My Old Blog

This is an excerpt from an email I sent today. I’m going to post it because it sums up pretty well how a lot of my days go. Life here is really good…if it doesn’t drive me crazy.

I finally talked to the treehouse people today after like 6 calls and 2 emails. They were useless. All the guy said was “sure we’ll reserve a room for you.”

I asked him where the resort was. “In the middle of the jungle”

I asked him how to get there “From calicut by train or bus or taxi.”

I asked him how to get to calicut from delhi “By plane.”

I asked him about how much the plane ticket was “Don’t know, I just make reservations.”

I asked him which airlines flew to Calicut. “Don’t know, I make the reservations.”

I get really frustrated here by stuff like that.

I called the US embassy again today too. First they transfered me before I had a chance to even say anything…then they hung up on me.

My taxi service is late or doesn’t show up, or sends us 1 car for 8 people, or won’t leave when we tell it to, then they don’t know how to get to the office and drive like race car drivers in monsoons rain…….and it happens every single day.

Last night I asked for the FIFTH time about my rewards points at the hotel and blew up at the little guest services girl. I thought she was going to start crying. She said, “Yes sir. I will certainly get that for you right away,” and I fucking lost it and went on at her about the 4 other people I talked to that had said exactly the same thing, given me exactly the same sideways head nod, and vacant, smiling stare. Why was she any different? Why does nothing ever get done here?

The sad part, is that after 2 weeks of asking….I finally got my points like 30 minutes later. I am learning, in India, you don’t get shit unless you lose your temper and make people feel bad.

I don’t want to learn that lesson.

You know what’s really fucked up?? My points are wrong. I have almost none even though I’ve spent a sickening amount of money at the hotel. It’ll take me two more weeks and another busted blood vessel in my head to clear that up.

And then everytime I sit down and try to do something at work there is like a line of people at my desk asking me questions, half of which they already know the answer to. Today I told someone, “Can’t you people just make a decision on your own?”

Just as I finished “talking” on the phone with the US embassy I hung up and said to myself something along the lines of “blah, blah, blah……%$#*&^% idiots.” And this Project Manager (Indian) who actually has his shit together sat down right at that moment and laughed, “India is getting to you huh?”

I just said, “Yes. I am sorry. I get frustrated.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 14th, 2005 at 4:41 am and is filed under India. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.