So real life has been happening for about 6 months now. Basically to sum up my life, it has been a whirlwind of frequent flier miles and hotel loyalty programs. I now have Platinum status at the Hyatt, and it was just about the most excited thing to happen to me in the last month. Not to even mention my looming Elite status on American Airlines.
I currently work during the week in Arkansas, and spend the weekend in New York. So yes, I spend more of my time in the dirty South than in the greatest city in the world where I pay rent out the ass for an apartment I am rarely in. Its hard to live your life in NY in 3 days a week. Though all this is subject to change next week when I switch projects. Then it could be new work, new team, new boss, new city.
Once a month or so I try to fly to a different city for a weekend. San Fran, Miami, DC, Chicago. It's all free for me. Thanks, company.
But while a lot of my life right now is glamorous, a lot of it just plain sucks. My 11 hour days are filled with 2000 line excel spreadsheet, and my all too short nights are spent alone in my hotel room or using one of the few machines at the hotel gym.
Well, that's not exactly true. I go out to dinner with my team every night, who are awesome, and sometimes we go out on the town. After all, my first strip club experience was with my co-workers in good old Arkansas.
Until next time!
--Jenna
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Saturday, September 18, 2010
UPDATE FROM THE FAR EAST
I'M A TEACHER!!
I've been in China exactly 1 month, so here's to my first post from abroad. Yesterday was my 1-monthiversary with Shanghai, and now I feel like we're dating. I feel like we understand each other and it will only get better from here.
Sh!t is cheap here, yo. China is a country for the commoner. Bottled water is 25 cents in convenience stores. I ate dinner for 9 kuai ($1.30) twice last week. The metro is 60 cents a ride, roughly, and I've been practicing Chinese EVERYWHERE.
My kids are adorable. I teach a class of 14 4th graders in English, and 2 classes of 42 6th graders at the "local school," which is attached to our international school. Still waiting on the first paycheck, which will hopefully feel awesome and fuel my travel expenses and habit of having adventures as often as possible.
Yesterday I came back from Chabad, after breaking fast after the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, sprinted through the gate at the school (where I live for freeeeeeeee) and then changed and sprinted back out to catch a subway train to go to the mall, near the center of the city, to meet my friend Lucy from high school.
The security guard commented at me, "Hen mang, ma?" (You're very busy, no?)
I responded yes. That pretty much describes my life here-- VERY busy. This job is a job. I work 7:45-5pm usually, depending on the work load and planning demands of that week. Tonight my coworkers are getting together for some homemade chili.
Other than that, it's been Chinese food overload and I'm KIND OF liking it =p
Lunch time. Till later,
Chineseified Becca
I've been in China exactly 1 month, so here's to my first post from abroad. Yesterday was my 1-monthiversary with Shanghai, and now I feel like we're dating. I feel like we understand each other and it will only get better from here.
Sh!t is cheap here, yo. China is a country for the commoner. Bottled water is 25 cents in convenience stores. I ate dinner for 9 kuai ($1.30) twice last week. The metro is 60 cents a ride, roughly, and I've been practicing Chinese EVERYWHERE.
My kids are adorable. I teach a class of 14 4th graders in English, and 2 classes of 42 6th graders at the "local school," which is attached to our international school. Still waiting on the first paycheck, which will hopefully feel awesome and fuel my travel expenses and habit of having adventures as often as possible.
Yesterday I came back from Chabad, after breaking fast after the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, sprinted through the gate at the school (where I live for freeeeeeeee) and then changed and sprinted back out to catch a subway train to go to the mall, near the center of the city, to meet my friend Lucy from high school.
The security guard commented at me, "Hen mang, ma?" (You're very busy, no?)
I responded yes. That pretty much describes my life here-- VERY busy. This job is a job. I work 7:45-5pm usually, depending on the work load and planning demands of that week. Tonight my coworkers are getting together for some homemade chili.
Other than that, it's been Chinese food overload and I'm KIND OF liking it =p
Lunch time. Till later,
Chineseified Becca
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Southern Charm
Many New Yorkers have told me that Maryland is a southern state. Being from Maryland, I know that Maryland is a mid-Atlantic state. Never have I been more sure of this than now. Life here in North Carolina is decidedly more southern than it is in Maryland.
I have to say, this place is beautiful. The local college campus is hidden behind the trees. Campus is green and well-kept with stunning architecture. A towering stone chapel is visible from nearly everywhere.
Local traffic is light, although this may be an artifact of the pre-school season. Everyone on campus has been friendly and helpful, which I cannot say of the people at my undergraduate institution. To top it off, my apartment is great(I'm now accepting visitor applications).
There's plenty to say about how a lot of things aren't open on Sunday that would be in Maryland, or how slow things seem to be here, but I think these are illusions in my head. Class starts next week. There'll be nothing slow after that.
I have to say, this place is beautiful. The local college campus is hidden behind the trees. Campus is green and well-kept with stunning architecture. A towering stone chapel is visible from nearly everywhere.
Local traffic is light, although this may be an artifact of the pre-school season. Everyone on campus has been friendly and helpful, which I cannot say of the people at my undergraduate institution. To top it off, my apartment is great(I'm now accepting visitor applications).
There's plenty to say about how a lot of things aren't open on Sunday that would be in Maryland, or how slow things seem to be here, but I think these are illusions in my head. Class starts next week. There'll be nothing slow after that.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I'm going to China quite soon
I leave for China at 11:05 tomorrow morning. That is very soon from now, considering it's 4:45 pm in New Jersey. I feel like my whole summer has been building up to this, from answering the question "So, what are you doing next year?" to spending the last three weeks at home and in NYC mad chillin' and saying my goodbyes. Things I will miss: diversity, non-Asian cuisine, my family, my car. It should be really exciting though, the whole experience, I mean.
