I was asked to participate in an interview for a Facebook group called Alternative Maori Media.
Here's a link to the blog: http://www.alternativemaorinews.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Some Questions, Answered
So I got a message from a friend back home asking some questions about life over here. He found a job being advertised here at Al Jazeera and was thinking of applying, but wanted to know a few things first. I thought it wouldn't be an entirely futile exercise if I wrote a general post here with the questions and my answers to them. It might provide some insight to others who read it and who may be looking at applying for jobs here.
1. How are you liking it there?
I'm really enjoying it. I'm only slightly less excited than when I arrived, but I put that down to the busy work schedule due to the holy month of Ramadan. There isn't any time left in the days to do much of anything. I'm really looking forward to September.
2. Do you reckon I'd like it?
I think anyone would like it here. It's much like anywhere, it's mostly what you make of it. Come with a shitty attitude and you're gonna have a shitty time. Some of the permanent staffers here come across as somewhat disillusioned with it all, but don't let that affect your good humour and anticipation. It's a huge change from back home, but if you're a good keen trooper you'll take what comes and roll with the punches. We're Kiwis, ffs - we can do anything! Besides, there are heaps of other Kiwis here to gravitate towards. The running joke at Al Jazeera at the moment is that they have to bring in more freelancers from the UK to balance out the amount of Kiwis here before the Rugby World Cup kicks off.
Make the best of your situation and remember home is just a phone call away.
3. Did you have to pay your own fare over?
No. The contract I was offered included a return flight economy class on Emirates Airlines. I checked the pricing out online and the flights alone are worth over $2,000.00.
4. Where do you stay? Is it alright?
At present I am being accommodated at the Century Hotel. It suits me fine, considering I was living in a shoebox apartment in Glen Innes before I came here. Plus I've lived in a sardine can with 17 other grown men on a New Zealand warship. I think I can handle the hotel room.
Freelance contractors are all put up in hotel accommodation with three meals per day and laundry costs covered by the company, for the time being. Future contractors may be given the option to live in serviced apartments with laundry and cooking facilities, but will likely receive an allowance in lieu of paid meals and laundry. I'll update this info as it comes to me.
5. Is the money okay?
I won't go into specific numbers, but the short answer is HELL YES!!! My daily rate over here is worth almost three times what I was earning back in NZ, and is the primary reason for me taking the contract (the secondary reasons being I needed to travel again and I wanted to work for a world-class broadcaster abroad).
6. How long do you have to wait before your first pay?
Well I have to invoice by the first of each month. I started my contract on 21 July, so I invoiced on 1 August. It's the 18th here today and I'm still waiting for my first invoice to be processed and paid. It being Ramadan here, however, means that it could take the rest of the month for my first pay to come through. I'll wait until September when I will invoice for August, and see how long that pay takes to come through - that would be a truer measure of how long it takes for an invoice to be processed during a normal month.
7. And the most important question: are there any nice chicks at work?
Absolutely. Abso-fricken-lutely.
So, other than that there really isn't much else to report. I'm still hanging out for this month to be over. I'm still real busy with work this month. I'm still enjoying living and working here. I haven't been this happy in a long, long time.
I'll leave it at that for now and report back soon.
1. How are you liking it there?
I'm really enjoying it. I'm only slightly less excited than when I arrived, but I put that down to the busy work schedule due to the holy month of Ramadan. There isn't any time left in the days to do much of anything. I'm really looking forward to September.
2. Do you reckon I'd like it?
I think anyone would like it here. It's much like anywhere, it's mostly what you make of it. Come with a shitty attitude and you're gonna have a shitty time. Some of the permanent staffers here come across as somewhat disillusioned with it all, but don't let that affect your good humour and anticipation. It's a huge change from back home, but if you're a good keen trooper you'll take what comes and roll with the punches. We're Kiwis, ffs - we can do anything! Besides, there are heaps of other Kiwis here to gravitate towards. The running joke at Al Jazeera at the moment is that they have to bring in more freelancers from the UK to balance out the amount of Kiwis here before the Rugby World Cup kicks off.
Make the best of your situation and remember home is just a phone call away.
