job hunting

hunting season has opened. in 1 week i've done my time and am free to roam the green pastures of other jobs. (i suppose i always was, but now i won't have to pay the company money back and can still get recommendations from my superiors).

so i've been out hunting. i updated my cv and am ready for a new challenge.

i found a couple of jobs that interested me.
1. writer for a tourist website here in prague.
2. writer/marketting person for a hotel in prague.
3. fraud administrator here in prague.

let me tell you a bit about my experiences with each.

1. i did my professional thing. scouted out the website, thought about what they wanted to hear. practised my lines in front of the mirror. went to the interview in pants that were too tight. way too tight. and way too woollen to wear on a hot summer day. and i wore broken shoes. it was either that or sneakers and sneakers don't fit well with dress pants. so i walked into that interview, shoes flapping, in pants that did not do much to disguise my anatomical features. the interviewer was a nice young lady who seemed very interested in me, but the salary was extremely low, so i declined after all.

2. i decided i no longer wanted floppy soles and tight pants so i bought new dress shoes and a new pair of dressy pants. came to the hotel, had a pretty standard interview got a small assignment and was invited for the second interview for which i was pretty unprepared. the owner grilled me with a complete lack of enthusiasm and frowned at my cv often. then i spent a few hours doing a test in which i had to place people in their correct rooms. gruelling.

3. walked in very relaxed. had a pleasant chat, understood the job and felt a good connection. at the end i also had to do a little test. i had to pick out the frauds in a bunch, which i thought was pretty fun. they said they'd let me know by a certain time (they did mention a specific time, i just don't feel like mentioning it).

meanwhile, i'm flirting with recruiters that offer me positions in london and belgium. so off to pastures green. or at least greener, as are all the pastures one is not currently on. but i've learned valuable lessons from my interviews, most importantly broken shoes and tight pants could be the key to making a good impression...

good for you

outsourcing. a great place to get hired and work your ass off, so you can get hired somewhere better.

The Saga of Erik the Viking Part 1 An Explorer is Born

Like any young man of the fiercesome Bøårsk tribe of northern Sweden, Erik always aspired to become a famous viking warrior. But as he grew from being an adolescent to a grown man, he grew tired of the same old raiding, looting and pillaging of neighboring tribes. Pretty soon, he didn't want to be involved in any more raiding parties, but he went anyway, because he didn't want to arouse suspicion among the other warriors.

During quiet days, Erik started to wander around the surrounding areas of his home village, each day venturing a little farther. He found he loved these little explorations. And then one day, when there wasn't much more exploring to be done around the village, he went to the coast and looked across the vast expanse of water. What lies beyond those waters? he thought. His curiosity grew stronger each day. Between raids, he started spending more time with the tribe's fishermen as well, and became fascinated with their boats. Even going on a few fishing trips with them. He asked them all sorts of questions on how to build boats, how to fish, how to navigate...he wanted to know everything!

He quickly became good friends with the fishermen. But then he said something that shocked them all. "I want to see what lies beyond these waters. Maybe there are faraway lands that no one has seen before." A stunned silence followed. One of the fishermen became upset, "YOU FOOL!" He pointed at the horizon, "CAN'T YOU SEE, THE WORLD ENDS THERE AT THE HORIZON. ONCE YOU GET TO THAT POINT YOU FALL OFF THE EDGE!! Also, before getting to that point SEAMONSTERS will eat you alive. We must never speak of such things again."

Having seen how he upset his friends, Erik decided to drop the subject. However, he wasn't convinced of seamonsters and of the horizon being the edge of the world. Besides, if they were right, he was one of the most fiercest warriors of the Bøårsk tribe, he didn't fear seamonsters. Also, he figured if the edge of the world was the horizon, he thought he could always turn around before he got there.

With each day this urge to explore the open seas became stronger, and he had his fishermen friends help him build a boat, he told them it was for short fishing trips. He started planning for his long trip. He estimated how much food he would need, the types of clothes he would wear on the voyage, the weapons he would take, he even planned to take a gift of a pig's head with him as a gift to present to the people he might meet in those faraway lands. He decided he would soon embark on his voyage of exploration. One night while the Bøårsk warriors were celebrating a succesful raid of a nearby rival tribe, Erik decided to share his decision with the tribe.

"Fellow tribesmen," he yelled, "I have made a big decision, I've decided to explore the wide open seas with my new boat." The crowd murmured, didn't he know of the dangers of seamonsters?! "I shall go next week. I know of the dangers, but I shall be well prepared. But, I realize that I may have a very small chance of survival. But do not be worried, Once I reach the faraway lands I believe may be across the horizon, I shall claim these lands in the name of the Bøårsk tribe, and we shall be the most powerful tribe in all of Sweden. Before I go, I shall make a sacrifice of a 1,000 cows to ødin. Do not try to change my mind, I've made my decision and it's final." The tribe knew that once Erik made a decision, it was fruitless to try and argue with him. His father thought he was foolish, but he was proud of his son's bravery. The next day, Erik started making preparations...to be c0ntinued.

Outsourcing ain't so bad.

Complains on this blog are lamer then 10 lama's.

There is more to the picture then meets the eye.

Karluv Most - Charles Bridge -

i was asked to write this. i might as well post it here since i don't think it will be used anywhere else.

Karluv Most - Charles Bridge - Karlbrucke - Pont Charles - Ponte di Carlo - Puente de Carlos - Kaarlen Silta - Podul Carol

The Charles Bridge is not the bridge to cross in a hurry. Not only because of the crowds, but because the spectacular sights require time. The centuries of stone require time to tell their story.

