So today was my first day of my internship and if there is one thing I learned from my day it is this: high heels and cobblestone pathways don't mix. Yes, I decided to dress up a bit but I did not anticipate the cobblestone pathways to the main entrance. By the end of the day, I was limping because my feet hurt sooo badly. Thankfully, I didn't have to walk home or something.
But, I digress. My first day went pretty well. I really didn't do much except set up the password to my office phone. I did practice some of my German on my iPod while waiting to go to lunch, but that was kind of weird for me too.
After getting past security, I had a small orientation from the Personnel Director Steve Amundson who was a pretty laid back kind of guy. He took us (there was another intern starting today too) around the main portion of the IAEA which takes up half of the buildings in the United Nations International Center. He calls the center "a city within a city" because there are all the necessary such as banking, post offices, pharmacy and medical clinic. I pretty much have access to everything except the duty-free shops because I'm not staff. I know that sucks but there are ways around it . . .
My supervisor, Giovanni Verlini reminds me of Howie Mandel except without the earring and OCD. He was nice enough to treat me to some tea during break and lunch. He pretty much explained to me that everything in the division is relaxed and that there is no rush. For me, that is something that I have to get used to because I've been drilled to ALWAYS be on my toes, courtesy of grad school.
I did go to my first editorial meeting, where food coma hit me as hard as a punch in the stomach. Luckily, everyone else around the room was just as tired as I was, mostly from jet lag. Apparently, many of the staff went on holiday and just came back the day before.
So tomorrow, I'm making a mental note to wear no heels but something sensible like ballet flats. Hopefully I will have much more to do tomorrow instead of sitting at my desk and looking pretty. Stay tuned . . .
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2 comments:
sounds like a chill first day.
ballet flats and wedges work well, too.
for staying awake during long meetings: pop a few altoids (cinnamon for zing!). it's a trick i learned from a hospital administrator.
hahahaha!!! i guess it's kinda our fault that we didn't go with tita to the UN the last time we were there. if we had, u'd have known what to expect. or what you could do is wear ur reg shoes then change. lumu!!!
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