Frutti Tutti

Gosh! I Love IT! I love everything about it. It's environment. It's people. At least, for my first day of work today. IT is frutti tutti, a shop within a shopping mall, situated in this suburb called Toowong. Toowong is just less than 10 minutes drive from St. Lucia (the suburb where I'm staying).

I have grown fond of the name frutti tutti ( not the real name for the shop) since a very good friend of mine suggested it the first time he knew I was gonna take up my casual job at this fresh fruits and vegetables shop. I find that name quite amusing. Sometimes, I even swap the name to tutti frutti and vice versa.


I didn't ever think I would work at a place such as frutti tutti. If I wasn't desperate, I wouldn't even care. The last time I remembered myself working at a similar setting was when I was in kindy at KL. Mom used to have a tiny fruit stall opposite the place we were staying back then. My sister and I would usually spend some time there after class and do simple chores like sending orders (e.g. fruits and soya bean) to the people in the shops nearby. Man, that was AGES ago and it nearly wiped out from my memory.

It wasn't a very good week for me last week. Not only I was desperately hunting for casual jobs and dying for replies, I was feeling stressed thinking of my financial status for my next semester; my stay, my permanent residency, my studies, my sister's studies, my living expenses, ninonnu, fififufu, falalala and the list goes on. But in a way, I am glad that I was being put in this situation. Suddenly, I feel the sense of responsibility instead of having to count on others. Getting aid is great. But sometimes, it can make you feel paralysed...well at least for me. Because of the aid and financial support that I've been getting, I took things way too easy. It's time perhaps that I take charge of my life and be responsible for whatever I do. Aid is there but it wouldn't be there forever. Wow..talk about responsibility! But it makes sense, doesn't it?

Last week was horrible. I went for an interview for a job that needed me to travel few days every week to different places doing promotions for a software program for educational purposes. The boss liked me and I was hired. And then I realised that I have to travel to places in Ipswich (no kidding). Ipswich is like whhat? about an HOUR train ride from my place! I NEARLY made an irrational choice but thank goodness my sanity came back to my conscious mind in time, and I called off that offer.

Another job that I NEARLY dunk myself into was a call-centre company that deals with sales. It didn't hit me until my friend asked "Steph, are you gonna sell something that you don't even believe in?" BOOM! That question punched straight into my face. What was I thinking? I nearly sold my integrity!! I nearly allow money to take over my integrity!! I mean, it's not like the company is selling something that cause harm to people but how can I sell and promote something when I know and believe nuts about it? get what i mean..think of insurance agencies. No doubt, the service is essential. But when an agent is doing it for the money (especially when incentives is involve), it is no longer selling insurance for the benefits of the people. It is selling insurance for own benefits (the more people you sell to, the higher your incentives, the more money you earn), which also means that there are higher chances of being dishonest about the policies etc and your focus is no longer for the people but for the money, although NOT ALL agents are as such. And I NEARLY fall into that stream! It is definitely not something that I am proud of BUT I am glad that I was quick enough to say no.

So my work life now begins at frutti tutti. It's such a decent and lively place that I think I wouldn't mind for the unofficial bond until christmas. Although I sometimes find my boss weird, he is straight-forward, sarcastic and can be witty if you get along with him. My first day was getting to know the different kinds of fruits and vegetables, as well as operating the cash machine at the counter. I am definitely doing something out of my comfort zone. It's my very first experience. An experience that would probably not gonna bring me very far, but it's definitely bringing me somewhere.