Name Change & Bias

Apparently my last name isn't good enough. Apparently certain people in certain organisations believe Anglo is best. Apparently this ISN'T a country of immigrants (and convicts). I've been told in hush hush gossipy tones that perhaps I should use Sam's names instead of my own.

'Employers have negative opinions of foreign sounding names.' 'Asian sounding names are often automatically disqualified.' 'Sad but it's how things are.' 'People just assume that you don't have the right to work here.' '[Sam's last name] would probably be better received than Zarraouti.' Gah! Are we not in a supposedly modern world?

I know I know, life is not all buttercups and pansies. We are all, a la Avenue Q, a little bit racist. We are all ignorant bits of carbon. We as a society are stupid (more often than not). It's just that I didn't think I'd be given this kind of advice. I mean it's one thing to be judged for being American but it's a totally different ballgame if well meaning people are telling me to change my last name for fear that I might be considered.... Considered what exactly? Considered non-white when I'm white? Considered unfit for a position because I may be Asian or African or Martian? Considered not well-spoken or well-dressed or well-groomed?

All that being said, I am not changing my name. I am not changing who I am nor my family history so that some HR person can then decide that I'm all right because I am something that I may or may not be. Amen.

The job hunt otherwise goes well.

Magpies

I'd been warned about the magpies. Sunday night the boy and I were swooped a few times. We picked up some tree branches and swatted the birds away. My tree branch had ants on it. Some of the ants ended up in my jeans. I thought the ants were a worse annoyance than the birds.

Monday was a holiday in Oz. We decided to do a 15 kilometer bike ride to a friends' house. On the way there a magpie swooped. I batted it away. It swooped from the other side. I batted it away again but in doing so, I lost control of my bike and hit the curb. Apparently I looked like superman flying through the air. A car stopped. A concerned guy, who saw my amazing flying skills, got out. Sam realized I wasn't there and came back for me. The two of them made sure I was all right. I was a bit dazed. There were tears. My shoulder hurt but I decided to be a trooper and to prove to Sam that I'm tough cookie. We biked the rest of the way and ended up having a lovely afternoon playing board games. I kept ice on my arm though, because it hurt. Yeah, it hurt.

That hurt didn't go away though. Turns out that I ripped some muscles off my shoulder. Oppsy. I'm writing this post with my right hand alone. I'm awkwardly sitting on one butt cheek because my other cheek is sore. I have impressive bruises. I hate magpies.

Job search or I'm having a not so fabulous day.

My visa states that I can only work for any employer for 6 months. No exceptions (unless you're a lawyer or doctor. I'm neither.).

When I first arrived, I had trouble getting people to believe I had the right to work in Australia. I understand their doubts. I'm sure there are lots of foreign applicants without the right to work in Oz. Not many places want to sponsor immigrants. I'm sure that many places even take applications from foreigners and throw them away. I remember being told that French companies often go one step further - they throw away applications from people with non-France last names. Oz isn't France, but I'm sure that many things are the same. Unfair, but fine.

Now I'm running into the I-don't-want-to-hire-you-for-only-three-months opinion. Boo. My working holiday visa runs out in January. Our de facto visa hasn't been lodged yet. I'm waiting on police checks. Once I get that nice little de facto visa in my hot little hands, I'll be able to start applying for permanent positions. But until then, I'm caught up in a "I can't work for the government and not many people are hiring temps for non-government jobs" world.

I've learned a lot from the temp work I've done. I don't anticipate problems when explaining when all my work has been short term (internships, teaching in France, temping in Oz). I graduated in 2007 from a (insert buzzword here) 'world class' university. I've spent the past two years gaining invaluable world experience. My future world president soul will be empathetic toward those in my current 20-something situation.

Silly Me

I thought that since STI/HIV testing was totally free in France, there should be similar services in the States too. Silly silly me. Cervical cancer... yeah, can't get a cheap check-up for that either. Oww, and not having health insurance bites. I probably should have planned two weeks in Paris to get medical stuff done mais c'est la vie. Medical tourism takes time.

One would think that as one of the most advanced countries out there, we would have great testing services. But because everything is based on money, people get screwed. Ok, yes, we have Planned Parenthood - but still.

Why are American health care costs so high??? I talked to this attorney recently. He mentioned that changing the legal structure in the states (especially medical lawsuits) would probably drastically reduce costs. Doctors can't afford to be cheap b/c they have to be swaddled in malpractice insurance up to their eyeballs.

Doctor you didn't tell me eating 2 bags of peanut butter cups everyday would make me fat. Now I'm fat. Now I have diabetes! Doctor, I'm gonna sue you for 3 million! Oh you wanna settle out of court to keep your name outta the paper? Ok, fine. I'll take 5 million! YAY!

Life Lessons

Rule #1: No one looks after your interests quite like you. Wasn't there a basic economic principle of self-interest?

Rule #2: Say what you want/desire. Internalizing is for the birds.

Rule #3: Love can be powerful but think twice before buying that plane ticket. He may never pay you back.

Rule #4: Short term means under three months. This is applicable to a myriad of circumstances.

Rule #5: Be flexible.

Rule #6: Karma exists. Practice the Golden Rule or else.

Rule #7: Love. Forgive. Move on. But remember that these things must be done daily.

Rule #8: Lack of vision precedes boredom and/or death.

Rule #9: Interested in someone as a lover/friend/business partner? Watch how she treats the world around her. You truly know people by their actions.

Rule #10: Don't let the heartless Mofos take you down.

My life is a good story. I don't always follow these rules but I definitely should. Although if I had always played it safe, I wouldn't be where I am today: a perpetual couchsurfer with wanderlust and little money. Amen.