My bortha from anoder Motha

Dennis Min Wang trained me for two weeks and this guy is good at what he does. Some people may think I'm good at excel, but this guys really good. The first Chinese Brazilian I have ever met and I soon find this guy's got a sick sense of humor. Something I definitely miss around these days. I'm sure the department's thinking the same thing - Canadians are LAME. Well if you put me in a store with ladies in a bunch of lulu spandex - I can be that other person.

How much I learned - lots, what I remember, mmmm not that much, what I soon found I am doing right now from what he taught me, very little. I seem to be doing things completely different. But also since the head of the area has changed, the position requirements seem to have changed and I also think it's also because since I arrived at a time when people were leaving and coming back from holidays, people seem ultra busy, but at the same time, a little archaic from the restructuring of the organization.

Interesting things that I remember in the first two weeks of training:

- First three weeks no internet at home = internet at work = leaving work at about 7 - 730pm.

- Needed a security pass to get into the building, if don't have one, must get someone to escort you all the time. Got my pass three weeks later. Interestingly in week two when Dennis had to go to london, and the whole deparment was in a meeting, I had to sit downstairs for 45 minutes until some other lady, that I don't know, from some other department escorted me up.

- you can only buy food in the building with a ABN AMRO smart card (Chipknip) so people had to buy food for me all the time if I wanted something to eat from within the building. Contact Smartkard (electronic cash) WP: Smart Card

- My window faces the football stadium and I can see the people walking by and inside the stadium.

- As what Dennis said: for some reason when you drink the water in this building, you get thirstier.

- Brie & Bacon Baguette; sounds REALLY good, tastes not bad, but you feel like you just ate two big macs from Mc-Ronalds.

- People don't generally wash their hands after their potty-sessions here.

- took them two months to get me an email (they submitted the request one month before I arrive) = gives indication of dutch democratic processes.

- based on the acoustics of the floor, the faster and louder you walk, the greater the perception of your busy-ness, the less people will ask you to do things - that I can thank from Steven Bloom, and Australian graduate that works and now lives in the A'Dam.

- at 4pm here, the gmail chat lights up with people from back home (8am there). you people should really get to work! haha.

- Two christmas parties that were very nice, one day I eat fancy food, the next I'm eatin' PBJ in my tighty whities!

- Dennis's favourite place for Chinese food nearby is a place that serves it like Oriental Wok. but at least it is still "chinese"

- 1 EURO hoegaardens Friday nights at the Bar on the 24th floor = Oh yeah.