One thing people from developed countries may take for granted in their daily lives is the continual availability and abundance of cash. This is not an economic statement, but rather one of practical concern: in a developing country, due to the frequent shortage of smaller-denomination banknotes, a "rich" tourist or expatriate may actually not be able to spend their money simply because all they have are large denomination notes and the shop does not have the change to give back!
Some countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia operate on a multiple currency system, where larger purchases and payments are made with US dollars or Thailand Baht but change is given in Dong (Vietnam) or Riel (Cambodia); in these cases the exchange rate is usually consistent from shop to shop and based on a rounded average. Multiple currency countries are in existence because the local currency is not very strong due to sudden revaluation on the whim of the leadership (as was the case in Zimbabwe) or a weak economic platform. Thus, the currency of a stable economy (usually the US dollar) is used in conjunction with the local currency because it will not devalue suddenly, and can often be traded legally or on the black market by shopkeepers.
The Philippines, though, is one example of a developing country where spending one's money can actually be a problem. The Philippines is a single-currency nation which prints its money, the Philippine Peso, in a wide range of banknotes and coins. In the rural parts of the Philippines (the provinces), costs are low and require small banknotes or coins. Shopkeepers, then, keep small amounts of small change on hand, and an even more limited supply of larger notes-- which, naturally, they are reluctant to part with. Cash machines and currency exchanges only dispense currency in large denominations, so a tourist fresh off the airplane will have a pocketful of money that, when attempting to purchase goods in a shop, will be met with complaint because the shopkeepers will have to either part with their change or send someone to scramble for smaller notes. Reluctance may not seem like the best form of customer service, but in an area where the average laborer's wage is PHP200 (roughly USD$4.50) a day, with bar and restaurant staff earning PHP1,000 to 2,000 a week if they are lucky, the overall goal is to do as little as possible. Especially in a tropical country where the sun is still hot, even in the winter.
To counter this problem, I tend to hoard small notes, and use slightly larger notes as often as possible in establishments where I know they can be changed. This I do even if I, indeed, have a smaller note in my wallet. The keys to this practice, though, are to use a larger note, but nothing too large, and to also know which shops will have an abundance of change. For instance, if I make a purchase of 40 peso at the local supermarket, I will give a 100 peso note so I can keep the small change (a 50 peso note and a 10 peso coin) I receive back. On my once-weekly visit to a restaurant for dinner, which is usually part of a resort that will definitely have cash on hand to deal with the large-denomination holding tourists and street-smart expats, I take my PHP500 or 1,000 notes in order to get the 100 peso notes back that I can use at the supermarket or pub.
So where do the smaller notes, such as the 20 and 50 notes, and change go? I use these at smaller places such as the water refilling station or the fruit/vegetable stands, or with the jeepney drivers when I go once a week to Puerto Galera for food shopping. I do occasionally have to make a very small purchase at the supermarket, and I'll use a small note then.
The best advice I can offer to people who are going to travel in the Philippines or other developing countries, then, is to plan ahead money-wise. Spend a day or two in a city first, use large bills for every single purchase, and hoard the small change. You may end up with a gym bag* full of cash, but it will be needed in the provinces when it comes time to pay for food, transportation and accommodation.
*During my visit to Vietnam in April 2005, I started off in Hanoi. At the time, the Dong to US dollar exchange rate was roughly VHD16,000/USD$1. This isn't groundbreaking news in itself, but a majority of the currency on the street comes in VHD1,000 and 5,000 banknotes, with an occasional 10,000 note, meaning a loaf of bread requires a small bundle of banknotes to purchase. On my first day, I went to a expat-owned local pub for pizza and beer. The owner came in with a black Adidas gym bag, which he set on the counter behind the bar and then motioned to the nearby Vietnamese bartender. Sitting at the bar, I watched him furtively open the bag to reveal, well, a Mafia-style bag of cash, which he then zipped shut and stored in a locked cabinet under the bar. Later, during a conversation with the owner regarding the local currency and costs, etc., he told me that banking is a twice a week activity due to the cash movement, and it was not unusual to have more than one bag of cash ready in a safe for a weekend rush or over holidays.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Catch Up
So I've not blogged for a while, partially because I've been busy, but also because I've not been in a place where I could sit down and really do so.
For starters, I'm no longer in the country beginning with Q. I was meant to go to the Philippines to take my PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) in mid-November, and two weeks prior to my departure I found out that I would have to leave Qatar since I would no longer have a job or a sponsor. I still went to the Philippines for my course, and at the end of the course I decided to sit the Instructor's Exam (IE) and I passed. So I am now a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI).
I'm still stuck in the Philippines, as it is easier to stay in one place and look for a job. I am pursuing jobs on several fronts:
1. Another job in Qatar or even the Gulf, either in my profession or in whatever I could be hired to do;
2. Teaching English in Japan, Korea, or Taiwan;
3. Being invited to apply for a permanent visa in New Zealand;
4. Looking for a diving instructor job whilst trying to get into something more permanent.
It's not so bad being away from the library, actually. The last job I had really took its toll on me physically. With being in front of a computer 8+ hours a day, 5 days a week, for 2 years and 1 month, my vision has deteriorated to the point where I have astigmatism in both eyes now. I have to wear toric contact lenses, which are a pain in the you-know-where, but at least I can still see. I have chronic headaches and suffer from severe neck and shoulder pain, all of which come and go. A few weeks ago, though, I slept wrong and was in agony for almost an entire week. Stress also triggers the pains, making tough going even tougher. Regular painkillers don't help, either. A drug called Flanax, which targets musculoskeletal pain, was recommended to me here, and the few times I've had to use it have brought relief. I wish I would have known about this sooner! I'd like to see if I could get some sort of alternative therapy (rolfing, reiki, acupuncture or the like) to cure this.
