I survived Day One.
The commute almost killed me. But mostly because I couldn't fall asleep on Sunday night. Luckily, we have beer and valerian in our house and the combination of the two put me into a coma-like state after I gave up trying to go to sleep naturally. (Of course, that is, after M and I first tried our new favorite game and non-drug sleep aid -- name the countries all the way through the alphabet. For example, "S" is Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sierra Leone, Syria... you get the idea...)
Okay, about the job. I'm the "assistant promo producer" for Extreme Sports Channel. Don't get excited. There are no productions done here, only the promos and scheduling. It's not like I'm heading out to snowboarding competitions or BMX bike thingys or anything.) Pretty much my job will consist of assistant type crap like setting up studio time and mailing tapes. Yeehaw. Also, the job is probably only for a short time so once I start getting really fed up with it, I'll be coming home to the US to sit on my parent's backporch and watch the grass grow. (from one highly stimulating situation to another :)
But, as I said before, the job pays pretty well (the Dutch have notoriously low salaries) and I'm with people. Already today, I've had conversations with 4 people and have even laughed a few times. This is HUGE considering the isolation of the past 6 months.
And today the commute wasn't too bad. I slept almost 8 hours last night and I took a later train today. And I gotta say... psychologically... there's an enormous difference between getting up at 5:30am and getting up at 6:10am. For me, it's the difference between being on the train and wishing it would jump the tracks or hit a cow or something so at least I could go back to sleep (albeit in a hospital bed) and merely being in a cranky mood until I drink the thermos of coffee I've brought with me.
(Um, let me just say I do not wish any ill will towards Dutch cows. I just like my sleep.)
So, anyhoo... here I am. In Amsterdam. I have no official desk yet and no work to do (um, obviously) but, hey, I have absolutely no problem getting paid for doing nothing.
You don't either, apparently. Where are you right now while you're reading my blog, hmmm?
posted by A @ 10:10 AM
6 Comments:
I have to correct that "the Dutch have notoriously low salaries". This is not true: the Dutch have pretty EQUAL salaries.
So when you're well educated you'll probably make less than in the States, whereas when you're less well educated you'll probably make more than in the States.
hey punky... i happen to know someone who has a job that makes him travel and talk to a bunch of different people from different countries...
Hmmm...
Well, why should I go out then and spend all that money on an education if I'm gonna make equal what the high school drop-out makes?
Not that I'm saying it's all about money... or education for that matter... but geez... what motivates the Dutch to excel? (other than personal fulfillment and let me tell ya, that only goes so far.)
This is my obnoxious American rant for the day.
... because in Holland, you don't spend all that money on an education: up untill highschool it's free; you only pay a symbolic amount of money to enter a university of your choice (or other post-highschool education); if you're not able to pay the symbolic amount, the government will pay it all.
So I guess it's personal fulfillment that makes you want to excel.
By the way: lots of studies show that there is only a minor correlation between income and reported hapiness, as long as the income is sufficient to fulfill some basic needs.
This is something I know already, M, as I happen to live with some Dutch guy. :)
And those studies that say wealth isn't connected with happiness are obviously written by poor people trying to make themselves feel better.
;)
okay you win...
now get back to work and earn some more money!
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