more dutch bureaucracy

The eternal dreary rainy weather here is getting to me lately...actually, I don't think its entirely that. Probably not that at all (ok, maybe 10%).

It's my job. It makes me very unhappy. There are several things as to why it makes me unhappy, but since this blog is public, I don't need to go into detail.

Since I started on Sept 3rd, everything else has sort of jumped into motion as well. The language classes started, and are two days a week for 3 hours. Yesterday I did not get home until 1030. every monday will be like that, gone from 7am-1030pm. Wednesday are even worse, I won't get home until 1130pm or later, because of basketball practice. On the one hand, yes, its good to be busy and involved and investing in myself (learning a language, exercising, and being around people). But on the other hand, I get over stressed easily by my lack of time for myself, to relax. Yes, exercise would help with stress relief, however since my ankle was injured, I can't exercise. And basketball is only once a week for about an hour (and a game on the weekend). My gym membership ended Sept 3rd as well...so no more lifting weights for me (my arms were getting muscular!)

I know that I am not the only one like this, and this is just a matter of adjusting to a new schedule. I need to find a balance. If I had a job I enjoyed going to, I'm sure my days would be more easy going though.

To make matters more interesting, M's PhD work is coming along...however the HR at the university seems to think that his contract ends THIS december of 2007, not 08, as was planned and verbally agreed to.... so he might not even get his PhD after all this work!!

His original contract 3 yrs ago states that after 1 year, after an evaluation meeting, it would be decided to keep the 3 yr contract or extend it one year more to make it a 4 yr contract. the original reason for the 3 year back in 2004 was in case he was going to come to the US ...and he could get done with it faster. So after one year, it was verbally agreed upon that it was a 4 yr contract, but apparently no one in charge put it in writing for the HR people. His salary stayed on the tract of a 4 yr contract, so he assumed it was a 4 yr. In the mean time, the new Dean of the school made a rule that no phd contracts could be extended. period. so now, when M is trying to figure out where the problem is and simply just stay on for another year to finish it as was the plan the whole time, everyone seems to be on his side and say this is ridiculous...except for the Dean and the HR people under him. So, technically, as of now, his contract ends on Dec 1st, 2007. That means he will not have a job, and most importantly, not have a PhD after all of his hard work. How can they just be so inflexible and uncaring!? This isn't just a job, its a doctorate degree. In discussions with advisors of the geography department, they gave him their word that they would work something out, but what that is, they are not sure yet. there are a few options, including having him enroll in a different university to finish his work. so, he may get his degree from a different institution.

And not only does it affect his education, his job/career, but also my legal status here. He had papers signed and given to the IND that stated he had a more than a one year contract. The university signed papers that he had a contract til 2008; now they state that those papers hold no legal power (say what?). So They seemed to know and believe that the contract was 4 years...until now suddenly. Also, similar papers needed to be signed in order for us to get the apartment we have, also stated til 2008. But apparently HR doesn't really pay attention very well and signs documents that are legal until a time comes when they contradict themselves. So, when my time comes around in Feb to renew my residence permit, hopefully he has a 1 yr contract somewhere---whether a university or a 'regular job'. Or...i don't know what will happen.

Obviously there are people working in the university system that only care about money, when one would think they are an institution that cares about their students' personal development and growth, and expanding social research and understanding in the scientific environment. Plus, they get their name out there. (Oh, yeah, they also get money too...24,000 euros for each PhD student that graduates from there....there's an incentive to keep students on!).

does sound confusing? i bet it does! i'm confused too!

More word later today on what may happen. The geography board is meeting today and this will be one of their topics, i'm sure.

Working woman

Well, it has been a very busy week, thus no time for updates. I started my new job last Monday. The job is ok, but it is only production. I spend the entire day staring at the computer, researching if changes people submitted are valid (blocked roads, directions of the street, name changes, or points of interest like gas stations/stores/doctors/pubs, etc). This involves constant use of Google maps, Google Earth, Mapquest, Yahoo maps, and internet searches for a pub or a street name or for construction updates....its a long day doing only that. I look only at the UK submissions. Other people do other countries. It is a bit of a challenge trying to look on Google Earth to decipher which way the road is going, since they drive on the opposite side of the road as almost everyone else in this world! If the satellite images are good enough, you can make out the cars and sometimes there are arrows painted on the road and yield signs, so you can see which way they are going. I think i have a fairly good background in photo/air interpretation...and just using common sense and my geographical mentality, I can figure things out a bit better than the others perhaps...or they just have to learn how to do it, and then they'll be fine too. I just takes practice. Also, my previous job experience dealing with naming and classifying road systems helps me too to some respect. But really, this job is not geography- specific. you don't need a college degree for this work. and i think that most of the other 'worker bees' don't have a college degree. So it is a bit mind numbing...i wonder how long i can handle it! but, its money, i'm not at home alone, and its something for my resume, even if it is a step backwards, its not an empty hole. Hopefully, if i can learn dutch this year, in some time I can apply for other jobs where i can think and use my brain and use GIS as a tool. Not just 'factory work' in front of a computer.

