Interview In Bakery Shop

On the day I finished the coffee making course (Barista Course), I handed in my resume together with the coffee making certificate to one of the bakery shops in China Town. Just received a call from the 老闆娘 for interview at 6pm...

The 老闆娘 did not show up until 6:15pm, and I was not the only applicant. The 5 of us - only me is working holiday, others are university students studying in Sydney, sat around the coffee table just outside the shop, and she started her speech as follows:-

"My main concern is whether you girls can speech good English, I don't care whether you speak fluent Mandarin or Cantonese (Damn! the ad. said clearly that FLUENT Mandarin, Cantonese & English are ESSENTIAL!!!). So now, please use English to introduce yourself, tell us what kind of retail experience / coffee making experience / customer service experience that you have. (Are we going to have a role play afterwards?)"

So we went on introducing ourselves before she started again:-

"Alright, so everybody's English is acceptable. (ACCEPTABLE?!?! Dunno about the others, but I am not going to accept a low comment as my English is only acceptable!!)

Now I will give everyone a CHANCE to have trial work, the work starts at 8am, if you are late, you are out!! During the first 30 hours of working, you have to remember all the prices and names of the cakes, otherwise, you are out!! You will be given FIELD REVIEW after these 30 hours. (Woo! So we got appraisal as well!) You always have to smile at your customers, make them feel warm. Make them feel that your warm smile will go around with them with the cakes bought.

Once you are being hired, I will distribute our company's policies and guidelines to you. (What a well structured multi-continental company!!~)"

I am going to turn down the offer. If the 老闆娘 asks me why, I will tell her, according to the condition of my Visa, I am not allowed to do illegal works. As I know that the minimun wage in Australia is AUD13.8, whilst you are only paying half of it. As my French housemate said, this is an absolute SLAVERY!!!

Well, honestly, I won't mind earning less so I got the chance to practise making coffee, but I do mind the overbearing manner and cannot endure the arrogance of Her Majesty.

Typist

I am a typist who woke at 5:45am in the morning, wash up, breakfast and walk out the house at 6:20am. Start typing at 8:00am, with coffee breaks once every hour. Bell-ringing af coffee break signal reminds me of the recess time in school.

Official lunch break is 30mins, seems short but sufficient for a nice meal and some good laughs. Luck comes and paralyses all the computers. Typist has nothing to do except reading gossip magazines and exchange MSNs. The pro-longed lunch hours dragged till 2:30pm, typist is being assigned to unmeaningful filling works and dismissed early at 3:00pm.

Today's gross income for the typist is HKD800... literally for a half day work.

The Best Refuge

The best refuge when I am lost and down is to talk to my brother. He is the representation for happiness, good humor and care-free.

Whilst in big contrast in talking with my mum, I have to withold my temper and swallow the fire in our conversation. Why is so pressurizing to talk to her always, in all subjects... Am I not good enough? Our rows will start whenever I am not performaning under her expectations or not following her directions.

This time, I am determined to walk the other way, straight till the end.

Christmas Present

In all the years before, I did not have any particular things I wanted as a Christmas present. This year, I would like to have a new book. A new book that can immense myself indulgently for some hours.

As I finished reading the book I bring to Oz yesterday, I felt a sudden moment of emptiness... hoping that I should either bring along a thicker book or more books. Yick!!