This is my plan for NOV essay:
1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well lit place in front of your computer.
2. Log onto MSN and Skype (be sure to go on away!). Check your email.
3. Read over the topic carefully, to make certain you understand it.
4. Walk down to the nearest shop and buy some chocolate to help you concentrate.
5. Check your email.
6. Call up a friend and ask if he/she wants to go to grab a coffee. Just to get settled down and ready to work.
7. When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well lit place.
8. Read over the topic again to make absolutely certain you understand it.
9. Check your email.
10. You know, you haven't written to that kid you met at camp since fourth grade. You'd better write that letter now and get it out of the way so you can concentrate.
11. Look at your teeth in the bathroom mirror.
12. Grab some mp3 .
13. Check your email.
14. MSN chat with one of your friends about the future. (ie MHS transformation).
15. Check your email.
16. Listen to your new mp3 and download some more.
17. Phone your friend and ask if she's started writing yet. Exchange derogatory emarks about your company, your friends, the world at large.
18. Walk to the store and buy a pack of gum. You've probably run out.
19. While you've got the gum you may as well buy a magazine and read it.
20. Check your email.
21. Check the newspaper listings to make sure you aren't missing something truly worthwhile on TV.
22. Play some solitare .
23. Check out bored.com.
24. Wash your hands.
25. Call up a friend to see how much they have done, probably haven't started either.
26. Look through your picasa pictures from home.
27. Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.
28. Check to see if bored.com has been updated yet.
29. Check your email and listen to your new mp3.
30. You should be rebooting by now, assuming that windows is crashing on schedule.
31. Read over the topic one more time, just for heck of it.
32. Scoot your chair across the room to the window and watch the sunrise.
33. Lie face down on the floor and moan.
34. Punch the wall and break something.
35. Check your email.
36. Mumble obscenities.
37. 5am - start hacking on the paper without stopping. 6am -paper is finished.
38. Complain to everyone that you didn't get any sleep because you had to write that stupid paper.
21 Nov 2008
14 Oct 2008
NOVs - such a drag
Thing are very shaky for us - MHS personel. There's no OV positions for anyone.
We received a new contract from the company. We are now "Temporary Meat Hygiene Inspectors", until they find us a OV position. Besides that there are new MHS policies: the OV will be Team Leader. This means that we must have skills in the following areas:
So, in order to do so, we must attend training session across the country, during at least 3 weekends (Why weekends!!!! )
Boredommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
And can you imagine! Me team leader! Ahahahahahahah. I'm so dead!
We received a new contract from the company. We are now "Temporary Meat Hygiene Inspectors", until they find us a OV position. Besides that there are new MHS policies: the OV will be Team Leader. This means that we must have skills in the following areas:
"People Performance Management:
· Managing the performance of plant team members including conducting formal and informal performance appraisal and review.
· Setting individual and team objectives.
· Conducting and overseeing the induction and probation of new members of staff
· Managing staffing and attendance levels including managing all absence cases and approving applications for leave.
· Managing all aspects of Human Resources casework (discipline, grievance, harassment, bullying etc.) including appropriately managing issues at an informal level to minimise escalation, acting as an investigating Officer, and retaining accountability for satisfactory resolution of all such cases from the plant.
Effective team leadership:
· Holding regular team meetings: providing advice, cascading relevant management and technical information including checking for understanding and discussing practical implications.
· Encouraging continuous improvement, sharing of ideas, building effective team relationships.
Self Management:
· Effective time management.
· Identifying, communicating and achieving any personal development needs.
Effective development of others
· Assessment of staff competence levels against the defined MHS competencies standards.
· Identifying business related training and development needs of staff.
· Setting and agreeing realistic and achievable Development Plans for staff.
· Coaching and developing staff to improve their skills and performance in their roles"
So, in order to do so, we must attend training session across the country, during at least 3 weekends (Why weekends!!!! )
Boredommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
And can you imagine! Me team leader! Ahahahahahahah. I'm so dead!
18 Sept 2008
You know you are in UK when
I found out this and I think it's excellent. I think we all relate with, at least, 90% of all this. It's long, but it pays off.
