Restaurant "Customering" in Greece

All About Greece 3: Restaurant "Customering" and Culture

When we were walking in Greece, one thing we found is that there would always be someone standing in front or at the door side of the restaurant, and trying to get some customers into their restaurant, or at least look at their menus.

Remember on the first night at Rethymno, when there was a man trying to convince us to try their Greek dishes, we were just being polite and said we have eaten, at the end we picked another one. The next day we passed by it again, the same guy, recognizing us, saying that we should really visit him this day, as we sort of lied the day before, and he saw us dining in another restaurant etc etc.

What do you think about this? For me, we were just trying to reject him in a polite way (as our apartment receptionist recommended us some restaurants already), and he was being very rude to say that to us. We're the ones paying, shouldn't we get to choose what we want? =S

Just be aware of this, and if you're not going to eat anything, just try not to walk pass one whole row of restaurants.. you'd probably get tired saying no!

The other thing is about tips. On our first night in Athens, after finished dining, we asked for the bills and paid the total. One first man came by our table and "reminded" us that service charge wasn't included. When we were still discussing whether to pay tips and how much to pay, a second man came and collected the money on the table, counting, before leaving our table, he said "put the tips on the table! put the tips on the table" Imagine our expressions. =.= I was a bit pissed off and said we shouldn't be paying tips to people like this! How can he ORDERED us to pay him tips?! And guess what, at the end we left €0.10 on the table!

Just remember this restaurant.. it's close to Athens Monastiraki metro station..

More:

All about Greece 1: Airport taxi/cab in Crete

All about Greece 2: Athens or Islands?

Athens VS Greece Islands

All About Greece 2: Athens or Islands?

We went to an island called Crete in Greece, spent 4 nights over there (2 nights in Rethynmo, 2 nights in Heraklion), and then took a night ferry to Athens, spent another 3 nights in Athens.

For me, before I had been there, Athens is a place that I must go, for the history that we have learnt about it since young, for the name "雅典"! It simply sounds like a "must go" to me. While Greece at the same time, is famous with its islands and beaches.

Whether you want Athens or an island, it really depends what kind of trip you're up to. Rethymno is such a relaxing place, very blue sea and sky, nice hot weather, long beach (we even play monopoly card games on the beach xD), great Greek food with very reasonable prices.. There are also some historical places if all day beach time is too much for you.

While Athens.. to be honest, what you see is stones and pillars.. We can spend whole day at and around Acropolis and Museum of Acropolis. Are you interested to learn about their history, their Gods, the wars etc?

I'd say depending on your holiday mood and state, go to either one (but pure Athens visit sounds quite dry for me =X). But if you want to be like us, visiting both, go to Athens first and then the islands! You'd have the Greek specialist food and seafood crazily when you arrive the island, and enjoy the weather to the fullest!

Also, if you're not so into great sunshine and sun bathing, I would say September and early October is a good time to visit Greece.

More:

All About Greece 1: Airport taxi/cab in Crete

Airport Taxi/Cab in Greece (Crete)

All About Greece 1: Airport Taxi/Cab in Crete

The first ever lesson we learnt from Greece when we arrived in the airport in Crete, is the money faces of the taxi drivers surrounding the airport. They approached us and asked where we were up to (Rethymno). And then I asked him whether he could provide me with information about getting there, with the cheapest way, he said yes. He first analysed about taking bus-

*€2 to Heraklion town centre

*€12 to Rethymno

*€10-20 to your hotel

*Took you 4 hours

However, if you use a taxi, we could get there in an hour with about €80 (€100 at first), which is a huge saving for the four of us. He was right - four persons is the perfect number to take a cab.

We decided to consider and said that we would come back to him. I was thinking, he must be right to say that it costs €2 to go to Heraklion, since it's 2mins away from bus stop, I can ask for the price how easily. But that isn't the case! We asked the bus ticket to Heraklion and it costs only €0.90! and the truth is

*€0.90 to Heraklion

*€6.90 to Rethymno

*€1.25 to accommodation by cab (€5 for 4 persons). We walked towards the wrong direction (due to an google map error) and decided to take a cab from the old town to our apartment (Aloe Apartment). Or we could have saved this money.

