Being productively petty? Is that even possible?
So, I won't go into much pre-details today, but the important things to note are:
I have MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
Because of MS I don't have good temperature regulation, and I can't deal with the heat.
I live with many people who actively cause me health issues.
Onto the purpose on this post then!
I hate how I am not allowed to do things that could drastically improve my day to day health and overall quality of life. Because of my living circumstances actively making things worse I've decided to become petty, but with a twist.
I'm doing things that could be considered petty towards others or from their perspective but I'm also making sure each thing I do is beneficial to myself in some way.
My current "productive pettiness" is to constantly use all of the ice in the house whenever I can. My housemates kept complaining there was never any ice because they literally use ALL OF IT 24/7. I'm too hot and literally could not make an ice pack if I needed one for health reasons. I don't generally drink water with ice but because they refuse to make the house cool enough I'm now starting to take the ice too. So now they get WAY LESS ICE but I get to be petty. It's productive because ice water helps slightly with getting me cooler but it's only a very minimal amount. Productive? Slightly. Petty? Oh fuck yes, because I will be taking all the ice every time there is ANY until they themselves cool the house down (then they can't yell at me for turning the ac on).
It sounds dumb that I have to resort to such stupid pettiness right? Well, I'm not gonna sugar coat it, I started loosing my balance because I went downstairs to get that ice water. That's how much the heat is affecting me, yet I have no way to get them to listen. They always take their needs first even if that means causing me a medical emergency. This is not uncommon for those of us with invisible illnesses, chronic illnesses, or disabilities.
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On The Move
Being an expats, we tend to be moving from one country to the other. You might think it’s fun and exciting to explore other people’s culture, heritage and country. But it can be very depressing and stressful to get the documentation done, find new bunch of friends and good job opportunity.
For me, being in Cambodia isn’t something I would I say I enjoy. There’s literally nothing much right here. That is why most expats don’t seem to stay here long. For instance…
William. Gonna miss this bad boy. He’s a fun guy that lights up my day early in the morning with his dad jokes. Really good at twisting his words to make everyone laugh. Making a fool of himself just to make everyone's day. He joined the company in January 2023 and realised that he is in the wrong place as he likes to travel and do lots of great outdoor activities. But sadly right here in this country, it's too hot and not worth time and effort to play a sport outside. Oh well, wish him well.
Another bad boi, Ady will be leaving the nest too. I’m glad to have him as my housemate for two months. He’s someone that I can share things with and someone that can cook really well! Sadly, he got a job offer from Abu Dhabi and I definitely believe he’s looking forward to this job! He has such a munificent person that is always eager to help the community and the people here. So much to learn from him.
And that's him, carrying his pot of curry to Freada's house to feast.
With him, I met other friends from church, Zac and Freada. And we became family. Cooking for one another most of the time.
Gonna miss the time where I forcefully wake myself at 5am just to got for a run with Ady on a Sunday morning!
That's about it! I hope to meet more people throughout my time here! It seems there's more people leaving than entering the country. Haha!
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Housemates
During my university days, I remember praying continuously for a good roommate that I don’t have to struggle living with. But in the end, I didn’t even stay in the hostel. Haha
This is time, living in a shared house with three bedroom, it requires me to find housemates every time someone leaves. And it’s tedious. So tedious.
So, last year, 2023, I moved into The Fortress of Female Power. Yeah, what a name right? Someone worked in google and manage to name the place it is today.
I enjoyed living with Ady but he left to Abu Dhabi. He found a housemate via social media. Her name is Ayesha and I didn’t feel good vibes having her. However, Ady needed to find a housemate to get back his deposit and we welcomed Ayesha.
Ayesha is from Cape Town, South Africa. She came here to do her English test and became a kindergarten teacher.
A few months later, my other housemate left and Ayesha invite her friend to stay with her. She’s Lizzie and she’s from America.
I didn’t come to agreement for Lizzie to stay as I didn’t get a chance to meet her first. I left to Malaysia for 8 weeks when she came and join us in August 2023.
Having Lizzie was a blessing. But having Ayesha isn’t. Ayesha started to smoke in the room which affects the air quality. She started to be financially crippled that she suggest to stop cleaning services and we decided to do our cleaning. However, her cleaning isn’t the same level as Lizzie and myself.
Almost every month, she struggle to pay up utility bills. And when I ask for it, she seems angry at me. Or her tone change when she speaks to me.
Last year, around Sept 2023, she told me she need to go back to South Africa to get her passport renewed as there is no embassy in Cambodia and the nearest is Thailand. Which will be a big gamble for her to be in Thailand while waiting for her passport to be completed. She left to Africa in November and only came back in late December.
