Sunday, June 17, 2007
Settling down - Part 1
Settling down in Australia certainly wasn't easy. First of all, the part of Australia that I am staying in is Western Australia. The biggest state in Australia. A colleague of mine who came from Bosnia told me that he reckoned that driving from my town (Bunbury) to Perth would mean an equivalent of driving through several small countries in Europe. I can't agree with him more knowing where I came from.
Secondly, no matter how conversant and well versed in English, there will definitely be cases of lost in translation.
The first day I arrived I had to meet with my agent here in Australia who assumedly had settled all my accomodations etc looking at all the emails we exchanged previously. The meeting turned out to be a few "pleasant" surprises. First of all, I was given another set of documents for my insurances etc. Secondly, I was told that I will be put up in Collie (a small mining town near my worksite) which I specifically instructed that I did not wished to stay in. Although I was showed pictures of the house in Bunbury by my agent via the email(accomodation of my choice), the agent strongly denied that that house is of non existence. Surprise surprise.
After several failed coaxing attempts by my agent for me to stay in Collie, I told her that I would be looking for an apartment myself in Bunbury. I also found out that I would also have no accomodation for the period for me either staying in Bunbury or Collie. Pleasant surprises. Everything that was understood was overturned. Apparently my understanding of English wasn't that good after all.
Long - 16th March 2007
Secondly, no matter how conversant and well versed in English, there will definitely be cases of lost in translation.
The first day I arrived I had to meet with my agent here in Australia who assumedly had settled all my accomodations etc looking at all the emails we exchanged previously. The meeting turned out to be a few "pleasant" surprises. First of all, I was given another set of documents for my insurances etc. Secondly, I was told that I will be put up in Collie (a small mining town near my worksite) which I specifically instructed that I did not wished to stay in. Although I was showed pictures of the house in Bunbury by my agent via the email(accomodation of my choice), the agent strongly denied that that house is of non existence. Surprise surprise.
After several failed coaxing attempts by my agent for me to stay in Collie, I told her that I would be looking for an apartment myself in Bunbury. I also found out that I would also have no accomodation for the period for me either staying in Bunbury or Collie. Pleasant surprises. Everything that was understood was overturned. Apparently my understanding of English wasn't that good after all.
Long - 16th March 2007
The Big World
Australia is a big country. I read somewhere that it’s bigger than Europe. I learned that Western Australia can fit in 9 Germanys. It’s incredible that people here own land plots of up to 2000 square acres. Huge forests and portion of rivers all belong to individuals. Coming from a single small red dot in the world map, this is something to behold and fathom. To own a land size that in my small country, could make up a few towns. Not withstanding the fact that Singapore could be as multi cultural as Australia (or even more). However no matter where we came from, we always carry with ourselves not only a certain amount of knowledge and experience, but a certain amount of ego along with that. Some egos enveloped the world and threatened to take over the world. Some egos crack with a single touch. Some egos are so fat that they are merely bluffs. If egos have identities and names, they shall be the common names that you and I have.
However in this world with population of 5 billion people, where do we place our ego? Singapore is a small place compared to Australia. Australia is a big place but a small one compare to the entire Earth. Earth is a small place compared to the Solar System. The Solar System is but a minute speck of scattered dust in the place of the Universe. A decade is incomparable to a millenium. A millennium is but a scratch upon Eternity. An ego in the sea of billions is not even a speck of dust.
Yet in the span of it all, we carried within ourselves a certain sense of pride and ego. Maybe it’s due to the little achievements that we made. That small step for human and that big step for mankind. We pride ourselves on our races, our tribes, our beliefs and our way of life. Pride made us believe that we are supreme and thereby leading to supremacists ideals. The Ku Klux Klan, the Mongols, Romans, Nazis, Americans have demonstrated where pride has taken and will be taking us.
I realized no matter where we came from, a world class city to a 3rd world country, the place where we came from will always hold a certain longing for us. That place where we played in the rivers, kicked a ball in the mud, bled and cried. Even when we got to Utopia, we will long for the Earth that we came from. I guess we are emotional being. If we do not count the past, how can we know the future?
Long - 15th April 2007
However in this world with population of 5 billion people, where do we place our ego? Singapore is a small place compared to Australia. Australia is a big place but a small one compare to the entire Earth. Earth is a small place compared to the Solar System. The Solar System is but a minute speck of scattered dust in the place of the Universe. A decade is incomparable to a millenium. A millennium is but a scratch upon Eternity. An ego in the sea of billions is not even a speck of dust.
