Getting up at 6 a.m. and taking a 40-minute commute in freezing weather is no fun, but I am enjoying the work that I do. I am in a territory that I am most familiar/comfortable with, even though the last thing I want to do when I get home is read - anything! (Yes, Teray, the books that you've sent are starting to gather dust.)
I am very fortunate to have a senior editor who took me through a painless transition phase. According to her, I "hit the ground running." The challenges that are there are not too different from a newspaper's, except that now I should expect a 500-page document sitting on my desk. I am thinking Advil will be my next best friend.
I have met some interesting people, including a couple of Filipinos who have been with the organization for some 20 years. Soon enough, I was invited to go to mass and/or join a Catholic charismatic movement. I'm sure the husband, an Adventist, would be pleased to know I've put the invitations on hold.
And how often do you run into someone who wears a size 5 or 5 1/2 shoes, and is a Leo at the same time? We lost no time giving each other pointers on where to shop. On Wednesday I came home with a pair of shoes that had been sitting in her closet, that she then generously turned over to me.
What struck me as intriguing on my first day at work was having to go through a very detailed orientation on emergency evacuation. Nothing of that sort ever happened in the 10 years I worked on the Philippines. However, in the US - and especially after 9/11 - I guess it makes sense. I instantly forgot half of the instructions. All I know is that in case of an emergency, go where the panicked mob is.
Also on my first day at work, I had to introduce myself to quite a few people and one of the conversations went like this:
Her: What's your name again, sweetie?
Me: Fleur.
Her: Say what?
Me: Fleur.
Her: Oh, Flora. Well, welcome to _____, sweetie!