new digs

my new employer asked me to move into the newly constructed management housing OFF PREMISE to assist the recently relocated Spa Manager. i was STOKED to say the least. my last apartment...nice and WARM, which was key for the winter, but it had no windows and i felt a little like i was living in a cage. so my new pad is KILLER. when i say KILLER, i really mean, it's siiiiick. beautiful. i HAVE A BATHTUB. my very own BATHTUB. i might have to get a room mate...but who cares, i have rooftop access, my private garden, all new appliances. it is such a blessing and i am really starting to feel like cinderella.

however, two days ago the maintenance team and the housekeeping crew from the hotel was making adjustments to the property to prepare it for the Level 1 management team. anyways, i am not exactly sure what when wrong...but it all started to go downhill. the GM and the Architect ended up coming to find that ALL their employees were at our apartments to do god knows what...all that was needed for was a light for the outside and the satelite fixed. end up with over 20 hotel employees (all men) trampzing around putting their fingers all over my personal things.

regardless of how it went...tensions were high and then one of the plumbing dudes broke a water line in my bathroom and i got VERY nervous. i waved over the housekeeping manager since he was in charge of supervising the entire crew...i now know that you NEVER NEVER NEVER wave over an ARAB man. ever ever ever....i believe this is the point when the situation escalated but it boiled over when the housekeeping manager starts to walk into my house with a cigarette and i politely informed him i don't smoke. another big NO NO...a WOMAN DOESN'T TELL A MAN WHAT TO DO...NEVER...NEVER...NEVER...

he got carried away and was screaming in my face...i don't take orders from you...i only take orders from my boss...you can't tell me what to do...blah...blah...blah. soooooooooooooooo....since the property is under the management of the hotel the same entitlements and priviledges apply to us as if we were staying in the hotel. so the next morning housekeeping came to clean the apartments...i denied the service since i really did not feel comfortable have strange MUSLIM men trampzing around my apartment when i am not there...cash, passport, personal items. i leave for work and upon my return i found a large STAR OF DAVID painted into the sand in the garden.

i really felt very scared. i have experienced things here in which i have felt uncomfortable or ignorant or even a little frightened...but not at this level. i was downright FREAKED THE FUCK OUT. i immediately called my GENERAL MANAGER and her husband (the architect and project manager for the hotel) called me and came to see the property.

i am still unsure about this. everyone tells me that the egyptians are not dangerous...but it is still a sensitive and delicate region. regardless, thank god my neighbors are bedouin. i feel a little more safe. alot of lessons here. the next day i was sat down and spoke to...because I responded incorrectly. "ummmm, dude, a muslim man painted the jewish symbol into the sand of my personal space"....an EMPLOYEE of the hotel. i am a SINGLE FEMALE LIVING ALONE. WTF? but it is a lesson for me to learn. how to manage all male staff.

a story i really didn't want to tell again....but just in case. i have the photos on my camera.