Lilac Colored Glasses

Sometimes I become very aware of how differently CB and I are in our individual thought processes.  I mean, there are obvious differences in taste, which I learned pretty quickly when it came to choosing colors and items for the bathroom. CB likes sleek and modern, I like natural and woodsey. He likes greys and burnished silver, I like creams and browns accented with brighter colors. We both like mosaic tile work.

In the gaming arena, CB seems to like god-games like Civilization and Spore. He likes to research the games he plays, analyzing the ways to become the most successful and then implementing them. He strives for achievements and benchmarks. I prefer games like The Sims because I can live vicariously through my pixelated, hand crafted people, deciding the way they should live their lives and pre-determining their little artificial fates. I dive right into new games with no clear strategy or plan, I just want to learn as I go.

Today during a chat on instant messenger, I saw again, how our minds, while they mesh quite nicely with each other, are often not even the least bit alike.

First, a bit of background. I have scheduled a job interview today for an English speaking daycare in Brussels. After I made the appointment, CB told me that I could have asked for an email from the guy I spoke to as proof of the interview because I can take that proof to the local werkwinkel (a place here that helps people look for work, associated with the VDAB) and get a discounted train ticket. In other words, rather than spend 16€ of our money on a ticket to Brussels, I can get a government issued train ticket for 2€. But only if I show the proof before the interview. As a result, we had the following conversation…

I’ll try to fill you in on things discussed that you may not know about (I didn’t discuss some things pertaining to jobs because I was ranting over on Facebook instead). Everything in lilac is extra explanation for my readers who don’t follow me on Facebook.

CB: you should one day make a “hints for foreign work seekers in belgium” blog
but then that’d increase the competition
Me: bwahaha!
I’ve totally failed at seeking work as a foreigner
but yes, maybe I’ll give a list of tips on what to do
tip 1. seek employment with the federal government within 90 days (found this out on Friday)
tip 2. don’t listen to the receptionist at the VDAB when she tells you to make copies for work papers.
She’s lying
tip 3. be super enthusiastic while plucking someone else’s hairball from their shower
tip 4. get all promises of payment from self run daycares in writing (it took 2 months, 4 e-mail, 5 phone calls and eventually a threat of legal action to get the owner of the daycare I worked at to pay me for the week I was there)
CB: tip 4. forge e-mails of fake firms and you can travel for 1 euro all across the country

Me: again, note how our minds work in very different ways

CB: hehe

Moral of the story? Well, I’m not quite sure really, other than you should probably be following me on Facebook.