"You know you are in UK when:
"You know you are in UK when:
1. One out of 4 words you hear in the streets is "fuck" or "fucking"
2. You have tried the symbol of British food, a breaded piece of fish with fries and they call it fish & chips".
3. You see semi-naked girls in the streets and boys wearing t-shirts with temperatures below zero.
6. You wake up every morning knowing that it's quite unlikely that you're going to see the sun.
9. You realize that dinner time is 6pm
10. You see people drunk in the streets at 8pm.
12. You are kicked out of a pub at 11.30 pm
14. You see people wearing flipflops and shorts even though it's raining.
23. You see Tesco as an important social meeting point.
24. You have struggled trying to convert from Farenhait to Celcius, from Miles to Kilometers and from Pounds to Euros, but you know a pint is 0.56 litres.
25. You have been driving on the wrong side of the road
28. You see 3 kebab shops and 2 indian restaurants in every street.
29. You've had a Full English Breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausages, beans, etc and you think it's amazing
31. You've thought more than ten times that the car you have just seen was driven by nobody
33. You have wondered about the wildlife present in your carpet.
34. You see a group of people wearing fancy dresses every time you go out at night.
35. You have been in a pub next to a really drunk lady, that you think could even be your grandma.
42. You have a sink in your bedroom.
44. You find machines in pubs in which you can buy condoms, vibrators, lubricant and even a Hair Straightener.
46. You ask for a double whisky in a pub and the quantity you're given is just ridiculous!!
47. You see potatoes everywhere, in all different forms and shapes, i.e. boiled potatoes, jacked potatoes, smashed potatoes, chips, crisps, etc.
54. You learn that 4 cups of tea per day is good for you.
55. You have stopped questioning why there are carpets even in the bathrooms
56. You know there is a fair chance your house is filled with mould.
60. You have mushrooms in your toilets.
67. It's only five and every single shop is closed!
68. You've bought something at Argos!!
74. You find normal that in clubs the ladies toilets are full of screaming semi-naked drunk (British) girls trying to do their make up and hair again and again.
75. You feel like being a nun when you wear trousers or skirt longer than your knees and tops to go out
78. You realize that you have never seen an English Restaurant
82. You discover there is a "potato" function on the microwave!!!
85. You see your housemate ordering chinese food or pizzas three times a week
86. You realize that you can get decent (dark, rye, healthy) bread in every European country except for the UK...and no, Toast is not considered a proper kind of bread.....
87. You are no longer suprised to see fans and radiators on at the same time (either in February or June!)
88. You are certainly annoyed by their stupid sockets
89. You realize that every product you buy "may contain trace of nuts"
91. You are addressed as "treacle, sugarplumb, darling, sweetheart, love, ...." (and all other versions of nicknames in that genre you normally only call your wife/lover) by the staff in supermarkets, pubs and restaurants.
92. You are affected by CCTV paranoia.
93. You can see, on a saturday night, Dancing on ice, strictly come dancing, pop idol, x factor, big brother, big brother celebrity, I'm a celebrity get me out of here (and so on) simultaneously!
94. You are not surprised to see an old lady, her daughter and her granddaughter dancing together in a club.
97. You have asked to borrow ten "quid" instead of ten pounds from someone"
"Being British is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish Kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. And the most British thing of all? Suspicion of anything Foreign."
"Only in Britain ... Can a pizza get to your house Faster than an ambulance.
Only in Britain ... Do supermarkets make sick People walk all the way to the back of the shop to get their prescriptions While healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
Only in Britain ... Are there disabled parking places in Front of a skating rink..
"NOT TO MENTION...
3 Brits die each year testing of A 9v battery works on their tongue.
142 Brits were injured in 1999 by not Removing all pins from new shirts.
58 Brits are injured each year by using Sharp knives instead of screwdrivers.
31 Brits have died since 1996 by Watering their Christmas tree while the fairy lights were plugged in.
19 Brits have died in the last 3 years believing that Christmas decorations Were chocolate.
British Hospitals reported 4 broken arms last year after Cracker pulling accidents.
101 people since 1999 have had broken parts of Plastic toys pulled out of the soles of their feet.
18 Brits had serious Burns in 2000 trying on a new jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouth.
A Massive 543 Brits were admitted to A&E in the last two years after opening Bottles of beer with their teeth.
5 Brits were injured last year in Accidents involving out of Control Scalextric cars.
And finally.......... In 2000 eight Brits cracked their skull whilst throwing up into the toilet"
But we like Brits anyway!
