra mattress) and there was 2 sacks- and it was huge, next to the door. It was as though Santa came and left a sack for each of us. I was quite confused; I mean why would I have so many presents? It must have been for LD instead, and they (his parents) accidentally put it in the room Im staying in instead.
But there was a card with my name on it.
I didn’t want to be rude, so I opened the card first. And it was for me. I let out a squeal, and I guess that woke Kerry up. She then screamed when she saw her sack of pressies.
Anyway, before I share what my presents were for that year, let me go back one night before Christmas morning….
What they (the English) normally does is they would meet their friends in the pub for a few (not overly drunken stage) drinks. They would chit chat, be merry, talk about what they think they’d get from their parents etc and what they got for their parents, gf’s. bf’s etc. And when they get home, most of them will have a glass of wine with their families, to share the story of what they talked about in the pub.
Anyway, the next morning, after opening presents, after breakfast (a light one, ie cup of tea and a piece of toast) again, they would go to the pub, but this time with their dad’s/uncle’s etc. The mom’s would stay at home to complete Christmas roast.
(drinking in the pub at 11 am, can you imagine that?) Anyway, they would then head home for lunch, ie Christmas roast lunch- yummy!, drink wine (or sometimes champagne) and then watch some telly. And probably a visit to the pub, to discuss their pressies. Fun eigh? Oh, you have to wear the red Santa hat to the pub during Christmas eve and Christmas Day... :)
So what did I get that year? Socks, Gloves, Scarfs, tops, knickers, choclates, wallet, perfume and Im sure there was more, but I cant remember now…Basically, it was the complete Christmas gift one could ever asked for as presents.
Anyway, the year after that, I was no longer with LD, I was with CJ. And CJ’s parents were the sweetest Parents In Law (if they ended up as my inlaws that is) a girl could ever have. They didn’t give me expensive presents, nor did I to them, but they always gave me meaningful ones. And until today, I will always get his mom a present for her birthday, and some small gifts for them for Christmas.
Well, what was the best Christmas present I got when I was there? It would have to be perfumes. Every year, it was either, Moshino or JPG, or CK….And they always come with nice Christmas boxes and with extra gifts…. How lovely!
Where did I celebrate Christmas? London in 1996, Malvern (Worcestershire) in 1997, Liverpool in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The office Pub
My then boyfriend was working in the local pub called "the office". One night, they had a huge function, and they needed extra staff. I volunteered as I have never worked in a pub before, and I knew I had a good "teacher" to guide me as he was working that night too.
They were skeptical at first, as I have NEVER pulled a pint let alone mixed any drinks before. But they were desperate.
So that evening, before the pub was open for serving, I was given a 1 hour training.
To be fair, I didn't work in the function area as that would have just been like putting me in a lion cage. They put me in the other room, where the locals drink instead. And since I was known as a "local" there (because every weekend I am there to hang out with L while he was working), the punters (local drinkers) were very nice (and patient) with me.
By the end of the night, I got myself a few quids in tips, and I could already pull a perfect pint. Well, sort off. I still needed to get the hang of how to pull the perfect pint ofstones. The fluff just gets to me!
Anyway, after a successful night Debs and Paul(the landlord) had everything under control. They offered me a part time job. I was to work there every Friday and Saturday from 8-11. They would pay me the current wage then, which was ₤3.50 per hour. The tips were all mine. Though initially we pulled our tips together, after realising I was the only one which was pleasant enough (or maybe the drunks just thought I was a cute Malaysian girl behind the bar), we decided whoever got tipped were able to keep their owns tips.
So, I was making about ₤15 per night, which is ₤30 per week including tips.
I was on a role! I was so good at pulling pints and calculating off my head (not needing the till to calculate), I ended up working there for 2 whole years. :) Even after Paul and Dave was asked to leave as landlords...
Stay tuned for the next episode of The Office pub- where we all ended up answering to the cops one night...It was MAD!
They were skeptical at first, as I have NEVER pulled a pint let alone mixed any drinks before. But they were desperate.
So that evening, before the pub was open for serving, I was given a 1 hour training.
To be fair, I didn't work in the function area as that would have just been like putting me in a lion cage. They put me in the other room, where the locals drink instead. And since I was known as a "local" there (because every weekend I am there to hang out with L while he was working), the punters (local drinkers) were very nice (and patient) with me.
