It's a little past 6pm on 26th December in Ireland. After a really quiet Christmas day yesterday, people are popping up in the street and the parking area of the bar nearby has already full when I look out the window from my little apartment. Irish people just can't stand another day home without party and so going to a pub seems the only choice left in this small village.
I had a cup of coffee in the morning, a can of red bull 3 hours later and then a cup of tea after my late lunch at about half past three. Obviously too much caffeine for today. I am a bit hyper but find difficulty at concentration. I don't think I would be able to sleep early tonight although I have been trying to adjust my clock. Maybe my target should set at finishing the book "The Devil in the Red Dress".
Most people much be talking about the year end discount. Some could get crazy, specially some material Chinese. I like to get out of this village for a few hours in the crowd but crazy buying is never my character.
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Merry Christmas
Like some stupid norms prevailing among many old fashioned people, some still thinks that being alone during Christmas is very "poor". So they choose go to spend their time with people they barely know in a restaurant or a bar just to drink, sing or so just to let the time passes in crowded. They believe this is what a Christmas to be "like". This is what the Chinese people I know in Ireland has done for their Christmas. In fact, they have no idea what Christmas means for Christianity or Irish culture. They wouldn't even care or would ever pay attention to it. Most of them, not to offence, live only for money, money is all they had in their heads. They are mostly brain-washed by the Communists education, but at the same time bond by some traditional stupid Chinese cultures, for example, a man should have at lest a house and car in order to get a "good" wife. So most illegal Chinese men works very hard. They have some kind of skills with their hands, but not much thing in their heads. So I chose to chose to spend my time in Campile with myself at least I can do some reading and get myself organized for my next station, despite the chief's strong invitation.
Honest, if I can make a wish for my Christmas, I wish I can meet some great people and I can learn some useful things from them in Ireland. I don't really like too much contact with the stupid.
Honest, if I can make a wish for my Christmas, I wish I can meet some great people and I can learn some useful things from them in Ireland. I don't really like too much contact with the stupid.
Monday, 24 December 2012
I guess I am still a lucky one in the deep shit
It has become the biggest news in this small village now. Everybody knows and everybody lays their eyes on me when I walk out the street since we are the only two Chinese here. I never wanted to stand out in the crowd but I do in some occasions unavoidably. I remember how everyone stared at me when I went to a restaurant by myself which was full of local couples, families and friends last time. I might have shocked them when I ordered my meal in English instead of pointing my index finger at the picture in the menu and then enjoyed it completely and left with some tips. I guess there is nothing wrong eating alone in a restaurant, right? Anyway, the attention that I have this time here is never the one I wanted.
The police has gone, shop has closed and so..... it's done as the owner of the restaurant Patrick put it. It has actually finished on 21st of December, the doomsday. If you have read the newspaper clip that I sent you last time, you should know that the raids have been planned months ago. The Gardai then took action country wide simultaneously on 19th December. No wonder they didn't bother questioning me and only record my identity. The police has even got their targeted figures the day after. Okay, now it seems that Irish are not stupid, despite all the rumours. It's also said on the paper that six out of eight caught are Asian. Reading sentence like this really makes me feel ashamed to be a Chinese sometimes. And knowing nasty and stupid people like Sky who only paid 250 euro a week for growing the cannabis plant even disgusts me.
Believe or not, I wasn't very scared or terrified when the police come that night. I used to think that the boss rent the restaurant downstairs and someone else lived upstairs so what I worried about was if there was a predator or murder because that's the thing that would really cause danger to my safety as I work til very late every night. The police refused to confide anything in the beginning and so I just did my usual work, that is, talking orders from customers. Awhile later, the owner of the restaurant Patrick came and told me that they found a lot of cash and some cannabis upstairs. Knowing this news, I was shocked but not frightened because I still didn't seem that it was that close to me at that moment. I didn't know it at all and I didn't involve it at all so I couldn't have any emotion of worry or guilty. Besides, the police didn't question me to much or seem going arrest me. They only questioned about the chief and I did the translation. So shock was the feeling I have had. I realized now that it could cause me a lot of trouble of course. I could be put into jail for years if it happens in some countries. I haven't been sensitive enough. I am just not the kind who has a lot of preparation and calculation for others.
