Never look at Laundry the same again

Monday
22 October 2007
18:09 hours
Four Seasons Resort Maldives

I’m sitting in the staff cyber cafe right now and pondering about the day’s event. I haven’t sat down in the last eight hours and right now I can’t think straight when only hours ago I had so much to say about the day’s event.

I turned in real early last night, probably at about eight p.m. the night before and woke up in the middle of the night at about two a.m. and forced myself to go back to bed and before I knew it, it was about 07:30 hours and I decided enough sleep, get your ass out of bed and do some strength exercises.

It’s been a while that my body has been going through inactivity, needs a lot of discipline to keep your body in shape when you’re working full-time in the industry but I’m quite sure it’ll be easy to since the gym’s at my doorstep right now. I decided against working out as my hamstrings were still killing me and I finally worked out why they are, I played basketball like I used to when I haven’t in two years. Dumb.

And I had to read about how inactivity affects your daily tasks:

“European researchers studied the effects of five weeks of bed rest on muscle size and functional strength in 10 healthy males. What they found was that the inactivity decreased muscle strength by 20 percent, reduced muscle size in the lower body by up
to 12 percent, and even decreased bone density by 2 percent.

So if you are tempted to "take it easy" because you have a problem with your knees, you have to start exercising as soon as you can or face severe consequences, such as weaker bones and, eventually, the inability to do normal daily tasks.”

So people, move your asses!

After a light breakfast, I went back to the cyber café and watched some anime. It was about 09:30 hours and I went to the uniform area to draw my uniform and went back for a shower.

Out of the blue, Marion, our Asst Learning Manager, knocked on my door and said that Chee Mung, Executive Housekeeper, said for us to be there at 09:00 hours! I quickly sprayed on some sunscreen and went to get Melanie. Martin, Front Office Manager and Asst Exec Housekeeper sent me to the Laundry, which was where I was due to start my first week.

I met Ayaz, Asst Laundry Manager, and he introduced me to my colleagues. I was to be attached to Nazmeem for the day. I started off folding hand towels, then face towels, then body towels, and just towels and more towels.

It sounds mundane but quickly you learn how an ordinary sounding department like Laundry is a worthy profession.

From a short chat with Ayaz, you learn that with only 10 staff (one resigned recently and one was terminated), they are responsible for all the linens in the villas on the resort, providing clean towels of all sizes for guests, staff uniforms, restaurant linens, our neighbouring spa island linens and towels, public area linens such as pillow cases, staff beds and linens, anything that you can possibly wash on the island and not only washing but delivering ON TIME!

And for Ayaz, he’s responsible of managing all his staff as well. Now that’s a challenge and we stand 10 hours a day each shift.

I was folding towels forever it seemed and not only folding, we had to dispose of those that did not meet standards, stains the size of Singapore on the map do not make the cut either. I also got to work with industrial irons that were huge and looked like a pasta maker, you just insert linens and it rolls them out neatly ironed.

Working at a F&B and working with napkins and table cloths also helped me today in the Laundry, I understand how annoying it is to dispose of napkins when you expect the laundering company to do a good job. So as tired as I was, as hot as it was, oh yes, I forgot that the temperatures in there could match a decent sauna.

Since forever, they were working with conventional fans installed and only recently installed six huge air-conditioners that will be in operation starting November. Can you imagine how hard these people work here? I am humbled working with them. If they were to go on strike, you can only imagine what the resort will look and feel like without the assistance of these ten dedicated staff.

I think I’m gonna end here today, Sarah and Jean just dropped by to call me for dinner.

Tomorrow my day will start at 09:00 hours and end at 19:00 hours. If I learn anything new, I’d put it up. ☺

*P.S. I'm definitely folding my linens and towels FS style now. :p