I miss Qatar a lot, and was quite happy there. However, I had already known it was time to look for another job. I had been getting my CV together, and getting it updated and critiqued, and had been looking at employment ads for jobs in Qatar/the Gulf and even for teaching in Japan again. It would have been nice to have left on my own terms, but so it goes. If I hadn't gotten the push out the door, I may still be there thinking I should leave. The grass is always greener, I suppose.
Being in the position of looking for a job, though, I am thinking about going back to uni in either Australia or New Zealand. This is partially so I can perhaps get a more useful qualification (in hindsight, I've got one of the most useless and misperceived qualifications of them all; prospective employers assume you can only work in a library even if you describe your field and skills as Information Organization and Retrieval; Information Optimization etc., and correcting perceptions is next to impossible), but also so I can get more points on a visa application. Plus if I can enter either country on a student visa, this may lead to internships, which could lead to jobs or good recommendations for other jobs. I don't know what I'm interested in yet-- I'm not good at maths, so useful professions such as engineering or business are right out. I started out in Computer Science in uni years ago, but programming is not my forte either. I am thinking about something in communications, actually. I enjoy writing, and I got to do a bit of layout in my last job, which was a lot of fun minus all the political mumbo jumbo and Hail Mary cranky last-minute scramble efforts which were endemic in my last workplace.
I do enjoy teaching, and I've missed being in the classroom. While instruction is a core component of being a librarian, the instructional opportunities were few and far between, and the rare occasions usually tainted by the atmosphere. There were exceptions, of course. So one never knows-- if I am given the chance to teach, I may find this is my calling, and I may pursue a qualification in this profession.
I am also considering a working holiday visa in Australia or New Zealand. I can go for up to 1 year, and this could lead into something more permanent.
"Stuck" here is not an overstatement, either. I'm not fond of where I am, but I know it is only temporary (and I am trying to make it as temporary as possible) and then I don't have to come back. I don't dive at all here, as it is very expensive and quite frankly the last dive I was on here I was so unimpressed that I said no more. I spend my days reading what I can find, which isn't much. I also watch TV, go on walks, and job hunt. A lot. We recently got Internet at the place where I am staying, so this is a blessing as I can stay home to do my work and don't have to be limited to my computer battery time or spend money each time to go online. I also discovered that my Chinese DVD player has a VCD with old-school Nintendo games and game controllers, so I've been busy exploring and rediscovering games from my childhood.
For starters, I'm no longer in the country beginning with Q. I was meant to go to the Philippines to take my PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) in mid-November, and two weeks prior to my departure I found out that I would have to leave Qatar since I would no longer have a job or a sponsor. I still went to the Philippines for my course, and at the end of the course I decided to sit the Instructor's Exam (IE) and I passed. So I am now a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (OWSI).
I'm still stuck in the Philippines, as it is easier to stay in one place and look for a job. I am pursuing jobs on several fronts:
1. Another job in Qatar or even the Gulf, either in my profession or in whatever I could be hired to do;
2. Teaching English in Japan, Korea, or Taiwan;
3. Being invited to apply for a permanent visa in New Zealand;
4. Looking for a diving instructor job whilst trying to get into something more permanent.
It's not so bad being away from the library, actually. The last job I had really took its toll on me physically. With being in front of a computer 8+ hours a day, 5 days a week, for 2 years and 1 month, my vision has deteriorated to the point where I have astigmatism in both eyes now. I have to wear toric contact lenses, which are a pain in the you-know-where, but at least I can still see. I have chronic headaches and suffer from severe neck and shoulder pain, all of which come and go. A few weeks ago, though, I slept wrong and was in agony for almost an entire week. Stress also triggers the pains, making tough going even tougher. Regular painkillers don't help, either. A drug called Flanax, which targets musculoskeletal pain, was recommended to me here, and the few times I've had to use it have brought relief. I wish I would have known about this sooner! I'd like to see if I could get some sort of alternative therapy (rolfing, reiki, acupuncture or the like) to cure this.
I miss Qatar a lot, and was quite happy there. However, I had already known it was time to look for another job. I had been getting my CV together, and getting it updated and critiqued, and had been looking at employment ads for jobs in Qatar/the Gulf and even for teaching in Japan again. It would have been nice to have left on my own terms, but so it goes. If I hadn't gotten the push out the door, I may still be there thinking I should leave. The grass is always greener, I suppose.
Being in the position of looking for a job, though, I am thinking about going back to uni in either Australia or New Zealand. This is partially so I can perhaps get a more useful qualification (in hindsight, I've got one of the most useless and misperceived qualifications of them all; prospective employers assume you can only work in a library even if you describe your field and skills as Information Organization and Retrieval; Information Optimization etc., and correcting perceptions is next to impossible), but also so I can get more points on a visa application. Plus if I can enter either country on a student visa, this may lead to internships, which could lead to jobs or good recommendations for other jobs. I don't know what I'm interested in yet-- I'm not good at maths, so useful professions such as engineering or business are right out. I started out in Computer Science in uni years ago, but programming is not my forte either. I am thinking about something in communications, actually. I enjoy writing, and I got to do a bit of layout in my last job, which was a lot of fun minus all the political mumbo jumbo and Hail Mary cranky last-minute scramble efforts which were endemic in my last workplace.
I do enjoy teaching, and I've missed being in the classroom. While instruction is a core component of being a librarian, the instructional opportunities were few and far between, and the rare occasions usually tainted by the atmosphere. There were exceptions, of course. So one never knows-- if I am given the chance to teach, I may find this is my calling, and I may pursue a qualification in this profession.
