Day of Departure - Fri 2 Dec
I woke up and the table is laid out with a different coffee maker, cookies, a small tube of Baci, a satsuma and an orange.
I did not expect this – I still have my own bread and cereal for breakfast…. Touched by Franca’s thoughtfulness, I could not eat much, just a biscuit and the tiny satsuma. There was hardly luggage space even for the orange and so I took the small tube of Baci, just to show my appreciation. But she insisted on the orange – she had just bought some yesterday (thinking I love them because I had bought and offered her some the past two days) and said I should take it for the journey.
More last minute packing while she asked if I had left behind anything. She came to my room to give me my mobile (which was lying at the breakfast table) saying I should not forget it. She brought me my face towel too and I told her there was no space for it. I told her I could not pack in my bath towel either. She tried to find space in my hand luggage, everywhere. I told her my luggage would be overweight, and that she could have them if she did not mind, or she could keep them for other tenants, after washing them, for they were newly bought from Conti when I first came. She thanked me profusely and said they were so nice I should try and take them back if possible.
Finally, it was time to say the last goodbye. I thanked her for what she has done and apologised for not being to express my thanks adequately in Italian. I surprised myself when I choked at this sentence, and she fought back her tears too. How strong she must be – to be saying tearful farewells now and then to departing tenants.
She helped me call a taxi. They wanted to arrive in five minutes. Ten minutes, I bargained, buying time to go to the loo and to secure my luggage. But I waited for more than that and it never arrived. Franca had to call again, and it was the first time I heard her yelling. Apparently they claimed that they had been too busy, but now they promised the driver would come immediately. Meanwhile, while waiting, Giselle passed by, and we hugged and kissed farewell. After another eternity, the taxi finally arrived. Imagine waiting a total of 35 minutes, for a 10 minute ride to the bus terminal!
Preparing for Singapore’s Fast Pace
The journey to the Rome airport was pleasant. The sky was bright and sunny, much more cheerful than Perugia.
More than half way into the journey, and I was already busy ‘’working’’ the phone with sms and calls. Sms from office to say the Asia Coms meeting has been cancelled at the last minute. Calls to HQ to find out why. Sms to Singapore to say I could join the MIS team building, in view of the cancelled Coms meeting. Sms from headhunter after that to say client wanted conference call on the day of my off-site team building. Sms to headhunter to say that I need to re-schedule. More sms – about the Coms meeting cancellation logistics and my passport details for the offsite. Very productive, very active, very frantic, very Singapore.
The bus conductor broke my frantic working mode. As he came round to collect my bus fares, he asked for the time of my flight. Then he asked if I had heavy luggage. I asked why. He said the bus would arrive late at the airport – about an hour late! ‘’Va bene?’’ (is it OK) he asked. Do I have a choice? It would mean a terrible rush for check in, and unless there was no long queue, I might not even make it. I asked for the reason for the delay and he mentioned something which sounded like ‘’demonstration’’ and I had thought it was a ‘’strike’’ (thought ‘’strike’’ should be ‘’sciopero’’ instead).
We made it to the airport 20 minutes late instead of the anticipated one hour. But the slowness and long queue at the check-in counter meant I had little time left for anything, except go round a merry hunt for the custom’s stamp for my tax free form.
In one week, so many things, including life and death matters, happened. I felt bad the Asia Coms meeting has to be cancelled – it was because of my stay in November in Italy that the meeting had to be pushed to December, and now it has to be cancelled, due to some urgent matter. But who can plan and predict what will happen and who or what you’ll meet, and when? All the more I want to just grasp and treasure what’s in front of us. Despite difficulties and obstacles, I had made it to, and back from Italy. I am not sure if it’s ‘’stubborness’’, perseverance or plain bull-headed.
I did not expect this – I still have my own bread and cereal for breakfast…. Touched by Franca’s thoughtfulness, I could not eat much, just a biscuit and the tiny satsuma. There was hardly luggage space even for the orange and so I took the small tube of Baci, just to show my appreciation. But she insisted on the orange – she had just bought some yesterday (thinking I love them because I had bought and offered her some the past two days) and said I should take it for the journey.
More last minute packing while she asked if I had left behind anything. She came to my room to give me my mobile (which was lying at the breakfast table) saying I should not forget it. She brought me my face towel too and I told her there was no space for it. I told her I could not pack in my bath towel either. She tried to find space in my hand luggage, everywhere. I told her my luggage would be overweight, and that she could have them if she did not mind, or she could keep them for other tenants, after washing them, for they were newly bought from Conti when I first came. She thanked me profusely and said they were so nice I should try and take them back if possible.
Finally, it was time to say the last goodbye. I thanked her for what she has done and apologised for not being to express my thanks adequately in Italian. I surprised myself when I choked at this sentence, and she fought back her tears too. How strong she must be – to be saying tearful farewells now and then to departing tenants.
She helped me call a taxi. They wanted to arrive in five minutes. Ten minutes, I bargained, buying time to go to the loo and to secure my luggage. But I waited for more than that and it never arrived. Franca had to call again, and it was the first time I heard her yelling. Apparently they claimed that they had been too busy, but now they promised the driver would come immediately. Meanwhile, while waiting, Giselle passed by, and we hugged and kissed farewell. After another eternity, the taxi finally arrived. Imagine waiting a total of 35 minutes, for a 10 minute ride to the bus terminal!
Preparing for Singapore’s Fast Pace
The journey to the Rome airport was pleasant. The sky was bright and sunny, much more cheerful than Perugia.
More than half way into the journey, and I was already busy ‘’working’’ the phone with sms and calls. Sms from office to say the Asia Coms meeting has been cancelled at the last minute. Calls to HQ to find out why. Sms to Singapore to say I could join the MIS team building, in view of the cancelled Coms meeting. Sms from headhunter after that to say client wanted conference call on the day of my off-site team building. Sms to headhunter to say that I need to re-schedule. More sms – about the Coms meeting cancellation logistics and my passport details for the offsite. Very productive, very active, very frantic, very Singapore.
The bus conductor broke my frantic working mode. As he came round to collect my bus fares, he asked for the time of my flight. Then he asked if I had heavy luggage. I asked why. He said the bus would arrive late at the airport – about an hour late! ‘’Va bene?’’ (is it OK) he asked. Do I have a choice? It would mean a terrible rush for check in, and unless there was no long queue, I might not even make it. I asked for the reason for the delay and he mentioned something which sounded like ‘’demonstration’’ and I had thought it was a ‘’strike’’ (thought ‘’strike’’ should be ‘’sciopero’’ instead).
We made it to the airport 20 minutes late instead of the anticipated one hour. But the slowness and long queue at the check-in counter meant I had little time left for anything, except go round a merry hunt for the custom’s stamp for my tax free form.
In one week, so many things, including life and death matters, happened. I felt bad the Asia Coms meeting has to be cancelled – it was because of my stay in November in Italy that the meeting had to be pushed to December, and now it has to be cancelled, due to some urgent matter. But who can plan and predict what will happen and who or what you’ll meet, and when? All the more I want to just grasp and treasure what’s in front of us. Despite difficulties and obstacles, I had made it to, and back from Italy. I am not sure if it’s ‘’stubborness’’, perseverance or plain bull-headed.
posted by "Jenny" at 3:38 AM
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