Perpetual Change

The Hiring Event

They bill the event as being worthwhile for everyone whether they offer you a job or not. It was fun, but also rather stressful. I think it would only be worthwhile to people not really qualified for the job. In that case, I guess they are right because you will either get a job, or find it useful. I didn’t get much out of it. Though I did expect to be a run of the mill candidate, and although many people had had very interesting lives, I feel like I was one of the best at using these experiences to demonstrate my ability to perform this job. This surprised me.

How little people read the small print (or perhaps any print at all) also surprised me. The event started at their (very nice and custom built) warehouse about an hour outside of Tuscany. They had big colorful name tags for us and a nice coffee and cakes spread. Then we all sat down and they introduce themselves. One of the introductions is by video phone. It is the president of the company in his Berkeley home (at 3 in the morning). He stays on the line for almost 2 hours as we all go around and introduce ourselves. They tell us to take a few minutes and put a story with our face, something that may not have come out in the application process. I like to go first at these things but it didn’t happen that way, and so I had some time to think. I also had read the prep material they had sent, and it had looked like we would have to introduce ourselves in a creative way, though it didn’t directly say. The woman that kicked off this part mentioned this fact, but they left the introductions very open, they just wanted us to speak, the singing and dancing would come later. I had brought a prop with me in case of something like this and so by the time it got to me, I had planned a nice story that threaded my experiences and interest in backroads (plus a small tear jerk and some jokes) into the legend of the Sailor’s Heart, which I then produced from my pocket. I ended with saying how I thought our personal plans and some coincidence have an amazing effect on our lives. When I sat down, the girl next to me, who I had talked to at the train station, asked if I had planned it. Several people referenced it as the day went on.

The rest of the day went similarly. I had a bike test and an Italian Language test. I was prepared for them but they were more difficult than I was hoping for. I guess I did alright. Lunch and getting to know some of the other people was very nice. At the end of the day, we all had to fill out paperwork, and for the first time in my life, I was officially refered to as an ex-pat, but the thing is, am I really? As a Peace Corps volunteer, I technically work for the government. I was tired at the end of the day, and I met Jen for drinks and dinner again. It was really great to see her.

The next morning, I went into town, checked out one last church, and got to the airport on time. The woman that checked me in said in Italian, “Here is your ticket to Timisoara [a small town in Romania that is the hub for this airline], and here is your other ticket. I am sorry. I don’t know how to say that.” It was Lviv which is often written in the Polish in airports as Lwow. My Italian language partner in Ukraine had told me that the Italians might know it by the name Leopold. But I was rather shocked that the ticket agent didn’t know anything about it. And then I got the same question from the man at security when he looked at my ticket. There are many Ukrainians working in Italy, but I don’t think many of them fly. Looks like I am going to take a train back to training (better than the bus which is what most of them use).

The flight back was just as beautiful, but all clouds once I got to Ukraine. I was reading Poland by James Michener. I HIGHLY recommend it, if you have any interest in Poland, or my half of Ukraine. At one point his beautiful descriptions of the Ukrainian people and countryside, paired with my return to a country that I am really not ready to leave, moved me to tears. Luckily the plane wasn’t full and the stewardess didn’t notice.

These next few weeks, as I say goodbye, will be difficult.

PS. One last story; St. Joseph’s Day in Florence: The Grana Market, where we always got this great, thick, rich pesto sauce was closed the day I stopped by, and I didn’t have it in any restaurants while I was in Florence, and so I was kind of disappointed when I was back in the airport, but then they had it in Duty Free! I was excited. The check out woman was very friendly as she wrapped up like Fort Knox my little glass bottle of liquid. Then when I got back to Ukraine, I was tired, so I stayed over in Lviv with another volunteer. He was having guests the next day, and I was planning to come back, but since I had stayed, I was very eager to show off my purchases the next morning while people were arriving. Well just as I get into Fort Knox, a couple, who are dear friends of mine and from FSU, came in. She had also studied in Florence. I handed her the bottle; and she thought it a very thoughtful gift. I didn’t have the heart (plus my shame at showing off) to tell her the truth. So I tried to let it go, and comfort myself with all the pesto to come this summer.
Well, I noticed pine nuts in our new grocery store the next day, and they also had parmesan, so I bought all the things I needed to make my own pesto (it was a bit pricey for Ukraine). I had had the recipe for a long time but never tried. Mine came out rich and green too! I was so thrilled with the result that I almost called my friend to thank her for forcing me to try to do something that I had always known how... but I thought it a bit cheeky. So if you are reading now, thanks, Sandy.

posted by jjs @ 2:09 PM