I am also considering a working holiday visa in Australia or New Zealand. I can go for up to 1 year, and this could lead into something more permanent.
"Stuck" here is not an overstatement, either. I'm not fond of where I am, but I know it is only temporary (and I am trying to make it as temporary as possible) and then I don't have to come back. I don't dive at all here, as it is very expensive and quite frankly the last dive I was on here I was so unimpressed that I said no more. I spend my days reading what I can find, which isn't much. I also watch TV, go on walks, and job hunt. A lot. We recently got Internet at the place where I am staying, so this is a blessing as I can stay home to do my work and don't have to be limited to my computer battery time or spend money each time to go online. I also discovered that my Chinese DVD player has a VCD with old-school Nintendo games and game controllers, so I've been busy exploring and rediscovering games from my childhood.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
A Picture Says A Thousand Words
I love the Gulf Times, one of 3 local English dailies in the country beginning with Q. The compelling journalism and accompanying vivid images tell us so much.
Today's story is about construction work which is promised to be 'done' in 5 days. Look carefully at the photo, and then read the caption, and then let me know what you think of the 'effort' being shown.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=318735&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16
Jaidah works ‘done’ in 5 days
Work in progress at the Jaidah flyover yesterday. Picture: Jayaram
By Sarmad Qazi
The road works under the Jaidah flyover are expected to be completed in five days, an official said yesterday.
The busy junction leading to the Corniche and the densely-populated Musheireb area in one direction and to Ramada junction and the Salwa highway on the other was dug up towards the end of September for expansion work.
Once completed, the roundabout underneath the bridge will have traffic signals as part of eight proposed changes across Doha as suggested by the Traffic Congestion Committee in April.
“I can tell you that the work on (the) Jaidah (flyover) will be completed in five days,” Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) Transportation & Infrastructure Section head Khalifa Hassan Buhazzaa told Gulf Times yesterday.
With the completion of the work at the Jaidah flyover, work on removing the Musheireb roundabout (near The Centre) is expected to begin.
Those coming from the east and west directions to the roundabout will have to make u-turns once the proposal is implemented in an attempt to facilitate smooth flow to and from the Musheireb area.
The UPDA, along with Ashghal, the Traffic Department, Lakhwiya and Kahramaa form the committee which was established in January and proposed the changes in April that included lane expansions, addition of slip roads and installation of signals on some roundabouts after conducting technical studies and field surveys on traffic blockages on major intersections.
The committee said in its announcement at the time that the inconvenience to motorists would be mitigated by carrying out most of the work during the summer vacation and during the nights.
However, work on the proposed changes continues past summer and also during the weekdays.
“We at the UPDA are not responsible for plan implementation. We study and analyse transportation and can offer suggestions only.
“Ashghal, the responsible body, is usually swift in finishing projects. Some projects take more time than others,” Buhazzaa maintained.
Other committee-backed changes that have either been completed or are underway include a new roundabout on the Mesaimeer road, addition of a lane on the road leading from Al Rawabi signal to Ramada junction, widening of the Doha-Al Wakrah roundabout (Salah Al Jo) and the Abu Hamour roundabout, widening of roads and turning lanes between Al Asiri and Mamoura signals, and installation of signals on the Oneiza Roundabout, which was the first one to undergo expansion.
Today's story is about construction work which is promised to be 'done' in 5 days. Look carefully at the photo, and then read the caption, and then let me know what you think of the 'effort' being shown.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=318735&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16
Jaidah works ‘done’ in 5 days
Work in progress at the Jaidah flyover yesterday. Picture: Jayaram
By Sarmad Qazi
The road works under the Jaidah flyover are expected to be completed in five days, an official said yesterday.
The busy junction leading to the Corniche and the densely-populated Musheireb area in one direction and to Ramada junction and the Salwa highway on the other was dug up towards the end of September for expansion work.
Once completed, the roundabout underneath the bridge will have traffic signals as part of eight proposed changes across Doha as suggested by the Traffic Congestion Committee in April.
“I can tell you that the work on (the) Jaidah (flyover) will be completed in five days,” Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) Transportation & Infrastructure Section head Khalifa Hassan Buhazzaa told Gulf Times yesterday.
With the completion of the work at the Jaidah flyover, work on removing the Musheireb roundabout (near The Centre) is expected to begin.
Those coming from the east and west directions to the roundabout will have to make u-turns once the proposal is implemented in an attempt to facilitate smooth flow to and from the Musheireb area.
The UPDA, along with Ashghal, the Traffic Department, Lakhwiya and Kahramaa form the committee which was established in January and proposed the changes in April that included lane expansions, addition of slip roads and installation of signals on some roundabouts after conducting technical studies and field surveys on traffic blockages on major intersections.
The committee said in its announcement at the time that the inconvenience to motorists would be mitigated by carrying out most of the work during the summer vacation and during the nights.
However, work on the proposed changes continues past summer and also during the weekdays.
“We at the UPDA are not responsible for plan implementation. We study and analyse transportation and can offer suggestions only.
“Ashghal, the responsible body, is usually swift in finishing projects. Some projects take more time than others,” Buhazzaa maintained.
Other committee-backed changes that have either been completed or are underway include a new roundabout on the Mesaimeer road, addition of a lane on the road leading from Al Rawabi signal to Ramada junction, widening of the Doha-Al Wakrah roundabout (Salah Al Jo) and the Abu Hamour roundabout, widening of roads and turning lanes between Al Asiri and Mamoura signals, and installation of signals on the Oneiza Roundabout, which was the first one to undergo expansion.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
E-mail Speed of Light
E-mail is the technological wonder that allows people to communicate globally with the push of a button. E-mail is instant, free, and convenient.
