minor complaints

Norms concerning space and ownership are very different here & I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting. It doesn't help that this weekend is the quarterly 'network meeting,' so there are dozens of folks in the office & that I live in the office's storage-room-with-a-bed-in-it.

A few days ago, I was writing in "my room" when I was called to help out with something. At the meeting an hour later, the facilitator was using my pen. (it's one of those good Pilot inky pens.) She had apparently taken it off my bed. At the end of the meeting, she set it down & I tried to pick it up, but before I got there, someone else had snatched it up. And I have watched its new owner use it to take notes throughout this weekend's festivities. Not a big deal (I think I took the pen home from my last job.), but annoying.

Women from southern Serbia have been in charge of the food during the meetings, which has been uniformly delicious. Unfortunately, I had a few things in the fridge when they got here. My milk, cheese, & eggs were used. This morning, I found the two eggs that I had hard-boiled a few days back cracked open and hidden at the back of the fridge. Again, not a big deal (a contribution of $2 for a weekend of delicious food), but again annoying.

And space: my stuff is constantly moved around. No one knocks when they enter "my room." I went into my room yesterday afternoon to see four women sitting on my bed and smoking. Last night, someone slept on the floor. Again, I was not asked. Again, annoying.

I am supposed to live in this space for a month. I have already started asking people about flats for rent.