Saturday, August 25, 2007
Yes, I'm still here
Ok…I’ve finally sat down to write some updates. This last month has mostly been full of me settling into my new life in Prague, which so far I’m thoroughly enjoying. Last night I was reminded of how much I love this city, after a walk downtown and an amazing sunset over the Charles Bridge…it’s impossible not to be struck with how beautiful this place is. There of course have been the usual challenges, like the washing machine that held my clothes hostage for two hours, or the air raid siren that turned out to be coming from the back of the toilet. The apartment is nice and spacious and my roommates are great, although we don’t see very much of each other with our work schedules. This is really the first weekend I’ve seen them around other than in passing (although the discovery that my laptop will play live streams of Liverpool matches certainly has ways of bringing people together).
I’ve been gone quite a bit as well. After a great weeklong visit from my mom that took us to Vienna and Bratislava, I got a spontaneous invitation to go to Salzburg, and then had to get the rest of my stuff from Ostrava last weekend, so this is the first Saturday I’ve really had to lay around and do nothing.
Fortunately, I got my visa in time to start work at the beginning of the month. It’s been a crazy start, where they pretty much drop you into the water and say “swim.” Before you know it your phone is ringing off the hook and you receive vague emails like “what do you think we should do about the wood issue? Should we take the risk and send it?” Or messages full of acronyms, like “Please do a PYL entry for A7D 43256545 with DLH from BLXU to EPRD24,” and you wonder how long you can get away with the excuse “please hold while I find some answers for you…I’ve only been working here six hours.” It can get intimidating to the point where you’re afraid to ask questions, since some responses make you feel like a complete idiot. For example, when two shipments got mixed up, I asked if there were any specific markings that might help identify the correct box as ours, to which I received this response: “IT’S WHITE AND HAS OUR ADDRESS ON IT!!!” Oh, well that clarifies everything. I could have sworn it was labeled with my dentist’s address. Especially since I’ve seen so many of these boxes, being a few thousand miles away from your warehouse.
Thankfully, my colleagues have been extremely patient and helpful, although I don’t think they completely understand why I’m working here and not at home, and are somewhat intrigued that as an American I don’t eat fast food for dinner every night and I don’t spend all my free time in front of the TV. And I continue to marvel at how in the office cafeteria, common meals are things like fried cheese with French fries, or pancakes with chocolate syrup and whip cream.
Well, on that note, as it’s halftime in the Liverpool game, I’m going to make some lunch. Nothing like home-made quesadillas and “football” for a Saturday afternoon : )
I’ve been gone quite a bit as well. After a great weeklong visit from my mom that took us to Vienna and Bratislava, I got a spontaneous invitation to go to Salzburg, and then had to get the rest of my stuff from Ostrava last weekend, so this is the first Saturday I’ve really had to lay around and do nothing.
Fortunately, I got my visa in time to start work at the beginning of the month. It’s been a crazy start, where they pretty much drop you into the water and say “swim.” Before you know it your phone is ringing off the hook and you receive vague emails like “what do you think we should do about the wood issue? Should we take the risk and send it?” Or messages full of acronyms, like “Please do a PYL entry for A7D 43256545 with DLH from BLXU to EPRD24,” and you wonder how long you can get away with the excuse “please hold while I find some answers for you…I’ve only been working here six hours.” It can get intimidating to the point where you’re afraid to ask questions, since some responses make you feel like a complete idiot. For example, when two shipments got mixed up, I asked if there were any specific markings that might help identify the correct box as ours, to which I received this response: “IT’S WHITE AND HAS OUR ADDRESS ON IT!!!” Oh, well that clarifies everything. I could have sworn it was labeled with my dentist’s address. Especially since I’ve seen so many of these boxes, being a few thousand miles away from your warehouse.
Thankfully, my colleagues have been extremely patient and helpful, although I don’t think they completely understand why I’m working here and not at home, and are somewhat intrigued that as an American I don’t eat fast food for dinner every night and I don’t spend all my free time in front of the TV. And I continue to marvel at how in the office cafeteria, common meals are things like fried cheese with French fries, or pancakes with chocolate syrup and whip cream.
Well, on that note, as it’s halftime in the Liverpool game, I’m going to make some lunch. Nothing like home-made quesadillas and “football” for a Saturday afternoon : )
# posted by Jessica @ 6:57 AM 