Or is it?
Who would have thought that, at my workplace, an informal biweekly e-mail with a couple of graphics to highlight aspects of service would take over 6 weeks to send?
My co-worker the Mercenary Librarian describes this as a fiasco. But, much like other random tasks in the country whose name no one can pronounce correctly, the inevitable disaster is not a tragedy, but rather a farcical event to be laughed at over drinks.
Or is it?
Who would have thought that, at my workplace, an informal biweekly e-mail with a couple of graphics to highlight aspects of service would take over 6 weeks to send?
My co-worker the Mercenary Librarian describes this as a fiasco. But, much like other random tasks in the country whose name no one can pronounce correctly, the inevitable disaster is not a tragedy, but rather a farcical event to be laughed at over drinks.
Cooking ban hurts workers
This is in Dubai, but it gives you an idea of the conditions that the worker class lives in.
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Cooking ban hurts workers
Praveen Menon
DUBAI // Eating has become a struggle for many of the 7,000 men living and working at the Al Aweer Fruit and Vegetable Market in the days since Dubai Municipality began enforcing a ban on cooking in their living quarters.
One of the largest storage facilities in the emirate, with hundreds of cargo trucks arriving each day with fresh food stuff, Al Aweer also houses thousands of its workers.
The curb on cooking follows a fire earlier this month that burnt down several shops stocking onions and potatoes.
Although there were no casualties, tons of goods and 24 shops were destroyed in the blaze.
“This started last week when municipality officials instructed the security guards in our buildings not to allow gas cylinders into the building,” said Altasur Rahman, a worker who loads and unloads goods that arrive at market.
“The next day the officials checked every room and confiscated stoves and cylinders found in the room.”
The workers are mostly expatriates from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who earn Dh20 to Dh30 a day for loading and unloading cargo.
They rely on cooking for themselves, because it is cheaper.
The restrictions have left many queuing for food at the few restaurants in the area, with some reporting that their colleagues were running to get food parcels from delivery trucks and vans before they quickly sold out.
“This is the first time I am seeing anything like this happening,” Mr Rahman said. “There is no place to eat for us. We cannot afford to eat at restaurants every day.”
Amal Shehzad, another worker who lives at Al Aweer market, said there were further implications.
“Some people are diabetic and have to eat at home.
“Time is also a big problem as we cannot afford to spend an hour in a restaurant during lunchtime. We carry our food and get back to work once we eat.”
Dubai Municipality said yesterday that cooking was banned within the market premises for fire-safety reasons.
“There has always been a blanket ban on using gas cylinders for cooking in the market and its premises,” a spokesman said. “This is not a new rule.”
Shahjahan Haroon, a sales executive at City Home Foodstuff Trading, located in the market, said: “It’s a really bad situation, and thousands of people are affected by this.
“There are around 7,000 people who live in these accommodations. This is bound to reflect on their work because they can’t work without eating.” The sudden surge in the number of customers had also left restaurants and cafeterias short of food, workers said.
“I left home in the morning and could not have lunch as the food finished,” Mr Shehzad said.
“The restaurants are overcrowded, and only those who get there first are getting food.”
*********************************************
Cooking ban hurts workers
Praveen Menon
DUBAI // Eating has become a struggle for many of the 7,000 men living and working at the Al Aweer Fruit and Vegetable Market in the days since Dubai Municipality began enforcing a ban on cooking in their living quarters.
One of the largest storage facilities in the emirate, with hundreds of cargo trucks arriving each day with fresh food stuff, Al Aweer also houses thousands of its workers.
The curb on cooking follows a fire earlier this month that burnt down several shops stocking onions and potatoes.
Although there were no casualties, tons of goods and 24 shops were destroyed in the blaze.
“This started last week when municipality officials instructed the security guards in our buildings not to allow gas cylinders into the building,” said Altasur Rahman, a worker who loads and unloads goods that arrive at market.
“The next day the officials checked every room and confiscated stoves and cylinders found in the room.”
The workers are mostly expatriates from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who earn Dh20 to Dh30 a day for loading and unloading cargo.
They rely on cooking for themselves, because it is cheaper.
The restrictions have left many queuing for food at the few restaurants in the area, with some reporting that their colleagues were running to get food parcels from delivery trucks and vans before they quickly sold out.
“This is the first time I am seeing anything like this happening,” Mr Rahman said. “There is no place to eat for us. We cannot afford to eat at restaurants every day.”
Amal Shehzad, another worker who lives at Al Aweer market, said there were further implications.
“Some people are diabetic and have to eat at home.
“Time is also a big problem as we cannot afford to spend an hour in a restaurant during lunchtime. We carry our food and get back to work once we eat.”
Dubai Municipality said yesterday that cooking was banned within the market premises for fire-safety reasons.
“There has always been a blanket ban on using gas cylinders for cooking in the market and its premises,” a spokesman said. “This is not a new rule.”
Shahjahan Haroon, a sales executive at City Home Foodstuff Trading, located in the market, said: “It’s a really bad situation, and thousands of people are affected by this.
“There are around 7,000 people who live in these accommodations. This is bound to reflect on their work because they can’t work without eating.” The sudden surge in the number of customers had also left restaurants and cafeterias short of food, workers said.
“I left home in the morning and could not have lunch as the food finished,” Mr Shehzad said.
“The restaurants are overcrowded, and only those who get there first are getting food.”
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Pumpkin Cannelloni with Sage and Ricotta
After ranting and raving about the pumpkin cannelloni I made last Friday for dinner, I have been asked for the recipe a few times. It's not mine, unfortunately-- I got it from the Guardian Life & Style section
Pumpkin isn't easily found in Doha, but squash is easily found in the Indian vegetables, and serves the purpose.
