Georgia, the end

Last blog about my journey in Georgia...

Tough, No Regrets
These are the three words which comes to my mind all the time about this job.

This is truly the first toughest job I have ever work for. Alot of courage and mental preparation are needed for doing this;
driving alone at a completely new place, as a foreigner
talking to strangers, at the same time be a ice-breaker
trying to sell things, at the same time be service-minded (i still cant figure how to do this)
totally out of comfort zone, no internet, no tv, yes to sunburn, sweat, tiredness
dealing with rejections, liars, rejections, liars, and frustrations...

But
despite all these negativities
I have NO REGRETS for doing this "ridiculous" job. why?

I know how to drive, now!
(mum and elise...I CAN DRIVE PRO-ly now! blek~)
I can drive long hours, really
(my record: 19 hours, including 30 minutes break)
I can "read" the atlas
( I did not own and use GPS throughout my journey in GA)
I know how to be likable
(smile...sincerity smile)
I know what is girl power...and apply it
(girl power...really is powerful)
I know the difference between real sincerity and fake sincerity
(fakers & liars, thanks!)

Goodbye Georgia

Welcome Iowa.

My car, my lifesaver

I did not plan to get a driving licence in US
either did I plan to actually own my very first car in US

but, my job in Georgia forced me to do so. So, I actually bought my car before I actually get my driving licence. And I used my car for driver's test. I never never ever want a red car. I dont fancy red color. Well, due to some unknown reason, I ended up with a maroon colored car (well, its not that red, afterall). This is my very first car in US & life; Geogie

Okay, so with Geogie, I drove all the way to and from Georgia safely. This is not a fancy car, but I really love it. It has been accompanying me through all the ups & downs. Geogie never let me down before. There was once, it got a flat tyre. Luckily, I was not working in the countryside, or else...I dont know what to do. Not to forget, the most memorable incident: half of Geogie was in the drain! lol. That day, I was planning to make a U-turn in a sandy road. So, I did not notice a drain there, the drain was covered with a lot of greenies. I just made a U-turn slowly, and "smartly", then suddenly, Geogie's both front tyre went into the drain. This was what happened:

See? the front tyre was in the longkang (partially),and the back tyre was "hanging" in the air. I was so panicked (I took this pic to reduce my panic-ness),
and I kinda stopped a passed-by car for help. The auntie in the car was really nice. She said, she will look for someone to help me out. And I told her to please come back asap. I was so worried that she goes off without coming back.
While waiting for that auntie to come back, a SUV stopped, a woman and a kid came out from the car, and offered to help me. They take a look on my car, and they said they cant pull my car out using SUV, so they tried to think of someone to call for help.
While the woman and the kid were thinking, suddenly the first auntie came back, and she told us, that she already called an uncle to help. So, after thanking the woman & kid for stopping by, they went off, leaving me and the first auntie, waiting for the uncle to come.
While waiting for the uncle to come, suddenly a huge long black truck stopped. The truck driver offered to help. At first, we almost wanted to reject his help because we are already waiting for the uncle. But, since he is so nice, he just got off from his truck, and start pulling off a mini truck from the long truck. THE TRUCK DRIVER IS SO HANDSOME! Gosh, I never imagined before that a truck driver can be so young, handsome and hot. Anyway, he pull off a mini truck, and started to put on ropes underneath my car, then within few minutes, he successfully "save" my Geogie. He is the hero, man! A cute hottie hero. Btw, the uncle did show up. I kind of ignore him, sorry, uncle. You are not my cup of tea. lol.
After the hot truck driver saved my car, I asked for his name, but he refused to tell me, maybe he has a super hot name. I wish I can see him again someday :)

Geogie, my cute lifesaver~

After a whole day at work....

what's next?

Sweet memory in book field, Part 2

After the last house for the day, TIME TO GO BACK!
The process of going home (our headquarter, normally need 30min drive):-

Before heading home, right after getting out from the last house
1. Jumped into the car happily.
2. Start the car-engine
3. Turn on the light including High beam. High Beam, super important because the roads that I took have NO LAMP POST! plus, at night, ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS will be out, crossing the road, blindly. ie, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, deers, frogs, tortoise, wildboar, cows
4. Turn on the radio with high volume. Driving in darkness is scary without music.

During the driving-back-home process
1. Fully utilized the cellphone, call some1 to talk to in order to distract myself from thinking negatively about the creepiness of driving-along-in-the-darkest-road-in-my-entire-life.
2. Be mentally prepared of the yuckiness of insects banging the car window, they just happened to feel like commiting suicide in the middle of the night. Dont feel too sorry for them.
3. Stop ewww-ing on the "dead body" aka the insects' juices on the car window.
4. Be super alert on not to run over or onto the crossing-road animals.

