My first day & Utrecht

I know I didn’t write immediately after my first day – and that you are probably waiting in an-ti-ci-pation! But here it is!

The first day @ IBM Hoofkantoor went as expected. Lots of information, new people and procedures. The good news is that I received my laptop and the bad news is that I did not receive my mobile. Maybe Monday or Tuesday.

After watching a video that might have been narrated by Mel Gibson (not 100% sure, but really sounded like him) - about the history of IBM and a bit of Ra-Ra about IBM thrown in; there were some presentations from people already working there. Very interesting, and it seems like a fantastic place to work for. But time will tell.

Of course, as with any gathering of people, we had the ‘Miss-I-have-a-problem-with-everything’ in our group. Her questions (or maybe they were accusations) were mainly focused around escalation and hierarchy within IBM. It went something like this…

Miss Irritating: ‘So what do I do if I have a problem with IBM?’
HR Representative: ‘You can raise it with HR’
Miss I: ‘What if I have a problem with HR?’
HR Rep: ‘You can raise it with your Manager’
Miss I: ‘That didn’t work’

(At this point, please note that she has not worked one day for IBM yet!)

HR Rep: ‘Well, then you can try your Manager’s Manager’
Miss I: ‘Nope’
HR Rep: ‘Then I guess you should go straight to Harry’
(The boss of IBM Netherlands for our area) followed by a cold stare
Miss I: ‘So it’s Harry then?’ (In an all-knowing tone)
HR Rep: ‘Yes’
L-o-n-g- silence and icy stares….

HR Rep: ‘Okay, let’s continue….’

And so it went the whole day! Quite amusing I think.

As far as accommodations go, I stayed in a beautiful hotel (as mentioned below) booked on the internet by Godfrey. 10 Brownie points for that!

Today, I moved to Utrecht, and after driving around for 20 minutes (with taxi fare ticking!) we managed to find Pension Iris – my new home for the next two weeks. Now, it wasn’t like we couldn’t find the place (even with the help of the taxi driver’s GPS), but there is a faire/market in a big street here today. The street we needed to get to Pension Iris! Eventually we found an alternative route, and I rang the bell.

Chantal and boyfriend Walter opened the door, and they were very happy to see me. (Not nearly as happy as me!) Anyway, my room is upstairs, and Walter promptly displayed his manliness by carrying all my heavy bags up the stairs.

It is worth writing something about the stairs: I am not sure if it is because these are quite old buildings, or if there is no space of simply if it was a stupid contractor, but these stairs would definitely not make any building regulations in SA. Or in any country for that matter. They are about 15 cm deep and 20cm high, with a gradient of possibly 88 degrees! Very,very steep with a rope for a railing!

So after checking out the room – which consists of two single beds with yellow blankies; a kitchenette; a small bathroom and closet – I set out to the streets and the market! I managed to find a grocery store and bought a couple of necessities.

Now I am back in my room, and Walter kindly bought me a wireless card for 10 euros, as my Taiwan laptop does not have wireless and my IBM laptop is not allowed to have Skype installed. So now I am online and ready for action again.

I will take some pictures tomorrow and upload as soon as I can – that is if Blogger plays along.

More news...

So now it is 11:23 pm Thursday night, and I am sitting in the Artemis Hotel in Amsterdam watching BBC 1. It was raining the whole day, and with the grey skies I really felt like I was in England, not The Netherlands.

But the realisation of actually being here is slowly dawning on me. People ask me what I am doing here, and I do not believe myself when I say: "I just moved here to work permanently for IBM."

I vividly remember the days when I sent out 5-10 CVs per day to any overseas company. And receiving disappointing replies. Many. And now I have come such a long way. I am not sad, but there is a certain sense of loss.

Some practical information about my day so far... The flight was ok - I had a very good neighbour on the plane - he sat still with his headphones on - and didn't want to talk. I like those! The breakfast was actually quite good, and the arrival at Frankfurt painless. However, the airport is really really big and the distance from arrival to departure far! I made it in one piece to my next flight that was only 45 minutes to Amsterdam.

I stumbled outside Schiphol taking the first taxi to the fantastic Artemis hotel. Shortly after arriving (25 euros later!) a hotel shuttle stopped outside. I could have taken that for free!!! Anyway - so I will learn.

After checking to see if the internet works here (of course!) I took a lovely nap from about 2-8pm. Then, room service kindly brought me a very-needed club sandwich and Pepsi (ugggh!) But it went down well.

Then some chats to friends on Skype and MSN and now off to bed.

Tomorrow is my first day @ IBM starting with an induction session. The only problem is that I received two different emails with two different addresses for the session. I am going to follow the latest email's instructions - let's hope it is right! Fortunately the buildings are right next to each other - so it should be ok.

This is it now...

So the dirty deed is done!!!
I am in "Hamsterjam" and settling in...

The flight was ok - just really tired now, and should take a nap.

Here is a pic of the room I am staying in:

Some more info will follow....

