Aaaaahhhhh! I can finally load Blogger! Quick, J, post everything that's happened within the past two days before it all goes away again!

First: Internet is ONCE AGAIN having issues. The only time I get that whiny "I wanna go home" voice in my head is when I'm sitting in front of a computer with no internet connection and I have some thing or other that I desperately need to do online. I repeat, if our Net goes down again at the precise moment when I need to register online for my classes in Florida, I am going to have a first-class fit.

Second: I found a day care center in Gainesville where I might like to work next year… the money situation I’m in right now is making me realize (even more than I already did) that I need to find employment pretty much immediately when I get back, so I did an online search for places to work with kids. A Child’s Academy looks really nice. It’s Christian – all the places I want to work seem to have a religious connection, sigh – but in looking at the site, especially the things for the babies, it really looks like a place I’d enjoy working. Also, it looks pretty ‘swanky’ – meaning I bet they pay well. Anyway, so I mailed them, and look what they wrote back!

"Thank you for contacting us. We would love to talk to you about a job. I'm kind of rushed now but within the next few days, I will e-mail you an application and you can return it to us. You sound like an amazing person. I will look forward to meeting you. Thanks again!"

Woohoo, sounds like Jess may have a job!

But then I think – a day care center. Come on. Is that really considered valuable work experience? The thing is, I have yet to figure out exactly what I want to do as a career and as a 20-year-old college student who has only worked in two nurseries and a summer camp, it’s hard to find anyone who wants you. I know I’m intelligent, trustworthy, etc. etc. etc., and that I’d make a good employee for someone, but on paper it doesn’t look too impressive. I have good references in the area of child care (nine years of babysitting, two years in church nurseries, three years as a camp counselor, and four years of volunteer work in the newborn nursery of the hospital), but that’s not something I plan on doing for the rest of my life. And in every other area I have zilch. (Well, except for lifeguarding.) I really have no clue in the world what I want to do. The translating thing is fun and I like it, but I’ve looked into some companies and it’s the same thing – you have to have experience. Well, how do I GET experience if no one will hire someone WITHOUT experience? Sigh.

Moving on…

Third: I am so good, I did 3 of the 4 questions for Dutch Present-Day Society yesterday in between movies and they’re not even due until Thursday. Plus did some of my translation and that's not due till Wednesday. Go Jess!

Fourth: I had a ‘Jess day’ yesterday – Saturday too, actually - watched movies, ate mac and cheese with shrimp (yum!), drank tons of water, and basically just took it easy and tried to heal a bit. I folded my bed up into the couch so I could sit a bit more comfortably while watching, and then left it that way last night while sleeping… it's surprisingly really comfortable!

Fifth: Yesterday I went to the station around 17.00 – Martin was working and one of his trips was from Utrecht to Baarn and back again, and I can ride free (and in first class ;)) if he’s there, so at least we got to see each other briefly. Easier (and cheaper) than the two-and-a-half-hour train trip to Emmen. Plus it got me on my bike (to go to the station) – I felt so fat and lazy Saturday, not going anywhere. Oh, and I also got to go ‘behind the scenes’ into their little area in the station – it’s nice. Snack bar, bathroom, TVs, etc. And a patatje met = 75 eurocents. Wow. That’s half of what it is “on the outside.”

Anyway, if anybody has any other work ideas for me, let me know. Just in case this day care thing doesn't pan out. I need something above minimum wage – I earned $7/hour at the first nursery I worked at and so I’m spoiled now, LOL. The problem is, anything I could find in Gville (or Jville) that has to do with languages is probably going to be on campus, and anything on campus is going to pay $5.15/hour, the minimum. And I need more than that. Lifeguarding gives a little more, something like $6 or $6.50, but my card runs out in April 2005 so I wouldn’t even be able to work a full year before it ran out. I guess I need to renew that…

Anyway, start thinking, people! :)

Yesterday was an ‘anniversary’ for me – seven months here. It’s really flown by – it doesn’t seem that long. Three or four months, maybe.

Oh AND I found someone who wants to trade Marco tickets with me! AWESOME! So now I can go on the 9th with Linde and Alette, and that also means I can stay longer in Paris with Faith. WOOHOO – EXCITED!!!

Annnnd – even better – while chatting with my dad, I remembered that while I was home in Florida in January, my National Merit check for the semester arrived. (The small one, from the actual corporation, not the one from UF.) And that when I deposited it, I did so into my savings account, not my checking account. So the bottom line is, I have $375 that I didn’t know I had. Sweeeet!!!!

As for the National Merit thing, yes Mom, I faxed it today.

Just got up and counted. 25 days till I go to Spain, 130 days until I go home.

Uh oh, water's boiling. Be back later...