Louisiana

Hello world!
Currently writing from Staybridge Suites in Lafayette, Louisiana (which by the way is an excellent hotel. I highly recommend it). I still haven't found a place to live but my manager, Orleth, is giving me a day off tomorrow to dedicate to apartment hunting. So my plan is to sleep in (hurrah!) and call the list of apartments that I have that holds 9 possibilities. Then I will go rent a car and visit the potentials. Exciting!!!

I've went to work 2 days so far- on Monday and today. I've met most of the open hole wireline engineers at my office. Everyone is sooo cool and friendly and most importantly, SMART. Work hard play hard type forreals. I really respect that... It's like a small family and from what I hear everyone gets along well and works well. I was told New Iberia was the right choice to pick :) It feels so surreal to be here right now. I am so grateful for being able to work in this field and learning new things all the time. I can't wait to really delve into what the working life of a field engineer (trainee) is like. After work today I spent some time getting to know them by playing volleyball, eating dinner, and watching The Voice on tivo afterwards.

Also today I did water survival training because one thing I discovered coming here is that half of my jobs are barge jobs that are on the water. So I took a water survival class and also did a practical where they want to make sure you are physically capable of busting yourself out of a drowning helicopter or whatever. It was pretty crazy and when you are in the capsule underwater, upside down, it gets you very disoriented and you forget which way's left and right. I successfully got my certificate though, after a lot of water up my nose.

Eep it's 2:30am and I have definitely taken advantage of not going into work tomorrow. But sleeping early has become a habit I am majorly tired.
Will update again! BTW.....still haven't tried Cajun food. That is definitely #1 on my list after settling into an apartment and getting a car! And also buying Yankee Candles for my room because those smell incredible.

Moving

Oh dear me it is really happening. Movers are at my house and packing up everything that once belonged to me in my home. My bed, drawer, mirror, shelf, couch, clothes, everything!

It's fun packing everything up because you get to go through all your old stuff and visit memory lane. Just before, the movers took apart my bed and packed it and I found my high school yearbook! I thought I lost that thing! I immediately decided to throw it into one of the boxes so I can have it with me down south and get to reread all the things people wrote me.

I still don't feel any REAL nervousness yet. Will I not feel it until I actually step foot in Louisiana? Right now I feel calm and ready. Except I still haven't found an apartment yet. I think I'll be living alone, which I think will be a brand new experience that will let me learn a little more about myself. I can't find a roommate because I don't know anyone there. 

On a side note, I've been kind of obsessed with finding blogs and articles and quotes about your 20s. Just to see what other people's 20s are like. Moving to an apartment on my own might have triggered this. Because I feel like this is a big milestone that hapens in your 20s. (Did I say 20s enough times yet?)

Just read this: http://therumpus.net/2011/02/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-64/

And sharing with you all this:

Your 20’s are your ‘selfish’ years. It’s a decade to immerse yourself in every single thing possible. Be selfish with your time, and all the aspects of you. Tinker with shit, travel, explore, love a lot, love a little, and never touch the ground.

— Kyoko Escamilla

Packing Part 2

Feels like yesterday when I was feeling frantic about what to bring to my OFS-1/PEPTEC training to Texas and Oklahoma. I'm packing yet again for my move to Lafayette, Louisiana! My district is in New Iberia, but everyone lives and commutes from Lafayette because I guess there are more places to live there. I'm home in Jersey now and my room is a mess. I haven't really unpacked from Oklahoma and I think I'll keep it that way and bring the same suitcase down to Louisiana.

Being home is great. I've missed the home cooked food and family time and my bed! It's unreal how I'll be down in a whole new state in a week. It's a little overwhelming because I have to find my own apartment and finalize my plans to settle down. I found out I will not be going to Canada for winter projects this winter right before I left Oklahoma. To be honest I was really sad because I was looking forward to going there and working since we were told we would be sent there during our orientation in June. Oh well...gotta roll with life with different changes and surprises! I'm sure I will have a blast in Louisiana. Either scenario works out for me because I'll be in a new place, learning new things and meeting new people.

One thing I am so so thankful for is the moving company Schlumberger provides. All I have to do is tell them what I need to bring with me and they will pack it for me and take it! This is partly the reason why I feel lazy and not motivated to pack....I might google a "to-pack" list for college students so I can refresh my memory with the important things I have to take with me. And then I'll make my own list. I love lists!

Don't count the days. Make the days count.

Listening to a mix of songs including Avicii, Adele and Frank Ocean while eating sweet yellow bell peppers which I've discovered at a bbq last month. They are so good. It's been a while since I've had the chance to sit and write. I got back from my final engineer shift for Job 3 today. It started at 8:30pm last night-14 hours of logging and 10 hours of playback to hand in my final logs. Eeeeeeeeek! After delivering my final product, it was weird I didn't feel as excited and happy as I thought I'd be. Maybe it was because I was too tired to express my emotions because I am usually a very expressive person. I can't believe there is only 10-something days left of PEPTEC. The time went by so fast and this is definitely a chapter of my life that's challenged and changed me. Looking back, it's been a blast and such a memorable few months.

