Lazy Afternoon with a Hot Coffee

Orientation

Quite a relaxed week, partly because of the Labour Day Holiday on Tuesday.

On Thursday, we had this orientation day, to welcome the newcomers into the organisation. So we had to show up at the airport in the morning to meet the other newbies from other divisions.

I was late. Not on purpose. Anyway, it was just... late.

Started off the orientation with an introduction about the organisation's history, the divisions that make up the organisation, who's the boss, and who's MY boss... blahblah.

Next up is a games session.

Yes... games.

Were split up into groups and the first game was to solve some word puzzles. Next is a challenge with drinking straws and an egg. Main goal is to 'build a structure around the egg so that it won't break when dropped from waist-height'.

This would have been fun-- If I'm in Polytechnic or Uni, not when the average age of the participants are around 30!!?? (Flips eyes)

The lunch session was okay, but not fantastic. We had directors, chiefs, and heads from various divisions join the newbies for lunch. Everyone was split into tables of 5 to 6 again. This time round, they had a list of names of who's to be sat at which table.

My table:
-Chief Corporate Officer
-HR Director
-Newbie-- a retired Pilot. Mr. Captain.
-Newbie-- a lady from the Cargo side, was in some military ministry before.
-Newbie-- a guy from my Academy (shouldn't be too junior too I suppose)
-Newbies-- me and a training classmate.

You can just imagine me-- seated at this table where everyone is much more senior and (except for my classmate) at least 10 years older. Lunch was not bad, but I can't say much for the company.

I just can't take it when people start to go all politically-correct with me. I would so much prefer to have lunch and coffee with those uncles you see sitting at coffeeshops all day long shaking their legs. At least they speak their minds, curse when they feel the urge, laugh at jokes that are really funny, and make fun of people/policies that are just crap.

I kept quiet most of the time, simply because I had no freaking idea what the rest are talking about most of the time. Organisation policy? Not intersted at all, unless it involves raising my pay. New equipment coming in? Let's just look at it when it's ACTUALLY here, shall we?

But don't worry about me, I kept my manners and smiled at the right times, and just shut my mouth when I don't have anything to say. Managed to ask the HR Director one simple question-- So you've been working in other departments before HR; Do you prefer HR or other places?

And there came the oh-so-correct answer-- "Every department has its challenges and good points..." Blahblah.

Enough heard.

Very seldom that you see me grateful for a lunchtime to be over.

But who knows? Maybe a couple of weeks later, I might get a report-- on how the directors and chiefs thought of me, over lunch.

The afternoon was a bit better. The newbies were brought to the OUR homebase-- the main control centre. I was just snickering when I see and hear those people from other divisions go "OHHHHH!!! Wah!!!!!" when they saw our equipment and environment. Ok.. I'm being mean here. But some of the questions they ask are really dumb...

Next is the visit to my training Academy. Well, I suppose SIZE really does matter. The "OHHHHH!" and "WAAHHHH!"s just got louder when we stepped in and they saw that we have a fountain, pavillions, and a big pond with lots of fat kois. Yes, people, the fishes are real.

Final stop for the day-- the Fire Station onsite. This was just awesome. I was just about 400m or so away from aircrafts on their landings and takeoffs. AWESOME. Took a ride on the emergency fire trucks too. AWESOME. (Will post the pics up some time later)

Crappy start, awesome end.

posted by A Lone Fighter @ 11:17 PM