Week one

I have officially completed my first week of my first real job. And lived to tell about it :)I was absolutely knackered after last week since when everything is new starting from your home, to the city, to the people around you, not to even mention the new job... Can I just say I experienced that: "my brain is hurting" pretty much every day last week. But, there's more to it than just exhaustion:

I think I really like my new job!

After the first few gut-wrenching, blush-inducing, heart-palpitation-causing phone calls, I seem to have relaxed and am starting to understand why people love this place so much. The work environment is very supportive and encouraging, and each time one of the sales reps closes a deal the whole team celebrates. And that is something very wonderful. Today I got my first deals in, and some people from other teams stopped by to congratulate me (even though we compete against each other!).

Our office is all decked out for the holidays, and I swear I'm going to punch something if I hear Michael Bublé's Christmas album one more time... although surprisingly I'm feeling really excited about the upcoming holiday, and not just because of the opportunity to spend a whole week with L.

Stockholm is full of elaborate christmas lights and despite the lack of snow, there's something kind of elegant in the way the city prepares for the holiday. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's somehow less forcing the commercial crap down your throat and more of decorating the city beautifully (and having a skating rink and giant fir tree at Kungsträdgården near the office) giving you the chance to approach it yourself, in your own time, in moderate sized portions. I feel like I get to turn on my christmas spirit when it feels the best.

A weekend home in Helsinki was restful and in ways only increased my exhaustion. Sleeping in my own bed, next to L allowed for me to relax completely. Once completely relaxed, the full extent of the heaviness of my first week made itself known. Saturday was Mikko's defense for his PhD dissertation and the most fun I have had so far at the fancy evening celebration, karonkka. I am blown away each time by the abilities and brilliancy of my friends! Congratulations!

More to ensue in a few days. But now, to bed!