stressssss

Well, three weeks completed at the new job and I can't say that I'm particularly enjoying it. Right now it's just stressing me out, which is apparently normal at this time of the year which is the company's busy season. Think tax season for an accountant. I've been working on two projects, neither of which I've been able to finish and now people are asking me...why not? Well, the past two days I've been given another assignment which is a "top priority," so what do I do??

So here's the lowdown on what I've been doing: trying to book 12-passenger vans all over the country. This was supposed to be finished this week, but it hasn't. Oops. It's hard when you have to wait on a phone call back from somebody in Richmond, only to have them tell you that they don't have what you need. So then you move on to plan B or C and plan B requires extra paperwork.

Then there's the travel arrangements. Response from the boss lady: "well that plane ticket's too expensive. Email so-and-so in France and see if they can travel on different dates." Well so-and-so in France takes four days to get back to me. Meanwhile, I have anxious parents and students waiting for a plane ticket. THIS is as cheap as it's gonna be! Please let me book it! So frustrating. I have all the arrangements made, I just have to hit "purchase." And yes, I know it's a $1400 ticket, but that's not my fault and it's just going to keep getting more expensive.

And now there's a new assignment: recruiting host families in Arlington, VA. Why is this my responsibility and why has that been placed on the top of my to-do list, when I know I'm going to get yelled at next week for not having all the vans rented? So, if anyone out there has contacts in Arlington who may want to host a Chinese student for two weeks this summer, let me know because it would really help me out :P

Things I am learning about my job: I'm more of a people person than I thought...especially in work situations. Though this job is in the right field, I want to work more directly with the people and students involved in studying abroad or on exchanges. Also, I need to have periodic successes to stay fulfilled. I want to finish these vans as much as they want me to. I do not want to be a recruiter. And I need to not live so far away from my job that it could take me an hour in traffic to get home from work. I totally dwell on things and do not want to sit and stew about something and get more and more annoyed about it while I'm in the car. This is not a good look for me. I need to be able to leave work at work. I'm upset that I'm stressed about not being at work for almost a week. I hate that. I should be able to enjoy the fact that I have the full Memorial Day weekend off, but I will be dwelling on those things I need to get accomplished on Wednesday. Sad that this job is kinda making me miss Target....

Oh, did I mention that tomorrow is my last day of classes ever??? And that a week from tomorrow, I'll have a Master's degree?? Go me!!