3 months later...

Today I think it might be interesting to talk again about my new work and update the blog because it has already been three months since I started and it has been a big adventure with a lot of interesting things and small progress.

The beginning was kind of a whirlwind. Do you know that strange feeling when after a long time waiting, that thing that changes your life happens in a moment? Everything started spinning so fast that at times I almost regretted the lazyness of the previous months.

The work came suddenly after a year and a half of stop. I went from being a secretary doing the job of 3 people to being an assistant cook who helps 3 other people by having to learn to do both of their jobs. In a week I learned the preparation of salads and appetizers, then I moved on to the pizza station where in addition to rolling the pasta and stuffing it I also had to learn how to use the oven and the shovel without burning everything but above all without burning myself! Finally, the most complicated station, the fires, where mainly all pasta dishes are prepared. A pot for each portion; first we have to prepare the base of the sauce, then cooking the pasta and finally combine serving it on a plate. The procedure is very meticulous so you have to learn everything by heart and be as precise as possible so that the dishes always go out in the same way. Then of course there is the most boring thing which is also the one that takes up most of the time, I'm talking about cleaning. The last station, called "the office" that we share with the rest of the staff and where everything is washed.

Several times I found myself playing the wild card, moving from one station to another as needed. And I liked it because it is never boring and allowed me to learn a lot of things a lot faster. To be honest, the fact that I could afford to do all these things after only two weeks, meant that basically I can do this job very well.

At first I started dealing with cold dishes and their composition. With the pizzas it was a fun experience. At first they scared me a little, not really pulling the dough or stuffing them, but when it was time to slide them onto the shovel...panic. If they get a hole in them or, as it happened to me one evening, the oven is too hot and you get burned, you feel a bit crying, there in your small station at 36C° all dirty with flour and grease. Today however, the pizzeria is my favorite place and I manage it alone without any problem!

I still don't spend a lot of time in the fire station yet, mostly because there are always the two most experienced cooks. I give a hand to serve up when it is full and of course with all the other preparations. Then when the situation is quiet, I get there too. The hardest thing is to remember the recipes and the order in which to insert the ingredients so I often need to take a look at the recipe book. But I have learned (almost) to sauté food like chefs...it's a pity that sometimes I splash oil or dirt the stove with sauce or I make pieces of pasta fly around and I remember when I was cooking at home and my mom ran after me with sponges to clean! Here unfortunately in the end we have to clean everything ourselves and this is the part I hate, what makes the end of the shift infinite. And in general I don't like being in the office too much because I always get dirty with water and it's tiring to be bent over washing pans, but I can enjoy it because I'm more relaxed, I chat with the waiters and it's the only place with air conditioning!

Finally, the part that probably is the most important. I'm talking about relationship with my colleagues. I was happy with them from day one when I did the interview, but that doesn't mean that there weren't any challenges. Above all because by being only an assistant cook, I work with several different people and each has its own method and character, which is why I had to learn to know them and adapt to their needs.

I often work with Jhon, the head cook who works a lot of hours and is very stressed. At first it was not easy because his nervousness and his hurry made me feel very anxious, leaving me sometimes thinking that he didn't like me. But I am a person who insists and usually does not stop at first appearances. So I did everything to find a positive way to give him a hand in his work, to show myself willing to work hard and maybe even to become nice to him. Now I can say with certainty that I have established a good relationship, sometimes we almost laugh and joke even during the work shift and I am satisfied with everything I have been able to learn from him.

I also established a good friendship with some of the waiters with whom I started going out even outside the workplace. This has allowed me to meet new people and makes me feel that I am finally starting to settle into this new life, creating contacts and making new friends. I even started bringing my own cake experiments and sharing them at the end of thework shift. To make it short I'm feeling very well.

Now I only hope that they will decide to increase my contract hours as soon as possible because with only 12 hours a week (despite the extras that are often done) I will not be able to support myself for a long time. But I'm confident. It is not even said that things have to stop here. I always keep my eyes open to the new opportunities that might present to me, especially now with the imminent end of the summer. But I am happy with this experience and for all those who perhaps still ask themselves, no: I do not regret having given up the job I had in Italy and I do not even want to return. What I have found here is beyond any financial or professional satisfaction. Here I am simply finding myself.