Update!

So, what's new with me?

Work
Lots of work, so lots of money, which is definitely a good thing, especially at this time of year! Althought it would be nice to actually have a holiday.... AND I've had a revelation! In our MC year I was often frustrated that the smaller things could cause so much disruption to the bigger things and the way that I could work. Mostly computers and everything computer related (man, this category is HUGE) but also access to printing, electricity & adapter plugs, other people not checking their email, uni & exams, parents, etc. etc. But now, I've realised it's not just AIESEC. It's not just that we were uni students or Chinese or a cash-poor NGO or forgot to recharge the electricity. I'm working in the head office of a large nation-wide retail group at the busiest time of the year, and I saw the teeny tiny things holding us back. Not a lack of infrastructure or skills or staff, but a lack of sticky tape and cardboard used to package delicate stock that needs to go out to stores yesterday. Jeez. Tape! I was tempted to ask someone if I could grap some petty cash and pop down the street to the convenience store. In hindsight, I wish I had. It was two days and almost complete disappearance of tape before the weekly stationary order came in and people could stop hoarding their tape and having to arrange their work around when the tape was 'free'. I guess that AIESEC does operate in the real world, as much as we sometimes think it's different. It's not just us that struggle with the small things. Well, at least lack of tape never slowed our little office down :) I guess it's just the price of bureaucracy huh?

Uni
Finished for this semester - yay! I got good grades too, but the weird thing is that, for the first time in 3.5 years I went to every class and did all of the reading - but still got similar marks to every other semester when I was in AIESEC and had a lot more part-time work. Hmmm. Still, I guess I was a lot less stressed at the business end of the year, and I think I probably learnt more this way, even if my grades aren't any higher :) So for now, it's summer holidays until late February - mmmm :D

TV
I've realised that right now I watch more TV than I have since I was about 15! I guess I have more spare time, and I appreciate it now after not having it at all for a year. I love to watch Grey's Anatomy on Mondays, House and The Glasshouse on Wednesdays, and the Iron Chef on Saturdays. And a bit of CSI here and there :) But, now that summer is here and I get home from work each day with eyes that are too tired to read for long (just enough to make me sleepy!), both Grey's and House have finished for the year :( I don't know about CSI (I think it's repeats anyway but I haven't seen them before so it's all the same to me!) and The Glasshouse but I'm worried they face a similar fate. Why is there no good TV in the Summer when we have the most time to watch it? It is indeed one of life's great cruelties, and I don't understand it at all. If I was running a TV station, I would definitely save all of the coolest stuff for Summer viewing! :)

Seasons
What is with Adelaide weather? It seems like one week it's boiling hot and all I want to do is buy Boost Juice (Green Tea Mango Mantra - mmmm!) and go to the beach (but am always either busy working or too lazy to go!). And the next it's chilly again and threatening rain at any minute, so you need a jacket and umbrella everywhere you go. Back and forth, back and forth. Jeez! Is a bit of consistency too much to ask for? What is going on?!?!

Expats
I went to an event by the Australian Human Resources Institute (free student membership - yay!) the other week, entitled "Managing International Assignments Into and Out Of Developing Countries". Expat management is something I'm really passionate about, and I was a little disappointed that the speaker hardly touched on most of the stuff I'm really keen on. BUT it turned out to be good, cos he spoke about something I've hardly considered but that is becoming an issue in Australia, and will only become more complicated and important in the future, globally. Remuneration of expats, especially those coming from Lesser Developed Countries, to either Developed or other Lesser Developed Countries (note the terminology!). Should people going from one LDC to another be granted Hardship payments, or is it irrelevant as they already come from a 'hardship' location themselves so it makes no difference? Should expats from a LDC going to a Developed country be paid the equivalent as at home with bonuses, or the standard wage for their level in the Developed country - what happens when they repatriate? Ahhh so many different models used and so many different attitudes of organisations. It's definitely something that I want to think about more and learn more about. It also got me thinking - in AIESEC we hardly consider the remuneration of our trainees - it should be enough to live off of, and preferably the same as their colleagues to ensure equality. That's it. Sure, most don't have dependents and spouses, and aren't risking careers as such, so the situation is a little different. But I wonder... how do our TN-takers work it out? How much thought do they give it? What happens if they trainees stay on, as so many do - how do they re-negotiate a package? I've seriously just never thought about it, it's a whole other world...