My first two days at the office: Trading Places

I now have a part-time, temporary job on Mondays and Tuesdays, you may have read this on a previous blog. I started yesterday. To recap, I was placed as a temp to do website maintenance for the Nelson City Council. The Council functions much like your local city councils. I am to keep updated and also keep savvy the Council’s website, and also work with other graphic design projects as needed. For those of you interested, visit http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/ and you’ll see my handiwork somewhere, though you won’t know it thanks to my perfected seamless style. :)

To give you an idea of my experience going back into the trenches, Monday was definitely Monday, but Tuesday was Friday, so that’s not too bad, right? Best part of the job, I’d say. I mean, let’s face it: work is work. As much as I was giddily looking forward to this new job last week, Sunday night was full of dread. Back to a job, to an office, to computer work, what had I been thinking??

And then the alarm went off Monday morning at 6:30am, UGH. I was to be in the office from 8 to 5 both days, but even with a 5 minute walking “commute” I wanted to give myself enough time. Guess what, I needed it! Short version? Shit happened.

My office happens to be right next door to the city clock tower building, so I learned some 100 yards from the office that I was already late by the last chime. But not to worry, so was everyone else! I waited about 15 minutes for my office mates to arrive to show me the ropes. As I had seen pretty much all over the country, most of the staffers were dressed in black or grey—the unofficial New Zealand office “uniform.” Since I knew this, I had put on my charcoal suit, but with a touch of color in my chartreuse cashmere v-neck sweater and beaded necklace. I just can’t wear black by itself anymore, so dark and dowdy! Oh, I can’t wait for my clothes to arrive—it will be like shopping at my very own mall! Anyway, I digress.

I was finally introduced to my primary co-worker, Jungle. Yes, I confirmed his name three times before seeing his nametag for myself. Jungle Payne is my co-worker and timesheet signer. He is the web designer and creator of most things graphic for NCC, apparently. He is also from Santa Barbara, moving to New Zealand in 1993. Jungle took me to my desk and introduced me to Nan, another workmate. She is a Kiwi, thankfully. I’m meeting so many foreigners, I was starting to wonder if I would ever hang out with Kiwis! (We’d been to a bar last weekend to celebrate Brit friend Dan’s bday with recent German immigrants Stefan and Ina, another British couple who’s names I forgot.)

Jungle, Nan and I are all Communications Advisers. I asked what each did, and they said, “communications adviser.” Okay, so what do you DO? As I said, Jungle is web dude, Nan is a journalist and writer for the Council publications (I was excited about this as Don has become an avid reader of all local news and community papers, particularly LIVE Nelson, a publication of . . . me and my officemates as it turns out!). The woman who sits at my desk on W, Th, and F is Ali and she too is a publications writer, although it’s likely I won’t meet her since we work on opposite days.

We five now make up the Public Communications department of the NCC, except I am not part of staff meetings, I have an anonymous email, “temppc2@ncc.govt.nz” and my name appears nowhere. So maybe I am not really part of the department, the life of a temp: from the top to the bottom, ah well! But I can stay anonymous and in the shadows -- and get some freaking work done for a change! Again, I digress.

Jungle showed me the ropes, pointed me to the web site, gave me a notebook of past-due website changes to make, showed me the restroom, spent my first break with me, and took me through the fire exits and out to the staging area. This first 4 hours sent me into a mental breakdown; in the upstairs cafeteria I saw dozens of people having their mid-morning break. I asked Jungle how many people worked for Council, 200 he said. TWO HUNDRED? I’ve not worked for an office that large for 10 years, I was in total culture shock. This office even had showers in both the men’s and women’s bathrooms, the freaking cafeteria, and a pool table, plus a rooftop patio.

I called Don mid-morning in my shocked state, he was in his own office at his part-time job. He works with two women, one very young, and the other Sarah from Louisville, mentioned previously. He has a mini-kitchen with dirty dishes from last week, barely a bathroom, and not even a copy machine. The equipment is severely dated, the workspace is small, and some days he doesn’t have a computer even to work from. They have two telephones, so “transferring a call” has it’s own meaning. And when all staffers are out of the office, they have to close it down and put up a “be back in 5” sign.

Don and I have traded places!!! He has worked in large offices his entire career, and I have work at least for the last 10 years for very small organizations needing major infusions of technology help. I’ve NEVER had a shower at my office and now I have about 4 laser printers (on my floor alone) to choose from (all named after Hollywood actors: Clooney, Bronson, you get the idea).

This adventure is bringing all sorts of new experiences to both of us. My job lasts at least through November, and you can’t beat a five day weekend. This work schedule will allow for a nice long summer break with several days off during each week to sit around on a beach or hike around Nelson Lakes. Thank goodness, I just can’t handle this work gig too much. What’s gonna happen to me when I have to go back full-time . . . next March? Life’s tough, eh, bet you are crying me a river.