Yet Another First Day

To celebrate that we are both now employed people, Heather and I decided to go out on Tuesday night to Dicey’s, a garden bar with a nightclub downstairs and drinks for 2.50. She and I met Chris, a German friend, and Brant, a Canadian, after a long walk into town. Heather likes to walk everywhere to save money, and I admire her fortitude. When she and I walked to training later in the week a huge gust of wind destroyed both of our umbrellas in one go. Well, Dale’s umbrella I should say, which Julie already lost a few weeks ago when she visited, and then replaced. It did smack me in the face pretty good when it snapped, though. Anyways, the night included giant coloured balls of light in the garden and getting hit on by Brazilian guys who thought it would be a good idea to go to a movie sometime while Dale was sleeping. Which clearly means I used the lame excuse, “I have a boyfriend.” Oops, someone was intoxicated. It’s just too easy to say! After some moronic and hilarious dancing, we saved money on the cab by walking home, and I did not enjoy a single bite of my falafel. Let’s just say the reverse happened, and I did not enjoy that very much either.

So on Wednesday I recuperated. Then Thursday Heather and I went for our training, which took place in one of the Conrad Hotel’s boardrooms. I actually enjoyed the training, and the feeling that the people at the Conrad really look after their employees. I was excited to think about the courses I could take online for free, and was happy to find that I interacted well with the other trainees. It was too bad that most of them were going to other hotels. We had a free lunch in the staff cantina, and the choice between fizzy water or still on our meeting room’s table. The next day Heather and I walked into town yet again in order to pick up our uniforms and buy our decent black shoes. It turns out that picking up the uniforms really meant just trying them on because the vests were missing buttons. When we got to the shoe shopping, we were joined by Anne and her boyfriend, who was visiting at the time, and who accompanied us to Penneys in search of white collared shirts and black trousers. I managed to find the pants for 6 euros and two white shirts for 5 each, plus seven pairs of black socks for 3 euros. The shoes, on the other hand, were 30 euros. And it turns out they were too small. And they wouldn’t take them back. So with a replacement pair, there goes 60 euros on ugly shoes I’ll only ever wear to work, and in the case of one set, never again. It kills me that I don’t have 60 euros to waste like that.

I spent the rest of the weekend not spending money, which was basically just a good excuse to finish reading the Harry Potter series. I only left the house on Sunday to go for an evening walk through the neighbourhood with some lit sparklers Dale had lying around.

Monday, then, brought my first shift at the hotel. The shift was Heather-less because she starts tomorrow. I geared up in the white, long-sleeved, collared shirt, the elastic-band tie, the name-tag, and the very long apron, with my hair pulled back professionally and my behind-the-ear-tattoo slathered in makeup. Rather than feeling fancy, I felt silly. And later I felt boiling hot. I started my shift by shadowing Irena, a girl who cutely calls everyone, “Chicka.” We were in the breakfast section by 6:30am, offering guests coffee or tea, but not really serving anything because it was mainly a buffet. Plus I don’t have access to the till yet. I was running back and forth to the kitchen to get dishes and drinks constantly and had to figure out where most items were on my own. After a short break there was a meeting for the breakfast staff with the Food and Beverage Manager. It turned out that he was new and the staff were unimpressed with the changes he was making. Some weren’t afraid to say so. We closed the breakfast restaurant with tension in the air, then went for lunch in the cantina, where, despite sitting with a group, I virtually ended up alone because the others leaned together to complain about the Manager. I didn’t particularly want to complain about my new boss with them, and since I was new, it wouldn’t have been easy to say anything bad anyway. After lunch I followed Irena down to the Pub and Grill, where she waited tables and I struggled to find something to keep myself occupied. I wasn’t expecting to be very busy and a little bored all in one day. What with my shoes pinching the life out of my feet, it was with relief that 3:00 came around. I was glad that most of the staff seemed genuinely interested in meeting me, and so my shift ended with mixed feelings overall.

I didn’t have time to relax, however, because I had to go home, get my receipt for the shoes, and take the bus back into town, effectively wasting my 5 euro tip. But before I left the house I replied to an email asking if I was still interested in a part-time after-school childminder program, as well as answered a phone call from a recruitment agency who would like to meet me for an interview tomorrow after work. On the way to return my shoes I ran into Niall and Leonie as they were driving past. It took me right up until they had pulled over to realize who was honking at me. I told them I was unsure about the new job, but they re-extended their invitation to a Halloween party they are hosting this weekend, which should be fun. After a no-go on the shoes, it was a good thing there was still Fitz to look forward at the end of a mixed-feelings day. We met some new folks, and I gave Heather some tips from work, such as, “Never put a tray down on the table.” Unfortunately we couldn’t stay very long because I am quite exhausted and I want to be prepared for tomorrow.

I also made this interesting creation this week out of melted crayons:

Art?

Here it is, tiny on the wall

Feedback would be appreciated as I don’t know how I feel about it either!