Workin' Lady

I realize I've been very slow in posting new updates the past few months.  The truth is I'm just burnt out and have been very lazy lately - more so than usual.  I'll try to have some more fun, entertaining posts in the near future.  ;)

In the meantime, I thought I would share a little bit about where I spend my weekdays. Here's my cube at the office.  I took this quite a while ago before I let my papers run amok.

The normal workday in Singapore tends to be from 9-6.  There are plenty of people working late, but I find not so many starting early, which is the complete opposite of the Midwest where 90% of the population seem to be morning people.  So I fit in here much better! :) The official start time in my office is 8:30.  The aircon doesn't even come on until 8am, so even if you come in early, you're sweating.  This of course is a loose 8:30 and that's one thing I love about my job - flexibility. If I don't get to work until 9/9:30, I stay late to make it up.  Sometimes later than I should, but I will be focusing on my "work/life balance" as year 2 rolls around.  I can hardly believe it's almost here - end of August was the big move!

While the workplace environment is different, it's also so much the same.  Since I've started travelling for work I am always amazed how you can go halfway across the world and the day is basically the same as it would be back home.  The little things are different, but the big stuff is pretty much still there.  I've learned:

-my gray-shaded spreadsheets are too drab and boring for Singaporeans who love to highlight with bright colors

-I am now the person on time to meetings (usually we run late about 5-10 minutes)

-vacation is annual leave, sick day is MC/medical leave, CPF is 401k

-it is hard to multiply by 12 in my head - all compensation is discussed in terms of one month, not one year

-no tax withholding! (but not looking forward to having to pay my tax bill)

-lunch rush is at ~12:15, not 11:15 :)

-as with all things American, my calculator is comparatively ginormous and I always get wide-eyed looks when I need to do some math

-we all want to be appreciated, fairly compensated and have a life outside of work :)

I know there are plenty of other things I've learned/observed/appreciated...but for another day.  Here's a current pic of me with one of our summer interns ("vacation trainees" or "VTs" here) who worked with me.  Not the most flattering, but I haven't had a new pic of me recently.  The weight I bragged about losing is back and he caught me on Friday at 5pm, so pretty much ready to call it a week.  Happy Tuesday!!