Hi world! I'm back again... after all the silent. Feels like writting again..
This would be the second post after Katrina. And would be the first after I'm back in New Orleans. Things are much better now. I've been here since 17th September. So that will make about 3 months or so. Life totally different here. Things change so drasticly that sometimes I'm thinking that I'm dreaming.
After the katrina, I stayed for a week in Houston, TX. Me and all the culinary crews (there were 12 of us) that stayed behind left the city of New Orleans on the 4th day. The city was horrible. I felt like I was in a war zone. People pushing shopping cart with their belongings and small kids. But we couldn't help them. I was trying not to look at them, because I felt guilty. At that times, I didn't know what happen about the whole situation. I didn't know that 9th Ward was totally flooded. I didn't know that New Orleans East didn't exist anymore. I didn't know that 80% of New Orleans was under water. I didn't know what happened to my place.
Morning a day before hurricane, I only managed to pack 3 t-shirts, a jeans, my uniforms, my passport and my iPod and the speaker. That was it. I did send a bunch of text messages to my parents and close friends back in Malaysia. I did get a reply from my parents but not my friends. Probably they thinking it will not be such a big event. That's what most of my co-worker told me. In fact the reason that I didn't pack my stuffs because one of the manager told me that it just a 3 to 4 days event. New Orleans never been impacted by hurricane before. It's gonna be alright. That was most people told me.
I cycled that morning to work with my two heavy bags. It was hot that morning. The sky was clear. The road was empty only few occurance vehicles passed by. Arrived in the hotel, not so many staffs were there, it's weekend. Not many people are schedule on weekends. I arrived in the kitchen and see Jeremy already hitting some breakfast. Normally we don't have breakfast for the associates, but since we get few associates staying in the hotel we had to do it. I put my bags in the office and start working with him.
Around 6am, the kitchen still feels empty. Only two of us in the banquet kitchen. Strange. Jeremy told me that Meghan and Ricci will be in the kitchen later on.
Around 6.30am, Ricci came. We make some sandwiches for the lunch boxes for the Police Department of New Orleans, Fire Department and our own lost and prevention crews that staying with us.
We talked about on how Ivan was last year's hurricane season. Jeremy was assured that it's gonna be alright. Ricci started to talking about things. He watched too much television last night I think. It gets him scared. Gavin came around 7am. Gavin is the new Manager in Training for the Roomservice manager. We never seen her came this early. She stayed in the Marriott last night.
Ricci still talking about things that might happened. About the flood and stuffs. It get's me worried, not because all the flood and wind, but worried about I might hit him if he didn't shut his mouth. He's very aggravating everyone and trying to play with Jeremy's nerve. By the way, Jeremy just got back from Malaysia after 3 weeks break seing his wife. We gonna have a big reception on this weekend and we are ready to rock!!! We still have the high expectation about the big reception. That day was Sunday, the reception will on Friday.
This would be the second post after Katrina. And would be the first after I'm back in New Orleans. Things are much better now. I've been here since 17th September. So that will make about 3 months or so. Life totally different here. Things change so drasticly that sometimes I'm thinking that I'm dreaming.
After the katrina, I stayed for a week in Houston, TX. Me and all the culinary crews (there were 12 of us) that stayed behind left the city of New Orleans on the 4th day. The city was horrible. I felt like I was in a war zone. People pushing shopping cart with their belongings and small kids. But we couldn't help them. I was trying not to look at them, because I felt guilty. At that times, I didn't know what happen about the whole situation. I didn't know that 9th Ward was totally flooded. I didn't know that New Orleans East didn't exist anymore. I didn't know that 80% of New Orleans was under water. I didn't know what happened to my place.
Morning a day before hurricane, I only managed to pack 3 t-shirts, a jeans, my uniforms, my passport and my iPod and the speaker. That was it. I did send a bunch of text messages to my parents and close friends back in Malaysia. I did get a reply from my parents but not my friends. Probably they thinking it will not be such a big event. That's what most of my co-worker told me. In fact the reason that I didn't pack my stuffs because one of the manager told me that it just a 3 to 4 days event. New Orleans never been impacted by hurricane before. It's gonna be alright. That was most people told me.
I cycled that morning to work with my two heavy bags. It was hot that morning. The sky was clear. The road was empty only few occurance vehicles passed by. Arrived in the hotel, not so many staffs were there, it's weekend. Not many people are schedule on weekends. I arrived in the kitchen and see Jeremy already hitting some breakfast. Normally we don't have breakfast for the associates, but since we get few associates staying in the hotel we had to do it. I put my bags in the office and start working with him.
Around 6am, the kitchen still feels empty. Only two of us in the banquet kitchen. Strange. Jeremy told me that Meghan and Ricci will be in the kitchen later on.
Around 6.30am, Ricci came. We make some sandwiches for the lunch boxes for the Police Department of New Orleans, Fire Department and our own lost and prevention crews that staying with us.
We talked about on how Ivan was last year's hurricane season. Jeremy was assured that it's gonna be alright. Ricci started to talking about things. He watched too much television last night I think. It gets him scared. Gavin came around 7am. Gavin is the new Manager in Training for the Roomservice manager. We never seen her came this early. She stayed in the Marriott last night.
Ricci still talking about things that might happened. About the flood and stuffs. It get's me worried, not because all the flood and wind, but worried about I might hit him if he didn't shut his mouth. He's very aggravating everyone and trying to play with Jeremy's nerve. By the way, Jeremy just got back from Malaysia after 3 weeks break seing his wife. We gonna have a big reception on this weekend and we are ready to rock!!! We still have the high expectation about the big reception. That day was Sunday, the reception will on Friday.
@ 13:23| 
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