February 19, 2006
Adopted
I've been adopted. Not officially, but practically.. :) Kaj has left to Bali on Friday, but I yet have to start feeling lonely, - Giulianno, Joanne & Luca has been graciously feeding me every night.. :) As you may see, Luca has been totally captivated by this new blond home fixture.. Staring at me like that and NOT blinking! Not smiling, no... Poor child is seriously drugged and not feeling quite well right now (7 different bottles with different medication to be administered at different times!!!) What was crossing his mind, when he was watching me like that? :)
Hei, by the way, ever needed a nanny service? Just let us know, Kaj is a natural at handling babies! At better times Luca has been entrusted to him for up to 5 minutes!!!
I'm very impressed how the parents dare to have children here. Joanne is back to work pulling 17h shifts at times (still breastfeeding - imagine that!!), Giuliano has used up his 3 day paternity leave and works on "school stuff" on the weekends (sometimes). The perfect solution for local parents is, of course, to get a maid. Or then have retired grandparents.
The real problem with this place (and I could imagine with being a parent in this place, although the guys never really complain..) is that there's no time in here.. Don't know how to explain it, but you constantly feel that there's no time. Where does it go - I have no idea. No time for hobbies, walks, sleep, long coffee breaks and chats, writing emails to your friends and family.. No really time for thinking and imagining things, just attending to the tasks that are immediately at hand.. Regular 9 hour days could explain a little bit, but it doesn't really justify the sense of constantly trying to catch up with time.. Just got up, oups, its 11pm already...
When Kaj was quitting his job and all the mess was still on, he got an MC (ow yeah, famous Leijonakaupunki newspeak - MC is "emcee" - a Medical Certificate, one of the most vital abbreviations you have to learn!) for a week, because of the anxiety and stress at work. The MC doctor (sounds like something in between MC Hammer and Doctor Alban:) said "well, I regularly work 16 hour days. I destress by playing computer games for 15 minutes at the end of the workday" (surely thinking "you ang mohs are weak!"). Well that's a "can do" attitude for you! This is the cornerstone of the Leijonakaupunki society and economical progress!!! The taxi drivers that drive 18 hour shifts daily and go to Batam for 1 day twice a year. The construction workers that live in the construction site and work 8am-10pm days. We're privileged! I know... We sit in the air conditioned offices, work with computers and above all we can leave!
Some more of Luca's mesmeerized look.. And quick points summarized: the mess with taxes, apartment, etc is happily over. We're couple of thousands dollars poorer, but million times happier. Kaj is in Bali, looking for a house. I'm serving my notice. We're packing up and leaving on 11th April to travel in New Zealand for 5 weeks. We'll most likely be heading North-West in June... We miss you! :)
Posted by gkligyte at February 19, 2006 10:41 AM