2. You have tried the symbol of British food, a breaded piece of fish with fries and they call it fish & chips".
3. You see semi-naked girls in the streets and boys wearing t-shirts with temperatures below zero.
6. You wake up every morning knowing that it's quite unlikely that you're going to see the sun.
9. You realize that dinner time is 6pm
10. You see people drunk in the streets at 8pm.
12. You are kicked out of a pub at 11.30 pm
14. You see people wearing flipflops and shorts even though it's raining.
23. You see Tesco as an important social meeting point.
24. You have struggled trying to convert from Farenhait to Celcius, from Miles to Kilometers and from Pounds to Euros, but you know a pint is 0.56 litres.
25. You have been driving on the wrong side of the road
28. You see 3 kebab shops and 2 indian restaurants in every street.
29. You've had a Full English Breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausages, beans, etc and you think it's amazing
31. You've thought more than ten times that the car you have just seen was driven by nobody
33. You have wondered about the wildlife present in your carpet.
34. You see a group of people wearing fancy dresses every time you go out at night.
35. You have been in a pub next to a really drunk lady, that you think could even be your grandma.
42. You have a sink in your bedroom.
44. You find machines in pubs in which you can buy condoms, vibrators, lubricant and even a Hair Straightener.
46. You ask for a double whisky in a pub and the quantity you're given is just ridiculous!!
47. You see potatoes everywhere, in all different forms and shapes, i.e. boiled potatoes, jacked potatoes, smashed potatoes, chips, crisps, etc.
54. You learn that 4 cups of tea per day is good for you.
55. You have stopped questioning why there are carpets even in the bathrooms
56. You know there is a fair chance your house is filled with mould.
60. You have mushrooms in your toilets.
67. It's only five and every single shop is closed!
68. You've bought something at Argos!!
74. You find normal that in clubs the ladies toilets are full of screaming semi-naked drunk (British) girls trying to do their make up and hair again and again.
75. You feel like being a nun when you wear trousers or skirt longer than your knees and tops to go out
78. You realize that you have never seen an English Restaurant
82. You discover there is a "potato" function on the microwave!!!
85. You see your housemate ordering chinese food or pizzas three times a week
86. You realize that you can get decent (dark, rye, healthy) bread in every European country except for the UK...and no, Toast is not considered a proper kind of bread.....
87. You are no longer suprised to see fans and radiators on at the same time (either in February or June!)
88. You are certainly annoyed by their stupid sockets
89. You realize that every product you buy "may contain trace of nuts"
91. You are addressed as "treacle, sugarplumb, darling, sweetheart, love, ...." (and all other versions of nicknames in that genre you normally only call your wife/lover) by the staff in supermarkets, pubs and restaurants.
92. You are affected by CCTV paranoia.
93. You can see, on a saturday night, Dancing on ice, strictly come dancing, pop idol, x factor, big brother, big brother celebrity, I'm a celebrity get me out of here (and so on) simultaneously!
94. You are not surprised to see an old lady, her daughter and her granddaughter dancing together in a club.
97. You have asked to borrow ten "quid" instead of ten pounds from someone"
"Being British is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish Kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. And the most British thing of all? Suspicion of anything Foreign."
"Only in Britain ... Can a pizza get to your house Faster than an ambulance.
Only in Britain ... Do supermarkets make sick People walk all the way to the back of the shop to get their prescriptions While healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
Only in Britain ... Are there disabled parking places in Front of a skating rink..
"NOT TO MENTION...
3 Brits die each year testing of A 9v battery works on their tongue.
142 Brits were injured in 1999 by not Removing all pins from new shirts.
58 Brits are injured each year by using Sharp knives instead of screwdrivers.
31 Brits have died since 1996 by Watering their Christmas tree while the fairy lights were plugged in.
19 Brits have died in the last 3 years believing that Christmas decorations Were chocolate.
British Hospitals reported 4 broken arms last year after Cracker pulling accidents.
101 people since 1999 have had broken parts of Plastic toys pulled out of the soles of their feet.
18 Brits had serious Burns in 2000 trying on a new jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouth.
A Massive 543 Brits were admitted to A&E in the last two years after opening Bottles of beer with their teeth.
5 Brits were injured last year in Accidents involving out of Control Scalextric cars.
And finally.......... In 2000 eight Brits cracked their skull whilst throwing up into the toilet"
But we like Brits anyway!
14 Sept 2008
Real life...
