07.29.07
Posted in Uncategorized, Every day life at 9:09 pm by tesstess
I’ve done one full working week. The first week in my life. It’s a new feeling this weekend, a feeling of freedom. Sure, I was free for six months. But now I’m free in another way. I’m independant! I’m working, I’m able to save money, to make up plans, to start my life.
I enjoyed my first free day with Anthony, we went shopping: a bike! I planned to buy one next month but we found a really good second hand bike for almost half the price compared to what I had planned, so then it was in my budget to buy it this month. Then we went to Cap3000 to look for shorts for Anthony. We didn’t find any since it’s the end of solds, but he came with me to the ladies department and helped me try out a new brah (bh). I’m so impressed by Anthony, he didn’t complain the least to go there and help me, the opposite. I told him there is not a big percentage of men that are able to do such a thing for their girl.
In the evening we had a bbq at home with friends, we were seven and the evening was really great. It’s the best time, the time with friends, laughing together. And, you know what? I understand what they’re saying! All but Jerome who speak far to fast for me.
An especially funny memory from this bbq is when the watering system went on. We have a powerful water canon for the grass which turns, and this time it happened to start in the very direction of the grill. Anthony screamed and ran the fastest he could towards the place to turn it of but crashed into a chair on the way and the water went over the grill twice before stopped. Luckily we have a grill with a big round cover which was on at the time. Puh, I don’t want to imagine the meet all wet.
Today (sunday) we went for a bike trip just after breakfast. We tried the way to Amadeus, and in fact it was not too hard for me. It took approximately 50 minutes, but then we had some short pauses on the way as well. A very beautiful road, small, through the forest all the time, and at one place following a small water streem.
On the way back we had different choices of path, long, same, physical, technical. I choose the technical one and was surprised how easy it is with this kind of bike, a VTT (in french), mountain bike in english. It does everything on it’s own, it’s more like riding a horse than a bike. The path was sometimes full of rocks, sand and sharp turns and it was really fun to go.
At one place there was a sort of stair going down, with wide steps so it was possible by bike. I had made a small fall with the bike just before so I was walking down most of them, but Anthony said I could try at least the last one, to see that they were in fact easy to take with this kind of bike. I backed to start on the beginning of the last step and went up on the bike, but… with to little control. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I think I lost the pedal with one foot and with the hands I was only holding the handles, not the breaks, which resulted in that I took the stair too fast, and in a little bit of panic I was reaching for the breaks… you know what happens when taking the front break with full power? Flying. I flew over the bike, and the bike after me down on the ground of rocks. When Anthony heard me and turnd his head I was having the bike over me on the ground, and he run back to help me up.
I was chocked for a long time, almost so that I had to throw up and I had to lay down on the ground to rest. I was not to hurt, I will be blue on one leg and one arm but nothing really bad.
Next time I will bring two more things on my bike ride: helmet and water.
The rest of the day we stayed home, taking it really cool, cleaning a little. AnnCharlotte and Petter are coming tomorrow.
Now I’m ready for my next week of work. It’s a lot to learn now in the beginning. I’m so happy with my team and what I will do. The way of developing software is close of what we were doing at Chalmers so I feel at home. The atmosphere in the department is really nice, relaxed and friendly. It couldn’t have been better. And I know all that time, all the time since I got to know what e-travel and SEP was that it was there I wanted to go. I was so right!
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:30 pm by tesstess
We had a great time in Sweden, me and Anthony. There was lots in the schedule for the four days we had but in the end we managed to do almost all.
Priority one was to meet my grandparents. They were all so happy to have us there, and they really liked Anthony. It wasn’t a big problem that they couldn’t speak.
But before doing anything else, we stopped by at Ellens place on the way from the Airport when getting Anthony. And we put him on a chair to have the hair cut. He was a bit surprised, but it was a funny start.
The result. Good, isn’t it!? I really recommend Ellen.
Since it’s been raining a lot the woods were full of blueberries. We spent some hours picking and with the speed of one kilo per hour and person we soon got a lot. Anthony made blueberry jam and we could bring some with us back home.
