Jul
8
Day 3: Stranger than fiction!
Filed Under Daily
My boss and the secretary had a small drama. An event was changed and we weren’t aware of it. My fellow workers almost had a heart attack (not me). Anyways my boss changed things accordingly and asked us to leave some board meeting earlier to set things up. I was more than happy to oblige since I hate meetings. The secretary took it as an offense. Anyways big words were used and I am glad I wasn’t part of it!
What I do here is not what my job is about. This is just an event we organized in collaboration with the American team. We do almost nothing. We just tell people what to do in fact. Anything we want is immediately satisfied and any technical issue is fixed by someone else.
The hardest thing so far here is to figure out what event comes next and sometimes help people moving boxes or ask others to move it for you.
Life is hard !!! 🙂 I hope I can get used to this.
So far no mistakes on my side. I am nice, I help when I can and I am being social.
Jul
7
Jetlag was less severe since we came late and had a night to recover from the flight. I am starting to get used to the accent. People tend to be loud here and very nasal when they speak. I enjoy meals at the Hyatt and other outside restaurants. Today is the last day before the conference starts. We are getting ready for the last details.
I can get used to this :). Traveling, spending money and getting paid to be social! I am just lucky I came at the right moment but I doubt it will last. We shall see. This job is in any aspect different from my previous position which was painfully stupid. Without mentioning a nice salary raise!
Jul
6
Day 1:
We arrived after 12 hours of traveling. Custom had some very strange and direct questions. I was not at my best to answer.
Custom officer: What are you doing in the US?
ME: It’s a business trip
Custom officer: What is your business and what is your position within the company?
ME: I am a scientific and technical officer, I work for the International Institute of Welding and I learn the job I just got on Tuesday.
Custom officer: So you just got a job and they sent you to the United States of America the next day?
Me: Yes this is perfect! no ?
Custom officer: (surprised and maybe not believing) put your4 fingers on the blabla…. the end!
I felt a bit stupid because of my mumbling and my french English accent at the moment but I actually told him the very truth.
I was very tired when I arrived at the hotel. We had some issues with credit card limits and we only have the room for one night. Someone needs to fix that tomorrow with the people organizing the event.
Denver looks strange. Like a city that grew out of the desert. The buildings are too tall and too squared to my taste. The view from my expensive room is nice. I wouldn’t want to live here though nevertheless I am glad to be here and to discover the city.
Room : King bed at 234 $ per night
Meal : 67 $
Jul
4
So far so good!
One step at the time! I will take the plane to the US tomorrow.
Jul
3
First day!
Filed Under Daily
It looked promising. Everyone was kind and the job does not seem hard. Lots of tedious procedures for now. I have the feeling that the person I will replace is not very good at computers and she does everything manually in a very tedious way. A lot of tasks can be simplified and are automated with the right tools. I will try to improve. For now I just shut my mouth and listen. In a month I will be on my own.
Anyways I enjoyed my first day and the most stressful part was to drive there and back home. Driving near Paris on the highways isn’t simple but I did manage!
Jul
2
Contract Signed!
Filed Under Daily
Voila! I am all set. New job awaits! Fingers crossed ….fingers crossed!
Hourra! Hourra!
Jun
29
It Felt GooD!
Filed Under Daily
It’s been 6 months now that I am looking for a job and applying continuously to the APEC site (job search board). I felt good not to have to do it anymore. I got sick of the face of the ad’s dude there. I am keeping fingers crossed for the new job. It is at least very well paid. I am hoping I will be surrounded by nice people like in Grenoble and not by bad asses!
I think it is a good sign that I got a trip to the US right away. I always got a free trip each time I got a job before in academia (US and Australia).
Jun
29
BoUght a CaR!
Filed Under Daily
I need one to go to work. It’s only 45 min drive by car but it takes 1 h and 40 min to get there by train. I’ve decided it’s time I get a car. It’s a second hand Toyota Yaris 2009 (model : 90 D-4D Confort). It has 68 k mileage on it already it but looks like new and runs smoothly. I am a bit rough on it now, I need to get used to it.
Jun
26
Got a Job!!!!
Filed Under Daily
Scientific and technical officer for the International Institute of Welding
Starting date: July 3rd
40 min drive from home!
Base salary: 37 k!
“CDI” type= permanent contract
What’s the job? I am responsible for the journal and any scientific publication from the institute around the world.
F** k**ng Awesome!!!
I will attend an international conference organized by the institute next week in Colorado (US): Jul 05-Jul 13! So I will be back to the US after 7 years.
Jun
21
The bEst eXotic maRigold hOteL
Filed Under Daily
“The only real failure is the failure to try
And the measure of success is how we cope with disappointment”
“the person who risks nothing…does nothing, has nothing.”
Bitter sweet movie to watch! Link
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