*3+ hours (because we spent time walking towards the wrong direction)

See the difference?? (4 of us spent €36.20, compared to €80) They simply doubled up the prices and exaggerated the duration and convinced you to take taxi. They know you're carrying your heavy luggage(s) and just want to get to your hotel/apartment and check in asap. So, beware of those taxi drivers at airport, whether or not they are licensed, whether or not they look/act professional, whether or not they sound reasonable.

Greece!!

Ah Ah Ah!! I'm feeling so strange now! bloody strange! when I'm supposed to be very excited but I am not! why?!

Tomorrow night I will be off from Enfield to Greece!

But my holiday mood just ain't here yet =(

where're you?!

Athens in Greece, it's on the top of my list! How can I not feeling excited? =S

This week has been "a week" for me..

Worked on Monday, had a bad shift as I was sent to Sage ward, which wasn't very good experience as they placed me to do the obs in seclusion room, I was so depressed by the end of the shift.

Tuesday I attended the TAMVA (Team Approach in Managing Violence and Aggression, if im not mistaken) training course. Not easy, many to pick up, a lot of physical activities! Get to know some nice friendly people from other wards too. Phil came to find me and told me that my supervisor has been changed! I was bloody happy. =) Not that the old one isn't good, but I really like the new one, who works the same style like me.. =)

Wednesday again attending the course, legs started to be sore.. But I started to enjoy the course and the process, despite so many bruises on my body =S

Thursday.. The assessment day of the training. I was damn bloody brave to be the first to be assessed as a team leader, and guess what? I got full score being a team leader! =D I was a bit too nervous when doing the team member part.. but still, I passed the course! One of my colleague did not make it though... hope she will be fine next time =)

Back to ward again on Friday, with super sore legs, can't even walk on the stairs! Was nearly sent to Sage ward again, but thanks god Phil was in this day, and he was right, no point exchange me with an agent nurse who can't do anything! Took one of my favourite patients out for a walk, in the rain - wasn't romantic though.. xD.

And here I started my 13 days off! =D But it was a bit of rush.. the holiday mood isn't here, and I just don't feel like get things packed! =S Didn't do any pre-trip "homework".. But! I'm quite excited and expecting good weather over there... rather than staying in this bloody London weather =S

Hope it would be a great trip! I haven't been leaving this country for a trip for long!!!!

A quote

I treat them [mentally ill patients in the forensic unit] as a human being, like someone's son, someone's brother, someone's husband, someone's dad. But at the back of my head, I never forget, why these people are here.

(Thomas, 2010)

I quoted this from a Charged Nurse (a position between ward manager and a qualified nurse) in my ward during an am-pm shift handover yesterday. She said it so naturally, but it was very impressive. This woman, I see from her, how patient care is.. what does it mean to be caring, the way she does her job, the way she helps the patients, the way she spends time out from the office with the patients, are what releasing care suppose to be.

Simply impressed, think it is worth a post in my blog!

公私分明

我在想 從事我們這類型行業的人 是有可能公私分明的嗎?

就是像我們這種以"人"為工作中心的行業

有可能説 我回到家就絕對不會想公事 也不會把工作情緒煩惱帶回家 可能嗎?

我覺得就算不是以"人"爲中心的行業都很難了 更別説我們了

像我的 ward manager 他是個工作狂 (我都叫他 workaholic 他還說我像他 =.=)

有時候禮拜六早上七點去到 ward 裏

他明明 day off, 但是也會打電話 update 我們一些事 =.=

他滿腦子都在想我們 ward patients and staff.. 這樣會不好嗎?

我猜可能對他的家人來説會有一定的困擾

但是這種幹勁積極和所投注的時間精力

絕對是他這麽年輕就是個 band 7 經理級人物的原因之一

所以分析了一下 我又覺得沒辦法把公私分得那麽清楚 好像也沒有關係

會這麽想 是因爲禮拜一 ward 裏跟我一樣早期在的一個病人會被 discharged了

每天這麽相處 真的能沒什麽感覺送走他們嗎?