Yes... We get back to our previous life. You may think that this blog is all about OV course, but no. Because our OV course just started.
Right now some of Us are on holidays some are working but we all terrified about the future. Are we able to do all this things they told us in Glasgow? Legislation, paper work, etc... We'll see... We'll see... (cross fingers we do!)
Right now some of Us are on holidays some are working but we all terrified about the future. Are we able to do all this things they told us in Glasgow? Legislation, paper work, etc... We'll see... We'll see... (cross fingers we do!)
7 Sept 2008
Goodbye Glasgow
As soon as we approched the 3rd week of the course we started to realised how close we were from the end: the goodbye dinner, the evaluation tests, the pile of dirty laundry in the corner of the room that was becoming exponencially bigger...
These last days were very stressfull: the result of our tests (everybody pass by the way! ), the "there is no position for you now" email from the company, all the work we still have do until we become OVs (essays, logs, reports, assessments), the perspective of work with FBOs that cut our car tires and throw us out the window (real stories, no kidding!). It drove us crazy. And still does.
But in the last day when we were driving away from the university this melancolic felling dominate us and we start to miss everybody and everything. We met fantastic people. It's amazing how people with so different backgrounds managed to get along so good.
So we left: fearfull but hopefull of the future.
So we end this blog with a message: If you ever come to Glasgow please....bring a umbrella :) It rains all the time!!
We so look NOVs!!!!
4 Sept 2008
2 Sept 2008
OV Course Diner
This Tuesday the university organise a diner to celebrate this OV course. It's a tradition. They do it in every course. We were in our third week of intense (and some extremely torturating) lecures, we were studying for the assessment...so no one was on the mood for a posh diner. But it was amazing.
They rented a taxi for everybody on their expenses. The diner was very good...fine cousine, great scotch and the place was breathtaking. And what a better way of ending a night than in .... a church, yes, a CHURCH. We went to this pub that used to be a church. It was rather disturbing.
The picutes say it all.
30 Aug 2008
Why does it always rain on me?
"Have You seen last EU legislation about HACCP?"
24 Aug 2008
Endinburgh (or "Edinbrah")
In our first weekend in Scotland we decided to visit the city of Edinburgh (it's pronounced "Edinbrah" - and I have no idea why). Our decision of the location wasn't just for turistical reasons, oh no, it was greatly because 10% of the company was in the city, it was the last day of the International Festival and...because we can.
In the way we decided to stop in Rosslyn Chappel. For those of you that don't know, osslyn Chappel is the last chappel refered in "The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown - the chappel where they found the "Graal". It's a nice chappel, but it under serious reconstrution works and it lacks some glory. Just watch the pics and you will understand. Pics inside the building were forbiden, so...just watch the movie if you are curious about the inside.
Edinburgh
We arrived in Edinburgh arround 2h30 and we went strait to a restaurant with 20 EJ people. Nice. And then we visited the city. The city was top 10, but it was so crowdy. And we were such a big group. We spent a lot of time getting lost from each other!!! But we had a great time together.
Some of the EJ gang.
The new Royal Guards!
No more muffins for us!!!
The castle of Edinburg - surrounded by seats for the Tattoo Parade.
One of the zillions shows on the streets.
It has a very good day, but this city has a lot to offer and the time was not enough. But we'll be back again with more time.
20 Aug 2008
Greta's birthday!
Another day passed, but it was very important day. One of our friends - Greta ( everybody knows Greta), has a 21th birthday. We started celebration yesterday, when just before midnight we came to her room with "Asda cake" to wish her Happy Birthday. Obviously she was surprised ...
It was almost pyjama party...
It was almost pyjama party...
Unfortunately it was to late to get drunk so the proper celebration she had on today's evening. See yourself were we've been and what we've been doing...
(Our Birthday Girl)
(Happy Birthday from Ana)
("Is food here fit for human consumption?")
(Definitely YES )
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRETA
(Our Birthday Girl)
(Happy Birthday from Ana)
("Is food here fit for human consumption?")
(Definitely YES )HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRETA
PS. Everything could be good if we didn't get lost when we were driving back to the hotel. Fortunately Ana saved us. Thanks Ana...
18 Aug 2008
Scotish whisky
After 2 days of shopping we manage to reasonably fill our luggages with some nice clothes. Well...Bart put everything nicely packaged but Ana just throw everything to the car, as you can see...