Yet in the span of it all, we carried within ourselves a certain sense of pride and ego. Maybe it’s due to the little achievements that we made. That small step for human and that big step for mankind. We pride ourselves on our races, our tribes, our beliefs and our way of life. Pride made us believe that we are supreme and thereby leading to supremacists ideals. The Ku Klux Klan, the Mongols, Romans, Nazis, Americans have demonstrated where pride has taken and will be taking us.
I realized no matter where we came from, a world class city to a 3rd world country, the place where we came from will always hold a certain longing for us. That place where we played in the rivers, kicked a ball in the mud, bled and cried. Even when we got to Utopia, we will long for the Earth that we came from. I guess we are emotional being. If we do not count the past, how can we know the future?
Long - 15th April 2007
Contract Negotiations
Contract negotiation is an art. The very fundamental of contract negotiation for overseas secondment is that you must realize that the company will give you the bare minimum. If the company is able to give you only sticks and stones, be expected to get that. Of course in all humanitarian reasons, companies will give you what we known today as a “sizable” package for you to survive. Of course, there is a really thin grey line between humanitarian and absolute disregard of welfare. Management has no qualms about purposefully misinterpreting the very meaning of humanitarian. It’s the bottom line after all that’s most important. It’s really to you to justify that you need additional money and so-called “benefits” to survive.
You also need to know absolutely what you want; that is primarily cold hard cash. There’s no shame in asking for more than you require. For all you know, the company is earning enough from you just by deployment you elsewhere. You either be the monkey who works for peanutsor be Bill Gates. I chose the latter obviously… here’s what a basic contract should consist of:
1) How much more are you going to get on top of your current pay? Take consideration of the living standards of the country you are going to.
2) Allowance for extreme weather conditions
3) Taxes. This is one of the most important. Who pays the taxes? How many percent is going to be taxed?
4) Other financial instruments required by regulations. Like Superannuation, CPF etc. Who pays? If it’s reimbursable, is the reimbursed sum taxable?
5) What currency to be paid in? This one cuts both ways depending on currency exchange rates. However if you are going to third world or developing countries, choose the currency more stable if you have a choice.
6) Who pay for the housing, utilities bills, telephone, transport etc?
7) Any allowance given? Is it fair considering the hardship you are about to go through? Remember wherever you are going, you are going to suffer a certain degree of hardship.
8) Any pay adjustments during your tenure?
Basically one also has to realize that there can never be a win-win situation in contract negotiation. There is a certain amount of give and take needed. If most of what you expect (that is something to meet your needs as if you are living at home + allowance) then you are fine. Never accept a contract that you think you will regret. If so, you will suffer during your entire tenure. I had taken one that I hope I will not regret. Guess I will find that out in due time.
Long - 1st March 2007
You also need to know absolutely what you want; that is primarily cold hard cash. There’s no shame in asking for more than you require. For all you know, the company is earning enough from you just by deployment you elsewhere. You either be the monkey who works for peanutsor be Bill Gates. I chose the latter obviously… here’s what a basic contract should consist of:
1) How much more are you going to get on top of your current pay? Take consideration of the living standards of the country you are going to.
2) Allowance for extreme weather conditions
3) Taxes. This is one of the most important. Who pays the taxes? How many percent is going to be taxed?
4) Other financial instruments required by regulations. Like Superannuation, CPF etc. Who pays? If it’s reimbursable, is the reimbursed sum taxable?
5) What currency to be paid in? This one cuts both ways depending on currency exchange rates. However if you are going to third world or developing countries, choose the currency more stable if you have a choice.
6) Who pay for the housing, utilities bills, telephone, transport etc?
7) Any allowance given? Is it fair considering the hardship you are about to go through? Remember wherever you are going, you are going to suffer a certain degree of hardship.
8) Any pay adjustments during your tenure?
Basically one also has to realize that there can never be a win-win situation in contract negotiation. There is a certain amount of give and take needed. If most of what you expect (that is something to meet your needs as if you are living at home + allowance) then you are fine. Never accept a contract that you think you will regret. If so, you will suffer during your entire tenure. I had taken one that I hope I will not regret. Guess I will find that out in due time.
Long - 1st March 2007