當然不會希望他又做了什麽或者出什麽狀況而回來

但是我真的不是個習慣這樣讓別人從我生命來來去去的人 =.=

Reblog: A letter by a Malaysian in the USA

For people who are always interested in some issues regarding Asian/Malaysian living in western countries, there are some interesting comments going on there.

And guess what, now that I think I can be one of those who also actually write something about it, after months of working for the largest employer in the Europe - NHS and months of living in London.

But, I'm not ready yet with this "A letter by a Malaysian in the UK". Hahaha... Should I say, stay tuned? xD

菲前警官騎劫旅巴新聞

菲律賓 血腥悲劇感人情節 夫擋子彈捨命護妻

今早起身 看完這篇 T__T

雖然昨天就從新聞和一些 facebook link 知道了

可是看完報道 還是很難過

沒辦法想象原本開開心心去旅遊最後丟命的

臨死要經歷那麽多小時的折磨

還有殉職的導遊

那些保護家人的 還有那個帶“別人的小孩”下車的婦女 好偉大 好厲害 能急中生智

哎 人性太複雜 社會太多不平衡的人和事

這種受到不公平待遇而心生怨恨最後導致流血事件的 也不少了

要怎樣使人們得到宣洩的管道 怎樣減少不平衡的社會 ==?

或許 社會裏多一點愛 每個人心裏多一點愛

就能改變一個人的想法 就能改變一場悲劇的結局

Part of the Growth

Every time I get some time to talk individually to my ward manager or one of the charged nurses, tears would fill my eyes. At times I've been feeling stressful and confused, but after each talk I'd always be alright. Today again. And I feel they appreciate me so much, that all those hard works and at times some hard feelings are worth, absolutely worth. Phil has been asking me to take some days off, because I've been working so much and so hard. But to be honest, I really like to spend time in ward, despite at times some colleagues are so...

Perhaps what's scary is not the patients with criminal backgrounds, but the complexity of human brain and behaviours. I feel fine working, talking, dealing with the patients, but not some of the colleagues! They are the ones who make me feel stressed. I know there is no perfect and ideal job. And I know no matter where I go, this colleagues-colleagues conflict would appear, and it's something that I ought to learn. I need to stress that I'm not involved directly in any of these conflicts, but perhaps I'm just looking young and innocent, people tend to tell their secrets to me and share the gossip with me.. and I feel soooo 囧 knowing so many things, all contradict to each other lol.

Anywayyyy, I'm fine, still love this job, enjoying the work, and grateful with what I've got and been learning. =)

我們說好的 - 張靚穎

最近很喜歡的一首歌

好嗎 一句話就哽住了喉
城市 當背景的海市蜃樓
我們 像分隔著一整個宇宙
再見 都化作烏有

我們說好絕不放開相互牽的手
可現實說光有愛還不夠
走到分岔的路口
你向左我向右
我們都倔強得不曾回頭

我們說好就算分開一樣做朋友
時間說我們從此不可能再問候
人群中再次邂逅
你變得那麼瘦
我還是淪陷在你的眼眸

好嗎 一句話就哽住了喉
城市 當背景的海市蜃樓
我們 像分隔著一整個宇宙
再見 都化作烏有

我們說好絕不放開相互牽的手
可現實說光有愛還不夠
走到分岔的路口
你向左我向右
我們都倔強得不曾回頭

我們說好就算分開一樣做朋友
時間說我們從此不可能再問候
人群中再次邂逅
你變得那麼瘦
我還是淪陷在你的眼眸

我們說好一起老去看細水長流
卻將會成為別人的某某
又到分岔的路口
你向左我向右
我們都強忍著不曾回頭

我們說好下個永恆裡面再碰頭
愛情會活在當時光節節敗退後
下一次如果邂逅
你別再那麼瘦
我想一直淪陷在你的眼眸
這是無可救藥愛情的荒謬

Inception (2010)

Your mind is the scene of the crime.

