Here are some sneak peek into my mind these days:
"Am I really ready to find a part-time or full-time office job? I feel that I'm not confident enough with my Finnish. Sure I understand much more than last year, but am I ready to answer the phone, for example? Am I ready to serve customers in Finnish?
I feel that it's not too good for me if I keep on looking for training places instead of trying to find a real job. Sure if I do some training, I'll get some money from the government, but if I find a real job, I can get double the amount of money. But I'm scared...it's not good for my self-confidence if I don't understand what I'm supposed to do. Feeling useless in a working place is definitely not good. It's true that so far I have no problem working at the library since I don't deal with customers and I don't answer the phone at all, but what if I have to do that? Will I manage?
On the other hand, have I been closing down doors of opportunities, as well? Because I don't have a driver's license and if I want to get a real job that involves speaking English, I have to go to a place 40 km or 100 km away from here and for that I'll need a car and a driver's license. But it costs so much to have a driver's license (at least €2,000 and another €3,500 for a used car). What if I get pregnant after that? Then I'll quit my job and all that money is spent for what??? I can use that money to go back home to Indo a FEW times!!! Or is this just my excuse for not wanting to spend that money to learn how to drive because I'm actually SCARED?
ARRRGGGHHH!!! I'm getting nowhere here!!! Am I a loser if I decide to just keep on learning Finnish for a while instead of jumping into the working world? Am I too idealistic that I want to find a job that I LIKE so that I can do it with all my heart and soul, despite the fact that I know how HARD it is to find a job here, esp. now during this financial depression?"
Is it long enough? I guess it's not a sneak peek anymore he he he he...OK, now that all those thoughts are out, I can just let them roam in cyber space and I can just walk wherever my feet take me without trying to analyze myself too much. I'm telling you that my brain can drive me nuts sometimes he he he he...
In all honesty, I'd love to continue my studies in learning Finnish properly and get a degree for it if possible and then become a translator or something, but for that I think I have to go to the city since there's no such a school or university here that would allow me to do so. Hmmmhhh...if not, I have to start thinking of starting my own business!!!!!!
OK, I'd better stop thinking and just go to the kitchen to COOK he he he...
P.S. I'd like to thank Randy, Michelle Colebourn and Michelle Frost for having shared some awards with me. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your kind words!!! I TRULY appreciate it!!!
wow....you want start your own business??? what kind a business in your mind at the moment??
ReplyDeleteJul: HA HA HA...not yet...I don't know yet about that, but if it's SO hard to find something to do here that I LIKE, then maybe I should start thinking of doing something bigger from home...
ReplyDeleteGet your driving license is not bad decision... maybe if one day you're pregnant, you can still go anywhere with your kids. Or maybe one day ur hubby can't driving a car because he is sick for example, and he need you to bring him to the doctor, you can still use ur driving license.
ReplyDeleteI'm sourcing for part time job actually & will be heading for an interview tomorrow. The pay is so meagre but just give it a try also not sure if pple wanna employ me.... hahahaha :D
ReplyDeleteoh my I don't even seem to have time to eat anymore.
ReplyDeleteI do n one thing I am going to have to slow down and get some rest.
Or, I am going to collapse. I am just spending way too much time on this computer.
I am so sleepy now it's incredible. My house is a wreck, I had left overs, which was a treat because usually I am having sandwiches or lean cuisines.
Oh pray that I can just walk away for a day or 2 Amel and not feel guilty...please say that little prayer for me.
Hugs,
Jackie:-)
It's always good to find a job for yourself instead of using taxpayers' money by being unemployed. :) Even when you have a baby, your workplace will give you enough time for maternity leave that you can take care of your little one, without worrying that you're loosing the job. ;) At least, that what finnish ladies normally do here. :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, speaking finnish fluently is compulsary since it will give you more choice of jobs to do. ;)
So, go ahead study more finnish then find a job. Good luck for your future study & job!
Jeanne: THANKS for the input, but I don't think it's good for the time being. That's one reason why I bought a bicycle, so I can move around more easily he he...
ReplyDeleteJanice: GOOD LUCK for you, Jan!!! :-D It's true that you'd better give it a try if you really want to work he he...