The Birth

Constructed under the reign of Charles IV the birth of the Charles Bridge is shrouded in legends and mysteries. Construction was started at 5:31 am on the 9^th of June 1357. All the numbers are odd and, excluding the number 9, they are all prime numbers. Legend has is that the mortar used to bind the stone blocks was strengthened with egg yolks and science has shown that there are indeed inorganic and organic ingredients in the mortar.

The bridge was finished in the beginning of the 15^th century and whatever was used to bind the stones was a success, because despite countless floods across the centuries the bridge still stands today. Even the waters of the river Vltava (Moldau), whose banks gave birth to the powerful Golem, were not strong enough to break free of the bridge.

It stood solitary across the river, the only connection between the Old Town, Prague Castle and surroundings until 1841.

The Statues

The Charles Bridge has been decorated by different means over the centuries, ranging from the severed heads of anti-Habsburg revolutionaries to gothic and baroque style statues and statuaries.

Thirty time-blackened statues of forgotten saints now stand on the bridge, each with their own story to tell.

The statue of John of Nepomuk is the oldest statue on the bridge. The statue was built where Wenceslas IV threw John off the bridge for refusing to reveal Queen Johanna’s confession in 1393. The martyr’s secrets drowned with him in the river. Countless hopeful, greasy fingertips have polished the plaque on the statue, which is said to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague when it is touched.

The statuary of the Holy Crucifix and Calvary was gradually modified over the centuries, having been mutilated by the Hussites and the Swedes. A Hebrew text was placed over the crucifix as a punishment for a Jewish man, Eliass Backoffen, who had debased the crucifix. An American rabbi cautioned the city of the offense this might cause and the city added a plaque explaining the historical significance of the text.

And many more stand mutely with their stories to tell.

The Modern Day

Centuries have passed and the bridge has lost little of its mystique. Walking over the bridge, which stands over the river like an imposing fortress, all the senses are brought to an alert. Vistas of red, green, white, and gold sparkle on both banks of the river. The coolness of its flowing waters can be tasted in the air.

The bridge bustles in the daytime. Music mingles with the sound of camera shutters as an old man gives Pinocchio a run for his money with a clown-faced, faded, red-nosed puppet with a guitar.

During the night and early morning the bridge is a silent romantic haven. Lit by gothic-style lanterns it stretches longingly over the Vltava. Standing close together to ward of the coolness of the night, you can watch the reflection of the city shimmering in the dark blue waters under the moonlight.

The Last Line of Defense

Clouseau has been on vacation for the last week, and Archie has been in meetings for most of that time. Clouseau is responsible for the smallest accounts, and he usually doesn't have to do a whole lot, but now that he's gone my workload is close to unbearable. I already had trouble keeping up with my work as it is, and now with the extra work I'm nearing a breaking point. We need reinforcements and we need them quickly.

They're on their way, there may be a new person on Monday, but once they're here they'll need to be trained. And given Clouseau's level of competence I'll be expected to shoulder that load as well. Making matters worse, Alice Cooper finally found another thing to complain about (never mind the fact that she messed up on a couple things herself this week, but she's kind of a big deal so it's okay,) I won't go into the details, it's not a big issue but most likely she's going to escalate it to one of the managers anyway. Regardless, just 3 more work days until another brief weekend respite.

City of a 1,000 Spires

I knew next to nothing about Prague and the Czech Republic before I moved here. All I knew is that the people spoke Czech, Prague was the capital city, and I knew about Martina Navratilova. It all happened so suddenly last year that I didn't have much time to study the country. With time, I've become a lot more knowledgeable about the city, but there's still a lot more to learn.

Sights

Prague is probably the most beautiful city I've ever had the privilege to visit/live in. Everytime I walk around the center, I feel like I'm on vacation, and looking at all the old churches, buildings and the amazing sense of history makes me feel lucky that I'm here. Some of the more famous sights in the city include, the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and the Astronomical Clock (see picture.) Many people dislike tourists, but sometimes it's nice to hear different languages besides Czech, and when I hear Americans, it feels like home again.

Entertainment

The city has loads of pubs and clubs, and it's tons of fun going out here and the beer is cheap as well. There are also lots of concerts. When going to the cinema, the movies aren't dubbed, but are subtitled, a big advantage! Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of good restaurants and all in all, the food is mediocre at best. However, the beer is great and is served in pints.

Crime

For a city this size, Prague has a low crime rate, which is a good thing because the police is notorious for being incompetent. The only thing one really has to watch out for are the pickpockets that frequent the center, but by practicing common sense one can significantly reduce the chance of being pickpocketed.

People

Czech people, and people from Prague in particular have become infamous for their grouchy demeanor. There's no such thing as small talk with strangers (believe me I've tried.) When speaking another language on the subway, tram or bus, one is likely to be glared at. I don't believe the people have much of a sense of humor either. The women have a deserved reputation for being very lovely and fashionable, but are unapproachable. Men often wear camouflage clothes and have odd hairstyles.

Cost of Living

Before coming here, I was told that the cost of living was a lot lower than western Europe and the United States. It probably is a lot cheaper to live here than western Europe, but I think the US is cheaper. I paid a lot less rent for my apartment, which was also larger, gasoline was cheaper, electronics and clothes are a lot cheaper as well. The only thing that costs less here is food and beer. However, for a capital city, relatively speaking, it's quite economical to live here.

Conclusion

I love living here. At the same time, a part of me is itching to go westwards again. The longer I stay here, the more I'm looking forward to the next opportunity. The novelty of living here is slowly losing its charm, but I'm still enjoying myself while I can. The day of my departure is still unclear, but I know it's coming closer with each passing day, and I'm looking forward to that day. But when it comes, I know it will be bittersweet.