This is definitely one of the best-est movies I've ever watched in my life. Christopher Nolan, I'm going to remember this name (the writer and director of this movie, also the director/writer of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight). Thanks to friends who had been recommending it to me, especially yuan who believes so strongly that I'm going to like it or I wouldn't have watched it in the cinema.

Warning: Please stop reading if you haven't watched but planned to watch it.

Astounding is the word. It's so thoughtful. It made me link to a book that I was reading (and have stopped) "Human Given" (by J. Griffin & I. Tyrrell, 2003), their interpretations about dream was somehow related, although different.

How do we amend people's thought? How do we make people believe that what they believe is wrong? How do people differentiate what is reality and what is dream? How much do we know about subconscious? What can we do in subconscious state? Is collective dreaming actually possible?

I believe everyone has come out with all sort of questions after watching it. And in particular, I'm interested in the following:

How do we amend people's thought? Make them believe that what they believe is wrong or vice versa. For example, in my ward a patient used to believe that he had super power to control many things that happened (e.g. he watched the news that a kid was killed by a gun, and he believed that it was his power that made that happened, and felt guilty about it). What do we do to tell him it is not true? OR, who we are to tell him that it is NOT true? Because it's possible that what he thinks is true! who knows?

This brings out another question. How do we differentiate reality and unreality (whether it's dreams, hallucinations, etc)? We dream, we imagine, we create stories etc etc. In the book Human Given, the authors believed that people who developed schizophrenia, have got problems in differentiating dreams and reality. That is why they see things and hear sound that's not "real", as in in dreams. What make them believe that what they see/hear is real? And when they're cured, what make them believe that those are not real?

How about the ending? What do you think?? Somehow I believe that Cobb (Leonardo LiCapario - whoops my Jack in Titanic xD) got inception, and more importantly, it's by himself. A "scene" that he is so eagerly and desperately wanting to come across. You know the movie itself, even made me feel so eager to see the face of the kids! But how he get incepted? why? I don't know.

I would probably watch it again when download is available =X. Also looking for more in depth reviews, especially regarding the ending, and the connection between dreams and reality.

Inspiring. Amazing. There were tears in my eyes when I finished it. Thanks god this is a movie not a drama series, or I'd probably be thinking so much and get stuck in it xD. Yet I do hope for more inspiring and astounding psychology movies! =D

New Job. New Experience.

I've finally started my first ever full time job after my Psychology degree in the Chase Farm Hospital! What would I describe my job after working for more than 35 hours this week? I told my ward manager that I'm enjoying it, and in fact, I am! This morning had a quick chat with bpeng, I described it as rewarding and interesting yet tiring.

It's basically a forensic mental health trust, a rehabilitation ward. I guess I shouldnt go into any details about any particular patient due to confidentiality issues, but from the words "forensic" and "mental health", guess you can grasp a rough idea of how the patients are like. and YET! it's a rehab ward, so those patients actually progressed from acute wards, and then being transferred to this ward, i.e. they're KIND OF stable. I know all of them by approaching them and talking to them first, all their first impressions in my head are good, nice and stable. But I get some time to look through their files of what they have been through, what kind of crimes they committed, what kind of behaviours they taken in the past, I was really O_O shocked, some of them had been in the system for about 20 years, and are still here.

Having said it's a forensic ward, the security level is actually very high. We're carrying the keys, identity scan and an alarm with us all the time. I felt fun in the beginning, and now I'm getting used to it. But right, the place itself feels like a community rather than a hospital, with most of the living basics. I worked a late shift yesterday, and I could sense a home feeling when I was sitting in the lobby watching tv with the patients xD, and then one of them taught me playing pools.

I've got really really nice ward manager (it's like a quality guarantee as sooo many people said to me that he's really good), and because I'm the only new (and young xD) nurse in the ward, I'm happy that most of the seniors are taking good care of me, sharing their experience and telling me what dos and donts.