Shinade: Oh dear, Jackie...TAKE SOME TIME for yourself!!! No worries about us...we'll still be here waiting he he...don't have to feel guilty, you know...I've been busy myself and haven't been able to blog-hop too much.
BIG HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous: THANK YOU for your input. Yes, I know the maternity leave in Finland is pretty long compared to other countries (in Indo you only get 3 months), but I was thinking of taking care of my babies longer than one year. Of course it all depends on whether or not I can get a proper job before I have a baby or not and whether or not we have enough money to support our family without my full-time work salary.
We'll see...but yeah, I need to study more Finnish for the time being...so I think the solution the unemployment officer gave me was the best: I can still go to the Finnish classes AND continue my training at the library. That way I don't use up the taxpayer's money for nothing. I can get the best of both worlds: I can learn Finnish more PLUS I add my "training" experience in Finland. :-D
Hi Amel,
ReplyDeleteJust read this...
Listen, I think you need to just 'let go' and just 'accept' your situation as it currently is and that it will resolve itself in good time.
I do not believe that you 'have' to go to Luosto just to get a job that speaks in English. I do not believe that you have to get a job to use English at all. In any case those jobs are not all year round. With finances as they are, a lot of holiday companies are tightening their belts, so it might be harder to find work with them next winter anyway.
Also, if you were to work in Luosto... there are plenty of people going from Sodankylä daily that lift share. That is what I did intitially. Everything has a solution.
Speaking Finnish fluently is NOT compulsory! My Finnish is no where near as good as Jakes, but I get by with enough.. and at work I practice more. You can also work from home on the internet like me, if you wanted to.
However, I also dont think that your Finnish is 'not good enough' for many jobs! On the contrary. Your shyness is the main issue isn't it. Over the internet you can be very bubbly, but in person you are different and reserved.
Why do you have to take a job that is related to phones or dealing with customers face to face? There are many jobs that do not include this.. jobs that you could do and do just fine. Granted a lot of them are not what you would necessarily want to do, like me working in the hotel, but when you are employed, it is always easier to find other employment. It generally seems to go that way.
The main thing is not to stress about it. The right thing is out there for you, at the right time.
As to a car, as you know I don't drive..and whilst it is not ideal, Ive always got by.
When I was in the UK, I once sold Tupperware. I thought that there was no way I could do it.. as I didnt drive, but the lady that recruited me suggested that I offered a Gift for a Lift to hostesses...and I got lots of ladies to have parties.. all over town that way! In fact I went on to be a demonstator for many many different types of products..and never once had a car.
There is always a way to overcome things...but stressing is not the way to it..that just closes you down.
Do not feel bad about being at the library. You are getting unemployment money that you are legally entitled to AND are working for it! Nothing wrong with that at all. When you are working you will be paying tax to assist others in the same situation.
There are many people who are sitting drinking and getting off their skulls, outside the Valintatalo or Kmarket EACH day, not working and just claiming! And they are not foreign.
So, hold your head up HIGH!
Love Michelle x
Mrs Arctic Rainbow: THANKS SO MUCH, Michelle! Yeah, I've let go now, but I did need to let the steam out he he he...
ReplyDeleteAbout jobs that is related to phones or dealing with customers face to face...that's what I see a lot in Sodankylä...if I want to do an office job like in the library, they do take lots of phone calls, too.
And my shyness is an issue, though I think it's a bigger issue when I'm surrounded by many more Finnish at a time as it gets harder and harder to convey my thoughts. I get by MUCH better in a one-on-one face-to-face conversation.
When it comes to my Finnish...it's not that I desire to speak Finnish fluently (at least not right away, I know it takes years and years), but I AM interested in speaking AND writing better and better Finnish. At least I AM interested in translating from Finnish to English or vice versa in the LONG LONG LONG run...or even teaching Finnish to foreigners through the internet.
Just yesterday I told myself, "I never planned anything before I moved to Finland and though it was scary as hell, things have gone FAR better than I thought it could be. So I need to learn to go with the flow."
So it's all cool now! :-D And yeah, I know it's always easier to find other employment when you're employed...I just need to find my way step by step. :-D