On the day with the best weather we went out on the sea with my parents in my grandparents boat.
In the beginning it was a bit cold but when the wind mojnade = stopped it was becoming warm and nice.
We had brought the fishing material to try a bit and to our joy there were lots of fish to catch.
There was a seal comming really close. I know the picture is not showing so much, but if you look carefully you can see it’s head.
We got around seven of them, plus some that managed to get of the hook just before they were in the boat.
Anthony showed us a talent I didn’t know about, to empty the fish of the bad things. He did it really well, it’s because he learned of his dad who was working in the fish part of a food store some years early in his career.
The fish was fried with dill = aneth (don’t know in english) the way we always do and it was sooo good. On the picture is mum and Anthony preparing the fish.
The next day we met my friends and went to the medieval days in Kungälv, a city between Göteborg and where my parents live. It’s an old castle with an interesting history and lots of people had come there, many dressed out in clothes from that time.
Here is Henrik and Karin, in their beautiful home made clothes.
And here is the gang, my friends from Chalmers.
After walking around a couple of hours looking at people and the things to buy, and buying some herbal tea, we went to see the tournament.
I was so happy to see horses. It was the first time I saw a tournament and it really impressed me, they had a super control of their horses, and you could se that the horses was having lots of fun them too.
Even though I love acrobatics I wouldn’t be in the place of the man with blue pants.
When we came back home we had kantareller = girolle with us and Anthony made a delicius pasta gratain with them.
07.09.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:41 pm by tesstess
Last friday I finally signed my contract for Amadeus. I guess you can understand how relieved and happy I am. It’s two weeks until I will start and I will spend them in Sweden, starting from tomorrow. And from next wednesday Anthony will join me. It will be so fun to have a chance to show him how beautiful it is back home in summer!
07.04.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:32 pm by tesstess
Today I finally got a job offer proposal from Amadeus. As said in Swedish in the previous post I did all tests and interviews with Amadeus yesterday afternoon following a hectic morning when I was called on the airport on my way to Sweden… and just had the time to get my checked bag back of the plane and return to Sophia Antipolis.
A contract with Amadeus will be ready for me to sign on Friday, and I will start the 23rd. I will take a flight to Sweden Tuesday the 10th and return Sunday the 22nd.
I think this is the final end of my long and irregular journey. A good end.
The rest of the time until friday I will spend under our avocado tree, reading a book. I’m half way through “Et, si, c’etait vrai” by Mark Levy. And then I should go to the library and borrow me some more films, because Anthony is going on climbing vacation with Thomas tonight and will not return until sunday. I already feel lonely.
07.03.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:13 pm by tesstess
Aningen chockad för tillfället.
Det har varit en händelserik men snabb dag. Dagen började i morse med att Anthony körde mig till flygplatsen. Jag skulle äntligen komma hem och träffa familjen och vännerna. Ellen skulle klippa mitt hår och jag skulle pärla med AnnCharlotte och Katarina.
Efter att jag checkat in mitt bagage gick jag genom kontrollen och satte mig att vänta på att gå på planet. Jag var nervös hela morgonen och på flygplatsen försökte jag fundera ut varför. Var det för att jag glömde passet den där gången när jag skulle med mamma till Skottland och var tvungen att åka en dag senare? Jag var i god tid på flygplatsen, passet var med, väskan inte för tung, mamma skulle hämta mig på Landvetter. Inga jättestora orosmoln, förutom att Astek skulle ringa mig under dagen och tala om att det nu var färdigförhandlat med Amadeus. Men det visade sig snart att jag inte var nervös i onödan…
Amadeus ringer. Jag svarar och de förklarar att de inte kan ta mig som konsult då jag gjort mitt internship där, det är beslutat nu och de vill att jag kommer på intervju hos dem. Idag. I eftermiddag. Jag tittar på klockan och får en klump i halsen. Jösses. Fan fan fan säger jag högt innan jag inser att jag sitter bland en massa svenskar. Jag ringer Astek och Amadeus om vart annat i en kvart och förhandlar. Astek vet inte om att beslutet var taget. Igår rådde de mig att åka till sverige även om det var lite struligt med Amadeus, det skulle ordna sig. Men efter några samtal sa hon mig att ärligt talat borde jag gå på Amadeus intervjuer, bäst att inte göra dem arga.
