So like any job it was a blur of new faces and names. Everyone seemed awesome, but I am afraid the jetlang and multi-national office are going to mean it will be a while until I have everyone’s name.
The hotel they put me up at was amazing. Not so much for the rooms, which were in a new and expanded wing, but the core building made no qualms about being old enough to have been before the time of pesky things like snow plows and reliable electricity. It was just a very solid feeling place, and I found myself liking it personality immediately.
I had my first cultural mix up today. I was invited to a morning meeting tomorrow and I and asked what the local equivalent of bringing a box of doughnuts was. I got a very polite email in response saying the sender didn’t understand – just to bring myself. I had mostly meant it as a joke, but about 20% but wanted to make sure there was not a similar local custom. What is funny is that he wrote back after googling “bring a box of doughnuts to work”, which got me curious so I googled it. Americans really do come across as wackos if you google about our culture. Don’t believe me, try it.
Fortunately I am on a combination of jet lag, gin and tonic (and what I would later find out to be the worst cold I have had in a while) – so I am not as embarrassed by the gaf as I normally would be.
On the subject of Jin and tonics – they made me this one with rosemary garnish and cranberries. I am not sure if you were supposed to head the cranberries – but they were actually fresh and I had a few as I drank. It was a very surprising combination but I rather enjoyed it.
I have since learned that they make gin and tonics a with a variety of garnishes I have never heard. I look forward to some cross-cultural exploration.