Its kind of a weird place- i have a table as a desk. there are no drawers or anything, so i have no where to put anything. its all open, no cubicles, so there's no privacy. i don't have a phone yet. i also don't have any connection to a printer, and no one will help find one, or even show us where the printer is. the girl next to me is new too, she's from Israel originally, but has been living in Europe for 7 years now. she thinks its odd too. i think the issue is that the company is just expanding so quickly (a good thing- huge growth!), they can't keep up with the office changes. to me, with my experience of endless cubes but in precise pods of 6 cubes each at the Census...this is kinda chaotic. Since its all open, there are people who sit behind me , and i don't even know who they are. they were never introduced to me...and they don't introduce themselves. perhaps i should do so this week-- but is that too bold or overly 'friendly American'? there are also a group of 4 who sit between me and the window...there apparently are not any conference rooms available because they stand there the entire day, every day and talk - loudly-- about something that sounds so important and urgent but i can never quite follow what they are doing, even though they are speaking in english. who knows, but its very urgent by the seriousness in their voices.

On Tuesday, we had a little section meeting, but since no conference rooms were available, they booked a small conference room in the NH hotel next door to our building. That was kinda funny to me.

Commuting is an interesting thing too. I have to bike about 15 minutes to the station and lock my bike in a mad-cluster of hundreds of bikes. I am lucky if i even find an open spot to jam my bike in at a bike rack at 745am.

The train to Amsterdam leaves every 15 minutes: at 55, 10,25, and 40 after the hour. Once on the train, it is 20 minutes to Amsterdam Amstel station, the one before central. From there I take the metro about 5 minutes to the Waterlooplein exit. This is the stop I got out at back when I lived in Amsterdam in 2003-2004. So I know the area well. Its a big touristy section, since everyday there is a flea market there...for clothes and alternative things. Then I walk about 7 minutes to the Rembrandtplein, where my office is in a corner of the square, nestled in between dance clubs and cafes. Its such a good location, because at lunch time I can have so many possibilities for food (if I had money to do that)...but its so strange looking out a first floor meeting room window, and seeing signs for bars and cafes and advertisements for underwear. But the view from the 6th floor, where I sit, is wonderful. Someday I will have to bring my camera in- the view of the church steeples and old Amsterdam canal houses- wonderful.

Oh, anyways, about commuting...the 755 and 810 trains are so jam packed full of people...usually I have to stand in the doorway area, not in the actual seats. People are not very polite here, instead of standing to the sides of the doors to let people out first and then go in, they all crowd the doors, leaving only enough space for the people inside to come out in a single file. then once they are out, its take your life into your own hands and people rush inside, to find the 2 seats left open. On Tuesday I got there with about 30 seconds to spare, but the three cars I tried to get in, every single entrance was packed, there wasn't even enough space for me to squeeze in. So i had to stand there and watch it drive away with out me. That is the most annoying thing- to watch your train pull away with out you and you have to wait another 15 minutes. And usually I'm quite sweaty already, because of riding my bike there, and sometimes i jog/run to the train b/c i want to make that train. I'm going to try to get the 740 or 725 train because they are less full. it is quite interesting how much a difference 30 minutes earlier makes.

So starting this monday and wednesday i am taking the 'Integration Course', as I am obliged to take by the city of Utrecht. I signed a contract that I would attend, and they pay for all the costs. This is a pretty good deal- except that it meets on the one night in the week when i have basketball practice (wednesday). That is still being debated, on what will happen with that. I was really disappointed when i found out that this evening could not be changed, as playing and participating in a club team with dutch women is about the highest level of integration you can get....instead of sitting in a room with other foreigners learning about the world outside that you should be 'fitting in' to. everyone seems interested in what i will be taught in these classes-- aspects of dutch culture that the city or country finds important, but the average Dutchie might not even know (the words to all 15 verses of their national anthem for example)...or things that really aren't 'that' important. Of course, this will be my outlet for telling the world the important things I learn.

Last day, on to the next

Thursday was my last day working at Strowis (the youth hostel). It was the busiest day of the entire year. How fitting that it was my last day. A large group of about 20 youth left on that day, as well as a large percentage of the other guests. Which means that a lot of the beds needed to be changed and the rooms be totally cleaned after the mess left behind from a group that stayed there a long time. Usually the rooms are cleaned and done before 3pm. Today the first floor wasn't even started til 330 when I got there. Usually I would stay for my 4 hour shift, but often on Thursdays I stay a bit longer and sometimes have dinner there. I was there til almost 930pm..it was busy the entire time. It was a bit strange to think that was my last time there to work. But I enjoyed working there for the last 5 months. I wish I would have been able to have a bit more contact with the guests, like talking more to them...but it also depends on the guest themselves....some individuals are more likely to talk since they are traveling alone. Those that are more comfortable with English also talk more. The Italians and Spanish that filled the hostel in august purely to smoke weed, obviously did not talk much...due to their poor English... and being stoned. I worked with some interesting people, I learned how to make cappuccino, and I helped the continued success of a tourism business in Utrecht. I also spent my time with other people for several hours a week, instead of being alone in my apartment the whole time.

