Per Diem

I've done a great job on my per diem these past 5 days. I've had Starbucks 3x, been out to eat 3x, drank about 3 bottles of water per day and spent hardly anything.

My hotel breakfast is free, and we usually all eat big meals. Mostly to help us sleep and also to prevent hunger pangs from sinking in on the next few hours.  All of our dinners out have been paid for from other people, vendors that want to show us a good time and make us happy to keep the contract. Last night, dinner was on our own, and I ate a milkshake only, for about 2 dollars. So that's a good thing.

Our hotel's lunch buffet offers all we can eat sushi, and it's incredible--all the sashimi you can imagine. Hello, lovely.

I just got done walking on the treadmill for an hour at a really fast pace. At the very end, that thing you don't want to have happen at the gym happened: A really hot, really skinny, really European babe got on the treadmill right next to me and started running faster than me. Of course, she doesn't know I'm on my last 2 minutes of my hour-long run. She only knows that Damn, she looks good. Hello, self loathing!

Also went swimming today and realized with 6 kids in the pool, my chances of swimming in their urine while in non-chlorinated water was pretty high, so I bailed before I contracted Cholera or something.

Yesterday we went to Greenhills and I bought a bunch of pearls and a fake Chanel necklace. It's a sad time for those women that love designer purses. All of the purses there were fake and I realized that if I ever want one that looks real, I'll have to fork the money over myself. I give up. I hate Coach bags, but could be talked into a nice Burberry bag at some point in my life. (Yes, I really am this shallow, it seems)

Greenhills is just a giant shopping mall with tons of stand-vendors. They said you can get lost in there, but I see now that this was an extreme exaggeration. You can wander around for an infinite amount of time, but can always exit the building. And when you do, there's a taxi you can take to get back home.

Today is the celebration of the end of Ramadan, so many people will not work today. But we will work, work, work and so will the people we're training.  It's potluck day at the office, so we are bringing some Shakey's entrees. Oh, Shakey's. It's been 100 years since I've been there, but I can't wait to see it and take photos.