3. Did you have to pay your own fare over?
No. The contract I was offered included a return flight economy class on Emirates Airlines. I checked the pricing out online and the flights alone are worth over $2,000.00.
4. Where do you stay? Is it alright?
At present I am being accommodated at the Century Hotel. It suits me fine, considering I was living in a shoebox apartment in Glen Innes before I came here. Plus I've lived in a sardine can with 17 other grown men on a New Zealand warship. I think I can handle the hotel room.
Freelance contractors are all put up in hotel accommodation with three meals per day and laundry costs covered by the company, for the time being. Future contractors may be given the option to live in serviced apartments with laundry and cooking facilities, but will likely receive an allowance in lieu of paid meals and laundry. I'll update this info as it comes to me.
5. Is the money okay?
I won't go into specific numbers, but the short answer is HELL YES!!! My daily rate over here is worth almost three times what I was earning back in NZ, and is the primary reason for me taking the contract (the secondary reasons being I needed to travel again and I wanted to work for a world-class broadcaster abroad).
6. How long do you have to wait before your first pay?
Well I have to invoice by the first of each month. I started my contract on 21 July, so I invoiced on 1 August. It's the 18th here today and I'm still waiting for my first invoice to be processed and paid. It being Ramadan here, however, means that it could take the rest of the month for my first pay to come through. I'll wait until September when I will invoice for August, and see how long that pay takes to come through - that would be a truer measure of how long it takes for an invoice to be processed during a normal month.
7. And the most important question: are there any nice chicks at work?
Absolutely. Abso-fricken-lutely.
So, other than that there really isn't much else to report. I'm still hanging out for this month to be over. I'm still real busy with work this month. I'm still enjoying living and working here. I haven't been this happy in a long, long time.
I'll leave it at that for now and report back soon.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Two weeks gone already
Wow, two weeks have already gone by.
I had intended to start a blog when I first arrived here in Doha, Qatar. Without my laptop though, it wasn't an easy thing to do. Better late than never.
A lot has happened since I arrived on 20 July, just nothing too exciting. Mostly it's been a settling in period.
I am now settled into a kind of routine. Work, eat, sleep. Rinse and repeat. My funds I arrived with are dwindling so I haven't been able to do much exciting stuff. But that will come after the first full month of work.
For now, I just want to establish this blog.
One thing I do want to note here is my birthday which occurred on 26 July. Many thanks to Phil Green and Amy Bassett for taking me out to dinner and drinks. It was my first birthday abroad since 1999 when I was posted to HMNZS Te Kaha and we were anchored off Darwin, pre-Timor Dili Harbour patrols.
Working at Al Jazeera English is really great. The staff are a vibrant mix of people from all walks of life, predominantly from the UK. My particular role as a freelance Floor Manager is thoroughly enjoyable and I am very much looking forward to the next 6 months in this role.
The city of Doha is a wonder to behold. Until I get a good camera and funds to explore it, I'll hold off from any lengthy descriptions of the city.
That's it from me for now. I'll update again soon.
I had intended to start a blog when I first arrived here in Doha, Qatar. Without my laptop though, it wasn't an easy thing to do. Better late than never.
A lot has happened since I arrived on 20 July, just nothing too exciting. Mostly it's been a settling in period.
I am now settled into a kind of routine. Work, eat, sleep. Rinse and repeat. My funds I arrived with are dwindling so I haven't been able to do much exciting stuff. But that will come after the first full month of work.
For now, I just want to establish this blog.
One thing I do want to note here is my birthday which occurred on 26 July. Many thanks to Phil Green and Amy Bassett for taking me out to dinner and drinks. It was my first birthday abroad since 1999 when I was posted to HMNZS Te Kaha and we were anchored off Darwin, pre-Timor Dili Harbour patrols.
Working at Al Jazeera English is really great. The staff are a vibrant mix of people from all walks of life, predominantly from the UK. My particular role as a freelance Floor Manager is thoroughly enjoyable and I am very much looking forward to the next 6 months in this role.
The city of Doha is a wonder to behold. Until I get a good camera and funds to explore it, I'll hold off from any lengthy descriptions of the city.
That's it from me for now. I'll update again soon.
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