Hire More Americans

The company I work for should really hire more Americans instead of sub-contracting British people who make more than the Americans. It seems the Americans were hired on a surge making $24 an hour and the Brits were making $28 an hour, that is really not cool. If the Americans stayed on after the surge was over they are now making $19 an hour. What!?

After reading about all the homless and poor people in America who are actually educated but hit hard times it saddens me to think that Brits are taking jobs away from Americans, working on an American base. Everyone knows Brits do not like Americans so we all know they are smiling in our faces and taking pay that should go to Americans.

Some of them have no respect for the base either, one Brit in particular wears his boxes to eat in the DFAC. The DFAC he goes to is a Kuwaiti owned restaurant called the Oasis but the fact is he wears his boxers. They ride our shuttles because they claim it's faster than bringing their buses on base, which means less seating for the Americans. Of course it wasn't brought on by the employees it was those who work in contracts that allow it to happen. It just happens that the old PM liked FNs and thought by hiring 1000 more of them he could make money off of it.

It didn't work and now he's gone but we have 1000 more FNs riding around on base working on military equipment without a secret clearance although it's required for Americans, go figure.

Don't get me wrong, there are some Brits that I work with that are totally cool, but one time a few years back when I worked in an office there was a British guy who came to see my boss so he waited in my office. We were talking and then he told me "I don't like Americans", I was like ok well we don't like you. Ever since that day I just feel that they smile in your face but really don't like you.

Some Kuwaitis have said they like to deal with Brits in business and Americans as friends. I just think about my fellow Americans suffering in the states that could use a job, especially these days.

This is my opinion, feel free to disagree, it's your right.

The girth of America

Ever since the cancellation of private vehicles on base people have been taking the bus from park and ride area. I can say that the average waisteline of the American people has expanded significantly. How did these people pass CRC? They have to realize we are riding on little Indian made buses which are not very big in the first place.

Yes, big people need love too and so forth but come on we all want to ride comfortably on the bus without having to worry about someone's butt cheek laying on top of you. Also for all of you heavy smokers eww! It's such a lovely aroma of ashtrays on the small bus. I had a woman sit beside me and her left butt cheek molded around my leg and elbow. BMI index anyone?

For all of you guys out there who think it's ok to push people in order to get on the bus you suck. The second night catching the bus left 40 or more people waiting to get on. It was a mad rush to the bus and grown men were pushing and shoving. Really guys? Chivalry is dead on Camp Arifjan.

So tonight we loaded up the bus because the driver said we would go to the park and ride. Even though I thought it was the wrong bus I also thought he was helping us out because we had been waiting in the dust for a bus. WRONG! He took us to the parking lot of the FN gate which is NO where near the park and ride. Thank goodness there was a line of buses going out so we caught a ride with one of the company buses. Damnit why do they shake their head yes when they have no idea what's going on?

The guys wanted to kick his butt but I just wanted to go home. The good ole' days of getting off at 6:30 are gone. Thanks FN guys for whining and complaining now we have to be late as hell to get home. I drive 180 and get home late so I can only imagine what time the bus riders get home. Long days of contracting.........

New Job.. Yessssss!

Goodbye crappy job, hello new job! I got my greenlight today and start my new job on Monday woohoo. I really have neglected my blog but 12 hours a day/6 days a week cuts off creativity. It's so freaking hot and dusty and unfortunately we have to work out in it as no one really cares about our department. I got sand blasted today and it really hurt as well as getting sand in my gum. I'm so glad to go.

Are people really that ignorant?

Ahhh finally a day off. Well sort of, I have to do medical for my new job but at least no visa run like last week. Whe I sit and think about the people I work with I just can't believe the way they actually think about the Middle East, Islam and Arab people. When I try to explain to them they gang up on me and start a debate.

I was asked about Islam and something in particular about the Prophet (PBUH). There are a couple guys who converted to Islam but still don't know details so I answered the guy's question. He proceeded to rant and rave about he couldn't understand why and so on. I just gave up. People who are ignorant and don't expand their horizons just want to make an argument not understand.

Yesterday some of the guys, mind you I work with 12 guys from different backgrounds but none worldly educated. There are the ones who have just arrived to Kuwait, the new guy who brags about his Chinese hookers, the weirdo who reads his book upside down and the couple guys who are Muslim, one married to a bedoon and one married to a Kuwaiti. Anyhoo the guys started talking about the "Kuwaiti taxi drivers" I was like no, not every man you see outside is Kuwaiti.

The majority you deal with are Asian expats. There are also different kinds of Arabs from different places. His answer was "they're all the same to me, I can't tell the difference." WTH? You people are serious? It's all I can do to listen to them talk about bs. If I say anything to educate them they want to argue or make fun. I can see why the world has so many problems. People in the states can't tell the difference between Asians and Arabs so they just put them all together as one. It reminds me of when I lived in California, I knew a guy who was from El Salvador and he would get pissed off and fight with someone if they called him Mexican. The same applies here as Lebanese for example would not like to be called Kuwaiti as they are totally and completely different.

Ignorance is the reason for so many problems. If people would learn about other nationalities and religions there wouldn't be so many problems. I just try to bite my tongue and just listen to the stupid things the guys at work say. I can't wait to get to my new job and leave them behind.

I think during their inprocessing they should give a lesson on the different kinds of people who live in Kuwait. Anything to help stop the ignorance.

The joy of working with my Company

Yesterday went pretty good considering the generator was out so the people who work with me got to go to the warehouse woohoo! It was better than being out in the 120+ degree weather. I liked the warehouse way better than the hot azz desert. I'm still recovering from my burns I got on the first day of work. I hope I don't get skin cancer or something. Around 3:30 we got an evacuation notice from the military and all civilians must leave the base because a sand storm was coming.Yessssssss! Going home early and getting paid is the best.

I woke up this morning to really bad weather. I was hoping we would get to base and get to go home. No such luck. We got stuck in the desert in the wind and sand. I don't think it made a lot of sense to be evacuated because a storm was coming only to come to work the next day and work right in the middle of it. Needless to say it was really bad. I have an inch of dust covering me from head to toe. My newly colored hair feels like straw. I am so close to quitting but I'm trying to pay off some bills so that's what keeps me going every day. I did get an e-mail with some good news, hopefully a good-bye to the sand and hello to admin! Thank God, I really didn't know how much more heat I could take without killing over.

I can't wait to tell the bosses to take this job and shove it!