Those of you who follow my posts already know that I started working as an intern in a company called Ingeteam placed in Pamplona. In order to become an engineer I need to fulfill a final project, and that's exactly what I'm doing there. I've already been working in Ingeteam for over a month and a half and everyday I feel more comfortable. Like the guy who works next to me told me, starts are always difficult, no matter what you start. I mean, it's not like super hard, but the truth is that the first time you have to deal with a proper job, you are kinda lost. You don't know anyone and you are not familiar with working procedures or habits. But hey, that's the reason why the invented internships, so that you could learn. Well, that and to get the job done for half the price. However, I can't complain about this, because in my case, they don't make me overwork. They let me work on my project and learn, which is great.
The truth is I would like to be doing more for the company, but since I'm not an engineer yet, the final project is the priority. Sometimes it can get pretty boring, but it's something we have to go thru. Anyway, the good news is that the atmosphere in the office is great. People are awesome and so friendly. As I said, it wasn't easy in the beginning, but now I feel like part of it all and get along with all of them.
Sorry for the lack of structure of this post, but you have to understand it's a Sunday in the Carpa's (biggest party at my University) weekend, so it's quite a lot that I'm even writing something here, unlike others (Anita, yeah, you are the one I'm referring to, lazy blogger). Oh, and talking about feeling comfortable at my workspace, they have organized a padel tournament called Ingepadel. Guess who's gonna win!!!
November 30, 2008
November 23, 2008
Julen and Mauro
Every now and then I feel the urgency to go to Madrid and pay my two friends there a visit. Julen, who I met on my trip to Australia, is working there in a very important consulting firm. Whereas Mauro, who I met on my Interrail trip around Europe, is studying Engineering there. We are pure travelers material and love planning and going on trips together. The truth is it keeps getting more and more difficult to do so since we are starting our grown ups lives. We have less free time due to working schedules and money isn't exactly something we have in abundance. Nevertheless, hope is the last thing that should be lost and I'm sure we'll manage to go on more adventures together, sooner or later. And in the meantime, this little, short but intense, weekend-length visits is what we have left and the best way to stay in contact. Phone is really handy and everything but it just isn't the same. We are, as Julen always likes to point out, friends of the second group. He refers to a post I wrote while ago where I tried to explain the different kinds of friends people usually have. Being second group friends doesn't imply being less friends than the first group ones, it's just different.
Anyway, all this is just because last weekend I went to Madrid to visit these two friends and I had an amazing time, as usual. I guess they are one of the reasons why I like Madrid that much. Thank you for the weekend!!!
Anyway, all this is just because last weekend I went to Madrid to visit these two friends and I had an amazing time, as usual. I guess they are one of the reasons why I like Madrid that much. Thank you for the weekend!!!
November 09, 2008
workin' vs studyin'
What's better? working or studying? One thing I know for sure, the answer ain't easy man. Each activity or "way of life" has, like most things in live, its advantages and disadvantages. I'd like to clarify something here, when I talk about working I mean a real job. In this discussion I'm not considering work-study jobs or the like. I'm referring to when you have a full time job which enables you to survive in this society of consumerism that we live in. Having cleared that I will continue with what I wanted to express.
Recently I entered the working group. After twenty years of studying I'm finally done with it. I did not get my degree yet because I still have to hand in and present in front of the tribunal my Final Project, but I already started working. So what do I prefer? Well, it's hard to choose. However, I believe it's just a matter of attitude. If you enter your working adventure thinking that you know everything because you have studied a degree in whatever in whichever university you are gonna be disappointed for sure. University gives you the knowledge so that you have a base to build a more specific and thorough understanding on top of it.
One of the things I value the most about being a student is the flexibility. You could, more or less, skip classes, go on vacation, visit friends abroad, etc whenever you felt like it. But once you start working that changes dramatically. You have a certain amount of vacation days and probably you won't be able to place them exactly when you need them, since you have to take into account the rest of your colleges vacation days as well. Believe me, that's something I really miss.
On the other hand, when you start working you always have free weekends. Some people don't really achieve it, but I try and make the effort of leaving work at work. Meaning when I'm out of work I want to enjoy myself and definitely not worry about work at all. I'd rather come out of work half an hour later with the everything tied up than worrying around. So when you're working you don't have to worry about finals, mid-terms or anything like that. Of course you'll have a thousand things more to worry about than a student, but they'll wait for you in the office the next day, they won't probably chase you home. Anyway, I think I got out of track here and started digressing and rambling. What I wanted to say is that, at least me, I enjoy more weekends now than I did before. And I can plan getaways for any given weekend since I don't have any exam on Monday.
Well, and I did not mention it here but of course the main advantage of working is that you get paid. However, I believe it's better to be paid less and love what you do and work the right amount of hours rather than being a workaholic or a work slave. Instead of working that much in order to get more and more, why don't you just get out and enjoy the nice weather or put your free time into good use helping others?
Recently I entered the working group. After twenty years of studying I'm finally done with it. I did not get my degree yet because I still have to hand in and present in front of the tribunal my Final Project, but I already started working. So what do I prefer? Well, it's hard to choose. However, I believe it's just a matter of attitude. If you enter your working adventure thinking that you know everything because you have studied a degree in whatever in whichever university you are gonna be disappointed for sure. University gives you the knowledge so that you have a base to build a more specific and thorough understanding on top of it.
One of the things I value the most about being a student is the flexibility. You could, more or less, skip classes, go on vacation, visit friends abroad, etc whenever you felt like it. But once you start working that changes dramatically. You have a certain amount of vacation days and probably you won't be able to place them exactly when you need them, since you have to take into account the rest of your colleges vacation days as well. Believe me, that's something I really miss.
On the other hand, when you start working you always have free weekends. Some people don't really achieve it, but I try and make the effort of leaving work at work. Meaning when I'm out of work I want to enjoy myself and definitely not worry about work at all. I'd rather come out of work half an hour later with the everything tied up than worrying around. So when you're working you don't have to worry about finals, mid-terms or anything like that. Of course you'll have a thousand things more to worry about than a student, but they'll wait for you in the office the next day, they won't probably chase you home. Anyway, I think I got out of track here and started digressing and rambling. What I wanted to say is that, at least me, I enjoy more weekends now than I did before. And I can plan getaways for any given weekend since I don't have any exam on Monday.
Well, and I did not mention it here but of course the main advantage of working is that you get paid. However, I believe it's better to be paid less and love what you do and work the right amount of hours rather than being a workaholic or a work slave. Instead of working that much in order to get more and more, why don't you just get out and enjoy the nice weather or put your free time into good use helping others?
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