Saturday, May 23, 2009

WHAT NOT TO DO IN GENEVA

Well.....

You can't flush your toilet after 10 pm.
Its against the law.

No loud noise after 10 pm.
Its against the law.

No lawn mowing on Sunday.
Its against the law.

No stomping, running, or making loud noise after 10 pm if you live in an apartment.
People who live below you can report to the police.

No washing, drying clothes on Sunday.
Its against the law.

No disrespect to people riding bicycles.
Its against the law. (This I like, :))

I just wonder, if Geneva is truly the centre of attention for all those human rights issues, what about people's rights to those stuff above.

I guess there is no such thing as true freedom shit.

Monday, May 11, 2009

LOST IN GENEVA!

I am in Geneva.

Since I am starting another new chapter in my life, I think its appropriate to write my would be experiences in a totally new blog.

I reported for work on the day I arrived, with jet lag and everything. Managed to hold my eyes wide open while being briefed by my boss about my job here. I cant say the same with my brains. I am sure I missed a lot of information during the briefing, sort of brain-cannot-function-need-sleep feeling. Anyway, the boss told me that I have to play for a bowling tournament the next day.

Yeah, no problem.

I moved to my new dwelling on Sunday.

On Monday, since my body and mind was still on Malaysian time, I woke up at 2.00 am in the morning. Here the sun rise at 5.00 am and by 6.00 am its bright enough.

And what did I do? I went jogging in the cold spring morning. I was without any exercises for 5-6 days prior to coming here.

Akula (opening the apartment door) : Mak oi! Sejuk!
Akula's Wife: Are you sure? Its nice and warm inside....Boleh tahan ke ni?
Akula: Eleh, bukan tak pernah duduk tempat sejuk. Ni masuk 3 kali dah. Kang dah jogging kang panas la.
Akula's wife: Tunggu kejap lagi la, ni pukul 6.00 pagi, sejuk lagi ni.
Akula: Ala, bukan sejuk sangat. Bukannya winter.

Braving the cold morning, I completed a one hour session. Sweating, I found out was a very hard thing to do. Really can't wait for summer.

My office is about 10 minutes away from the apartment by car. But since I have yet to buy a car, and since it will take me about 40 minutes by bus, I chose to walk to the office. My predecessor told me that it will take me just 20 minutes.

Feeling full of confident I decided to walk to the office. But I took a wrong turn somewhere , and lost my way. Ended up on the highway to the France border town of Ferney-Voltaire (a French town bordering Geneva, and yes, the Voltaire part of the town name was adopted from that Voltaire guy who was incorrectly credited with writing, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"). 5 or 10 more minutes of walking and I'd already be in France!. Took me almost 2 hours of walking back to the office. Did not even broke a sweat (because of the cold weather).

Well, the thing about being lost was that, I know the route I am not supposed to take to get to the office.

And plus, now I know how to get to the France border.