I recommend a bit of nutmeg, and for the cheese sauce throw in some parmesan too.
Pumpkin cannelloni with sage and ricotta
You will need a baking dish large enough to hold eight cannelloni. Bear in mind that the dish needs to be deep enough to hold not only the cannelloni but also some spinach under the pasta and a thick sauce on top. I had intended to give you a recipe to make fresh pasta for this dish. However, Allegra told me she always uses shop-bought fresh egg lasagne sheets for ease. I tried it and have to admit she's right to do so.
Serves four as a lunch with salad. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes
1kg wedge of pumpkin
Olive oil
250g ricotta cheese
10 sage leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper
6–8 fresh lasagne sheets
20 button mushrooms, sliced (about 150g)
200g raw spinach, washed
500ml milk
40g softened butter and 40g flour, mixed to a paste
175g strong cheddar cheese
Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Cut your wedge of pumpkin in two to give you a couple of thinner wedges. The skin can be left on. Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the outsides of each wedge until they are nicely browned. Put the coloured wedges of pumpkin on a baking tray and pop them in the oven to cook – this will take about half an hour, depending on how thick the wedges are. The best way to check them is to push a knife into the flesh and if it goes in with little resistance, then your pumpkin is done. At this point remove them from the oven and allow them to cool, then remove the skin and chop the flesh into manageable chunks and put them into a large bowl.
Using a fork, very roughly mash the flesh, keeping a little texture. Add the ricotta cheese and the chopped sage and mix together. Taste for seasoning – you will probably need a little salt and a good twist of black pepper. This is the filling for your cannelloni and it can be used straight away, or you could store it in the fridge for a couple of days.
Making the cannelloni is very simple. Lay a sheet of fresh lasagne on a work surface, place a sausage-shaped amount of pumpkin filling down the short edge and then simply roll them up. Make sure the seal is on the bottom. Put these rolled cannelloni in the fridge until you need them.
Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan and fry the mushrooms. Turn the heat right down and then throw in the spinach. If you have just washed your spinach, there will be enough water still on the leaves to cook it through, so don't add any more. The spinach will quickly wilt, at which point tip both the spinach and the mushrooms into your baking dish, discarding any liquid, and spread it out across the base. Allow it to cool slightly and then place your cannelloni on top. They should be tightly packed, with no spinach showing. All that's required now is a decent cheese sauce.
Bring the milk to a simmer and whisk in half the flour and butter paste. Keep whisking gently as it simmers – you are aiming for a fairly thick sauce, so add a little more of the paste if necessary. Now turn off the heat and mix in the cheddar cheese. Pour this sauce over the cannelloni and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 until piping hot and golden brown.
Pumpkin isn't easily found in Doha, but squash is easily found in the Indian vegetables, and serves the purpose.
I recommend a bit of nutmeg, and for the cheese sauce throw in some parmesan too.
Pumpkin cannelloni with sage and ricotta
You will need a baking dish large enough to hold eight cannelloni. Bear in mind that the dish needs to be deep enough to hold not only the cannelloni but also some spinach under the pasta and a thick sauce on top. I had intended to give you a recipe to make fresh pasta for this dish. However, Allegra told me she always uses shop-bought fresh egg lasagne sheets for ease. I tried it and have to admit she's right to do so.
Serves four as a lunch with salad. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes
1kg wedge of pumpkin
Olive oil
250g ricotta cheese
10 sage leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper
6–8 fresh lasagne sheets
20 button mushrooms, sliced (about 150g)
200g raw spinach, washed
500ml milk
40g softened butter and 40g flour, mixed to a paste
175g strong cheddar cheese
Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Cut your wedge of pumpkin in two to give you a couple of thinner wedges. The skin can be left on. Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the outsides of each wedge until they are nicely browned. Put the coloured wedges of pumpkin on a baking tray and pop them in the oven to cook – this will take about half an hour, depending on how thick the wedges are. The best way to check them is to push a knife into the flesh and if it goes in with little resistance, then your pumpkin is done. At this point remove them from the oven and allow them to cool, then remove the skin and chop the flesh into manageable chunks and put them into a large bowl.
Using a fork, very roughly mash the flesh, keeping a little texture. Add the ricotta cheese and the chopped sage and mix together. Taste for seasoning – you will probably need a little salt and a good twist of black pepper. This is the filling for your cannelloni and it can be used straight away, or you could store it in the fridge for a couple of days.
Making the cannelloni is very simple. Lay a sheet of fresh lasagne on a work surface, place a sausage-shaped amount of pumpkin filling down the short edge and then simply roll them up. Make sure the seal is on the bottom. Put these rolled cannelloni in the fridge until you need them.
Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan and fry the mushrooms. Turn the heat right down and then throw in the spinach. If you have just washed your spinach, there will be enough water still on the leaves to cook it through, so don't add any more. The spinach will quickly wilt, at which point tip both the spinach and the mushrooms into your baking dish, discarding any liquid, and spread it out across the base. Allow it to cool slightly and then place your cannelloni on top. They should be tightly packed, with no spinach showing. All that's required now is a decent cheese sauce.
Bring the milk to a simmer and whisk in half the flour and butter paste. Keep whisking gently as it simmers – you are aiming for a fairly thick sauce, so add a little more of the paste if necessary. Now turn off the heat and mix in the cheddar cheese. Pour this sauce over the cannelloni and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 until piping hot and golden brown.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Let's Predict the Disaster!