Jag fick tag på en flygplatspersonal och fick fram att jag skulle förlora jobbet om jag inte stannade. Hon såg på mig att det var allvarligt: kunde ju knappt prata och hade tårar i ögonen. Hon lyckas få min väska av planet och jag tar mig tillbaka genom säkerhetskontrollen och kan hämta ut min väska i arrival-zonen.
Jag tog bussen till Sophia Antipolis. Mathieu (en vän från Amadeus och klättring) var på bussen, vilket sammanträffande. Det var skönt att prata med någon. Anthony bokade bord på hamburgerrestaurang och vi åt oss proppmätta, sen tog vi en promenad i skogen. Vi hittade en jättekotte med ett sånt där tall-frö i som man äter på sallad och blev jätteglada för vi har båda letat länge för att hitta vilka kottar de där goa fröna kommer ifrån.
Halv tre träffade jag Benedicte från HR (human resources) på Amadeus, som jag haft kontakt med sen i April. Hon förklarade schemat för dagen som började med två test vid dator. Ett test där man ska tyda olika grafer och svara på hur många procent Volvo förlorade under 2005 jämfört med 2003 etc. Sen var det ett test där man ska läsa små texter och svara på påståenden om texten. Utsläppen är större i förorterna utanför HongKong. Sant, falskt eller framgår ej av texten? Vet fortfarande inte hur det gick för mig på testen.
Sen var det psyko-test = prata en stund med en psykolog. Hon frågade lite om mina intressen och varför jag vill jobba på Amadeus. Hon var snabbt nöjd och glad och skickade mig vidare till nästa intervju som var med en manager i den avdelningen jag ska jobba (SEP). Managern hade inte hört min historia om Amadeus så jag berättade den, sen frågade han lite frågor om min cv och vilka programmeringsspråk jag kunde, sen var han också nöjd och glad.
Sista intervjun var med ännu en manager i SEP. Han kunde min historia för det var han som hade satt igång problemen när jag väl var anställd av Astek. Han hade sett på min cv att jag gjort internship och då frågat sig varför jag inte blivit direktanställd och tagit reda på allt som hänt. Sen hade han pressat HR att försöka ta mig från Astek.
Han var jättetrevlig och vi pratade lite om vad jag gjort på Chalmers och vad jag vill göra på Amadeus.
Nu ska jag åka hem och göra ett test som jag inte hann med under dagen, det är ett personlighetstest man gör online, det skulle ta en timme. Och i morgon ska jag prata med Benedicte igen och få reda på om och när de vill anställa mig.
Ringde till Astek och de gav mig en tid att komma in till dem i morgon och avsluta mitt kontrakt med dem. Synd, jag som var så glad över att ha skrivit på med dem och med min lön. Dock tror jag inte lönen blir så mycket sämre i Amadeus.
Antagligen blir slutet gott, allting gott. Men just nu känner jag mig väldigt trött.
Benedicte lovade mig på telefon på flygplatsen att Amadeus betalar en resa till Sverige, och det sa hon igen när jag träffade henne så det ska vi ordna med i morgon. Jag längtar hem. Tur jag har Anthony här, han stöttar och coachar mig otroligt bra.
07.02.07
Posted in Garden, Pearls at 12:00 pm by tesstess
This morning I started by eating a breakfast consisting of raspberries with some serial under. Very delicious.
Then I took some photos of the bracelet I finished yesterday. It’s Odile who taught me how to do it.
It was not as complicated as it looks, but it still took some hours of course. For me it’s a new style of pearling to use fish thread and go back and forth as in this bracelet, a fun technique, because it opens up so many new possibilities!
And then suddenly, when I was sitting here surfing on the terrasse, a snake cames from the grass into the flowerbed just two meters from me. I got it on picture but not the head. Can you help me to see which kind of snake this is? Is it dangerous? It was about 40 cm long, looked like a young one, light brown and I think a little zigzag on the back.