Training...

If there is a hell... I was in it today. There is something SERIOUSLY wrong with me walking into training feeling capable and confident and walking out feeling like I'm am a failure and will continue to be one no matter what I do. I signed a proprietary agreement so I feel like to be safe I shouldn't go into the details, but as I said, it was BRUTAL. We were told to teach with positive reinforcement all while negative reinforcement was used on us. It just boggles my mind. And as I said to my coworkers and the friends that I am making here, "There is something seriously wrong with your training program if the people who walk out of it feel less confident and capable afterwards." Isn't the purpose of training to inspire you and build you up so you can be great? Maybe I was just spoiled in my education program because the teachers not only TAUGHT but PRACTICED what they preached. During the sessions today there was a lot of, "Never do this," "Always do that," then they would proceed to do the opposite to us. I'm still glad I came, but I'm hoping against hope that tomorrow isn't more of the same.

On the bright side: my coworkers in my area and other areas are really great. They're all quite funny and kind and my roommate is an Aussie so just listening to her talk is fun!

Funny moments:

Breakfast was crazy. I assumed when they said breakfast would be served, it would be breakfast foods to which I was used to eating but with a Japanese take or spin. Oh no.. the only nod to Westerners was toast. There were Japanese pork sausages which were close enough to American sausage that I classified it along with OJ as the only 3 breakfast foods available. Also on the menu: miso (had some), rice with some root in it that was brown (had some), tofu (skipped), a pickled root with sesame seeds (had some - yum!), plain rice (skipped), steamed veggies (had some), and macaroni salad (skipped). I looked around at the food and pretty sure I said aloud, "THIS is breakfast?" It was very heavy carb-wise but I figured I would need the energy (I also had OJ & sausages). (Good thing I ate well as by the time lunch rolled around I was STARVING, and before dinner came I almost passed out - saw spots, had to sit down and breathe deeply. We went from 8h30 - 20h30. *wince*)

(Warning: adult content) Some people at my table were talking about masturbation and when it was mentioned in cartoons (South Park, Family Guy) then all of a sudden a guy at our table says, "Well, I'm going up to my room for a half hour." We all stopped and looked at him and he suddenly went bright flaming red! (Bonus: he's a redhead) Poor guy was stammering and tomato-red for a few minutes.

XOXO, A