And so, what do I do? basically it's surrounding what the patients do, and the only part I'm not involved is giving medicine, in which we would have qualified nurses doing it. Like what the ward manager says, basically, what I do is building rapport with them, ensure they've got someone to talk to when they want to, theirs needs are fulfilled, and when they get unstable or a bit aggressive, I'd be able to calm them down. Other than that, we're doing smoking sessions, activity & meal preparations, planning meetings, care plans, risk assessments, ground leaves, tea bar (there are more, but because it's still a new ward, after a month or so, when things are all settled down, i'd get the chance to learn and see more of it). And there are quite much of paperworks as well, doing notes on each shift of how each of them is getting on, and if you're assigned to be a security nurse on your shift, there are even more stuff, like checking where each patient is hourly, make sure the environment is not hazardous etc etc.

A lot to learn, a very very very fresh and interesting new environment to me. Hope I could make the most out of it.

( to be continue.. I guess )

Officially a Londoner

I am now in Enfield, Middlesex. T__T
Extremely sore hands and back, carrying that huge luggage and heavy bags with me.
It was good I met some nice people helping me when I had to take the stairs. Very grateful, they were really nice, some were kids! I'm going to help others next time, I promise. =P

Feel so empty, don't feel like unpacking my stuff and doing the cleaning =(
Bpeng, puipui, fel.. T__T

It was even depressing thinking whether George has sent my reference back. Because of this stupid process I can't start working on Monday.. this thought itself depresses me.. I really don't want to sit and do nothing anymore.. Why can't they do things efficiently??????

Hmm anyway, my new room is nice, just that I certainly miss my old double bed =X. Need some cleaning and tidying.. Went to the tesco nearby, it was smaller than the one in Cheltenham, and I felt so lost inside.. the shelf assortment was strange =S.

Ah.. I'm going to stop writing or I'd find awful loads of stuff to complain >"<

Hope things would be in place soon!

I wonder if I miss you

該怎麽定義想念

因爲習慣一個人的陪伴 所以當他不在時

依然不斷出現在你的腦裏 叫想念?

那如果是很久不見但交情(曾經)不錯的朋友呢?

怎麽說想念? 怎麽說很想念?

Say Goodbye =(

Empty. I thought it shouldn't really affect me, but it still does. Perhaps it was pm's blog post, it seems that everyone either has left or is leaving. =( Nobody is going to be in Cheltenham, a place that I have been living for nearly 4 years, a place that I like the most in England.

I'm going to London tomorrow to meet my future landlord and settle the deposit, contract etc. Somehow I believe I'm going to cope well in new environment, even it's going to be all by my own, but I still feel the unease, maybe it's because that's going to be without bpeng? =(

All seem to be in a very unsettled state, many decisions to make, many things to do. I ain't like this feeling. Yet I'm grateful with what I've got, and hope everything is going well and I can start my new job soon.

Oh and I need to go to London on Thursday again, for the sake of the pre employment occupational health questionnaire. There are so many vaccines bla and bla, I don't even know what vaccines I've taken since young ._. (MMR & BCG for sure, what else?) I think they should actually provide us with a certificates that we must keep in records ourselves =S. Do you know BCG is a vaccine for what? TB! Do you know what TB is? Tuberculosis! Do you know what tuberculosis is? 肺结核. and there are so the hell many types of them, how do they expect me to know? somemore I guess we took some of the vaccines when we were infants?! = = Anyway, the officer said we can get a test if I'm not sure - so this should answer all my questions xD.

Hmm out of topic. I hope pm and Fel are feeling ok now. Both of them really seem "empty" and "lonely" having all their family members gone. It reminds me of last year when we're sending Sammi and Stephy, then Jeff and Kian etc off, we're always the ones sending people off ='(. Why are we still here huh?

Front of the Class (2008)

A great great movie, based on a true story, Brad Cohen, who has got Tourette's syndrome (it's in the DSM, an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder), from the age of 6, stays optimistic, defies all odds and become a gifted teacher.

Very inspiring!! Highly recommended.