The story has almost come to the end by now. There is not evident but it doesn't need a genius to figure it out that the chief knows the owner is doing something illegal upstairs. He just didn't bother to find out more. Like most illegal immigrants, they only live within the Chinese circle and all they want is work and money. Sky is a weird guy from the very beginning. The Malaysian guy told me he works for the boss as a construction builder. He had one or two meals with us within my 8 working days there. Patrick told he was arrested at the night, probably at the scene. For just 250 euro a week that he got himself in prison for up to 5 years, Sky is the most stupid guy I ever met so for.
Not to offence the Irish police, but I don't think they find the cannabis planthouse themselves. I reckon someone reported the crime long time ago. It could be Patrick or any of the neighbours but surely wouldn't be the chief or the girl who introduced me the job (both of them are staying illegally). No one would admit it anyway. I remember Patrick once said to me: 'I started to become suspicious that why you guys (me and the chief) are living there while he (the boss) rent the whole building from me.' It is strange that we are put away to live in an apartment 500 meters away while the upstairs of the restaurant is actually a very nice living place with 2 to 3 bedrooms. Now it's very clear that it's a place for the plants and they are more valuable than us.
The girl who introduced me the job finds the guy Sky and the boss suspicious, but couldn't tell what exactly was going on. She once told me that she wonder if they were doing something illegal such as growing cannabis. I didn't never really pay attention to her words. I wasn't alert enough. I know now that things that might not have any relation to you could harm you in other way. In some extreme cases, I can be in real deep shit even I am totally innocent. I don't blame her though. She should not have any intention to put me in such a situation.
I wish I can be smarter (although it doesn't seem to be likely) or there is a formula that I can tell which one is an asshole in the beginning. Anyhow, I guess I am still a lucky one in the deep shit. Now I really had a Christmas holiday and it is a long one. I got nothing, there is totally nothing to do here. Well, but if you know me well, you would know I always have something (better than working) to do to entertain myself.
Merry Christmas guys!
Cheers,
Vanessa
The police has gone, shop has closed and so..... it's done as the owner of the restaurant Patrick put it. It has actually finished on 21st of December, the doomsday. If you have read the newspaper clip that I sent you last time, you should know that the raids have been planned months ago. The Gardai then took action country wide simultaneously on 19th December. No wonder they didn't bother questioning me and only record my identity. The police has even got their targeted figures the day after. Okay, now it seems that Irish are not stupid, despite all the rumours. It's also said on the paper that six out of eight caught are Asian. Reading sentence like this really makes me feel ashamed to be a Chinese sometimes. And knowing nasty and stupid people like Sky who only paid 250 euro a week for growing the cannabis plant even disgusts me.
Believe or not, I wasn't very scared or terrified when the police come that night. I used to think that the boss rent the restaurant downstairs and someone else lived upstairs so what I worried about was if there was a predator or murder because that's the thing that would really cause danger to my safety as I work til very late every night. The police refused to confide anything in the beginning and so I just did my usual work, that is, talking orders from customers. Awhile later, the owner of the restaurant Patrick came and told me that they found a lot of cash and some cannabis upstairs. Knowing this news, I was shocked but not frightened because I still didn't seem that it was that close to me at that moment. I didn't know it at all and I didn't involve it at all so I couldn't have any emotion of worry or guilty. Besides, the police didn't question me to much or seem going arrest me. They only questioned about the chief and I did the translation. So shock was the feeling I have had. I realized now that it could cause me a lot of trouble of course. I could be put into jail for years if it happens in some countries. I haven't been sensitive enough. I am just not the kind who has a lot of preparation and calculation for others.
The story has almost come to the end by now. There is not evident but it doesn't need a genius to figure it out that the chief knows the owner is doing something illegal upstairs. He just didn't bother to find out more. Like most illegal immigrants, they only live within the Chinese circle and all they want is work and money. Sky is a weird guy from the very beginning. The Malaysian guy told me he works for the boss as a construction builder. He had one or two meals with us within my 8 working days there. Patrick told he was arrested at the night, probably at the scene. For just 250 euro a week that he got himself in prison for up to 5 years, Sky is the most stupid guy I ever met so for.