The 290 miles that separated us from Glasgow took us almost 5 hours to overcome (4,5h to Ana, because she's a crazy driver), but we finally arrived.
The accomodation provided is a Premier Inn hotel, just 2,5 miles from the university. The hotel is good, but lacks in storage facitilies (AKA proper closets and drawers!!!), so all the clothes are thrown through the room .
The eating area is a pub located in the parking lot. So, there's no way we can take our breakfast in pijama! And everything is self-service. Oh, how we miss the "Teeeeeeeeaa, coffeeeeeee?" of Ramada employers.
About the city it self, well...we didn't got the chance to see it yet. But, so far, if it wasn't for the accent and the different currency, I would say we didn't left England at all.
The lectures started at 9h00, but our presence was required a little bit earlier to fill all those burocratic useless registration forms: "Name? Email? Previous experience?...." BORING
This first day of the course was pretty extensive. We just start to scratch the surface of some legislation and we are already willing to hang ourselves. After 8 hours of lectures "MHS, Animal Welfare, H1, H2, H3" are some of the words that are still buzzing in our heads - I wonder what will we dream about this night ( and with who?)
The 290 miles that separated us from Glasgow took us almost 5 hours to overcome (4,5h to Ana, because she's a crazy driver), but we finally arrived.
The accomodation provided is a Premier Inn hotel, just 2,5 miles from the university. The hotel is good, but lacks in storage facitilies (AKA proper closets and drawers!!!), so all the clothes are thrown through the room .
The eating area is a pub located in the parking lot. So, there's no way we can take our breakfast in pijama! And everything is self-service. Oh, how we miss the "Teeeeeeeeaa, coffeeeeeee?" of Ramada employers.
About the city it self, well...we didn't got the chance to see it yet. But, so far, if it wasn't for the accent and the different currency, I would say we didn't left England at all.
The lectures started at 9h00, but our presence was required a little bit earlier to fill all those burocratic useless registration forms: "Name? Email? Previous experience?...." BORING
This first day of the course was pretty extensive. We just start to scratch the surface of some legislation and we are already willing to hang ourselves. After 8 hours of lectures "MHS, Animal Welfare, H1, H2, H3" are some of the words that are still buzzing in our heads - I wonder what will we dream about this night ( and with who?)
17 Aug 2008
16 Aug 2008
Preparations....
Shooping!!!! Do You like it?? Because we do! We just love it and what better excuse for a shooping than spending three weeks in another country? And it was payment day recently. Rich, fresh and full of energy we hit all major stores in Birmingham. Not even rain stoped us. Is this the "power" of money? Long story in short words, lots of pounds and pences spent.
Here You've got some examples ...
Here You've got some examples ...
How everything started?
Getting to this stage was not exactly piece of cake, but we did it!!! Some of the people said we are lucky. But only we know the true : WE ARE THE BEST!!!!
Lets go back to the beginning of this story...
It was cold and windy day exactly six months ago, 16th of February in charming city of Leeds. Unforgettable Ramada Hotel was our first home here. Crazy group of 12 foreigners from almost all Europe start their journey through flesh and blood. Only if they knew how this new adventure change them for the rest of their life's. We skip the boring parts and we are hitting straight to the point. After several months of bloody, messy and smelly job some of this people tried knock heaven's door and apply for the OV course.
Here is our part of the story. After billions of phone calls and trillions of emails we've been chosen to go to OV course in Glasgow.
In this blog we will try to give You a glance of our exhilarating experience.
We are promising You that we will try to put as many posts as we can, but forgive us if we don't.
Hope You enjoy reading it as much as we will writing it!
Lets go back to the beginning of this story...
It was cold and windy day exactly six months ago, 16th of February in charming city of Leeds. Unforgettable Ramada Hotel was our first home here. Crazy group of 12 foreigners from almost all Europe start their journey through flesh and blood. Only if they knew how this new adventure change them for the rest of their life's. We skip the boring parts and we are hitting straight to the point. After several months of bloody, messy and smelly job some of this people tried knock heaven's door and apply for the OV course.
Here is our part of the story. After billions of phone calls and trillions of emails we've been chosen to go to OV course in Glasgow.
In this blog we will try to give You a glance of our exhilarating experience.
We are promising You that we will try to put as many posts as we can, but forgive us if we don't.
Hope You enjoy reading it as much as we will writing it!
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