Today's emotion pic

So I seem to achieve something in all this chaos...
Today I:

• paid the deposit for the going-away party (very important!)
• paid the clearance figures for my house and
• booked a one-way ticket to Amsterdam!

I also tried to obtain an electricity certificate for my flat, but I was not very successful.

This is how I feel...

Frustration 101

Today is not a good day - the waiting is getting to me.

I have not had a good night's rest in 5 days.

I see pictures of Euros, airtickets and rental contracts mocking me when I try to get some much-needed sleep.
Not soothing music, a warm bath, tea nor Jay Leno can ease me into the night.

So, putting on the friendliest voice I could bear, I called.
Nothing is ready yet. She will call back.

Grrrrrr.....

Lulu is going to Holland....First she will be staying with Michelle in Cape Town for a while, and hopefully December she will be ready with her European-kitty-passport to come to Utrecht.

The uncertainty

I still don't know when I'm going...
It sounds an little bit like the opening line from The House of Leaves:
"I still get nightmares"

It is almost the same.

I won't say that this experience is turning into a nightmare, but rather a logistical nightmare:
- when to move house
- when to tag/inject/ship the cat (dear Lulu)
- when to stop working
- and when will i have enough money...

scary scary scary.

but all in all it will hopefully be:
- happiness all around
- ok money-wise
- organised and
- all go according to some twisted (non-existing) plan

Currently sitting on Schiphol airport, waiting for our time to board.
So, the trip went well and all is signed and sealed. All that is left now is the logistical nightmare to relocate to another country. Fun, fun, fun!

I want to tell you how things worked this morning here at prob the best airport in the world! (You can compare to similar experiences you've had)

We arrived rather early, and wanted to check in as soon as possible. After being dropped off at the right terminal by the "looking-like-he-might-even-have-a-degree" well-groomed taxi driver, we tried to find the KLM checkin counter. The hostess pointed us in the direction of these blue machines that look a bit like mini-ATMs.

There, you are supposed to scan either your passport or frequent flyer card. This didn't work and I punched in the confirmation code and viola! A boarding card was printed. Unfortunately my mother's wouldn't work and we had to brave the queues (which in the end only took about 5 minutes) at the "old-school" checkin desk.

Ok, so now we are all checked in (without being charged for excess baggage or way too much hand luggagge- a miracle!) we went to the coffee area.

Mum went shopping and I... just take a guess... tried to get on the internet as soon as possible! (I take it you guessed right!)

Wireless card in - check
Computer on - check
Mouse out - check
wait...

wow! A login page appears.

Create a profile - check
wait...

Mmm... have to pay for internet... 6 Euros.

Credit Card - check

All paid and connected and typing to you now!

Aiaiaia! What can I say. I love living in the 21st century!

PS. Trying to upload some pictures for your enjoyment - but I guess I can't have everything, right?

This website is now permanent

please bookmark Lisl in Holland!

My official new office

Yes. It is true. Despite all nervousness, doubts and speculation I have the job.

I must warn you though... it is not something that I have digested yet - so it is still a bit unreal to me, and that is why I am not jumping up and down. (I think!)

Anyway... went to sign papers at this office today.

My dinner tonight...

Thursday...

I am sitting in the hotel after drinking a s-t-r-o-n-g coffee (shouldn't have, I know!), but for the first time this week I am really really nervous.

Yes, I was nervous for the other interviews, but this afternoon it is the crunch.

Negotiations...

Definitely not my strong point.

I will get an indication of the salary and I am not sure at all what to expect or even if I do get a figure, is it good or bad? Gut feel will have to help with this one.

My mother is out and about in the streets of Amsterdam today - hopefully she will find some pretty things for herself as well as a "poffertje-pan" for Godfrey... Don't ask... ;)

Anyway, if everything goes well - as it has so far - I might have a signed contract by the end of the day.

I'm thinking real french champagne and lobster tonight!

By the way... thanks to everyone for the continuous support, sms's and email. It really helps and means a lot!

So far...

Hello all...

by this time you are all probably wondering what is going on this side...

Well, we arrived safely, thanks for Air France, and we checked into our "city-lodge-looking" hotel.
The hotel is a nearly a kilometer away from the beautiful IBM building (below).

I started this morning at bout 9:30 by meeting the guy who made this all happen, Ad Vos. After a conversation that lasted more than 2 hours but felt like 5 minutes, we got into his car and drove to Schiphol.

There I met with the head of CRM Benelux and the Programme Manager for the Rabobank project. All went smooth...

Off the Utrecht to meet the Rabobank project members, which was very interesting.

As far as the verdict goes... we will have to wait until tomorrow when I have more meetings and a session with HR.

Keep on holding thumbs!!!

bye for now.

L

Once in a lifetime...

I am going to Holland tomorrow... for an interview with IBM Benelux.

I feel:

• incredibly nervous
• very excited
• a tad scared
• as if I should regard is as a holiday and see what happens
• as if I should regard is as the most important moment in my life and worry even more
• sad as this could mean leaving my family, friends and 2IT

The town is called Almere, and it just East of Amsterdam - built in a lake.

Here is a picture of my (potential) new office: