Overwhelming Hours

Overwhelming are the number of hours I spend at work. Luckily, like my job enough to not countdown the hours, seconds and minutes till I get off from work. Unlike the time when I was serving NS. Oh, and the pay I got by working these two weeks is equivalent to what I get in a month from SAF. Speaking of which, I saw Sgt Wei Jie yesterday. Although we are almost strangers, he was nice enough to talk to me and update me about what was going on in camp!

Work gives me the opportunity to mix with people of different nationalities. Yeah, you wouldn't believe the number of tourists that come to Singapore - better yet, the different nationalities that take a trip down to our sunny island. I've served customers from the UK, Iran, Egypt, Ireland, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, China, India, Germany... and the list goes on. Of course with different people have different personalities, but there tends to be some kind of pattern. I know it's not right to stereotype, but more often than not, people from the same ethnic group or nationality tend to share common characteristics. I don't know how to put across what I want to say in a tactful manner, so I shan't!

With Singaporeans though, they are more straightforward, friendly, and tend not to waste your time. Basically there are two groups - the browsers and buyers. Of course there's the minority (but proportionately more foreigners) that are the bastards. They try to pick an argument with you, test your product knowledge, think of the most retarded questions to ask and just want to make use of you to pass time. I mean, do you ask D&G why they are priced more expensive than other places selling clothes or ask what's the difference between the coffee they serve at Coffee Bean and Kopitiam? I know there's a flaw in my comparison because sometimes the products that we're selling are exactly the same as elsewhere, but I think it's just plain rude to ask such a question. It's like would you go to your friend's house and ask why the dinner doesn't taste as good as your mom's cooking?

Okay, I know that led to a tangent and a long rant, but then there are the nice cases. I've got locals who take their time to chat with me, asking me how old I am and which university I'm going to. I took a long time to entertain them, but it was my pleasure. It was kind of cool to see a the wife egging the husband to buy "the pink one" for her, and then asking me if I would get a pink one if my girlfriend asked me to! They were hilarious and very friendly. Certainly one of the most memorable people I've served.

And, like what everyone who has probably worked before would say, working made me realise the value of money. Now everything comes with a pricetag - a price that I pay for with my time and energy. I sort of think twice about spending - not that I have much time to do so anyway! Moeny certainly makes the world go round.

Ahh... work is crazy, but when that ONE day off a week comes, it's like heaven. Got to go plan what I'm to do to make full use of it!