A week to negotiate :P

So, I’m writing this post at work, from one of my friends notebook, as my PC over here denies to work for more than 5 minutes in a row (having fun always having it shut down :P)

But anyways, I was not intending to give a full report on my advancements in technology (though I’m learning a good amount working in product development, thus seeing how complicated IT can be :P). My sister asked me to sometimes turn not that very philosophical but to also tell what is happening to me.
While usually not much, I mean nothing unusual, Jordan is not any more the exotic destination, but rather some sort of a second home…so I also live somehow as it would be home. Sometime I go out, sometimes I stay home…nothing like what it feels very special to share.

Until last week! Because obviously there are always surprises and last week a few things what are typically Jordanian just piled up on me. Well, nothing to really worry about, all is sorted and going pretty well, not easy, but cool J
So, what exactly is the line of activities to do – the first round is to be outside of work. Here you go with the list: Residency application pack, Ministry of Interior (Belugyminiszterium), Flat negotiations and deals, Flight ticket for January.

Let’s go step by step. Pack for residency. Usually it is easy, I have been through the process itself, but now of course it is different, as I need to renew it…so no one really have an idea on how to do it, what do you need, etc. So it starts if I need an HIV test…I did it, and then turned out that I do not need it, or I do not need it at least for the ministry part of the procedure. Then the recommendation from AIESEC, for which I needed certain things to be written, in certain format, which for sure turned out only after waiting 4 hours in the Ministry to be sent back home in less than 2 minutes :P

Oh, yes, the ministry itself, lovely place. You only need to wait like 4 hours to get along in the queue, but then it is usually fast to be sent back home to bring a new piece of paper, or change something on another one…always to be told one-by-one, for sure not all points given in one pack :P. So in total I spent 6 hours in the Ministry of Interior. What helped? Well, that is the other typical Jordanian thing. As obviously I do not speak Arabic it is indeed a challenge to communicate with ministry representatives who do not speak a single word in English, despite the fact they deal with foreigners every day for many years of their service. What to do then? The following lessons to be taken care of:
· Do not panic – they don’t really appreciate if they see you nervous….allthough why would you be calm after waiting 3-4 hours, and not understanding a word over what is happening to you :P
· Smile – this truly does open doors!
· Speak 2 sentences in Arabic. Just saying hi and asking how they are in Arabic is totally breaking the ice! They become super helpful, seriously!
· Again don’t panic – coz they will ask or tell you stuff, maybe tell you that you should pay one more visit – just stay smiling, they might end up actually helping you out (this did happen to me by copying my Hungarian national ID – what they do need for the process, though I have certain doubts if they will understand a single word in Hungarian :P)
· And say thank you as many times as something gets along, even it is small Generally pamper them and be nice – so they feel their importance and power – they are like the secretary, who things she is the decision maker…she is not, but she is the gate to the actual situation, if it is blocked, you can complain whatever J
So, cool, one down, now comes the waiting, and on the 2nd of November inshallah I’m going to get an answer – if I get it, then it becomes faster and easier….inshallah of course :D

Then let’s get to the flat situation. Nothing really fancy again, I just wanted to negotiate the rent :P And I did get a discount, not big, but I got J Why is that an achievement from someone who have spent years in partnership negotiations??? Have you ever tried negotiating anything, when it comes down to money!, with basic English and in many cases just relying on body language??? Definite experience! Good advice here – have paper and pens with you, drawing and trying to find out what is on the paper is the best exercise ever, stretches your brains a lot J Back to the stone age almost…but it is a true fun (besides the stress that if it does not work you might get kicked out the next day :P). This one as well is sorted

Flight ticket – good European approach: book online! Aha, as it would be that easy! I book my flight on Royal Jordanian, just to discover when going to pick my ticket up that my flight (no, not the booking!!!) disappeared. Not cancelled, or anything, but simply no sign of it any more in the system, though I booked the day before :P.
Telling me, that there are no flights for the dates what were kind of carved into stone, with other stuff to fix, well, that was not my favorite situation…and honestly I freaked out when they told there are flights only on other dates and for more money (the money is the smallest issue here). So what happened? Again the Jordanian approach – start calling J And forget online crap :P And I did find Egypt Air, on the right dates, for the price what also RJ offered for the new dates…sweet…so I booked on the phone, carefully noting down the dude’s name, who took my booking and then went myself to pick the ticket up, triple checking everything before I actually paid. And yessssss, I have my ticket J Getting back to Hungary for 2 weeks on the 1st of January (prepare for the New Year’s Eve after party!!! I need to recharge my party levels :P)

So, then what really happened? Nothing unusual over here. Just a normal week with a bit of extra stress and finally also solutions to long time pending issues. Which feels pretty good! Totally easing up (though not solving) my mental state I have been writing about in my last post.

Enough of talking, this have become a novel kind of post again :P But now at least writing about actual happenings and not about philosophy :P Comments are welcome!

The missing piece

Have you ever tried to completet a puzzle (with at least a few hundred pieces) and encounter the situation that it somehow doesn't fall into place?And then in most cases discover that most probably a piece is missing, but there are so many you just do not know which one it is?
Well, I kind of have this feeling :)

Because if I list down what is in my life, you just can not find the gap on this list. I have my place, more or less stable :P, work is great, I kind of also have free time :) and I do spend it (even if I go out a bit less, so that I can go home in January), I have my friends here...etc.The first reaction, coming naturally, is that I'm just missing home and family, which I do...but this is not it.I'm not entirely sure if I would have had the same situation if I would have stayed in Hungary, but I think the answer is yes. Coz thinking through the difference of my life here and how it would be in Hungary, well, not that very significantly different.

My usual approach would be that it must be some detail, what I did not take good care about....but it does not feel like.
And now another discovery, just looking back at this very post...full of "feel" and assumptions, haha, seems like I'm slowly learning to listen to my instinct (or I might just have too much time to think, lol).

Anyways, I didn't mean to go overly philosphical. Just when people ask me how am I doing (and now I'm not talking about the daily random nicesties) I'm stuck on how to respond. Because I'm good and doing really fine - and that is true...but not full heartedly...and it is not bad, I do not mean to express I feel bad...just missing that one piece, which I have no idea what it is :D I will scream when I found the piece :)

End of "deep" post, again I managed to reinvent the wheel and shake the world with my wisdom over myself :P