19 - 23 July 2010: Work Week 1....

Decided not to put something down for each day. After all, who wants to hear much about work.

So far, not feeling that have been great deal of assistance to the office here, but expecting that to change next week when will be starting to work with a new hired (just this week) Underwriter. A new Underwriter has also just been hired in the Sydney office, so will be working with that Underwriter too when get to Sydney. Also, will working there with two new Account Managers. Might have been best to have spent more time in Sydney, but then would not have seen Melbourne.

The work pace here is slower than in the United States but seems a bit more formal, too. Of course, we are working in a center city area, but seems a lot more suits and ties are worn by the men. Have gone out for lunch everyday but one, and lunches are not eat-and-go back to work, but rather 90 minutes or so minimum to chat and eat and relax a bit. Wine to drink at every lunch.

Have had one of the people in office describe Melbourne as more European in style and Sydney more like San Francisco.

During week did need to locate a local laundry. The laundry service at the hotel is way too expensive - AU12.50 to do one dress shirt. The laundry is a bit of a walk to get to, but gets me out to see more of the area.

Interesting items:
-More formal or not, everyone just seems to dress in darker colors
-To Go = Take Away
-Coins = $2, $1, 0.50, 0.20, 0.10 and 0.05 - $2 and $1 are gold colored and others are silver. At end of day, easy to end up with a fist full of coins.
-Restrooms in the FM Global office building are not Men and Women - rather Male and Female
-Letterboxes and not mailboxes
-The office has a "Sickbay" and a shower
-Pound key on phone (#) is the "hash key"
-City streets are very much on a grid system, and generally between each main street is a Lane - a little bit wider than one car. Off from the lanes are many small alleyways. Seems like every alleyway has small shops and cafes. Most of the small cafes are a kitchen, bar and 8 to 12 tables. Lots of Curry, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc. I have not been too daring yet on the food selections.

On Friday after work, attended the local "Mid Year Function" (Drinks and Nibbles) that the office holds each year - purely a social event for employees and "partners". (Partners used most times here and not spouses, etc.) This function is a tradition here generally to celebrate the big 30 June/1 July renewal season. At least the function was not preceded by a recounting of operating results, etc.

On Sunday, will be going to a"footy" match = Australia rules football. The office here has seats at one of the local stadiums, so looking forward to that. Several people from the office will also be going so I will have someone to explain the rules.

Enough for now - need to get moving....