All right, so it’s time for another fun-filled round of Let’s Predict the Disaster! Without further ado, here’s today’s scenario:
My financial institution in the country beginning with the letter Q, an International bank, is implementing a change from ATM cards to debit cards. These debit cards have a chip in them, and are usable with a PIN for extra security. This is fine in itself, given that financial transactions seem to have a greater risk these days. In Western countries, a change in cards means that the new cards are sent by post to customers, who then destroy their old cards by cutting them up. No problem.
In the country that begins with Q, however, the banking system is supposedly built based on the Indian banking system, which is comparable to tellers sitting at desks with ledgers, writing each transaction by hand. Thus, the disaster begins:
There is a 1-month window in which existing ATM cards can be changed for the new debit cards, and after September the 30th the old ATM cards will no longer be valid. 3 types of customers can go to their branch of account to change their cards; however, everyone else has to pitch up to a tiny card center located in the center of town, where there is no parking to be had because 4 or 5 banks decided to establish their main branches right next to one another in a single building but forgot to think about where people would park.
So, here are the disaster choices:
A. The exchange is occurring over Ramadan, a time of the year when not much gets done courtesy of reduced hours and the interchange of day and night, and the exchange timeframe is inclusive of a week-long Eid holiday.
B. The cards are undoubtedly not pre-printed, so this is when you pitch up to apply for your new debit card, NOT collect your card, meaning another trip downtown to collect them if and when they are prepared because they won’t post them and frankly who trusts the award-winning postal system anyway?
C. The cards have been pre-printed, but are sitting at Customs and cannot be cleared because the manager is not a customer of this financial institution so therefore has no personal gain or concern regarding this matter. He's tired from being up all night, every night, and is probably sleeping in his chair anyway.
D. Extra documentation is required to collect the cards, which was not reported in the advertisement so people could pre-plan before leaving work during their work hours, meaning another trip downtown.
E. The cards will not be prepared in time for the September 30th cutoff, meaning there will be people without access to cash for at least a month while the problem is sorted.
G. Any of these, or a combination of these, are highly, highly possible.
So which option do you choose? Did you choose G? G is the RIGHT ANSWER!!!
So how does one plan to make it around these disasters? Well, I'm thinking I had best go get some cash before pitching up to the Debit card center. I will also have a photocopy of my local ID in addition to the original, a photocopy of my passport page, and the original, and I will go as soon as possible.
Just another day in the life of an Expat.
Friday, 28 August 2009
Ramadan from a non-Muslim perspective
We're 1 week into Ramadan, and 3 weeks to go. This is my 3rd Ramadan (well, 2.5th I suppose, as I moved to Qatar about 1 week into Ramadan), so I've had a bit of time to observe and learn. So what's it really like for a non-Muslim living in a Muslim country-- more specifically, a Gulf State-- during Ramadan?
I was careful to say a Gulf State because it seems that Ramadan is observed in ways which differ greatly from other parts of the world. Ramadan, from my understanding, is a month where complete fasting during the day means a general reduction of food and water intake over the month-- not a long period of non-eating and drinking to be followed by a gluttonous orgy of overeating at Iftar (sunset) and Suhoor (sunrise) and all in between. My colleague, who is Muslim and grew up in the US, told me that the eating pattern here at Iftar is distinctly different, and she has a hard time following it because she ends up sick. Her usual custom, which is the way recommended by health professionals, is to break the fast slowly, with dates and water, to be followed by a bit of soup and then a meal a bit later. However, the custom here is to break the fast with dates and water, followed almost immediately by a huge meal.
In Qatar, eating and drinking in public during daylight hours is forbidden during Ramadan. Restaurants and coffee shops are closed, with the exception of a few restaurants in hotels who serve food behind closed doors, and open around Iftar (this year's Iftar is approximately 6pm). Those who are not fasting become, yes, closet drinkers-- crowding elbow-to-elbow in pantries with newspapered windows to sip cups of tea and drink water. In my particular workplace building, food is still served, but the food locations are well publicized prior to the start of Ramadan, and signs are posted in the hallways leading to the food place advertising that food is being served in the area. Technically, we're not supposed to have drinks at our desks, but many of us stretch the rule and keep our bottles of water in the drawer or at our feet, turning away towards the wall and drinking discretely.
One nice thing about Qatar is that the mandated workday is only 6 hours. I am conscientious about eating lunch as my big meal, but during Ramadan I adjust and make breakfast my biggest meal. This way if I am working in the morning I eat lunch when I get home, which is around 2 or 2.30. If I am working from 9.30 until 3.30 I may take a piece of fruit to work, but otherwise I eat enough breakfast and then an early tea. During the 3-9pm, though, I take my tea and eat after sunset.
When it isn't Ramadan, I usually have 2-3 cups of tea a day-- one at breakfast, one at 7.30 when it is brought to me, and then a 3rd at 10.00. However, as we aren't being served tea, I have 2 cups of tea at breakfast and there has only been one day where I engaged in closet drinking at work.
Shop timings, naturally, change during Ramadan. This year is tough with Iftar being around 6pm, as shops will have evening hours starting from 7.30 or 8pm. I am a morning person, so by 8pm I am getting tired as I get up by 5.30 am to go to work. It's hard to want to go back out after I've gotten home and been there for a while. Some shops have morning hours and then evening hours, and some shops are only open at night. The hypermarts, though, have virtually the same hours-- perhaps opening 1 hour later in the morning, closing for about 1 hour or 1.5 hours for Iftar, and then opening back up until 1am. (They usually shut at midnight) So food shopping activities aren't affected terribly. Remember, people still have to prepare their lavish table-groaning Iftar feasts.