By the end of the night, I got myself a few quids in tips, and I could already pull a perfect pint. Well, sort off. I still needed to get the hang of how to pull the perfect pint ofstones. The fluff just gets to me!
Anyway, after a successful night Debs and Paul(the landlord) had everything under control. They offered me a part time job. I was to work there every Friday and Saturday from 8-11. They would pay me the current wage then, which was ₤3.50 per hour. The tips were all mine. Though initially we pulled our tips together, after realising I was the only one which was pleasant enough (or maybe the drunks just thought I was a cute Malaysian girl behind the bar), we decided whoever got tipped were able to keep their owns tips.
So, I was making about ₤15 per night, which is ₤30 per week including tips.
I was on a role! I was so good at pulling pints and calculating off my head (not needing the till to calculate), I ended up working there for 2 whole years. :) Even after Paul and Dave was asked to leave as landlords...
Stay tuned for the next episode of The Office pub- where we all ended up answering to the cops one night...It was MAD!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Cooking....
In the first year, I was quite lucky I had Raymond. Raymond was the student from HK who was pursuing business degree, but is an excellent cook (he was thinking of becoming a chef, but his extremely rich parents wanted him to do business degree first before settling down with opening a dine in restaurant). Oh, and Raymond lives with Alex, and Alex is related to Barbara, who lives with me.
So anyway, Raymond had a soft spot for me (no he doesn't fancy me, he bets for the other team, so I was quite safe). So whenever he cooks, he will include me in. After two weeks of him asking me to join them, I insisted that I should be included in buying the groceries. Initially they were reluctant, as they say that I eat very little anyway, and I was providing them with the Instant Maggie mee (sometimes at 2 am, Raymond and Alex will come knocking asking me for my supply of Maggie Mee)...And at that time, Maggie Mee was priceless since you cant easily purchase it in Safeways. :)
Anyway, in the 2nd year, Raymond and Alex went back to Hong Kong, and I moved out of the student flat. So, it was cooking time for me.
And at that point, for at least 2 months, I was basically eating butter with Rice and Fried chicken. I couldn't cook anything else. And instant meals was a luxury - the economy back home wasn't doing too well, and I was working to pay my bills.
So I learned to cook to eat... I tried every single dish by making up my own recipe.(I didn't have any of Mom's recipes) And it was okay if it didn't turn out, because I was living with 3 British people who absolutely love everything (Except anchovies) I cook (they assume it was Asian food).
I survived cooking, and I am thankful that I could cook over there to survive, and it helped with my cooking now.
So anyway, Raymond had a soft spot for me (no he doesn't fancy me, he bets for the other team, so I was quite safe). So whenever he cooks, he will include me in. After two weeks of him asking me to join them, I insisted that I should be included in buying the groceries. Initially they were reluctant, as they say that I eat very little anyway, and I was providing them with the Instant Maggie mee (sometimes at 2 am, Raymond and Alex will come knocking asking me for my supply of Maggie Mee)...And at that time, Maggie Mee was priceless since you cant easily purchase it in Safeways. :)
Anyway, in the 2nd year, Raymond and Alex went back to Hong Kong, and I moved out of the student flat. So, it was cooking time for me.
And at that point, for at least 2 months, I was basically eating butter with Rice and Fried chicken. I couldn't cook anything else. And instant meals was a luxury - the economy back home wasn't doing too well, and I was working to pay my bills.
So I learned to cook to eat... I tried every single dish by making up my own recipe.(I didn't have any of Mom's recipes) And it was okay if it didn't turn out, because I was living with 3 British people who absolutely love everything (Except anchovies) I cook (they assume it was Asian food).
I survived cooking, and I am thankful that I could cook over there to survive, and it helped with my cooking now.
Monday, July 13, 2009
My first job....
In my second year in England, the economy back home was deteriorating. We were going through recession. And due to this, many scholarship students were called back. I asked my dad if I could stay, if they can afford for me to continue with paying for my fees. I made an "agreement" with them. They pay for my University fees and rent, I will sort out my food, bills ec cetera on my own.
