Life in Zenzibar - The People

There were many negative comments after I started working in Zenzibar as a part time waitress, well, many people called it as bar girl at times. 

The negative comments were from my college friends, my family, my clubbing friends, etc...and I heard the comments, yet I insisted on my own decision.

I clearly understood that there were options and I have got a better alternative.

When I insisted on this,obviously I had my own reasons that did not require anyone's approval for it. Perhaps I could hardly explain the reasons verbally in front of all my friends and family at that time when their minds had already been occupied by all the negativity and reluctant to listen to me.

I guess, there were plenty of them out there were really curious on why I worked in Zenzibar.Now, I could give you a better idea on why I was doing it so insistently.

Of course, we worked because of money. This is the first thing I thought of but not my main focus.

I need friends, I need contacts, I need different opinions, I need better PR skills.

I want to explore and experience a complete different life.

The outcome was real satisfying. I never regret on making this decision in my life.

First time in my life, I felt something in there could change the rest of my life.

I learnt something from the people in Zenzibar.

First of all,Samantha, I noticed what she did for her bar,and I was seriously touched.

She showed me her dedication,perseverance,and determination. 

She did not give up even sales drop awfully when upper penang road was replaced by another happening place. Kept looking for something to improve and working harder to build strong relationships with customers.

I even dreamt that I could be her one day in future, doing the same thing on my own business.

Second, Yvonne, I heard about her story from a friend, although I did not listen on her own version,but I respect her deeply from heart. She had gone through a real difficult time in her life earlier on. I would not share the story as it involved her privacy. May be it's just a rumour after all but if it's true, I would say she's the one I truly respect.

Although she seemed unfriendly, in cantonese, we said 'cool'. However,it's not what I saw from her. I noticed that she's a soft-hearted person. More emotional and more sentimental. She has her own way of caring that she did not say it often. She proved it when something happened on the person she cared.

Third, Sim, she's someone who values friends alot. Helpful and supportive. When she knew that my boyfriend was not doing well, at the point of dilemma, she offered her help,although it's not a help for long term but we appreciated it.

Fourth, Ling, her story was kind of dramatic, exactly like a roller-coastal. I quarreled with her before, and we made up on the same night. I understood that money to her is very big. She got to take care of her children and pay her loans. To me, even without sales, I could still survive as I did not have any commitment at that time. My main worry was that I got no money in bank for my Hong Kong trip when I had already bought the air ticket. Kind of fucked-up that time. And her story gave me motivation to maintain a strong will of survival. Someone like her, despite having so many bad experience in marriage, she is still surviving and doing well now. Although she depressed and intended to end her life before, but i believed it was a normal reaction for a woman having that kind of destiny. It was not easy to push the negativity away sometimes.

Fifth, May, She's an independent lady. She shared her experience when she's giving birth to her babies. I think I should learn from her. Be calm and independent. and I learnt that divorce is not that bad as we thought, we always have an option to free ourselves when marriage goes wrong. Just be positive,independent, and confident. Sixth,Summer, she's always being so friendly and nice that no one could resist her. Just like her name, Summer, full of sunlight and warm. If you stay next to her,you'd probably forget the word 'Lonely'. Her positive energy was spreading to everyone around her. It was something very important to me, something that I must learn from her. Her care, her smile, her positivity, If you know her,I'm sure you'll never forget. You would start thinking if this girl never experience bad things in life, but I tell you, No. She did have, and she went through it. Feel sorry that I couldn't share it as it involved her privacy too.

There was another girl who only worked for a short time in Zenzibar. Sorry for not disclosing her name as i do not wish people know who she is.  She had a difficult time when met her in Zenzibar. Domestic violence, something scary for female.

I never know so many people experience this in Zenzibar. She's not the only one.

I was a victim too. and I was not alone. Her case was worse. I was single and available when I met her and she was going through what I experienced before. I found that she was quite positive in dealing with this matter. May be i should say Love is Blind. We endured the pain just because of love, something divine in our minds. 

Most of the people working in Zenzibar has his/her own dramatic stories. The stories were not that kind of story like: Went to primary school, high school, and then graduated in university/college. 

All the stories were full of tears. Very tough and difficult ones. 

p/s: Excuse me for not able to share more and elaborate more on those stories as i think it is quite rude to share others' privacy.