Friday night I went back already, but this time for a party- it was the 9th anniversary of the opening of Strowis. They had drinks and snacks, and a lot of the people involved in getting the place up and running returned for a good time. The party was held in the common area on the first floor, so guests were also there taking part too.

I plan on going back to stop in and visit and drink a tea every now and then. Strowis is a part of my Utrecht experience. I started my time here in Utrecht 5 years ago there...its still part of me.

Tomorrow I begin my first paying job in the Netherlands..and the first paying job in over 6 months. I'm sure it will be an exhausting week getting back to a routine.

vacation is over! i got a job!

Well, a lot has happened in my life this past week. I was too busy to write about it until now! Last week Tues I got my residence permit/work permit. This is in the form of an ID card. I have been spending the last 6 months looking at the jobs available for english speakers in the netherlands. here are some job agencies that specialize in 'multilinguals', those people who don't speak dutch as a native language. On Tuesday I sent my CV in to a work agency in amsterdam, for a job in at company called TomTom. TomTom makes navigational products for automobiles/bikes. they are a dutch company and their HQ are in amsterdam. they operate in english because they are so international. they are the leader in navigational products in europe. they have a new software program that allows its users (potentially the 10 million customers they already have) to update the maps and make changes, if the maps tomtom has are not current/correct. the job i applied to would be to then check this material that is sent in to tomtom if it is valid or not. I applied on Tues, was called on Wed, had an interview on Thursday morning, and was offered the job at the end of the interview! I was so surprised at how fast this all went. It may be only a production job at this point, but it could develop to more. But at least this is a job where I can earn some money, and work in an international company that is doing very well and is the leader in the market for this product...and i can work at a job that is in my field of geography. unbelievable how fast it all went--i was only on the job market for 2 days really! i was quite discouraged the week before, that it would take some time to get a job, but amazingly this one appeared. good timing and luck. i am sure there are opportunities to move around or move up in the company...we shall see how it goes!

So I was offered a 1 yr contract directly from the company itself, not the job agency. I will start on Sept 3rd. Its about an hour to commute, one way, which i will do by either bike/bus, train, and metro. About the same amt of time as it was to commute for me in DC the last 2 yrs.

So, just as I was really getting used to being a 'house wife' and doing the shopping and errands...now i will have to re-adjust my body clock and frame of mind, as adjusting to a full time job will be a bit tiring at first!

And as I look back on the previous 6 months, I can't believe how fast the time has gone. what have i done with the time? i wish i would have read more books and maybe gone for more bike rides...but that just didn't happen. Maybe now that I will sit in the train for 20 min/day, i will be able to read some. I guess the more time you have available, the less you get done b/c you can always say 'ohh i'll do that later'...now that time has come to an end. at least we will have some money now for our wedding and to pay for travel and to pay off our school loans.

so i gotta spend the next 2 wks enjoying myself and my final days of 'freedom'! summer vacation is over!

The next waiting game

Now that I have a valid residence/work permit coming my way (I still have to pick it up whenever they tell me to), finding a job is the next major hurdle. Of course I've spent the last 5 months looking for jobs here, some of which i wish I could applied for...and some I did apply for, but got turned down up front b/c I didn't have a work permit. I've also spent the last year looking at the job market here on job placement websites...so I sort of know how it will go. The majority of jobs that foreign English speaking people get placed in are call center jobs. I refuse to do that! Its too stressful and I probably wouldn't last more than a month. There are a lot of big name international companies with HQ or offices in the NL, but I am not a: economist, financial analyst, accountant, IT, marketing analyst, HR specialist, graphic designer...etc etc. I guess that doesn't leave a lot I am qualified to do!

Right away on Monday I began my quest. I went to Undutchables, a job recruitment agency for foreigners, to talk to someone about what I can do to find a job. I went to Manpower and Randstad, but they both don't deal with English-speaking jobs! they didn't even take my CV. I went to another place but they also don't have much for English-speakers. I think the market is flooded with job placement agencies here in Holland. One street alone where I went to Randstad...is just basically a street with job placement offices! There were even two offices of the same company!

So I will spend my days still scrounging for jobs. I still have my volunteer job which I went back to yesterday. But it just reminded me how much I would like to have a job-- a paying job, and one where I can go to and be able to communicate to others about the job. I never fully understand everything they say during the change of shift things, even if they are just joking about something...i really just want to be included on things. I hope I can soon be included in the Dutch job market.