8.10.08
The Griznoovey Results of my First Mistake
I promised I would make a lot of mistakes at my new job, and I have already begun fulfilling that! This mistake falls under the often visited category of miscommunications. I thought I was supposed to start working today, whereas my employers thought we had agreed I would start next week. To milk this mistake for all it was worth, I have decided to spend my extra time with the Sanders family in Knaften! It was exactly a year ago that I was there last time, so it is high time to visit their Northern retreat and friendship facility again. Yeah! I will take the night train tonight and be there in the morning. Hmmm, maybe I should go and pack.
Another Fun Little Project
When we lived in Durham, my best place to read and write was in a beanbag we inherited from the Shivers. I was so comfortable that I could sit still for a long time and get a lot done. I have missed that chair, and have been wanting to make my own since we moved to Sweden. My one stipulation was that I had to do it for almost free. Finally, with the arrival of our new beds from Ikea, the old foam pads we have been sleeping on were available to be turned into filling fodder. I found some great material and a zipper at the second hand store and bought some faux suede for the border and some thread. Mikael helped me chop up the mattresses and now I sit here a lot being totally comfortable for a grand total of about 400 Swedish Crowns (about $50)!
6.10.08
How to Get a Job in Sweden
Tomorrow is my first day of work at my new job as youth leader at Ansgars Church in Västerås. I don’t know much about what I will be actually doing, except that I will get to hang out with awesome Swedish youth and their impeccably coiffed hair. I do know this much: I will not be delivering advertisements, working as a cashier or receptionist, cleaning floors, or wiping poopy bottoms (hopefully). I have the graced privilege to get paid to do that which I am educated for, that which is a life-giving challenge, something I am passionate for and that will be riotously fun! This is far more than I ever imagined would be possible for my first real job in Sweden. I am convinced I will make many mistakes, but I look forward to growing more and enjoying a new phase in my life.
Following is my analysis of how I finally got to this long-awaited place of employment.
Things I have tried in the last 15 months:
1 - Utilize my 6 years undergrad and graduate education to get a job teaching.
2 - Utilize my English fluency to get a job teaching.
3 - Utilize my education and many years experience in Church work to get a job in a local church.
4 - Utilize my general skills as a human being to get a job doing anything.
5 - Volunteer excessively at local churches to try to show my value and get a job that way.
6 - Submit to being called princessa bajskorv and being constantly sick while doing an internship at a local preschool in hopes of showing my value and getting a job that way.
7 - Attend local jobless program, update my resume, write a portfolio profiling my skills and experiences, and apply for any jobs remotely plausible.
8 - Watch 5 seasons of Alias, 2 seasons of Ugly Betty, 3 seasons of Project Runway, 3 seasons of The Office, 2 seasons of Heroes, 3 seasons of Desperate Housewives, and 2 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, et. Al. to distract myself so I don’t know I’m going crazy.
9 - Get the proper Swedish language credentials so I can go to university and get the proper Swedish teaching credentials so I can get a job teaching.
Did any of this work for me?
Nope. #6 was the only one directly influential. May Princessa Bajskorv’s memory live on in imfamy!
Things that actually worked:
1 – Pep talks by Zenita. Zenita convinced me last October that my Swedish was good enough to pursue the kinds of education and church work that I am educated for and helped me with my resume. Without her encouragement, I wouldn’t have had the immediate vision that anything could be possible for me besides retail or mail delivery.
2 - Russian employment officer who actually makes things happen. Danna got me the internship at the preschool and taught me that the way to succeed in the Swedish job market is to never give up and don’t get pregnant.
3 - Being called Princessa Bajskorv and being sick. Co-worker at preschool must have noticed my skill and resilience because she said something nice about me at Ansgars Church in February.
4 - Divine intervention at theological conference in Prague which I did not attend – My friend Josh attended said theological conference in Prague and met a pastor from Ansgars church in Västerås. Josh said he knew a girl named Laura in Västerås. Pastor Daniel said he’d heard about a girl named Laura in Västerås. Somehow it was established that I was educated in church work and looking for a job. Josh said nice things about me. Daniel returns to Västerås from conference and calls to ask if I would like to interview for a youth leader position they have had open. Interview results in 2nd interview which results in a job!
Summary of important elements for getting job in Sweden:
Have really awesome friends. (speaking of which, happy birthday, Josh!)
Try at least to trust God – an unexpected providential connection may be the key.
Get Russian employment officer – they get things done.
Be nice to children who call you dirty names. (notice on their alphabet chart that B is for Bajs!)
Don’t give up and don’t get pregnant.
Keep medicating to target inevitable depression.
Mobilize Bhutanese Refugee prayer force.
Following is my analysis of how I finally got to this long-awaited place of employment.
Things I have tried in the last 15 months:
1 - Utilize my 6 years undergrad and graduate education to get a job teaching.
2 - Utilize my English fluency to get a job teaching.
3 - Utilize my education and many years experience in Church work to get a job in a local church.
4 - Utilize my general skills as a human being to get a job doing anything.
5 - Volunteer excessively at local churches to try to show my value and get a job that way.
6 - Submit to being called princessa bajskorv and being constantly sick while doing an internship at a local preschool in hopes of showing my value and getting a job that way.
7 - Attend local jobless program, update my resume, write a portfolio profiling my skills and experiences, and apply for any jobs remotely plausible.
8 - Watch 5 seasons of Alias, 2 seasons of Ugly Betty, 3 seasons of Project Runway, 3 seasons of The Office, 2 seasons of Heroes, 3 seasons of Desperate Housewives, and 2 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, et. Al. to distract myself so I don’t know I’m going crazy.
9 - Get the proper Swedish language credentials so I can go to university and get the proper Swedish teaching credentials so I can get a job teaching.
Did any of this work for me?
Nope. #6 was the only one directly influential. May Princessa Bajskorv’s memory live on in imfamy!
Things that actually worked:
1 – Pep talks by Zenita. Zenita convinced me last October that my Swedish was good enough to pursue the kinds of education and church work that I am educated for and helped me with my resume. Without her encouragement, I wouldn’t have had the immediate vision that anything could be possible for me besides retail or mail delivery.
2 - Russian employment officer who actually makes things happen. Danna got me the internship at the preschool and taught me that the way to succeed in the Swedish job market is to never give up and don’t get pregnant.
3 - Being called Princessa Bajskorv and being sick. Co-worker at preschool must have noticed my skill and resilience because she said something nice about me at Ansgars Church in February.
4 - Divine intervention at theological conference in Prague which I did not attend – My friend Josh attended said theological conference in Prague and met a pastor from Ansgars church in Västerås. Josh said he knew a girl named Laura in Västerås. Pastor Daniel said he’d heard about a girl named Laura in Västerås. Somehow it was established that I was educated in church work and looking for a job. Josh said nice things about me. Daniel returns to Västerås from conference and calls to ask if I would like to interview for a youth leader position they have had open. Interview results in 2nd interview which results in a job!
Summary of important elements for getting job in Sweden:
Have really awesome friends. (speaking of which, happy birthday, Josh!)
Try at least to trust God – an unexpected providential connection may be the key.
Get Russian employment officer – they get things done.
Be nice to children who call you dirty names. (notice on their alphabet chart that B is for Bajs!)
Don’t give up and don’t get pregnant.
Keep medicating to target inevitable depression.
Mobilize Bhutanese Refugee prayer force.
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