I have been here over a week now (nearly two really). I am used to the coffee and am getting used to the food (it is hard to escape the bad choices so fewer meals is my approach. Mandy has suggested I just get an extra seat on the plane home which is an option- twice the meals).
The office is interesting. It is in the Huntington Bank building, which apparently has the world’s largest bank lobby. It is spectacular, all in marble and an enormous US flag hanging near the end of the lobby. I will take photos and post them at some point as it is amazing. The EY office only takes up about 6 floors but each floor is so large has its own zip code. They have a Melbourne tram style system to get everyone around. Before the financial crisis, internal transport was achieved using a series of interconnecting canals and imported gondolas.
On a truthful note, they have vending machines on each floor, being the standard candy, drinks (all fizzy, no water) and one for STATIONERY. It is cool, you swipe your pass and choose your stationery. It was like a game of skill tester but it was free and the odds were stacked in your favour (yes, favour has a U in it people).
So I am here on a project team with a Japanese, Russian, Chilean, Australian, Yank and soon to be added, a German and Pakistani representative. They are all great people. Shuichi is from Japan and we call him Shu. He is a hoot and loves his food. Lyudmila is from Russia and has an amazing accent and acute, dry sense of humour. Luis is from Chile but I have renamed him Antonio (emphasis on the t). The American is Brent and he is stars and stripes American (he used to be a marine and has season tickets to the local NBA team). We report to an Australian, Lisa, who comes from Adelaide and knows the Phelps. The team is heaps of fun.
With all of the accents in the room, you would not believe that mine is apparently one of the hardest to understand. Lyudmila, Antonio and Shu all have real troubles understanding me and, while here, have had many instances of being compared to Brad Pitt in Snatch. I have had to slow down my speaking and really consider the words I use. Shu pointed out that there are really 3 dialects of English, US, Australian and British which was interesting but I understand after being here now. I know every country probably thinks this, but I thought we had a really benign accent. It is funny to be the least understandable in such an international group (when we are all speaking my native tongue).
Our team is in a large meeting room in the office. Outside our room sits THE GAMx DEVELOPERS AND SYSTEM ANALYSTS. I am surrounded by the hum of GAMx all day long. It is a dream come true. Without knowing it, I befriended a GAMx system analyst who takes the comments from the practice and translates it into developer speak so they can action it. Another reason I can’t come home – I am in GAMx utopia, the promised land.
On a random note, bitch is a bit of a bad word here which I really should have been told about before I arrived. That is a story for another day.
Americans like to do things differently (sometime better, some not). You are all aware of my problem getting a decent coffee (apparently the afternoon barista in Starbucks on Euclid thinks a cappuccino is 1/3 coffee and 2/3 froth, no mixing. It is like a cocktail that tastes bad and has no alcohol). But, for all the flaws, America does do some things well.
Simple things, like elevators will sit on ground level (well, the first level as there is no ground here) with the doors open. No need to call a lift, it is just here. Ingenious. Also, they have legal size paper. It is like extra long A4 that is perfect for those long, landscape documents. Now all they need to do is recognise the rest of the world uses A4 and not letter size (oh, and don’t get me started on the imperial system of measurement- just swallow your pride and get with the times. Finally remove the shackles of your British oppressors).
One big kudos for America is their sport. The main games I have gotten into since I have been here are Basketball, Baseball, American Football and Ice Hockey. The good parts of the organisation of their sports is the professional teams play 3 times or so a week. None of this namby pamby once a week set up like Australia. The athletes need to work for their dollar. My first Saturday here was Halloween so I made my way to the pub and watched the Cavaliers beat the Bobcats. I then watched the NY Yankees beat the Philly in a world series game. It was a great night.
The whole team went to that pub a few days later and I took part in another great American pastime, beer. These guys have a real love of beer and there are so many brewers in the States. Also, the come up with seasonal brews. I was able to try the pumpkin spiced ale and it was surprisingly good. I was not looking forward to it but it was a good beer. Good enough to have a second at only $3.50 a pint.
On that night I had a couple of Aussie bank notes in my wallet which I proudly showed around the table. I took the opportunity to not only talk up the fact that they were individually coloured so you could tell them apart, but also that they were unrippable. I decided to demonstrate and, like the true man I am, ripped it in two. That took all the creditability out of my story. Not to take away from my feat of great strength, but I had been showing everyone that would listen this trick for a week and a half so I must have weakened it- a lesson for us all.
There is one place here in Cleveland called Cadillac Ranch which is a bar / restaurant with an urban cowboy theme (an all American bar and grill). Most of it is as you would expect, plus there is a mechanical bull. I did not pluck up the courage on the first two times I have been, but I will, and there will be photos.
Saturday also involved my driving experience. I had booked an all American Pontiac but got a Hyundai (I was most disappointed). Shu and I set out on our shopping adventure to get me a winter coat. I was a little nervous about driving on the right hand side of the road, and the initial drive out of the rental car place was nerve racking. I still find it hard just crossing the road, not knowing which way to look.
I picked up Shu who spent the rest of the trip adeptly navigating, and also taking it upon himself to repeat “right, right, right” when we were turning every corner to make sure I did not cross the road. It was mostly unnecessary (mostly). We survived without incident (except I cannot reverse park a left hand drive car- each time I ended up on the pavement).
While we were at one shopping centre we were in a sports store. I decided to be a local and get a Cavaliers basketball shirt (they have Shaq on the team). I did notice the college basketball team had a bigger range of merchandise than the national team. Apparently this is common and the college teams are very popular all over the country. While I was paying, the girl behind the counter asked where I was from. When she knew it was Australia, she said “I have to ask you, what does crikey mean?” She was a Steve Irwin fan but apparently had no idea what he was talking about most of the time.
So the plans at the moment are a trip to Washington DC with the team (road trip woo woo), Thanksgiving with Megan and Brad, and a trip to Toronto to catch up with David.
Until then, it is good bagels and bad coffees all the way.
Today's blog was brought to you by Bec Burrows, brown is the new black
You were right - this was a long one!! I did not know you could rip our money.
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