Get That Outta Here! - (Korea) Day 22

A view outside of the barracks that I live in

Last night I watched "Repo Men". I wasn't expecting much from the movie except some action. The plot was a bit unbelievable…repo men taking back artificial body parts from people who couldn't afford to pay for them any more, then one of the repo men gets an artificial heart and he ends up on the repo list. Despite that it was entertaining enough to keep me watching and then at the end of the movie my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe the twist they threw in there. I won't ruin it for anyone, but seriously my mouth was wide open.

Speaking of movies, computers, and the internet I've come across a huge problem when living in another country. Back in the states there are plenty of options to view video content for free, or if you choose to subscribe to Netflix you can watch a number of movies over the internet. Since I'm now overseas I have found that none of these options work anymore. Hulu, the network sites such as CBS, even Netflix which I have a paid membership, will not let me stream movies or TV shows over the internet. They all state that streaming is only available in the United States. WTF? I'm on a freakin' US military installation! All they are doing is forcing everyone to use alternative means to obtain shows and movies. Believe me there is no limit to the amount of shows and movies that get downloaded over here. It just sucks that there is no legal alternative that I have been able to find yet. That is not going to stop me from watching my favorite shows though…I'm just a week or so behind everyone else.

Back to work talk…today was pretty slow, well that might be an exaggeration…it was totally dead! I forgot to bring my iPhone to work, so I couldn't play any games. The entire time I was at work all I did was sit in a chair. I read the Stars & Stripes newspaper…every single story in the paper! The other guys were on the computer double checking work calendars for meetings and the occasional Facebook status check. I still do not have access to computers yet…pretty funny because I'm a 25B, an Information Technology Specialist who does not have access to the network yet. My sergeant did send me down to admin to check on everything. When I did the master sergeant down there is still convinced that she's going to have me move down there and switch positions with a sergeant that is currently on emergency leave. I don't know if it's just wishful thinking, or if there is any truth to it. She does seem pretty serious though. If I did move to the admin side I think I would do a lot more computer work and less of the stuff I do now. Which brings me back to the only job I did actually do today for our office. The KATUSA took me up to the conference room and showed me how to shampoo the rug. Exciting times we had, me and the KATUSA cleaning the entire conference room. I really was glad to be doing something other than sitting in a chair out of news to read. I was pretty amazed at how dirty and how black the dirty water was each time we changed the water out. I guess people have a lot of dirt on their feet coming in there.

We were off at noon again today and actually off for the rest of the week for the Christmas holiday. I walked back to the barracks and had a couple of PB&J sandwiches, then headed off to the gym for a little PT. This time we didn't really play basketball. I worked out a little on my core and my arms, then we played some 3 on 3 with some young Koreans that were there. They were not very good, so I just stayed in the key and blocked any of their shots if they dared get too close.

I was able to video chat with my wife and kids, then a little Rosetta Stone and some shows before bed. Sleeping in tomorrow, my roommate has left for the 4 day already. I'm looking forward to having the room to myself.

What the Pho? (Pre-Basic Training) 5 Days until Basic

Pho is a Vietnamese soup that is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine and culture. 
Many Vietnamese people eat pho for breakfast rather than as an evening meal. 
Pho can be made in more than 20 variations, but always has either a flavorful 
beef broth or a chicken broth base.

 

Today was my second to last day at work. My boss took me to lunch at a local Vietnamese food restaurant. I’ve never tried Vietnamese food before, so I decided to try one of their standard dishes called Pho. It has been described as “The National Dish of Vietnam” and is pronounced “fuh”. I would describe it as kind of a noodle soup with beef and a number of spices in it. The soup was excellent and I can now say I’m no longer a pho virgin. 

I had two exit interviews today. One was the formal exit interview with the HR Director. I was shown a bunch of paperwork and signed some papers. The company had my last day marked as today, but in reality it is tomorrow. It makes a big difference because tomorrow is the 1^st of the month and if I work on the 1^st I will keep my benefits for the entire month. That will give me a little piece of mind just in case something happens between now and when the military benefits kick in.

The second exit interview was at the end of the day with the general manager. It was a bit more informal and we just went over what I thought was going well with the company and what wasn’t. What is going well with my department and what is not. Also what would I change if I were CEO for a month? I honestly told him that I thought the company’s best asset is it’s employees and being a smaller family owned company. I came from a larger corporate newspaper and my experience here has been much better. What would I change if I were CEO? That is a tough one. The only thing I could come up with on such short notice was to add some sort of tuition reimbursement plan. I started to try and finish my 4-year degree, but the cost was just a little too overwhelming. Helping your employees gain an education will help the company as well. 

-- On a side note I know times are tough, but I also wouldn’t have frozen wages. I think the thought of no hope for raises coupled with rising health care costs and no 4-year degree is what ultimately made me start considering my future. I knew if I stayed put that I would be in the same exact situation I am in right now. I want to do something exciting, I want some adventure, I want to know that I can grow and advance both personally and professionally. (Also it seems there is no bright future for newspapers. I believe the staffs will continue to shrink and they will face increasing competition for advertising revenue). The newspaper business is in a slow death spiral!

Announcement Day (Pre-Basic Training) 76 Days until Basic

Today I took my boss out for coffee for our weekly meeting. At the end of the meeting I let him know that we needed to get all our projects done by April 1^st because that would be my last day….I’m joining the Army. A look of shock and disbelief came across his face. I wanted to give the company as much advanced notice as possible. This way they will have time to find a replacement and the transition should be a lot easier. After answering his questions, we then returned back to work and he had to immediately inform the owner and general manager. I then submitted my official resignation. It will be very hard and sad leaving this place. The company is great and the people here are good people. I made a post on Facebook and it had an overwhelming response. The official company announcement went out later on in the day. I have been stopped many times throughout the day with people wishing me luck and giving me encouragement.

Big Announcement Looming (Pre-Basic Training) 77 Days until Basic

The big announcement is looming. This past weekend we let the rest of the family know our plans about joining the army. For the most part it was a non-event. A few questions here and there, but nothing major. We visited my grandma who has not been thrilled about the idea of her grandson joining the army while there are two wars going on. I let her know that I would only be doing computer work, similar to what I am doing now. After easing her fears I think she is now OK with the idea.

Tomorrow is the day our house will go on the market and also the day I plan on letting my boss and the owner know that I am going to join the army. My last day of work will be April 1st (April Fools Day). Is that a sign? Am I a fool for leaving the newspaper industry, or would I be a fool to stay? I guess time will tell.