Tea-Boy

Those who watched 'Slumdog Millionaire' know the job description of the tea-boy at the call-centre: serving tea to the employees. Well, we have a tea-boy too in our office!

In Saudi, many people live (well) at the cost of the welfare state, which is supported by oil revenues. They seem to believe they don't have to work as the country has got oil. Those who do want to work pick out the good jobs. All other jobs, considered 'inferior', are for unqualified cheap foreign workers from India (most of them), Pakistan, Philipines, Bangladesh, etc. This means that, out of a population of almost 30 million, an estimated 23% is made up of foreigners. This is all to tell how we've got a tea-boy from Bangladesh in our office and why it's a very normal thing here. Well, I confess I had to get used to having someone preparing me tea and coffee and asking me submissively whether I needed anything else. On the one hand it's great, but on the other hand (beside that I don't need it) it doesn't feel right, it emphasizes how unfair this world is and how unqual opportunities people get. I know, it's great for the guy, he has a job, but it just doesn't feel right, if you know what I mean...