My monthly money was therefore slashed quite a bit. I wasn't complaining as times were bad, back home. Luckily, the University also helped, with giving a bursary to the students who excelled, and even helped with giving a bi-weekly money to ASEAN countries students who were not under any scholarships. We were getting ₤75 for 2 weeks. Which can easily cover the food, gas and electric. (I was already living in a house with 3 others in my second year).
It was different in the first year, since we were living in a student flat, the payments were already made to the university, I basically didn't have to pay for anything except food. But ofcoure the rent which we paid were much higher then the ₤45 per week living in a house.
Anyway, since I needed to "survive", I managed to get a job with Ant Marketing. I didn't have a National Insurance number (yet), which is quite difficult to get a job at places like Safeways or Tesco's. (Telemarketing was not fun to do, but I didn't want to starve instead)
Anyway, I was getting paid something like ₤3 an hour compared to the normal rate of ₤3.80 per hour. The good news is, we were not taxed, but we were not allowed to work more then 20 hours a week. And if you manage to get 10-15 people who would agree to receive the free mags, you will get ₤3.20 per hour, and more then 16-24, you get ₤3.50 and if more then 24, you get a bonus of ₤10 for the hour.(which is HARDLY)
I don't really have much memories of the job, because it was not a nice job for me, to be ring people up to ask if they wanted to receive free magazines, sometimes to make sure the guest who says they will attend the party will in fact attend the party and there was once we had to make a VIP list for this unknown dates party- we had to speak to their PA's PA. But one thing that I remember was meeting Prince's sister.
When I was first informed that she was Prince's sister, I was like...which Prince? So if she was a princess, why does she need to work?
they all laughed at me.
And then they explained that Prince Naseem was at that point one of the best boxers, and he came from Sheffield.
*picture was googled.
Anyway, Sa'aba, I think, that was his sister's name, if I'm not mistaken. She was funny, loud, and very nice.
Working at Ant Marketing was interesting, coz I met many foreign students, and Local (Sheffield) people who wanted to earn quick cash and for people who didn't want to be standing alot.
I also remember that I learned if you speak with a smile on the phone, things will go much smoother. People seem to be nicer when I was smiling down the telephone.
My monthly money was therefore slashed quite a bit. I wasn't complaining as times were bad, back home. Luckily, the University also helped, with giving a bursary to the students who excelled, and even helped with giving a bi-weekly money to ASEAN countries students who were not under any scholarships. We were getting ₤75 for 2 weeks. Which can easily cover the food, gas and electric. (I was already living in a house with 3 others in my second year).
It was different in the first year, since we were living in a student flat, the payments were already made to the university, I basically didn't have to pay for anything except food. But ofcoure the rent which we paid were much higher then the ₤45 per week living in a house.
Anyway, since I needed to "survive", I managed to get a job with Ant Marketing. I didn't have a National Insurance number (yet), which is quite difficult to get a job at places like Safeways or Tesco's. (Telemarketing was not fun to do, but I didn't want to starve instead)
Anyway, I was getting paid something like ₤3 an hour compared to the normal rate of ₤3.80 per hour. The good news is, we were not taxed, but we were not allowed to work more then 20 hours a week. And if you manage to get 10-15 people who would agree to receive the free mags, you will get ₤3.20 per hour, and more then 16-24, you get ₤3.50 and if more then 24, you get a bonus of ₤10 for the hour.(which is HARDLY)
I don't really have much memories of the job, because it was not a nice job for me, to be ring people up to ask if they wanted to receive free magazines, sometimes to make sure the guest who says they will attend the party will in fact attend the party and there was once we had to make a VIP list for this unknown dates party- we had to speak to their PA's PA. But one thing that I remember was meeting Prince's sister.
When I was first informed that she was Prince's sister, I was like...which Prince? So if she was a princess, why does she need to work?
they all laughed at me.
And then they explained that Prince Naseem was at that point one of the best boxers, and he came from Sheffield.
*picture was googled.
Anyway, Sa'aba, I think, that was his sister's name, if I'm not mistaken. She was funny, loud, and very nice.
Working at Ant Marketing was interesting, coz I met many foreign students, and Local (Sheffield) people who wanted to earn quick cash and for people who didn't want to be standing alot.
I also remember that I learned if you speak with a smile on the phone, things will go much smoother. People seem to be nicer when I was smiling down the telephone.
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