Back to Work!

My month long unemployment has finally come to an end L  I started my new job on Monday, November 15 (also the first day of a new job for my brother and my parents’  35^th wedding anniversary!) What a good day!

The Friday before work started, Kelly brought me to an EY social club event.  The Melbourne office has a social club that costs $10/month and they organize all kinds of activities throughout the year.  I was able to sign up for the social club so I didn’t have to pay the $45 non-member entrance.  Unlimited drinks from 5-10 and finger food…for only $10 - sounded like a good deal to me!  I met quite a few people and even met a few people who I would be working with on one of my engagements.  I also met one of the girls who would be starting with me on Monday.  Here is a picture from Friday night:

Although I have been at EY for 4 years, I still felt nervous about starting in Melbourne.  What if everything was different?  What if the people I started with weren’t friendly?  I quickly realized that I had nothing to worry about! My start class is made up of 9 people:  4 from the UK (Charlotte, Valerie, Emma, and Graham), 1 from Germany (Verena), 1 from New Zealand (Naesan), 1 from Canada (Amanda), 1 from France (Jean-Julien), and 1 from the US (ME!).  We spent the morning getting to know each other and the Melbourne office and most importantly getting set up on Lotus Notes and Sametime!  After lunch with our buddies (like peer advisors in the US), we were shown to the floors that we were assigned to and had the rest of the afternoon to just get set up.  That was the easiest first day ever! 

I think I have already been nominated as the party planner of the group (it’s just like Minneapolis, without Rachelle!)  With Kelly’s prompting, I emailed my new group to see who wanted to have drinks after work.  8 out of 9 joined (Graham thought the invite was for the following day!) and we wandered into a small bar in one of the many laneways.  We had a few drinks and then moved on to dinner at a Thai restaurant on Lt. Bourke Street.  The group also had lunch together on Tuesday and dinner at an Italian restaurant on DeGraves St that night.  Here is a picture of our group (minus Emma and Amanda):

I am so glad I got to start with a big group of people.  I can tell we are going to have a lot of fun over the next two years!

In other news:

·         Our softball team is now 2-0 and I haven’t struck out yet!

·         Kelly and I signed a lease on an apartment (I’ll dedicate a whole blog to that process, including pictures, soon)

·         Matt, Kelly, and I are going to Fiji Jan. 1-7!