I have a job!

Yes ladies and gentlemen it has happened. Leo has gone corporate.

In one weeks time my lifestyle here
in Brazil has done a 180. After months
of struggling as a unemployed, twiddling my thumbs with too much time on my
hands, I have found a job. And not just any job, but a real live 9-5. Before I left the States I did an internship for an agency specializing in Cultural Heritage Tourism. I considered the field to be the perfect melding of my talents: (1) works good with people (2) enjoys foreign places and exotic travel (3) detail oriented (4) competitive (5) and for-profit. As much as I love the academic life, I became disenchanted with the non-profit lifestyle (i.e. work hard, make little), and was determined to find a career that would reward me for my labor.

About a week ago, an internship and a manager position was posted online for internet based Travel Company that specializes in custom built tours to South America. After doing a bit of research, I learned that the company was small, but quite impressive in its list of services (real estate solutions, travel solutions, web design, and translation). Essentially, it was a one stop shop for clients interested in real estate investment, travel, translation and web design in Latin America.

Fast forward a couple of interviews, and Leo had himself a contract. The company posted a manager position that required at least 8 years experience in tourism, which naturally I didn’t have, but I was determined to sell my skills and bid high. Having done the “intern” thing, I told them that I was ready for a bigger challenge and they agreed. For the next three months I’m on salary as an operations manager and sales tech. If I survive the next three months of work, then I become manager of the travel division, with around 8 employees under my wing.

The work itself is…..hmmm….odd. So different than my past experience. Essentially, I sit at a computer all day long. Because the company is small, our team has a thousand responsibilities. In an eight hour day, I end up playing the role of accountant, administrator, customer service guru, sales tech, and researcher. As if the multiple role thing wasn’t enough of a challenge, I have to do a great deal of my work in Portuguese, which is exceedingly difficult by the end of the day. When I get home my brain is fried.

So, yeah my life has changed. Who knows if it will last, but for now at least I have a steady income. I can return to my routine of going to the gym, of paying for my martial arts, of not freaking out when I buy groceries. I’m really interested in this tourism thing, and hope to continue digging myself into the industry while I complete my masters. I’m still going to have to live sparsely, as Brazilian salaries are MUCH MUCH less than a American salaries, but at least something….anything….is coming in.

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