A quote to live by

"Live life fully while you're here.

Experience everything.

Take care of yourself, Family and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird.

Go out and screw up! You're going to do it anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process.

Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it.

Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”

What makes a place a home

Yes finally time to write this blog, about a topic I wanted to write a longtime "Where I live" and over the years it became home...

I must say I like where I live now, I really do I know it is not very conventional to say I like living in Male but I guess I do.

Yub it is; overcrowded, to many cars and bikes, a lack of good restaurants, good shops, entertainment option, when it rains the streets are turned in to rivers, people who make staring to a olympic sport the occasional demonstrations and the some other interesting eyebrow raising events that are happing in this place.

But still I like this place, but why asked a friend of mine, well good question so I was tolling with this in my head "what makes a city or country feel like home" so what is it?

Well a part of the answer was given by a very good friend of mine last December, when he asked me why I was gloomy, well as it was before christmas I kind of missed to spend time with my family and friends back in home. He just answered don't feel like that you have now good friends here who care about you and like to spend time with you and are there for you at any time... This was really nice to hear.

This made me think a bit further and I came to the conclusion it does not matter where u live, how the city looks like, how many museums there are, how cool the entertainment is, or how many good restaurants and shops there are, etc. But it has everything to do with people very simple with people. They are the friends that make any place livable, with them you are creating memories giving faces to normally anonymous streets and buildings, they make you feel that you belong "people give a place a face a character" either positive or negative that is.

What I try to say is I feel at home here because I have wonderful friends, they inspire, teach me, guide me, keep me sane and make this place unique and home. Think about this if you come back from holiday you will not say wow I have missed the STO building so much right, bud you will have missed your best friends right.

See that is the point people make the place not building, cars, restaurants, shops, etc they help to shape the place but it is people who are the key to make a place home.

This it why do I like to live here because I got to know amazing people here and many of them turned out to become very dear friend.

So to all of my friend here thank you for being in my life and making this my home...

A solution to smelly and unfriendly waiters

Please read this blog of a friend of mine who has a perfect solution for the bad service which we all encounter here in Male, enjoy:

http://madlyinlovewithfood.blogspot.com/2011/01/poor-food-service-in-male-is-solved.html

The flip side of service

This blog is long over due but he better late than never... So here it is.

Ok the living here you get adjusted regarding bad service in restaurants and cafe's it is sadly to say, bad service becomes your norm (I guess accepting this is a way of not getting your blood level to high) but there are levels of bad service and when it is bad it is really bad.

So I have created a special service indicator:

Excellent service = Non existent

Good Service = Rare

Mediocre Service = The new good

Bad Service = Acceptable

Sub Zero Service = The norm

As the first two levels of service does hardly exist here we are focusing on the last 3.

Mediocre Service:

The waiter speaks and understand either English or Dhivehi or both, does not smell and somehow manages to bring the correct order.

Bad Service:

The waiter does not speak and or understand English or Dhivehi, does not smell, trow the order on the table, give the bill while you are still eating or drinking, if you ask something, it is like you have asked the move to world, o yes brings you the order but one after one.

Sub Zero Service:

The waiter does not speak at all if it does it it sound like grumbling, did not wash, if you ask for something o sorry rephrase better do not ask for something, the order, do not ask it will come when ever he feel like to bring it, give the bill before you even start eating or drinking, does not care, etc, etc

So why are we putting up with this? Good question, because we do, even if you complain they look like you if your are the biggest idiot alive... So you are avoiding the places with Sub Zero Service that means 2/3 of the restaurants/bars here in Male'. So u go the place with bad or Mediocre service...

That remind me of a funny story of typical Sub Zero Service. Me and a friend when to a well know place for a mid night snack ordered a stake sandwich, well after going through all the agonizing of making the order and dealing with a half brain, finally we got the order, well than it became interesting

Me: Can have some mayonnaise?

Waiter: Sorry I can not give u mayonnaise

Me: Asked why?

Waiter: Blank face (it mumbled a bid)

Me: Can I see the Manager (can I remind u they had mayonnaise as it was on the sandwich)

Me: Repeated my self "can I have mayonnaise"

Manager: Sorry we can not serve mayonnaise

Me: Why not

Manager: The Management says so (he was one of the manager)

Me: Got frustrated and said bring me mayonnaise as u have it in the kitchen

Manager: No answer he just walked a way

Me: I was amazed and blazing to say the least

We did not see the manager anymore during the time we where there, WTF is wrong with this picture, needless to say I avoid that place like anything....

Now this is not a one off sadly to say I can go on and on with this topic as BAD SERVICE

here in Male is the norm...

So here is my plight to the owners of restaurants, bars, hotas, etc. Please before you put a waiter in frond of your customers, please teach them this:

1. Please teach them about basic hygiene e.g.. what is water and soap
2. That they bring the bill when the customer ask for it and NOT before or during the meal or coffee
3. That NO is not a option please check if it is possible
4. If you do not understand something get some one who can understand the customer
5. please smile, it is free you know
6. Do not argue with the customer
7. Talk in a language that is understandable if not possible u should not let them serve customer.

Writing these points I have the feeling it is a bit pointless and many of the owners really do not care either so why would their staff care right, but still it is good to keep enlightening you guys.

Enjoy eating and drinking on one of the many restaurants and cafes here in Male, hopefully the service is Mediocre Service at it best :)