JOB NEWS!

Ok, so the first time I was in Rotorua I applied at a bar next door to the backpackers hostel to get some experience bar tending. It's a bit of a catch-22 to get bar tending experience because no one wants to hire you if you don't already have experience. The called me to set up an interview the night before I left for Hamilton last week but I couldn't obviously go because I was leaving. We set it for monday (yesterday - remember, I'm a day ahead of you) and I figured I'd actually just cancel it and stay in Hamilton or go else where. But on sunday when I was asking myself 'what now?' I figured I may as well go to the interview since it was the only response I had gotten from any of the places I applied to (I was really starting to feel rejected and even doubt my "high employability" I so often claim to have). I came back, had the interview, dazzled my would-be employer (of course), and was offered a job. It was only part time and would include two days in the kitchen, but they would let me have the time off for the balloon fest and I could start training immediately (and I am desperate). I really struggled to decide what I'd do because realistically I want (need) full-time work, not to mention that I wasn't entirely keen to work in the kitchen of a night club. If I took the job it would just be to use them for work until the festival then I'd probably quit and go do fruit picking. That idea made me feel really uncomfortable though, I didn't want to be dishonest but I was getting desperate. I battled with it all afternoon, decided at least a dozen times that I would take it then changed my mind, made a pro/cons list, etc. Before going to bed I remembered an ad for a sales job at a four day expo in hamilton that I copied down the number to but put off applying to as I didn't want to do sales either (so I'm picky, ok). I'd rather do sales and make a shitty commision than lie and use this other job so I resolved to call the guy in the morning and, more or less, beg for a job. If that didn't work, I'd swallow my integrity and take the bar job (and repent after, ha!). Well, firts thing when I woke, I called the guy, charmed him instantly (I'm getting quite good at that by the way) and I start training tomorrow! My conscious is relieved! AND I'm actually really excited about the sales job too. The guy sounds really fun and the product is something I can sell - nail polish pens! http://www.miginailart.com/ If everything goes well I'll ask him if I can do another expo the following weekend, it's in the same area. If everything goes crap, then I'll still get atleast $80 a day to keep me afloat until I can get out to Tauranga for fruit picking. But seriously, I'm going to be good at this job, maybe not a prodigy, but I will make out ok. I can feel it!

Speaking of honesty, I randomly checked the wwoofing website because I had a feeling there would be a note about me on the profile of the person whose ID I was using. See, I was givin the book with all the host contact info in it by an american girl who was leaving NZ. She said I could just pretend to be her so I don't have to pay the fee (which is really quite reasonable, but I'm cheap sometimes). I wasn't sure if it was something I was interested in so I carried the book for a while and only really looked at it when I was feeling disgruntled in Franz Josef. Anyways, when I was at the naturist place and had a really horrible time, I told them as soon as I got there that I was using someone else's number which they seemed ok with. But when I decided to leave early, the lady of the house asked for the number I was using. I knew exactly what she was going to do but felt honesty would be the best policy. Sure enough she had a waring put out about me that I wasn't registered, etc. I laughed but it still hurt to see my name in bold claiming that I am a fraud. It really bothered me. I wouldn't stop thinking about out. I thought up all kinds of mean emails to send that nasty woman! But I had a better idea, I'd email the organization instead. I admitted to using the book and requested that the bold be removed from Kelly's profile so not to damage her good name, I assured them I threw away the book and confided that after my experience with the naturists I had absolutely no desire to try wwoofing again. I even provided my contact info if they had any questions. I didn't tell them what happend at the farm, just that I felt mistreated. If they want to look into it they can, but I don't have to be petty. They emailed me back promptly thanking me, saying they removed the warning, and apologizing for my unfortunate experience. Now I get to ride around on my high-horse feeling like the bigger (read "better") person. Ha ha ha ha! So I am bit petty after all, I didn't have to be mean about it though.

In other exciting news, my dreads are coming along very nicely. I am frequently getting positive comments and inquiries about them - and that feels just sooooo lovely! Also, I recieved my official acceptance into the education program at U of A, so I'll be starting school again in september (yes, that means I'll be home in august at the latest). I love school so much that I might as well get a job in a school, really.

So that's me for now. Heading back to Hamilton early tomorrow morning. I'll update this again after the expo and my debut as a sales superstar.