Not to offence the Irish police, but I don't think they find the cannabis planthouse themselves. I reckon someone reported the crime long time ago. It could be Patrick or any of the neighbours but surely wouldn't be the chief or the girl who introduced me the job (both of them are staying illegally). No one would admit it anyway. I remember Patrick once said to me: 'I started to become suspicious that why you guys (me and the chief) are living there while he (the boss) rent the whole building from me.' It is strange that we are put away to live in an apartment 500 meters away while the upstairs of the restaurant is actually a very nice living place with 2 to 3 bedrooms. Now it's very clear that it's a place for the plants and they are more valuable than us.
The girl who introduced me the job finds the guy Sky and the boss suspicious, but couldn't tell what exactly was going on. She once told me that she wonder if they were doing something illegal such as growing cannabis. I didn't never really pay attention to her words. I wasn't alert enough. I know now that things that might not have any relation to you could harm you in other way. In some extreme cases, I can be in real deep shit even I am totally innocent. I don't blame her though. She should not have any intention to put me in such a situation.
I wish I can be smarter (although it doesn't seem to be likely) or there is a formula that I can tell which one is an asshole in the beginning. Anyhow, I guess I am still a lucky one in the deep shit. Now I really had a Christmas holiday and it is a long one. I got nothing, there is totally nothing to do here. Well, but if you know me well, you would know I always have something (better than working) to do to entertain myself.
Merry Christmas guys!
Cheers,
Vanessa
Friday, 21 December 2012
My life in Ireland....in some kind of shitty time.....
Dear friends,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to tell you something happening around me these few days here in Ireland, in a small town called Campile. The news I am telling you might not be pleasant and please be calm when you are reading it.
As told you guys and you might still remember that I worked in a Chinese hair salon as a receptionist in a town called Athlone right after my arrival . I finished that job on the 2nd of December and took a week off and rest in the that town until 7th December. Then I took a 5 hour journey come down to this town called Campile to work in a Chinese takeaway. This new job was introduced my a girl who worked in the hair salon before I took over her position 6 months ago. She then found this Chinese takeaway and worked here until I come down to took over her position again. In short she pass over the job to me again and I started working here from 10th of December until yesterday, 8 days altogether. That's pretty much my life in Ireland and if you are following you might find me really lazy that I never look for a job myself and just take over somebody's left over. Yes, I admit, I was even thinking that I can finally take a little rest since this job is really easy and I have a lot of free time to do some readings and practise some drawings. But life never goes easy on me and now I am jobless and in some kind of deep shit.....
Last night, when I was nearly closing down the shop, at about 10:15pm, Gardai, the Irish police force come down and found the Cannabis, also known as marijuana planting room right over the roof of the Chinese takeaway shop which worth over 800,000 euro. Needless to say, the shop of course has to close and I am in some kind of trouble too as the police starts to investigate and we, those who work downstairs cannot just walk out without being questioned.
There are only two people working in the Chinese takeaway, the receptions that is me an the chief. I report to the chief and he pays me. The business is not that good and still not making profit. The owner or boss is not here and I have never seen him/her. The chief deals with the owner and manage all the takeaway operations. There is also a guy known as Sky, who came to the restaurant for dinner with us who claims himself as a builder works for the restaurant owner. As far as I know and from the information told by Patrick, the landlord of the restaurant, it is another Chinese guy who is renting the ground floor restaurant and upstairs apartment from him. Therefore that Chinese guy who must own the drugs and running the restaurant downstairs is just to cover up the illegal cannabis planting upstairs. I met the landlord of the restaurant Patrick again today and he told me that the police has caught Sky, the guy who claims himself as a builder for the restaurant of the owner who was actually helping the planting the Cannabis there. He would be put into jail up to 5 years. The real owner of the restaurant and the drugs is of course still in the run as the way of most movies' plots go. Now, you can tell that I am absolutely in some kind of holy deep shit.
I have some doubts at the moment would like to consider your comments and advices. Below are the information for your consideration.
