One Week Down...

I survived! My first week of working two part-time jobs has come to an end, and I survived.

The verdict? It stinks.

I know it's going to get better as I get into the routine, get used to both kitchens and co-workers and everything... But by Wednesday I thought I was losing my mind, and I had to keep telling myself, only 8 more weeks like this to go...! Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have the work and I know I'm really lucky, not only to have found two jobs so quickly after school, but also two English work environments! It's just been a long week...

One of the things I found most difficult is the hours. They are comparable, but just different enough to mess up my psyche. My original job, Tuesdays and Thursdays, has kind of fluid hours. I go in for 9am and work until I'm done, which could be anywhere from 1:30 to 3:30pm, so I get up at 6:45 and I can't very easily make plans for after work because I never know when I'll be done. Now with the new job, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I work from 7am to around 1pm, so I have to get up at 5:30, and I can easily make afternoon plans, but I'm too pooped to want to. I have always been a night owl. That's not to say that I'm "not a morning person," but I just prefer going to bed late than getting up early, if that makes any sense.

Another thing, is just fitting in! I know that I tend to be quiet, sometimes shy, reserved, etc., and that throws some people off. I've been accused of being snobbish and anti-social, and that's really not intentional, but I can't help how others perceive me before trying to get to know me. I don't walk into a new workplace automatically assuming that everyone is my friend and loves me and wants to get to know me.

The atmosphere at the restaurant is very young and vibrant, all staff appear to be under 40. The staff I've met have been nice enough, but I haven't really talked to anyone, and I feel kind of set apart. The community aid kitchen is the complete opposite. My coworkers and most of the volunteers are well over 65 (with a few exceptions). They are all very kind and willing to offer advice and assistance and from the moment I walked in the door, have expressed interest in me and my life, and I feel at ease among them.

The final thing that's made this week difficult is that neither job really ends when I leave my workplace. After getting home, I continue to invest hours of work into researching, planning, and just general thinking for each workplace. That's probably the most exhausting part of all.

Anyway, hopefully this week will be a bit easier. In the meantime, I don't think I've ever been so thankful for weekends, and living in a culture that has five-day work weeks!