This is a picture of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, home to the King of Thailand.
So I've survived the week and there is so much I want to share here, but I'll try not to put you to sleep. I'll keep it down to a minimum, and in chrono order...
My connecting flight from Tokyo to Bangkok a week ago:
I met a nice American dude from Kansas in his mid-20s on his way to Thailand sitting next to me. He told me about how he works for a major oil company down in the south of Thailand and that he's loved living there for the past year. He's also saved a shitload of money because cost of living is so low. I felt a lot better and less tense about moving to Bangkok immediately.
The first few days:
First things first, and most importantly - who the @$*% packed a fat rubber dildo in one of my suitcases!? You bastards. Thanks though, I spent 5 minutes straight laughing and wondering who might have done it. Still haven't found the planter yet...but one day, they will find that dildo under their pillow.
The company shacked me up in a first class serviced apartment called the Pantip Court that more resembles a 5 star hotel. It's 10 minutes cab away from my office and the cab costs $1! They'll subsidize me here for a month thank god while I look for a more permanent place in the meantime. Everyone is so welcoming and smiley. Of course it is their job but I feel that Thai people really are more genuine when they do it than hospitality staff in most other developing countries.
My first day at work was overwhelming to say the least, but not as bad as I might have expected. I'm on the 16th floor of a huge skyscraper office complex called Empire Tower. There are about 6 other expats in the same office and a few local staff. There is another huge Diageo office in the building next door with 95% locals. Everyone was very friendly, but extremely busy. I would soon find out why as I poured over tons of documents and emails to bring myself up to speed on important projects that I'll be working on in Vietnam, Maylaysia, and Singapore very soon. The information absorbing hasn't stopped, and I actually don't expect it to for a while, if ever. That said, I am thrown into the full of things here straight away, and I will have more responsibility than I thought I might before I got here. This is both exciting and making me a little stressed at the same time.
If you had to name my division, it is commercial strategy. Diageo is a gigantic organization with offices in almost 200 countries, and the Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing. Basically we have a lot of opportunities and many big time deals to get done as fast as possible. It really is very fast paced and I'm of course extremely interested in the business of alcohol, so that helps a lot. I want to do a great job for Diageo because I want to prove that I was worth giving this opportunity. Hopefully I'll learn fast!
Did I mention my laptop is a 5+ year old IBM think pad and I can't install random stuf like games/movies/Versetel/Skype? Looks like I'll be buying my own personal PC in the next month or so.
My expat coworkers are all from the UK, Australia, or New Zealand. I'm really adapting my vocabulary of course, and trying to remember what I've learned from living in England and from listening to my Dad. I don't want to hide the fact that I'm an American but I don't want to stick out in the worst ways that many Americans do abroad.
After work everyday I have been mentally and physically exhausted. I've tried to force myself into the gym for an hour but it has only worked half the time. I'm not yet used to the timezone nor sitting at a desk 9-6. In time, I hope. For those of you still in college - my first impressions of the real world are: "Wow, I used to have so much more time" and "This is awesome, I'm actually making a difference." So cherish your extensive freedom for now, but don't worry so much about feeling like college was the peak of your life. At least that what I say now, in the first week. Haha...
Ramdom - I'm amazed how cheap groceries are here. My first big run at supplies cost about $20. I spend that much on groceries in the states every 3 days. In fact, almost everything is half price of the states or even much lower. After finding out that I have to pay ZERO taxes, I'm going to have to save a lot of money for when I come back (to blow on a nice car or business school tuition maybe).
On Friday after work we had some drinks at the Diageo open bar in the big office next door. I had frozen Johnny Walker Gold Label and some Ciroc (high end) vodka on the rocks. Oh and I found out Diageo makes Kilkenny's too - a beer very similar to Boddington's and John Smith's, sweet! Damn, I could get used to this. We ate at a Tex-Mex place afterwords and while it was good food, it ain't no California Mexican by far. I'll miss that for sure, as I already miss all of my friends back home.
I'm still apartment searching from time to time and it really is hit or miss. There is an abundance of supply but price does not equate value here. Two downtown apartments for $600 could mean one dimly lit dump and another uber modern bachelor pad. I'll probably figure out where I'm going to live next week, but I won't move in until mid-Feb. when my company allowance runs out.
I've had the chance to call some of you, but others I'm getting around to. My company only allows so much time for personal international calls through the phone they gave me. I'm also burning through phone cards alarmingly quickly. If you have some time, drop me an email. I really like hearing from you guys.
I'm heading off to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for 2 weeks starting Monday the 22nd, but I can still be reached at +66 81 848 4309 (my cell). Overall I'm doing great and I feel like my adventure has just begun! I am going to be working my ass off but just being here makes it fresh and exciting.
I think I've said enough for now even though I could go on for ages. Don't worry, I'm out!
