Meah...

S leaves today, which I’m pretty bummed out about. We had our last movie night last night – we’ve both been working too much to spare the time over the last few days. However, we decided to make an exception last night and make the time. (I finished up something for work quickly after she left.) We’ve got an economist, J, from my office here now, and he’s been interesting. I think that TL is ready to “shoot on him”, as it were, because…well, they’re different personalities to begin with, but he also feels like J isn’t really pulling his weight. I can’t entirely disagree, but since I haven’t had my most efficient days lately, I can’t really point fingers.

J is someone who is a bit of a mystery to me. I just don’t know how someone like him has been active in this field for as long as he has, because like another colleague from my past, he can be very fussy about things. When TL mentioned over lunch the other day that we keep some fruit and veggies and stuff in our rooms to snack on for dinner, J said “I refuse to cook. I’ll take my meals down in the restaurant.” I looked at TL and raised one eyebrow, then went back to demolishing my plate of kabobs and hummus. J will also not try anything other than the one dish he has decided to eat at the restaurant where we have lunch – he’s said that he doesn’t trust it, despite the fact that we go to that restaurant specifically because you can eat anything there, and the food is both tasty and safe. (I had meat [probably mutton? I didn't ask.] with mixed vegetables yesterday, which was quite good – they make specials every day, which helps to keep things interesting.) Whatever – he’s really only making it harder on himself.

He’s asked to work from the hotel for a few afternoons since he’s been here, and later TL will turn to me and say “like we do not know he is taking zee siesta! I will have to shoot on him tomorrow…” I’m sure he’s still adjusting to the jetlag – fair enough, it took me a while this time as well. But I would put in a full day’s work, for goodness’ sake! Ah well – like I said, he’s really only making it harder on himself. He’s told TL that he won’t have enough time to write his chapter before he leaves at the end of his 3-week stay. Meanwhile, I cranked out my chapter in one week, S did two in two weeks, and TL wrote an entire report in two weeks for one of the earlier phases of the project. So I don’t think that’s going to fly. He will have to be shooted on.

There’s much bellowing in Arabic coming from next door – TL and Mab are having a meeting, The thing is, since I can’t understand what they’re saying, I can’t tell if it’s a good or a bad meeting. Tone of voice does little to help you distinguish between the two. They could be in there, congratulating each other on the fabulousness of the project, for all I know.

Although I doubt they’re using the word “fabulous”. Well…this morning, TL said that, if it weren’t for all the time pressure and stress, this project would have been “delicious” to work on. So maybe “fabulous” has worked its way into the conversation.

Interesting side note…in Vietnamese, if you’re telling someone that they look good for their age, it literally translates to “you look delicious”. It’s used specifically when you’re talking about someone who is older and looks…well preserved, for lack of a better way to put it. I found that hilarious, but I have, thus far, refrained from telling anyone I know that they look delicious. Even the bartender that Stef and I met.

That would have been pretty dang funny, though.