I love living life not knowing what to expect. Where will I be after this? I'll have 2 weeks off after completing school and I'll finally be able to have home cooked Korean food! Looking forward to that because I am definitely missing some in my life right now. The food at KLC is great but I need some variety sometimes... Then I think I'll be sent to my district in Louisiana. Which reminds me, I should email my manager who will also be new to the district because my original manager is transferring. And after that, Canada?? for Winter Projects from November/December to April. Nothing is final though. Everything is up in the air and I'm excited to see what will happen.

It's weird to finally unwind (kind of- I still have two more 14 hr operator and winchman shifts starting tomorrow). I'm so used to being surrounded by people and constantly working/talking/thinking. I've hardly had time for myself. Don't get me wrong I love being with people and I seek to be with company but it's also important to have me time. Last night Kate, Ning, Anisha and I drove up the hill (that's where we call the main buildings area) to have a shower party and wash up because there was no running water down the hill (that's where we do our practicals. Creative names, I know). We ended up going into the guy's locker room to wash up because the water in the girl's locker room was either not running or brown. It felt like we were breaking in because the lights were off and I loved it. And there was no one up the hill because it was 2am. Yes we sleep at school and there's actually a bunkhouse because slb is all about working day and night! The bunk beds are actually really comfortable. After our showers we went to the cappuccino machine and got our fill of French Vanilla and Hot Chocolates and hung out and talked. Also outside I saw sooo many stars. It was really beautiful. There is something about the stars that immediatly get my attention. I can look at them all day.

Ok I am going to go make some Hamburger Helper for the first time. I've had some at Kate's place and it was so good and easy I bought my own and will bring it for my two remaining shifts down the hill tomorrow. 

Words to live by

I found this in an old email...:) one of the many reasons why I love going through old things

1. Accept that some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.
2. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4. Drive carefully. It’s not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
5. Eat a live toad in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day.
6. If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
7. If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
8. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
9. Never buy a car you can’t push.
10. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you don’t have a leg to stand on.
11. Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.
12. The early worm gets eaten by the bird, so sleep late.
13. The Second mouse gets the cheese
14. When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
15. Birthdays are good for you, the more you have, the longer you live.
16. You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
17. Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
18. We could learn a lot from crayons, some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors but they all have to learn to live in the same box.
19. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
20. Happiness comes through doors you didn’t even know you left open.

I'm not lucky I'm blessed

In the midst of all the busy work and stressful times ahead, I just wanted to say that I am extremely blessed with the people around me. Next week, I have my first "job" which is a practical that is even longer and more intense than the wellsite practicals I've been doing. They are four 8 hour shifts, so I'll be working from 2pm-6am on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. It's easy to be overwhelmed and feel uneasy but I turn to my friends when I need to lean on someone.

Everyone here in my PEPTEC class is so patient when I ask questions and for help...they really try to help one another. I really appreciate how it's not a competitive environment and everyone works as one. And as for everyone back home, they are who I can turn to in order to feel stronger and encouraged. I cannot ask for a more supportive, loving, and caring group. Thank God for these people because I do not know what I would be without them. Every single one of them has helped me get through and learn something and have fun while doing it, especially when I needed it at a time like this.

If you're reading this thinking "me?" YES YOU! I love you! Thank you!

Living Solo

Among the many new things I've experienced here in Oklahoma, living alone in my own apartment is something I'm glad I got a chance to do. Before coming here and moving in, I thought it'd be lonely and that it would be too quiet. But I can say I've never felt lonely ever! I realize that I adapt really quickly to different environments. No matter where I am, I am always happy and find something to do that I love. And I only have God to thank for that. Yay! You da best!

There are also many benefits to living alone. Small things like 1) never losing laundry and more importantly, socks 2) walking around with no pants 3) cooking any kind of food and having the fridge to myself. So try living alone when you get the chance! Don't be worried that it will be too quiet because in reality, the world around us is always so busy and loud. Where else would you go to get away from it?

This is the first weekend I've had since coming to training that I get more than one day off. I haven't had Saturday off in forever! Feels so good! We get this 3 day break and go back to school on Tuesday. I think it's because these next few weeks will be crazy busy... so this break if like a calm before the storm. Haha I will prepare for it by studying a little today and also tomorrow!....(hopefully this won't be a scenario like in college where I make plans to study but planning it is as far as I go. See picture below to know what I am talking about)


Today I'm going to the Asian Mart in Oklahoma. My friends and I looked it up and was surprised to find there is actually a pretty big one 10-15 min away! Their site has pictures of bubble tea. Even more promising! I am a sucker for good bubble tea.

PS I am listening to Hillsong's new album Cornerstone and it is amazing. Please give it a listen!!! Have a good day everyone!