It has not been an easy 2 months and a half that I planned it to be.
First thing first, the internship was pretty messy for me, most because I didn't even have a permanent space. There were just so many interns. Also I was kinda tired of people not being considerate that we were trying to help them, not being against them, getting shouted at all the time. So I just dodged the phone whenever I could, and just stuck with land use projects instead... It does confirm my love for urban planning and land use; and New York has been a great land of examples. But I just wish we had done more of that than solving misc. cases. And that we had received more instructions and professional trainings regarding these land-use thinggies... After all this, I wish to intern in the City Planning Commission or Dept. of City Planning in the future... I liked my co-interns, talking shit and eating in the park. Although we planned to walk the Brooklyn Bridge together for lunch but that was never realized... Guess we're lucky it wasn't. I had to end the internship early because of visa procedure complications (that are worth a whole blog to extrapolate)...
At the restaurant, it's a whole other story. I think I was born to serve (!?) I was kind of addicted to it, probably because people are nice to you on a general plane, and you can actually interact civilly (:D) Also probably because I didn't have to work 6 days a week, 12 hours a day like full-time people. I was planning on helping out only 2 weekend days but ended up with 3 -4 days per week (12 hours a day) and that was sooooo tiring for me considering I also have the internship on weekdays. Sleep was rare. But every day that I go to work, I'm excited because I get to eat familiar food and talk to people. Almost everyday, I had the chance to practice Spanish in preparation and that was convenient. They were kinda mystified I think that a random chinito speaks Spanish in Chinatown but that helps with the tips I guess. Also after dealing with so many Spanish-speaking people I feel more accessible to interact with Latinos than Spaniards. Some Spaniards I met were extremely warm (from Sevilla, Barcelona, Zaragoza) but 2 times I served Madrilenos, they were kinda indifferent... I was bummed because before all this I loved studying abroad in Madrid and almost went out of my way to petition for a program. Glad I did not get it. Not to say I hate the place... I would LOVE to go to Madrid one day...
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| Xe Lua - Cheesy but very distinct, unlike many in Chinatown |
The boss also hired 2 new sis to be waitresses so I became a flexible worker which is fine with me. They were very nice and fun. One sings all day long and the other is so small and easy to talk to! :D I started working fewer days since then. Since we see each other 12 hours a day on workdays we get used to each other pretty fast. One sis invited me to her bf's bday party and I got to know a lot of interesting people, like the manager of Hotel Carter. The meal was at South Seaport where you could observe the three bridges at night. It was marvelous... One of her friends was even kind enough to let me stay over for a few days since I moved out of the apartment involuntarily as worst case scenario due to the visa shenanigan. I'm glad I met them. (Again the visa thing will make this blog explode with anger and frustration so I'll save it)
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PS about the bosses: they were interesting characters in and of themselves.
Tom from Public Advocate is a ballsy type of person who doesn't act his age. Indeed he has a vibrant personality with a weird sense of humor, plus swearing a lot, which was the best ice-breaker of all. Not to be creepy to comment on his appearance but he is very fit, guess because he bikes to work a lot. And it is to die for when he dresses up for meetings and stuff... Hmmm... However he has weird ways of conducting interns things and it gets so confusing. Apart from that, he is a very smart person, definitely enticing to get to know...
Danny from Xe Lua is even more quirky. He's Cantonese, born speaking bits of Vietnamese in the US. Amazingly smart person with entrepreneurship. He's short but very fit and active. He runs the restaurant with his girlfriend and his ex-wife comes every so often with his kids and stuff. For me it would be weird. He came up with ridiculous rules for employees like each person one soda can per day; everyone not just the server must be going around asking customers how things are (which in my case would be considered extremely annoying) Of course no one really did it, but just for the record. However after hearing stories how he revamped the place from dilapidated to hip and younger, I kinda admire him... It makes me want to open a restaurant when I'm more established. Who's with me???
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PS about the bosses: they were interesting characters in and of themselves.
Tom from Public Advocate is a ballsy type of person who doesn't act his age. Indeed he has a vibrant personality with a weird sense of humor, plus swearing a lot, which was the best ice-breaker of all. Not to be creepy to comment on his appearance but he is very fit, guess because he bikes to work a lot. And it is to die for when he dresses up for meetings and stuff... Hmmm... However he has weird ways of conducting interns things and it gets so confusing. Apart from that, he is a very smart person, definitely enticing to get to know...
Danny from Xe Lua is even more quirky. He's Cantonese, born speaking bits of Vietnamese in the US. Amazingly smart person with entrepreneurship. He's short but very fit and active. He runs the restaurant with his girlfriend and his ex-wife comes every so often with his kids and stuff. For me it would be weird. He came up with ridiculous rules for employees like each person one soda can per day; everyone not just the server must be going around asking customers how things are (which in my case would be considered extremely annoying) Of course no one really did it, but just for the record. However after hearing stories how he revamped the place from dilapidated to hip and younger, I kinda admire him... It makes me want to open a restaurant when I'm more established. Who's with me???
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