When she came back to Cambodia, she lost her job as a kindergarten teacher. From her perspective, she said she took leave for too long and the school decided to terminate her. She started to ask if she could borrow $80 from me and I gave an excuse that I’m studying and needed funds for myself too. She replied me unhappily.
So she quickly find another school in order to survive. She was glad to find one but was only able to start 4 weeks later. At the mean time, they told her to work part time over the weekend only. As weeks gone by, she got a call from the school that got the offer, stating that they didn’t want her anymore. The school did a background check on her with her previous school and thought that she won’t be a good fit for her in the school.
She got so angry and came ranting at me. Of course, I’ll do the same too. But I came to think, she must have done something ain’t good that they reconsider her. Then thoughts just came flooding in my head. How did she manage to pay the house rent?
So I went to the landlady to ask if she’s actually paying and she said Ayesha hasn’t been paying for 4 months since November to January. I was also told that she plead and cried in from of her to allow her to stay for another month. And the landlady was kind enough to allow her to stay until the end of February. She also requested Ayesha to pay at least a month of rental but she couldn’t afford.
It was the 29th February 2024. The year with the longest February in 4 years. Haha. Landlady was expecting her to leave on this day. But Ayesha said 1st March. Landlady wasn’t happy as she kept delaying.
On 1st March, in the afternoon, the landlady came into the house and thinking if she could do some cleaning. She was is utter shock to find out how messy Ayesha’s room was. I came back home and found landlady in our unit. She open Ayesha’s room and ask me to take a look. I was in utter shock too! Clothes everywhere on the floor, plates and bowls unwashed with food on it, wine bottles everywhere!!!
Anyway, I knew she was leaving on 1st March and I was thinking maybe it’s a good thing to leave the house so I don’t bump into her. Lo and behold, I literally saw her downstairs waiting for her tuktuk! I was like, DANG!!! What should I say?! Wished her well of course!
The next day, the first thing I did was to wash all the kitchen utensils that she’s been using! I just got to kill all the bacteria!
It was a Saturday, I had to do my private teaching in the morning. Again, I bump into Ayesha downstairs again! This time with Lizzie! I could never understand what she was saying because of her accent. She was telling me something and I’m not quite sure what it was and all I said was, “Yeah, you should pay back Lizzie the utility bills” and guess what? She said, “That’s one thing about you Rachel. You and your attitude. Your character! That’s just you!”
Wow. What happen there?
What the hell? I was being accuse with my attitude? Maybe you should look at the mirror first, girl. Landlady has the rights to come into your room when you don’t pay your rents.
I sat on the tuktuk, reflecting what she said to me. I can’t think of what I did to her apart from telling her please don’t smoke in the room. Haha.
So, when the landlady came in wanted to clean the house, feeling pissed after seeing Ayesha’s room, she expressed herself about Lizzie. She said that Lizzie didn’t pay for her first month rental. I was shocked cause I think there’s a misunderstanding there. Lizzie is like me. She doesn’t like owing people and making sure that she clears her bill as soon as possible.
I had a talk with Lizzie. There were a few matters I had to speak to her. The first was the misunderstanding about rental payment. She said she paid the deposit to the previous tenant and to Ayesha $200 for the first rental and cleaning when it’s suppose to be only $193. Dang. After 8 months, we found out that Ayesha didn’t pass the money to the landlady. Sigh.
The second thing I had to speak to Lizzie was her boyfriend. For the past two weeks, her boyfriend was staying with her in our house. I don’t feel comfortable and I didn’t sign up for a plus one. I know I have to tell her no matter what. And I did. She said the previous tenant brought hers. Why not mine? Yeah, previous tenant’s boyfriend only came on the weekend. But yours, everyday!!! I told her that I hope she understands it isn’t fair for me. And her boyfriend came out and scolded me. Like what? You’re a nobody in the house and you’re acting like you are the boss of the house. Bloody Khmer boy.
After confrontation that night, I didn’t see that bloody boy anymore. It was a peaceful Sunday. But a shocking Monday morning.
“Hey, I broke up with my boyfriend”
Ops. Sorry that you did. But I’m glad that you did. Hahahahaa
She told me the boy was so controlling. Telling her what she can wear, who she can talk to, where she can go. Dude, Lizzie is American. She’s born to be independent no matter you like it or not. Stupid boy.
From then on, I felt my relationship with Lizzie got better and we had a meal together.
It’s a very difficult situation wanting to stay in Fortress of Female Power if you don’t have friends to replace someone who is leaving.
Lesson learned. If you don’t feel a good vibe with a person, don’t accept. Follow your instinct!
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