The Grind Begins!

Yes-The days of glory are over, the grind begins!
Last week was my first work week in HK-yes hubby dear works three floors below me!

Week one has been good, having a workoholic british boss(lady mind u) ,meeting team members, listening to boss bitch to me about superboss, repeating over and over again that I am an Indian, I am married with no children, My profile is blah blah blah......etc etc....

Like everywhere else HK worklife and environment has its own peculiarities and one week of "pretending to be busy" has given me enough time to observe people ard from the corner of the eye:-)

Thankfully on day one my PC/ email, desk etc all was set-up. Please note I had a full stationary loaded desk cabinet given. In fact there was also a hanger provided to hang my coat...full impressed I was...have realised people here have a somewhat fetish for stationary..the stationary boy almost got reprimanded by his boss because I didnt have pencils in my stationary cabinet..woah!!

The first ten minutes in the morning are spent in the "setting up the workplace ritual"..yeah its almost like a ritual, cleaning the desk of papers, putting tiffins in the fridge, arranging stationary, arranging the extra peices of clothing on hangers(not to be left on desk!)...etc etc...

Its by and large a peaceful work environment where chinese collagues (once they start noticing a new face) will pass by with a cordial 'hi with a smile' on the face...implying..."I am supposed to know, but i dont...and well If I do have to, HAVE to , know u, then I will eventually anywayz , till then Hi with a smile"...cool!

In most places office desks are provided to enable storage--unlike here where they are provided to enable Stuffage!!....Most desk will be Overflowing with not just papers but with lots of other knick-knacks, snaps, tonnes of stationary, plants(yes!), toys, cups/mugs, toiletries....and between them somewhere a PC....sigh!

Every female colleague has a small pouch of toiletries put away in the bathroom , for their three hourly touch-up sessions...this one's totally beyond me!!!

The most notable feature however is the fetish for "between meal snacks" which is almost as important as the work itself!....each desk has one indispensible corner dedicated to food storage which includes chocs, chips, biscuits, cookies, crackers and some unrecognisable stuff...and mind you PACKS of these....and yes they are replenished religiously on a weekly basis!....Am still struggling to finish one box of biscuit wafers!!

So am trying to fit in to the HK way of working...putting my coat on the hanger provided, have now two packs of biscuits and a dedicated bottel of water.....have managed to put one pen holder with two pens and some files to occupy the desk.....and of course stuck tonnnes of useless print-outs on the pinboard....:-))

And of course writing this post during office hours helps me give the 'one week only and am already busy look".....phew!

HK...here I come:-)

p.s:- Yet to figure out what to put in the bathroom pouch!!??;-)