1. When the police asked the Chief the name of the restaurant owner the Chief claims he didn't know and that really made the police angry last night. The chief gave a name and number but it didn't seem to be working. The chief doesn't speak much English and is an illegal immigrant. The police knows that.
2. The girl who introduced me this job seems know something about the drugs, but I am not very sure.
3. The police didn't take the chief to the station for further investigation until now. We were free to go home that night. I found that's weird.
4. Patrick, the landlord of the restaurant said that we can still open the takeaway for a few days and take away the money from the til after tomorrow when the police are gone. Is that legal?
5. Patrick the, the landlord of the restaurant said the police has been watching this takeaway since two months ago.
6. The police didn't ask me too many things.
I can't thinking of any points now. I haven't been writing for a long time so this email might be a but mess. I am sorry that you have to read this unpleasant story before Christmas. Ignore it or reply me, I don't mind either way. I think I am fine and still alive so far, so don't worry about me.
Hopefully it's not the end of the world tomorrow.
Cheers,
Vanessa
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to tell you something happening around me these few days here in Ireland, in a small town called Campile. The news I am telling you might not be pleasant and please be calm when you are reading it.
As told you guys and you might still remember that I worked in a Chinese hair salon as a receptionist in a town called Athlone right after my arrival . I finished that job on the 2nd of December and took a week off and rest in the that town until 7th December. Then I took a 5 hour journey come down to this town called Campile to work in a Chinese takeaway. This new job was introduced my a girl who worked in the hair salon before I took over her position 6 months ago. She then found this Chinese takeaway and worked here until I come down to took over her position again. In short she pass over the job to me again and I started working here from 10th of December until yesterday, 8 days altogether. That's pretty much my life in Ireland and if you are following you might find me really lazy that I never look for a job myself and just take over somebody's left over. Yes, I admit, I was even thinking that I can finally take a little rest since this job is really easy and I have a lot of free time to do some readings and practise some drawings. But life never goes easy on me and now I am jobless and in some kind of deep shit.....
Last night, when I was nearly closing down the shop, at about 10:15pm, Gardai, the Irish police force come down and found the Cannabis, also known as marijuana planting room right over the roof of the Chinese takeaway shop which worth over 800,000 euro. Needless to say, the shop of course has to close and I am in some kind of trouble too as the police starts to investigate and we, those who work downstairs cannot just walk out without being questioned.
There are only two people working in the Chinese takeaway, the receptions that is me an the chief. I report to the chief and he pays me. The business is not that good and still not making profit. The owner or boss is not here and I have never seen him/her. The chief deals with the owner and manage all the takeaway operations. There is also a guy known as Sky, who came to the restaurant for dinner with us who claims himself as a builder works for the restaurant owner. As far as I know and from the information told by Patrick, the landlord of the restaurant, it is another Chinese guy who is renting the ground floor restaurant and upstairs apartment from him. Therefore that Chinese guy who must own the drugs and running the restaurant downstairs is just to cover up the illegal cannabis planting upstairs. I met the landlord of the restaurant Patrick again today and he told me that the police has caught Sky, the guy who claims himself as a builder for the restaurant of the owner who was actually helping the planting the Cannabis there. He would be put into jail up to 5 years. The real owner of the restaurant and the drugs is of course still in the run as the way of most movies' plots go. Now, you can tell that I am absolutely in some kind of holy deep shit.
I have some doubts at the moment would like to consider your comments and advices. Below are the information for your consideration.
1. When the police asked the Chief the name of the restaurant owner the Chief claims he didn't know and that really made the police angry last night. The chief gave a name and number but it didn't seem to be working. The chief doesn't speak much English and is an illegal immigrant. The police knows that.
2. The girl who introduced me this job seems know something about the drugs, but I am not very sure.
3. The police didn't take the chief to the station for further investigation until now. We were free to go home that night. I found that's weird.
4. Patrick, the landlord of the restaurant said that we can still open the takeaway for a few days and take away the money from the til after tomorrow when the police are gone. Is that legal?
5. Patrick the, the landlord of the restaurant said the police has been watching this takeaway since two months ago.
6. The police didn't ask me too many things.
I can't thinking of any points now. I haven't been writing for a long time so this email might be a but mess. I am sorry that you have to read this unpleasant story before Christmas. Ignore it or reply me, I don't mind either way. I think I am fine and still alive so far, so don't worry about me.
