I’m lucky because I’ve been to this location several times before and already know most of the team I’m joining. Of course, this doesn’t help the fact that I don’t speak French.
I was pretty much left alone to settle while the rest of the group was busy tending to other issues. Then I was escorted to human resources for paperwork. I was greeted by two girls who decided after a few minutes that they didn’t speak enough English to continue this conversation. So they brought in a third girl, and all together we managed a two-way conversation in 80% English and 20% French.
Afterward one of the HR girls brought me my temporary badge. I asked how long it will be before I get my permanent one. Two weeks. I couldn't help but gape and say "Two weeks?! It takes two hours in Detroit!". Then I got the French shrug (probably didn't understand me) and she left.
The rest of the day was pretty tame. I spent some time getting comfortable with the software again and working on a small issue for Detroit that they were already on their way to figuring out on their own.
For lunch I went to the canteen with three of my colleagues, who kindly showed me how everything works. To pay for lunch, everyone puts money onto their badges, which is deducted by swiping at the cashier. Direct employees pay a discounted rate (subsidized by the government?), and contract employees play a flat rate of 8 euros and change.
This is what my receipt looked like:
- 1 plat (plate), which was a sausage and fries 1.61
- 1 dessert (naturally) .95
- 1 cristaline 50 cl (bottle of water) .16
Cheap, right? But then you add the admission fee, 1.57. Why I am being charged admission to go to the cafeteria, I have no idea. So the total comes out to 4.29, which, converted to dollars, is just over $5.50. Now I really shouldn’t complain, that’s still very reasonable, but I used to bring my lunch into work a few times a week because I was too cheap to pay $5 for Jimmy John’s every day.
Ok, now you can argue that $5 isn’t nearly as much as I paid to go to the Thai restaurant or sushi back home, but let’s not split hairs.
Anyway, the rest of the day passed much the same as the first half. Although as the day drew to a close, I started getting frustrated with my language handicap. It seemed as if no one wanted to bother telling me anything because they didn’t want to have to translate. I was anxious to start participating and contributing to the team, and being left out while they discussed new issues was exasperating.
I know that I'm supposed to be patient, and that no one amounts to much during their first few weeks at a new job, but I already know the software, I really can contribute, I just can't understand a damned word anyone is saying.
At the predetermined time I packed up and walked out to meet Dave. I was joined by another one of the HR girls, who escorted us to the onsite Avis so we could return the Picasso and pick up a little Ford Fiesta. I don’t understand why we needed to do this, the Fiesta isn’t a company pool car, just another rental, but by then I was so exhausted I didn’t really care as long as we had a car. Besides, Dave loves the “upgrade” (even though it’s a smaller car), so it was worth it.
Grocery Shopping Part II
Thanks to Wally we've learned that Leader Price is a discount grocery store. He recommended we try the Auchan, which happens to be just around the corner from my work.
I know I’ve already talked about grocery shopping, but the Auchan is a bigger store and much
more interesting. Two aisles of yogurt, and you wouldn’t believe the selection of chocolate. We spent some more time trying to figure out meat (Dave spotted horse meat) and settled on an herbed ground pork for spaghetti. We picked up the proper milk (still creamier than ½% at home) and figured out that you have to weigh your own vegetables and a little machine prints out a barcode for you to stick on the bag.Auchan also has televisions, and Dave was pleased to find that the prices are actually comparable to those at home.
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