I bet you are thinking "Water Part 1" that's a strange title? Well it has been an eventful week so I felt the need to break it into two. The week started with me being given my work ID number for the clocking on and off machine. I was surprised at this to be honest, as we live on the spa grounds (we are only 20 paces away, literally, from the spa reception) it's not like we can go anywhere and if we didn't show up everyone would know as there would be no one there teaching the classes. Anyway, I am called by Maria to meet her by the clocking in machine and after scanning my hand and giving me a demo, I am good to go! I have to clock in in the morning and off in the evening. One girl here is already playing the system though so it is not fool proof! She often clocks in, checks if anyone has booked onto her class and if not she pops back to the apartment to eat breakfast. The same in the evening, if she is going out she often sneaks off early, gets ready and then clocks off after. I did notice a sign above the machine saying that if you took a day off you would need a medical note and if this was not produced they would deduct 2 days pay!!! 2 DAYS! Let me just tell you about going to the Dr here and the cost. Currently I, and a few other girls, do not have medical insurance. As part of our contract we should receive it after 3 months (it has taken 2 of the girls 7 months to get their medical insurance) so for me to visit the Dr to get the said certificate would cost me 200 riyals (1 days pay) and then the cost of the certificate. Might as well just have the day off sick and let them deduct the 2 days pay! Two of the girls have had to visit the Dr and the spa have not refunded the cost of it. One girl spent 200 riyals (£35) to see the Dr and then 400 riyals for the prescription (600 riyals, 3 days pay) I believe you can get antibiotics over the counter so fingers crossed I don't need to go the Dr before I get my medical insurance. As I said previously, I have had a very bad cough, cold and earache but a visit to the chemist, 6 riyals on throat lozengers and olive in my ear seemed to do the trick.
This week, we have also had a problem with the water supply in the other apartment. A bit of information here. Riyadh is supplied with desalinated water pumped from the Persian gulf over a distance of 467km. Given the substantial oil wealth, water is provided almost free. Despite improvements, service quality remains poor and water pressure is often inadequate. This however, didn't appear to be the problem and the reason why the girl's in the other apartment weren't getting water. Now I am no plumber but previously being married to one for a good few years led me to believe that the problem was with the pump. So let me put you in the picture. Sunday night, Mysti goes to get in the shower and there is no water. She goes back into the spa to inform Maria (the boss's side kick) that there is no water. She is told to take a shower in the spa and that she will get one of the cleaners to look at it. We have become aware that whenever there is a problem, whatever it is they send a cleaner (African women with no plumbing experience) I called about the air con leaking the other day so they sent a cleaner with a bucket and a towel. Hence the air con is still leaking!!! So the cleaning lady goes to said water meter with her bucket and her towel, shakes her head (surprisingly) and leaves.
Monday morning the girls in apartment 2 still have no water and so are unable to flush toilets, do washing etc. Mysti goes back to Maria, tells her they still have no water and that this is not good enough! Maria informs Mysti that she will get workmen in to fix it. We later find out that the workmen are Dindo (the spa driver) and two of his Filipino friends. These men appear to be a bit like the cleaning ladies without the bucket and the towel. They take the water pump / meter to pieces and then put it back together. Mysti at this point is not happy. We hear her shouting at Dindo to leave the water pump and go and get someone who knows what they are doing to fix it. You needed to be here to appreciate this story as it was more like a carry on film! The workmen inform Maria, that apartment 2 use too much water and then leave!!! I was very interested to understand how they came to that conclusion when the girls were at work 10 hours a day and the water used for cooking and drinking was bought from the supermarket. So the water is still not fixed. It was established they there was a button outside that when pressed resets the water pump and it comes back on for a short time (Lily, one of the beauticians informed them of this).
For the next few days the girls go from water on to water off and are all now experts in water regulation and pressing the pump button.
Let's move forward to Tuesday evening. Mysti has been out to a Jazz Night (I''ll talk about nights out later) she starts to clean her teeth and the water goes off so she goes outside and presses the button....still no water! Her patience has now worn so thin that she decides tomorrow she is going to see the boss to ask her what she plans on doing about the problem.....One thing has become apparent here and that is things get done when people feel like it (paying wages.....no rush there, you get it when you get it) and no one in the spa has plumbing on their CV. There is no wonder why employees don't stay very long. We have also had issues with our internet routers. They keep taking them from the apartments, goodness knows what for but we don't get them back till we ask!!! Maybe they are testing us to see how far they can push us before we snap. You can imagine how frustrating this can be as the internet for us all is very important to keep us in touch with our loved ones, family and friends........To be continued
This week, we have also had a problem with the water supply in the other apartment. A bit of information here. Riyadh is supplied with desalinated water pumped from the Persian gulf over a distance of 467km. Given the substantial oil wealth, water is provided almost free. Despite improvements, service quality remains poor and water pressure is often inadequate. This however, didn't appear to be the problem and the reason why the girl's in the other apartment weren't getting water. Now I am no plumber but previously being married to one for a good few years led me to believe that the problem was with the pump. So let me put you in the picture. Sunday night, Mysti goes to get in the shower and there is no water. She goes back into the spa to inform Maria (the boss's side kick) that there is no water. She is told to take a shower in the spa and that she will get one of the cleaners to look at it. We have become aware that whenever there is a problem, whatever it is they send a cleaner (African women with no plumbing experience) I called about the air con leaking the other day so they sent a cleaner with a bucket and a towel. Hence the air con is still leaking!!! So the cleaning lady goes to said water meter with her bucket and her towel, shakes her head (surprisingly) and leaves.
Monday morning the girls in apartment 2 still have no water and so are unable to flush toilets, do washing etc. Mysti goes back to Maria, tells her they still have no water and that this is not good enough! Maria informs Mysti that she will get workmen in to fix it. We later find out that the workmen are Dindo (the spa driver) and two of his Filipino friends. These men appear to be a bit like the cleaning ladies without the bucket and the towel. They take the water pump / meter to pieces and then put it back together. Mysti at this point is not happy. We hear her shouting at Dindo to leave the water pump and go and get someone who knows what they are doing to fix it. You needed to be here to appreciate this story as it was more like a carry on film! The workmen inform Maria, that apartment 2 use too much water and then leave!!! I was very interested to understand how they came to that conclusion when the girls were at work 10 hours a day and the water used for cooking and drinking was bought from the supermarket. So the water is still not fixed. It was established they there was a button outside that when pressed resets the water pump and it comes back on for a short time (Lily, one of the beauticians informed them of this).
For the next few days the girls go from water on to water off and are all now experts in water regulation and pressing the pump button.
Let's move forward to Tuesday evening. Mysti has been out to a Jazz Night (I''ll talk about nights out later) she starts to clean her teeth and the water goes off so she goes outside and presses the button....still no water! Her patience has now worn so thin that she decides tomorrow she is going to see the boss to ask her what she plans on doing about the problem.....One thing has become apparent here and that is things get done when people feel like it (paying wages.....no rush there, you get it when you get it) and no one in the spa has plumbing on their CV. There is no wonder why employees don't stay very long. We have also had issues with our internet routers. They keep taking them from the apartments, goodness knows what for but we don't get them back till we ask!!! Maybe they are testing us to see how far they can push us before we snap. You can imagine how frustrating this can be as the internet for us all is very important to keep us in touch with our loved ones, family and friends........To be continued
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