Lets make things clear and make life simple

這次選擇把話講清楚

雖然一直以爲什麽反應都不給 是最簡單的方式

到最後才發現 其實是會有被感動的一天的

尤其對中文字的抗拒能力 很低 囧

不想被感動 不期待那樣的一天

更不想他把時間花在我身上

Hachiko: A Dog's Story (2009)

A true story of faith, loyalty and undying love

I actually can't believe that I could still tear that much despite the fact that I knew the storyline beforehand,

and I really miss our dogs now T__T

April the 16th

It has been a long and kind of adventurous day for me, waking up at 2 o'clock in the morning, which is the time normally I still not in bed =S, and travelled all the way to London, then taking underground to Zone 4 Southgate station, and next changed bus W9 to Chase Farm Hospital. All of these I have been googling so it didnt trouble me much, the most challenging part, was that the hospital was GOD DAMN BIG!! it's more like an industrial area lol, with NO clear signs at all = = luckily it's always my habit to arrive early to place that I've never been, so I just took my time to walk around and look for this "Camlet 3" (you know, the Camlet 3 building itself, has no sign board saying Camlet 3 at all.. what the.....*censored*).

I arrived the lecture theatre at 9am (the invitation said 9.30am), and there were already about 10 people there!! There were like 60%-70% Blacks (in fact i found the whole Enfield (in North London) has got so many Blacks, unlike Cheltenham), and a mixture of the rest. The manager of the department has given an introduction regarding the trust, a forensic mental health trust (in which, their patients were mainly mentally ill people who were prisoners/offenders), so they talked about risk, security, relationships to patients etc bla and bla... It's what they do that really, really interest me, as I really like forensic psychology and clinical psychology, this is like the part that i really want to explore!! yet she mentioned about how competitive it is, there were nearly 400 applications!! god, four hundreds!! (F the recession!!) and I guess there were roughly 30 of us there today (it somehow made me feel - should I give up and let them have it? xD).

We sat for the tests after the presentation. The literacy test sucks a bit, as it's like a memory test to me.. I'm quite sure I'm well literate = =, yet the paragraph she read was so long, not allowing us to write anything down (but there was a lady writing, and this behaviour was distracting me >"<), by the time she finished, i forgot some of the front and most of the middle part HAHA (the primacy and recency effect). But I'm pretty sure they aren't that demanding (oh ya I saw the guy next to me reading my answer LOL). Whereas the numeracy test was MCQ.. easy la.. quite a bit of counting, a bit of understandings how they talk in maths language. They marked the papers immediately and we got to know whether we're through in about 40 minutes later.. and those were through stayed to let them take copies of documents bla bla bla..

Then I can't wait to leave the place (trust me, it doesnt feel like a hospital at all.. but I can't wait to go to central London xDD) so I failed to take any pictures of the hospital = =. My next stop was Hyde park! I don't know why I have been missing this place a lot, I feel like walking through the whole park again, but I did not when I arrived. Because the park itself was SO DEAD! I thought this is Spring, and there should be pretty flowers in beautiful scenes.. but all I saw was still winter =S, plus Usher's Papers playing in my headphone.. I was like.. /.\ So wondering around a bit and I took the tube back to Victoria station. Then walk from victoria to London eye (dont ask me why didnt i just take tube to westminster/waterloo station.. I just enjoy walking there..), sat by the river.. guess what I did? ... reading!! xDD I did shop a bit in Zara and Topshop.. and on the way back I saw House of Fraser actually having quite big sales.. But I was SO SLEEPY to try any clothes on = =. so I was like walking around like a corpse >"<, get sushi ordered by BeePeng then walked to coach station..

Hyde park corner.. Oh this is Spring?

I revisited some of the places..

All and all, London is the place filled with memories with family, whether it's few months ago when pama gor and jeh came, or 3 years ago when erge came.. And I feel if I were to "feel it", tears would fill my eyes. Anyway, I suppose I'm going for the interview next week.. would just try my best and I would accept whatever comes out =))

---

They have been there for really long already. I wonder whether this works. and I even wonder whether there is anyone in the camp of strike? =X

Can anyone tell me what this means? Genocide of theirs?

Tests

I'm going to Enfield, Middlesex tomorrow for ability tests, in NHS!!
I can't believe I'm ganjiong >"<
I used to love exams and tests =S

I'm at the same time excited! coz I'll be going to London (again). On the other hand worry about whether I can get there on time safely, as most should know how bad I'm in directions! xD

Fingers crossed. =))