For example, if you want to get something done, even the most menial task, you can usually pay someone else to do it. In the office we have an army of men who bring us tea or coffee whenever we ask for it, and will fetch our food should we order it in. I have started buying a simple lunch from across the road, a mixture of rice, beans, curry, 15Rs (bargain!) and whenever I go to pick this up myself I am greeted with looks of astonishment!
Firstly, my fellow workers say I should just call the guys up and get them to collect it. Then, the guys themselves smile and laugh at me when they see me walking outside. And lastly, the men standing around at the corner eaterie can't take their eyes off me! It's like they are all shocked that I would make the two minute trip out of the comfort of the office when I could just send someone to do it for me! Then when I carry the plate of food back in I attract more stares and amusement!
The thing is I enjoy going out of the office, even if it is only for a minute. It's nice to take a break and see what's going on in the outside world. Sometimes it'll be pouring down with sheets of rain, others it's baking hot sunshine, either way, I enjoy it...and I feel kind of embarrassed at asking someone else to carry out such a simple task for me, you know? If you've got legs, why not use them!
An Indian guy I met over the weekend told me he was so used to a maid doing his washing, cooking, cleaning etc that when he moved to Dubai with his job within days he was at a complete loss of what to do domestically! He couldn't figure out how to wash his clothes, and so he bought just new ones. After a few weeks he realised this was proving far too costly so called up another Indian who was also working there, BUT who did know how to cook and clean, and begged this man to come and live with him for free as long as he would do the household chores! There was genuine fear on my friend's face as he told this; to him it was just a way of life that if you afford to pay someone to do something, why do it yourself?
And this, I think, is something I'll never get used to.
Can anyone tell me the worst, or most bizarre task they've ever paid someone else to do?
No comments:
Post a Comment