Hopefully it's not the end of the world tomorrow.
Cheers,
Vanessa
Thursday, 20 December 2012
Deep Shit
You might say 'deep shit' a lot but you might not really mean it and seriously in that. But today I realised that this could really happen to you before you know what's going on before and after.
I planned to stay at this job and using the free time to practise drawing for the coming 6 months and move on travelling around Europe later. But before I can really start my practise, this load of deep shit poured on the place that I am working now all in a sudden. Tonight, at about quarter past 10, the grada/police come and asked something about the place upstairs. I told them we didn't know anything about upstairs since we never saw anyone goes up and we didn't have access to upstairs. What I concern about was that if some psychos or killers or predators around here in this small town who might cause any danger to my safety. I didn't think it was serious at all and was complaining that they were affecting our closing time until one of police told me that there were a lot of drugs and 1/3 million of cash upstairs. Then, I realise the chief and I were truly in deep shit.
The police has took over the takeaway but they allowed us to go home. One of the police was really angry when the chief could not provide the name of the takeaway owner. It was not normal that the chief, in charge of the takeaway/restaurant didn't know the owner's name and contact. I understand it doesn't make sense at all. This is also the reason why I always complaint about the way Chinese do their business, you just never know who is the real boss. But for a packpacker like me who only works for travel money wouldn't care too much as long as I am paid on time. I know that most Chinese owned restaurants or takeaways never ask employee's identifications. They never show their identities to the employee too of course. It was very weird to me when I first come down to this county. Only after a few months, I realised that most of Chinese are illegal immigrates. And to my surprise there are so many of them and they work opening in many shops or restaurants. What's even more terrible is that the police wouldn't check and they just let them walk away even they know that they don't possess valid visa.
I don't know what going on tomorrow. It doesn't look good anyway. I guess I would to move too. The change seems the only thing that ever lasts. When will I settle down?!
I planned to stay at this job and using the free time to practise drawing for the coming 6 months and move on travelling around Europe later. But before I can really start my practise, this load of deep shit poured on the place that I am working now all in a sudden. Tonight, at about quarter past 10, the grada/police come and asked something about the place upstairs. I told them we didn't know anything about upstairs since we never saw anyone goes up and we didn't have access to upstairs. What I concern about was that if some psychos or killers or predators around here in this small town who might cause any danger to my safety. I didn't think it was serious at all and was complaining that they were affecting our closing time until one of police told me that there were a lot of drugs and 1/3 million of cash upstairs. Then, I realise the chief and I were truly in deep shit.
The police has took over the takeaway but they allowed us to go home. One of the police was really angry when the chief could not provide the name of the takeaway owner. It was not normal that the chief, in charge of the takeaway/restaurant didn't know the owner's name and contact. I understand it doesn't make sense at all. This is also the reason why I always complaint about the way Chinese do their business, you just never know who is the real boss. But for a packpacker like me who only works for travel money wouldn't care too much as long as I am paid on time. I know that most Chinese owned restaurants or takeaways never ask employee's identifications. They never show their identities to the employee too of course. It was very weird to me when I first come down to this county. Only after a few months, I realised that most of Chinese are illegal immigrates. And to my surprise there are so many of them and they work opening in many shops or restaurants. What's even more terrible is that the police wouldn't check and they just let them walk away even they know that they don't possess valid visa.
I don't know what going on tomorrow. It doesn't look good anyway. I guess I would to move too. The change seems the only thing that ever lasts. When will I settle down?!
D...ed days
Struck by depression 2 days ago. I felt really bad. Couldn't stop my thoughts and emotions going all the ways to negativity. Self-hatred went ever deeper. Days like those were more desperate than doom.
Sunday, 9 December 2012
2nd day in Campile
This is my second day in Campile, Ireland. I woke up in the morning and checked out this small village that only consists of one single street. Some scatter houses, two small supermarkets, a pharmacy and a few local stores is all it has. Walking in the street, I feel like I am the only Chinese in this little town and am a wired animal. Interesting, there is still a lot for me to discover though.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)