Part1

After graduating from university. I returned back eagerly to my home country seeking a reputable job that pays well enough to cover my basic expenses and provide me with the enough chances to improve and advance in my professional career. I have included sufficient information about my job hunt and how I landed on my first job to be an assistant consultant (click here to read it).

After a while I came to realise how lucky I was to find that job since some graduates took up to 2 years to find any job (and I say any!) while I only had searched for a month and a half to have a job offered to me. I was so happy back then as the job title seemed very glossy to me and I was happy to be called as (Mr. Assistant consultant!). Besides, the amount that has been offered seemed very juicy according to my very stupid understanding and I was so happy that I would be earning such an amount since I know many new graduates as myself were earning as low as 200~300BD.

I did not value myself and my capabilities properly and I accepted the job with no questions asked. I did not know how the market needed some graduated who were exposed to different cultures and have brilliant academic backgrounds, even if it was without the professional experience.

I write this thing because I do not want anyone to fall into my mistake. When I started, I was promised that I will work on this very big national project in coordination with the Labour Fund and how I will be supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

I was so euphoric to get involved in such a big project while I am still a fresh graduate with no relevant experience at all. During the first week I sat in the meeting room of the company along with other fresh graduates such as myself reading about the company, the services it offers, and the project we will be working in. It was such a depressing room. Spot lights are hot like you were in a microwave with no windows to the outside at all. I love open places with lots of sun light in.

Anyways, they promised us that they will be training us using top-class methods on how to deal with business clients.

In addition, they promised me that my title while change to a Business Consultant as soon as the probation period ends and I prove myself to be adequate to handle responsibilities. Furthermore, we were relocated in seef area for easy access and to be closer to the Labour Fund.

After moving to Seef office, the first thing we did is to sort out files like we were office boys! These dusty old files were thrown to us from the labour fund since we will be handling the project in full. This was my first disappointment.

End of part 1

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Since I am married and not living in my own house, it is an essential need to own a little house which hosts me, my wife and any coming kids (In Sha Allah). Earlier this year I applied to the ministry of housing for a loan to buy a house. I was novice back then and did not realise the amount granted is not even close to buy apartment! 2 months after applying, my name was published in the local newspapers as one of the people who have been granted such loans. I was overjoyed (Although it is a loan and an expense I have to pay from my income on a monthly basis for the coming 25-30 years). Now the problem is that when I went to the ministry of housing in the Diplomatic Area, they informed me that they will notify me via an SMS or an official letter sent to me by post on the next action to be taken.

 

I waited and waited and waited ……. 5 months gone, nothing appeared. I waited for 5 months because I know that such a period is very short to any governmental body. When we talk about lateness and delays in ministries, we are talking about 3 years+!

 

Now I decided to take an action and call the ministry of housing to get some update. But how fool you are Mr. T. because who is the stupid bastard that is going to answer your calls? But Mr. T. kept calling, anything to burn time at work (nasty isn’t it?). Anyways, after trying for many many times that I lost counting, somebody answered!! (horaaaay)

 

T.: Hi, is this the ministry of housing?

Housing Guy: Yes….

T.: I have been granted a purchasing loan and I want to …. (The housing guy interrupts me here)

 

HG: Have you found a house?

T.: Sorry, say again? A house?

HG: Yes, A house.

T.: Yes I have some choices and I’ve….. (HG interrupts again).

HG: No, No. No, No (in a very rude accent), I mean a formal offer.

T.: No, because with a formal offer I would be sure that I have the funds to pay for it. I am waiting for you guys in the ministry of housing to supply me with the funds required to be able to make a down payment.

HG: You have to pay the down payment first so that we know you are serious and want to buys the house.

T.: But sir, I am depending on you to be the source of the down payment. As soon as I get the loan you will start getting your monthly instalments. Isn’t that enough as a guarantee?

HG: No this is not how it is. Find a house, make an initial payment (usually 10~20% of the original total price) then come to us with the relevant documents.

T.: hmmmm (puzzled). Thank you sir

HG: ……. (Hangs up without any comment!)

T.: ********** Weirdo.

 

I am so lost and confused. I am in a situation that I have to be independent and find a house. Whenever my wife brings the topic I feel like I am letting her down and could not fulfil her dreams.

 

I went to the many banks that offer mortgage loans, but to my bad luck, all of them demanded that I make a down payment similar to what the ministry of housing demanded. Even if I was granted the amount it would not be sufficient to cover the cost of the house or would deduct most of my petty salary. How the hell I would get at least (and I stress on at least) 90,000 (In words Ninety Thousand Bahraini Dinars) to buy a damn small house to shelter my family.

 

I am now feeling that all the doors are closed to possess a house. I feel like I have tried every possible solution. I wish I could go back to the 1970s, where it was easier for people to obtain lands and build houses.

 

Any solutions dear bloggers?

 

Regards,

T.

 

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It’s like that there is no single person staying at his/her home in Bahrain. Let alone the huge number of GCC nationalities fleeing to our small island. And do not forget the extra amount of expats in our country. I know, I know I have to live with it, globalisation and its sh***t. I only want to vent some of my feelings here.

I really struggle to find a dining place during weekends. Sometime it seems to me that you have to spend time waiting for a table more than the time you actually spend on eating. I guess restaurants should install those neon signs similar to those in hotels and inns stating whether there are vacant tables or not.

And this not only restricted to restaurants, wherever you go, cinemas, malls, markets, streets and everywhere in Bahrain, you will see it crowded. So my suggestion for a perfect weekend is to buy some of this “microwavable popcorn” or some fast-food dinner, rent or download a movie of your desire and lay down on the bed as a couch potato and enjoy it!

Regards,
T.

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It has been a while since I last wrote anything here. This is due to many reasons:

1-     After been engaged (Now I am married) I thought that I have been writing too personal material that my wife will not be happy with. I have this tendency to go too personal and speak about things that I should not be telling everyone about. So just to be on the safe side I stopped, though I did not intend to let it go this far.

 

2-     Laziness in its very simple terms!!

 

3-     The new life I am trying to cope with (Taking new responsibilities at home and work) which made me less attached to the PC. When I was a student in the United Kingdom for the past 5 years the only thing I cared about was going to the university, listening to lectureres and make good mark by the end of the year and impress the ministry of education and my parents.

 

These are basically the main reasons that made me fled away from the blogging scene for a while.

 

Now, I have to say that I remained having this wellingness and determination to blog some subjects in the blog but reason #  always prevented me from returning back to the blogosphere.

 

I do not know where to start from. I have tonnes of stuff to talk about and it seems endless.

 

Just to summarise stuff.

 

• I got married after being engaged for 4 months (Fast isn’t it ay?)
• I shifted jobs after being at my first ever full-time job for 8 months only.
• I gained some weight and my skin got darker. Now I realise how to married people gain weight!
• I am melting in this soaring heat.
• I have two cats as pets.

 

I will talk in more details about all these topics and more in separate entries.

 

I know most of them are related to me. (I love me!!!).

NO! I am kidding.

 

Will be back very shortly,

 

T.

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