I'll let everyone know what living in the real Shnagi is like. Care packages are appreciated (especially those containing remnants of things like "freedom of speech," "uncensored Internet," and "capitalism.").
PEACE OUT, U.S.A.!
-Becca
I'll let everyone know what living in the real Shnagi is like. Care packages are appreciated (especially those containing remnants of things like "freedom of speech," "uncensored Internet," and "capitalism.").
PEACE OUT, U.S.A.!
-Becca
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wow, People Still Write in This!
So I just returned last night from my whirlwind Euro adventure. Possibly the only positive part of returning was finding out that people still write in this... and eating Chinese food. Well done, folks.
So it is 6:30 am, and I can't remember the last time I was up this early without a reason. The crazy things jet lag will make you do! The trip, needless to say, was amazing. Kristen and I visited 8 countries in 7 weeks, stopping at all the famous monuments, drinking all the of famous drinks, and eating all of the famous food. Mussels in Brussels, gyros in Greece. It was tiring and fast-paced but exhilarating and relaxing. Conflicting ideologies, I know, but somehow possible.
Kristen and I managed not to fight really at all. I guess its a result of us both being ridiculously awesome. At this point we have been apart for almost 9 hours, which is about 9 times longer than we have been separated in the last 2 months. Withdrawal much?
Returning home is a strange thing. I thought leaving school would finally make me recognize the end of an era. However, it is returning from Europe that has done it more than anything. Sort of like this trip was an extension of college, and now its officially, irreversibly over.
I guess all I can do now is fuck around for a month, fill out all the necessary paperwork, and then get on with my real-life job. I don't want to see unexcited, though. I am thoroughly convinced that my real-life job and real-life life will be awesome. Mostly because, as aforementioned, I am awesome. Also, in need of a new descriptive word.
Until next time!
-Jenna
So it is 6:30 am, and I can't remember the last time I was up this early without a reason. The crazy things jet lag will make you do! The trip, needless to say, was amazing. Kristen and I visited 8 countries in 7 weeks, stopping at all the famous monuments, drinking all the of famous drinks, and eating all of the famous food. Mussels in Brussels, gyros in Greece. It was tiring and fast-paced but exhilarating and relaxing. Conflicting ideologies, I know, but somehow possible.
Kristen and I managed not to fight really at all. I guess its a result of us both being ridiculously awesome. At this point we have been apart for almost 9 hours, which is about 9 times longer than we have been separated in the last 2 months. Withdrawal much?
Returning home is a strange thing. I thought leaving school would finally make me recognize the end of an era. However, it is returning from Europe that has done it more than anything. Sort of like this trip was an extension of college, and now its officially, irreversibly over.
I guess all I can do now is fuck around for a month, fill out all the necessary paperwork, and then get on with my real-life job. I don't want to see unexcited, though. I am thoroughly convinced that my real-life job and real-life life will be awesome. Mostly because, as aforementioned, I am awesome. Also, in need of a new descriptive word.
Until next time!
-Jenna
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Thoughts on my summer
"What are you doing this summer?" is a question everyone gets during June, July and August, and it's of special interest when you've just graduated and the question turns into "Oh, congrats, so what are you doing now?"
Well, actually, funny you ask. I work for minimum wage for my apartment complex and watch a lot of TV shows and play Scrabble on Facebook.
Somehow, my days become busy. And by "busy," I mean I'm not hunting for things to keep me occupied. For example, this weekend I had something to do at ALMOST every moment, between my job, my friends, the pool, going out, waking up the next morning and not remembering the previous night but going to my job anyway, etc. Yesterday I worked in the middle of the night and then slept till 3 pm. Upon waking up, I had tomato risotto let over from Friday night and put on the Food Network. This is my life, currently.
But this post-grad hanging out lifestyle in the college town of every college student's dreams (I joke) is ending on Saturday when I move out. For good.
Am I ready? This is a question I can't answer. It's been a summer of drinking, goodbyes, lasts, playing in DC and prepping myself for moving on.
It should be a really good week, because so many people I know are in the same zone: the live-it-up-one-last-time zone. (I thought this was supposed to happen during finals week and post-graduation weekend, but conveniently, it has happened again.) Saturday night everyone got smashed, there were a ton of people just in for the weekend, and unfortunately I was too drunk to come out of Saturday night with even more than 6 photos (appalling). I just want to make the best of everything and maximize my time with everyone I love so much and will miss beyond belief.
Becca
Well, actually, funny you ask. I work for minimum wage for my apartment complex and watch a lot of TV shows and play Scrabble on Facebook.
Somehow, my days become busy. And by "busy," I mean I'm not hunting for things to keep me occupied. For example, this weekend I had something to do at ALMOST every moment, between my job, my friends, the pool, going out, waking up the next morning and not remembering the previous night but going to my job anyway, etc. Yesterday I worked in the middle of the night and then slept till 3 pm. Upon waking up, I had tomato risotto let over from Friday night and put on the Food Network. This is my life, currently.
But this post-grad hanging out lifestyle in the college town of every college student's dreams (I joke) is ending on Saturday when I move out. For good.
Am I ready? This is a question I can't answer. It's been a summer of drinking, goodbyes, lasts, playing in DC and prepping myself for moving on.
It should be a really good week, because so many people I know are in the same zone: the live-it-up-one-last-time zone. (I thought this was supposed to happen during finals week and post-graduation weekend, but conveniently, it has happened again.) Saturday night everyone got smashed, there were a ton of people just in for the weekend, and unfortunately I was too drunk to come out of Saturday night with even more than 6 photos (appalling). I just want to make the best of everything and maximize my time with everyone I love so much and will miss beyond belief.
Becca
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