Driving is a challenge here under usual circumstances, but during Ramadan it becomes even more interesting to dodge the other traffic. What I find here is that many people essentially flip their day and night-- moving through the day lethargic, or even sleeping through the afternoon, and then staying up all hours of the night. So when people are driving around during the day, they have a harder time concentrating on what they are doing, and there are some horrendus accidents as a result. It gets worse as the month goes on too. The issue, though, is not fasting-- the issue is that people are tired from staying up all night. There was a study done somewhere which showed that driving while tired is worse than drink driving. So imagine a road chockers with drink drivers, and you'll get the general idea. I suspect that as Ramadan moves into the summer months, and people go on holiday, it will be marginally safer to drive here.
Although Ramadan is the Muslim holy month, don't imagine a solemn, silent funeral environment-- think more of the Christmas season in the West, with the carnival-like atmosphere in shopping malls and shops, family entertainment, special foods, and emphasis on charity and giving. Zakat, the obligatory alms tax calculated on income given by Muslims each year, is often paid at this time, although some people choose to spread Zakat over the year. (There is even a Zakat payment option on Hukoomi, Qatar's e-government website)
Overall, Ramadan is really quite a fun time of the year, and a good occasion to see cultural performances. As life slows down during Ramadan because shop timings and work hours change, so not as much can get done, it's only natural to also slow down individual lifestyles and take a bit of time out to enjoy the day. In some ways, then, Ramadan is also a healthy break.
I was careful to say a Gulf State because it seems that Ramadan is observed in ways which differ greatly from other parts of the world. Ramadan, from my understanding, is a month where complete fasting during the day means a general reduction of food and water intake over the month-- not a long period of non-eating and drinking to be followed by a gluttonous orgy of overeating at Iftar (sunset) and Suhoor (sunrise) and all in between. My colleague, who is Muslim and grew up in the US, told me that the eating pattern here at Iftar is distinctly different, and she has a hard time following it because she ends up sick. Her usual custom, which is the way recommended by health professionals, is to break the fast slowly, with dates and water, to be followed by a bit of soup and then a meal a bit later. However, the custom here is to break the fast with dates and water, followed almost immediately by a huge meal.
In Qatar, eating and drinking in public during daylight hours is forbidden during Ramadan. Restaurants and coffee shops are closed, with the exception of a few restaurants in hotels who serve food behind closed doors, and open around Iftar (this year's Iftar is approximately 6pm). Those who are not fasting become, yes, closet drinkers-- crowding elbow-to-elbow in pantries with newspapered windows to sip cups of tea and drink water. In my particular workplace building, food is still served, but the food locations are well publicized prior to the start of Ramadan, and signs are posted in the hallways leading to the food place advertising that food is being served in the area. Technically, we're not supposed to have drinks at our desks, but many of us stretch the rule and keep our bottles of water in the drawer or at our feet, turning away towards the wall and drinking discretely.
One nice thing about Qatar is that the mandated workday is only 6 hours. I am conscientious about eating lunch as my big meal, but during Ramadan I adjust and make breakfast my biggest meal. This way if I am working in the morning I eat lunch when I get home, which is around 2 or 2.30. If I am working from 9.30 until 3.30 I may take a piece of fruit to work, but otherwise I eat enough breakfast and then an early tea. During the 3-9pm, though, I take my tea and eat after sunset.
When it isn't Ramadan, I usually have 2-3 cups of tea a day-- one at breakfast, one at 7.30 when it is brought to me, and then a 3rd at 10.00. However, as we aren't being served tea, I have 2 cups of tea at breakfast and there has only been one day where I engaged in closet drinking at work.
Shop timings, naturally, change during Ramadan. This year is tough with Iftar being around 6pm, as shops will have evening hours starting from 7.30 or 8pm. I am a morning person, so by 8pm I am getting tired as I get up by 5.30 am to go to work. It's hard to want to go back out after I've gotten home and been there for a while. Some shops have morning hours and then evening hours, and some shops are only open at night. The hypermarts, though, have virtually the same hours-- perhaps opening 1 hour later in the morning, closing for about 1 hour or 1.5 hours for Iftar, and then opening back up until 1am. (They usually shut at midnight) So food shopping activities aren't affected terribly. Remember, people still have to prepare their lavish table-groaning Iftar feasts.
Driving is a challenge here under usual circumstances, but during Ramadan it becomes even more interesting to dodge the other traffic. What I find here is that many people essentially flip their day and night-- moving through the day lethargic, or even sleeping through the afternoon, and then staying up all hours of the night. So when people are driving around during the day, they have a harder time concentrating on what they are doing, and there are some horrendus accidents as a result. It gets worse as the month goes on too. The issue, though, is not fasting-- the issue is that people are tired from staying up all night. There was a study done somewhere which showed that driving while tired is worse than drink driving. So imagine a road chockers with drink drivers, and you'll get the general idea. I suspect that as Ramadan moves into the summer months, and people go on holiday, it will be marginally safer to drive here.
Although Ramadan is the Muslim holy month, don't imagine a solemn, silent funeral environment-- think more of the Christmas season in the West, with the carnival-like atmosphere in shopping malls and shops, family entertainment, special foods, and emphasis on charity and giving. Zakat, the obligatory alms tax calculated on income given by Muslims each year, is often paid at this time, although some people choose to spread Zakat over the year. (There is even a Zakat payment option on Hukoomi, Qatar's e-government website)
Overall, Ramadan is really quite a fun time of the year, and a good occasion to see cultural performances. As life slows down during Ramadan because shop timings and work hours change, so not as much can get done, it's only natural to also slow down individual lifestyles and take a bit of time out to enjoy the day. In some ways, then, Ramadan is also a healthy break.
