Choice.

Some days I'm really grateful to have the opportunity to live here. Others I just wonder why I came over here. 

At the end of the day I am responsible for my actions and decisions. Hopefully I will look back some day and be able to say I have no regrets.

Chandler, Arizona - fun times!!

Sitting here in the Downtown Chandler Cafe waiting for my biscuits and gravy I can't help but feel that the last two weeks have gone by so quickly. 

It's my last day of training in our Phoenix office today, and I have an early flight back to Maine tomorrow. I just can't believe how fast the last two weeks have gone by! I was lucky enough to get two weekends here so is guess that has helped a little. 

I'm definitely going to miss being here - the weather is great (have worn a tshirt every single day!), the people here have a relaxed and laid back attitude (which kind of reminds me of home), and I've loved spending every day surrounded by a bunch of super cool people. I think that part has been the highlight. I've been waiting months to have a chance to meet some new people and make some new friends. I've been able to do that over the past couple of weeks and it's been so much fun! I've felt a little isolated up in Maine - I'm lucky to have my mum so close and some good friends/family, but I've been spending my days on my own and haven't seen much of my friends during the weekends. But being here I've had stuff to do almost every day which has kept me busy.

I've learned a little more about STA and I'm looking forward to within from home. So far my accent has been a point of conversation so I'm hoping it will help me get a few sales. 

Anyway, my breakfast has arrived so it's time to eat. Mmm, biscuits and gravy!!

Training in Arizona!

Today is the start of our second week of training. Monday morning. It's nice and early - got a reasonable amount of sleep and took the rental car back this morning. Had a quick breakfast before the shuttle arrived to take us to the office. 

Had such a great weekend( which definitely deserves its own post) - went to Sedona and saw some of the most spectacular views I've ever seen. We got a rental car so drove up and back on our own which was nice because it meant we had the flexibility to do whatever we wanted. 

Work-wise things are going great. My 'training' so far has been a little bit of making it up as I go combined with listening in on calls to see how they do things here. I want to say that it seems easy, but I'm finding there are a lot of subtle differences. Sometimes it can be differences in training styles, but I think it's more the phrasing of words and the practices that are different. I need to be all over this as I'll be working from home and it won't be as easy to get help (of course they won't just leave me in my own though!). 

This week I am getting my logins organised and apparently tomorrow or Wednesday I'm going to start taking calls. I'm super excited, but will be very anxious having someone listen in to my every word. 

It's time to go do some work now ...

Break from the winter ... again ...

Well, it's hard to believe that in 24 hours I'll be sleeping in my hotel bed in Phoenix, Arizona. The past couple of weeks have flown by, but a lot has been going on so that has helped.

I think I've packed everything that I will need. I'm sure I can just buy stuff if I need it.

I feel like I'm cheating the system a little bit by leaving Maine for a few weeks right as another Arctic Blast is due to hit. Tomorrow night the temperature is meant to drop to about -20c and in Phoenix it will be +10c overnight. I'm definitely not complaining, but I do feel like I'm missing out on a bit of the 'experience'. Everyone keeps telling me that February is the coldest month so I guess we will see. I just won't have the winter blues as much as everyone else with the time I had in Florida and now the time in Arizona.

I'm excited about the job training as well - will be interesting to see how/if there's any difference to the Australian way of doing things. Even back home there are always subtle differences between each person. Hopefully I'll be able to keep the habits I've already developed and the systems will be the same. I am more excited about meeting new work colleagues and really hope that I get along well with them.

Anyway, it's time for this little duck to go to bed and get some sleep ...

Feeling down and out of it ...

I think I'm finally starting to come out of the funk I've been in for the past few days. The stuff with Darcy and the bushfires back home really affected me. It made me realise just how far away I am, and how powerless I am to do anything to help!

I think with the job training coming up that it will be a well needed distraction, not to mention I'll have a purpose for waking up in the morning!

Bring on the work!!

Goodbye 2015!

After what has been the worse start to any year in the history of my life, I can say with certainty that I want 2015 to be over already! :(