People say you know a language when you start to dream in it…Well, I’m not there yet, haha. I did have a dream (nightmare?) that I got turned away from Panaderia Rosetta for ordering a German croissant alemán instead of an almond one almendra, so that makes me like half fluent, right?! I know, I know, so bad and trust me asking for a German pastry is the least of my language worries. I’ve started working with a tutor a few days a week, but it’s certainly slow going. I am okay when I’m practicing, but sometimes when asked a question my mind just blanks! If you’ve learned a second language as an adult maybe you can relate? Or maybe not, haha!

Thanks to my very average Spanish skills, my first day in the office had an interesting start. Before I even got there, I felt like a kid starting at a new school. So nervous/excited! After I checked in at the front desk, I walked onto one of the elevators and there were no buttons??? A woman in the elevator presumably told me what to do, but as I mentioned above my Spanish is pretty meh and couldn’t understand her directions. I did understand that I should get off the elevator though. Sooooo I got on the next elevator over and same thing, no buttons! I thought elevators were universal, so I began questioning my sanity a little bit. Am I so nervous that I forgot how to work an elevator?

Turns out there’s a strategy here. A silver key pad sits on the wall outside the elevators. You type your floor number in and it assigns you an elevator. Then, when you get on, it already knows what floor you’re going to. Brilliant now that I get it. This way there’s only a handful of people in each elevator with a few stops instead of everyone cramming into one and stopping on each floor.

Once I made it to the fourteenth floor and stumbled over introducing myself to the receptionist (did I mention my Spanish is bad?), I was shown to desk overlooking Chapultapec Park! The office is lovely. It’s located in Polanco, a ritzy little neighborhood, great for lunch time strolls and window shopping. I ubered yesterday, which was so easy and inexpensive, and walked today. I think I’ll do a mix since walking is so nice, but also takes quite a bit longer. Going to take a few days to get settled, but being able to work here is great!

And good news, this morning I used the elevator like a seasoned professional. One day at a time guys!