PakLand: Day 2 - "Question Saheb: What does Mena mean?"
After waking up today ... I kinda remembered a couple of things relating to what happened yesterday:
a) In the airport - while waiting eternally for our turn in the queue, there was this huge blue sign "For Complaints please call Deputy Manager atOffice: xxx-xxxx-xxx Residence: xxx-xxxx-xxx, Cell: xxx-xxxx-xxx"!! ... at the back of my mind it was like "and please pee on my grave if you can actually get to me!" ... yup that sign did not really help.
b) The van drive from airport to the hotel: The van was in a bad shape (may i remind you this belongs to a five star hotel!), shaking like mad .. and the driver was not any better. He was driving like he was missing the local football match on TV ... so fast, potholes did not even matter anymore! At the only instance he actually decided to agree to the mere suggestion of the "manual" traffic light's STOP signal ... a motor bike just zoomed past the traffic light(may I remind you it was RED signal!) ... stopped at the other side's police stop (you would think they would fine him), shook the officer's hand and continued zooming!
--NEXT DAY--
1) Lahore's Shower head: While getting ready for a fine morning in Lahore, a worker from the hotel decides to knock my door ... and show up smiling with a Grohe shower head! As I understood little urdu, he apparently wanted to change the shower head in my bathroom ... but I never complained!!! He told it will take 2 minutes, so I continued preparing myself for the day. He calls me in the bathroom, shows me how beautiful the water is with the new showerhead (ehm), and then waits for his tip. Generally I am a very generous tipper ... but this really bothered me! It reminded me of other countries (no names!), where they would wait for a foreigner to get out the new stuff, so the foreigner pays double the price! Why was the showerhead originally a normal one ... and why is it now exchanged for Grohe? hehehe he left disappointed!
2) Rickshaws and more 2 wheelers: Being driven in a Mercedes E200 turned to be a luxury of great magnitude in this country! All around you were motorcycles ... and "rickshaws". Now this device is hilarious: It is basically a motorcycle with a special wagon attached to it ... depending on the wealth of the driver/owner of the rickshaw, the wagon would be made of good steel or just scrap metal. This device runs on some sort of liquid gas ... of which the cylinder lies between the legs of the driver ... hazardous profession? NOOOOOOOO! Main pollution contributor to the country I can tell you!
3) Lenovo 3000 vs Mena: Our event started at 8 pm with 50 ppl. By the time, my turn came to introduce the new Lenovo 3000 product line ... i had 200 ppl listening! So after a long presentation explaining the intricate details of our products ... i get my first question. Imtiaz, my boss, explained to me that they would be shy so I shouldnt expect questions ... so I was surprised. I puffed my chest, always commended at answering most questions I get ... I awaited the inevitable "What is Lenovo?" question ... but then there was silence after hearing the actual one ...
"What does Mena mean?" i.e. we thought you would be a babe, since mena is a ladies' name in Pakistan, India and Iran!
Stunned ... I smiled and gave them a the usual 2 line answer i have ready for this question, and that was the only decent question I had that night. Do you think I am working in the wrong industry?? :)
--- End of Day ---
Its 1:30 am over here ... I need to wake up at 6 for my next flight to Islamambad! See you there
posted by antimena @ 5/23/2006 12:05:00 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
HAHAHA :D why did you think you had 200 ppl waiting for your turn?? to hear about Lenovo3000 you think?? ;) ... I assume if you used "Monmon" you would have got 500 ;D
Mena 7abibi, how many times I told u to replace the e with an i ?? thx God the 200 pakys didn’t attack u after they discovered the truth :-PP
I still remember when that girl from one of the health clubs called me and told me “your friend Mena recommended ur name to join bla bla” I was like, I don’t know any girl called Mena, then I remembered our antimena :-D by that time I was on the ground laughing from the way she pronounced it :-D
But anyways keep it like that, it’s easier for me to dial ur number, cause in my address book u r the only Mena among other 12 Mina
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL :D. Now where did I see THAT happening before? All male-dominated cultures have one things in common - follow the female :D.
Monmon, I think your manager must be now having second thoughts about hiring a female brand manager. Although I convince myself all the the time that world is just pure professional whether you are male or female, my naiive pink picture is always marred by people giving me extra attention for being a female - and no I am NOT complaining :).
So anywayz Monmon, try a career shift or maybe hire a female brand manager assistant or perhaps try some wigs and a temporary makeover in countries where mena is a female LOOOL :D. (ya3ni 7aram 2el sadma!) ;)))
Hey 'Monmon' ... I'm sure you're least expecting this comment, especially from me, but HONESTLY .. This isn't a chance to miss ...
Amy: you REALLY believe that some wigs and a temporary makeover will do it for MonMon in countries where mena is female ?? I think not .. Especially if you bring that mental image ANYWHERE NEAR Mena Suvari (and she may not be the prettiest of them all ..)
But, then and again, there are other countries .... hmmmm ... let's leave that out of discussion ..
I guess ya monmon having 200 people listening to you babble about the LeNovo3000 must have been rewarding enough to offset the other PAK experiences you've been through ..
I'm actually glad to have come across this blog. I see that you have been honing your 'literary' skills, and you've finally revealed that 'SoftSpot' ...
It's been ages ... miss you cuz ...
MIIIIIIIDO! :) Wot a pleasant surprise cuz! Haven't spoken to u in a long time .. and seriously, the last place i expected to see you at! :D ... thanks for the Suvari bit ... raised my confidence somewhere next to that insect over there ;) keep it coming cuz ... u never know I mite show up at ure doorstep soon!
Amy: I hope that this is proof enough, that years of experience by a guy = a female :) hahaha there you go, some countries don't need to even see you ... just a name would do.
Fawzy, Na22ash ... its time I get rid of you as buddies, and have a name change in mean time :D hahaha ... this is me blog not ure dissing spot :D thanks guys! :) miss ya na22ash!
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