Well, I came to Sydney on Wednesday and started work Friday. It wasn't as easy as it sounds. I had to sign up for every temp agency known to man and spent hours and hours sending my resume out for every job imaginable. I eventually landed a 2 week assignment in sales...and by sales i mean telemarketing.
That same day, I managed to get a trial at a restaurant in Darling Harbour. I was pretty excited, but not holding my breath since they would probably not hire me when they found out my visa is up in 7 weeks.
So on Friday, i took the train up into the Northern Suburbs (Chatswood) and to my surprise the hour-long commute wasn't so bad. The company is called Maximizer and they are a software company that makes a contact management system (think Outlook, but much more efficient). If you are a small business, it's worth taking a look at.
Anyway, Maximizer just launched a new version and are offering an upgrade promotion (over 40% off!!!). The offer lasts for two weeks, so my job is to call people who have purchased the software and ask them if I can send them an email about the offer. Simple.
It's a bit better than telemarketing, b/c it's not cold calling, and I don't have to try and sell them anything, just get permission to email them (which 90% of the clients give me). I was surprised how quickly the time passed, and the people in the office are really nice. And the fact that they give everyone a beer at 4:30 on Friday's doesn't hurt. It's not the greatest job in the world, but it will be fine for two weeks (anymore and i might go crazy). And it pays $20/hr plus super.
The trial at the restaurant went well. It's a typical overpriced Darling Harbour restaurant, Italian, with about 100 tables. My job was good and drink runner. It was good, no thinking, just taking plates and drinks out. I did manage to burn my thumb pretty badly on a plate, and my new, $20, black closed-toe work flats gave me blisters on my heels, but all in all not too bad. The manager said I did really well, and I lied and told him I'd stay for 2.5 months. He said he really liked me, but would like someone staying a bit longer, that he was waiting to trial two more people Saturday, and he would call me by MOnday. I'm not holding my breath. Anyway, he would have to see my visa eventually, so whatever.
So anyway that's it, been catching up with people and readjusting to city life (although i think of Sydney more as a big suburb with an ugly downtown). Jimmy's visa went through and he should be here on Tuesday...Yea! I'm taking it easy, not spending any money (i gave myself a $30 grocery limit) and thinking about what I will do in April when my visa runs out.
Trop Fest is Sunday (big film festival) so if it isn't pissing down rain, I'll go to that. Oh yeah, how could i forget...SYDNEY SUCKS! It's about 20 degrees windy and raining. It apparently has rained 30 out of the past 60 days and is due to rain 15 out of the next 30! Up north, Queensland is flooding (an area that has had extreme drought for over 100 year) and everything is topsy turvy. Makes it a bit hard to deny global warning.
All i can do is hope that the weather will clear up now that I'm here. Crap weather does make it a lot less depressing being crammed in an office all day though. Ok, well that's it for now, i'll update you all if anything interesting happens (not likely)