When reached home, safely
1. Volunteer to cook dinner; I hate to wash dishes so whoever cooks no need to cuci mangkuk!
2. Chit-chatting puas2. We never never never talk about sales (its against the house rule)
3. Plan on who to visit tommorow, using the pre-approach pad.
4. Take shower
5. Sleeeeeep

Yup, that's our life after 12 hours of work.

Discrimination exist?

...sadly it still does

Some bitter twist memory in the book field

I despise discrimination.
I already heard lots of stories of color discrimination going on in this world, but all the while I thought it is just some ancient issue. Well, my experience in Georgia, proved me wrong. Discrimination still exist, in a not-so-obvious-yet-obvious manner.

The southern part of US is well known with more African American population. People there defined them as Blacks, and people who defines them are normally Whites (American white), and for Asian, Yellows? jk jk. Never heard of any "exact color" for Asian, yet.
Giving color names is obviously a not-so-obvious-yet-obvious discrimination.

Blacks and Whites do stay in a same town. They do share the same post office, the same road, the same school, the same police station, etc. But, they do not share the same neighborhood. Normally the railroad tracks have additional task; besides serving as the road for the trains, they also serve as the ultimate divider between the Black and White housing areas. Before the railroad track, all White families' houses, after crossing the railroad track, all Black families' houses. And in some town, streets also served as the divider, one street all Black houses, the other street, all White houses. Why must they do this? I mean, they already can accept living in the same town together, sharing the same public facilities, but why not having them as neighbors?
Railroad tracks, one of the tools that assist in not-so-obvious-yet-obvious discrimination.

Sadly to mention this, both Blacks and Whites rarely goes to the same church. The Blacks have their own church, same goes to the Whites.

See? Discrimination still exist in today's world! It happens in a not-so-obvious-yet-obvious manner without many people knowing about it. If I were not in Georgia, I would have still continue believing that discrimination is an ancient issue, innocently

A hero which I admire more after working in the book field...

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
a hero that fights for the African American rights, using non-domestic violence, inspired by Mahatma Ghandi. When he was a kid, he was being chased away for playing with a White kid by the White kid's parents. He went home and asked his mama, why did the parents do that to him? His mama told him, "King, never feel that you are less than somebody, always feel that you are somebody."

that is why in most of his speeches, he love to say,

"You are always somebody" -Dr ML. King, Jr.

My first gift.

and it is also my very first Bible.

my sweet memory in book field

I never been to church. I never talked to a pastor. I never actually flipped through the Bible.

All these is before I worked in Georgia.

There is this good family referred me to their pastor, Bro Chad. They insisted that I should not not visit him because he is such a great pastor. I was like...okie. I actually feel hesitated to visit him. I mean he's a pastor! He should have tons of Bibles in his office/house/wherever. Futhermore, this is my very first time talking to a real pastor. I WAS SO NERVOUS~
So, the next day, I went to his house (just across the church), I knocked at his house's door, nervously. After few knocks, a little girl opened the door for me.

"Hi, I am Ann, I am looking for Pastor Chad. Is he at home?"

"No, he is not at home. He is in the church"

He is in the church????? Gosh, no offence, but arent Pastors only go to church during Bible study day, and Sunday services? What is he doing in the church on Monday late morning? Anyway, the little girl offered to bring me into his office (in the church). So, she brought me there. I went through all the dark corridors, passed by alot of rooms. I never imagined before that a church can be so huge with rooms, and OFFICE! a lady opened the office door, and greet us. After thanking the little girl, I talked to the lady. She told me that pastor was out for lunch, and asked me to come back at 1pm. Sigh, honestly, I really dont feel like coming back!

Anyway, 1pm, I decided to try my luck. I went into the church again, and when I entered the office, I saw a young man sitting on the coach. I told him that I am looking for Pastor Chad, and he told me, "Yes, I am the pastor, how can I help you?". W-H-A-T? this young man is the pastor of this huge church? Okay, he is not that young. He looks in his early thirties. But still, compared to those pastors in Hollywood movies, he is just too young compared to them. Well, I just continue doing my sales talk thingy. Showing all the books I have. He seemed interested at the educational set. And for the Bible set, I did not demo them, instead, I just handed over to him, and asked him to see it "self-service-ly".

After few minutes of silence (waiting for him to finish flipping the Bible set), he told me that he decided to get all the books if I answer his question. OMG, what question he want to ask lah~

"Imagine this, when you get out of this church later, when you back up your car, suddenly a big truck hit over your car. Where do you think you will go?"

Stunned. It is really a question that only a pastor can think of. And I answered it, unconvincingly. I really thought that he will not get the books from me due to my doubtful answer. But, I am so wrong! He said he is paying the books using plastic aka credit card!

After settling all the payment process, suddenly he said, "Ann, I have something for you."...and he wrote my name on the Bible he just bought from me, and gave it to me! I am SO TOUCHED.

My first Bible, a gift from Pastor Chad Massey, Unadilla Baptist Church, GA.