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Deira building crash
http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/General/10340812.html
Most of the time, buildings fall down after they're completed, not during. This is not the first time this has happened in Dubai. The Atlantis Palm Hotel, christened last December by the likes of Robert DeNiro and so forth, supposedly already has water leakage.
This reminds me of the Delhi metro station incidents. Interestingly enough, the labor that builds the empires in Dubai, Doha, and other Gulf cities comes from the same corner of the world. Dare I say I detect a pattern here?
******************
One arrested in Deira building crash
By Wafa Issa, Staff Reporter
Last updated: August 16, 2009, 18:27
Dubai: One person has been taken into custody after part of a six-storey building collapsed in Deira on Sunday, officials said.
No one was injured in the incident, Yousuf Foulath, Chief Prosecutor, Deira Public Prosecution, told Gulf News. This was confirmed by Khalil Al Mansouri, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department, Dubai Police.
Click here to see more pictures
The building near the Ramada Continental Hotel in Abu Hail was in its final stages of completion, Foulath said there were 23 workers and an engineer in the building when they heard strange noises from the three-storey basement. The men grew suspicious and ran out of the building.
They informed the police, who reached the site immediately. "After about 35 minutes a few chunks from the building started crumbling," Foulath said.
Watch video: Six-storey building collapses in Deira
The Public Prosecution has started investigations into the collapse.
The incident occurred around 3.30pm when half the portion of the building gave way. "It was around 3.30pm when I saw the building collapse. I've never seen anything like this. There was glass everywhere. It seemed like half the building just fell to the floor," recounted Shahid Bashir Ahmad, a Gulf News reader.
"I don't know how it happened - it happened really fast. I was standing at a traffic signal nearby and within a few minutes, police cars and ambulance vehicles sped to the location," he added.
Construction workers were present, working at the nearby bridge. No one could believe it.
"I was walking near the Ramada Hotel when I saw the building collapse. It was a glass building and half of it was on the ground within minutes. Shattered glass was everywhere. Some of the debris fell on other buildings nearby too. It was so out of the blue! At least 15 police vehicles came to the area and stopped traffic from all directions. People got out of their homes and cars and were clicking pictures," said Waqas, another reader.
Traffic came to a standstill for a few hours as police put up roadblocks as a safety precaution. Gulf News counted at least seven vehicles parked near the building damaged, but no official statistics were available.
One of the contractors has been arrested, according to Brigadier Anas Al Matroushi, Deputy Head of Operations for Rescue and Transportation Affairs at Dubai Police.
Eisa Al Maidour, Assistant Director General at the Planning and Engineering Department at Dubai Municipality, told Gulf News that a technical committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the collapse.
"Preliminary findings have revealed that there was a fault in the structure, which put extra pressure on one half of the building. The structure was made of steel and hence it took a long time to collapse. This gave workers time to leave the site safely," he said.
Sniffer dogs were deployed to ensure no one was trapped in the debris.
Most of the time, buildings fall down after they're completed, not during. This is not the first time this has happened in Dubai. The Atlantis Palm Hotel, christened last December by the likes of Robert DeNiro and so forth, supposedly already has water leakage.
This reminds me of the Delhi metro station incidents. Interestingly enough, the labor that builds the empires in Dubai, Doha, and other Gulf cities comes from the same corner of the world. Dare I say I detect a pattern here?
******************
One arrested in Deira building crash
By Wafa Issa, Staff Reporter
Last updated: August 16, 2009, 18:27
Dubai: One person has been taken into custody after part of a six-storey building collapsed in Deira on Sunday, officials said.
No one was injured in the incident, Yousuf Foulath, Chief Prosecutor, Deira Public Prosecution, told Gulf News. This was confirmed by Khalil Al Mansouri, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department, Dubai Police.
Click here to see more pictures
The building near the Ramada Continental Hotel in Abu Hail was in its final stages of completion, Foulath said there were 23 workers and an engineer in the building when they heard strange noises from the three-storey basement. The men grew suspicious and ran out of the building.
They informed the police, who reached the site immediately. "After about 35 minutes a few chunks from the building started crumbling," Foulath said.
Watch video: Six-storey building collapses in Deira
The Public Prosecution has started investigations into the collapse.
The incident occurred around 3.30pm when half the portion of the building gave way. "It was around 3.30pm when I saw the building collapse. I've never seen anything like this. There was glass everywhere. It seemed like half the building just fell to the floor," recounted Shahid Bashir Ahmad, a Gulf News reader.
"I don't know how it happened - it happened really fast. I was standing at a traffic signal nearby and within a few minutes, police cars and ambulance vehicles sped to the location," he added.
Construction workers were present, working at the nearby bridge. No one could believe it.
"I was walking near the Ramada Hotel when I saw the building collapse. It was a glass building and half of it was on the ground within minutes. Shattered glass was everywhere. Some of the debris fell on other buildings nearby too. It was so out of the blue! At least 15 police vehicles came to the area and stopped traffic from all directions. People got out of their homes and cars and were clicking pictures," said Waqas, another reader.
Traffic came to a standstill for a few hours as police put up roadblocks as a safety precaution. Gulf News counted at least seven vehicles parked near the building damaged, but no official statistics were available.
One of the contractors has been arrested, according to Brigadier Anas Al Matroushi, Deputy Head of Operations for Rescue and Transportation Affairs at Dubai Police.
Eisa Al Maidour, Assistant Director General at the Planning and Engineering Department at Dubai Municipality, told Gulf News that a technical committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the collapse.
"Preliminary findings have revealed that there was a fault in the structure, which put extra pressure on one half of the building. The structure was made of steel and hence it took a long time to collapse. This gave workers time to leave the site safely," he said.
Sniffer dogs were deployed to ensure no one was trapped in the debris.
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