My last night alone in Lux!

Tonight is my last night alone in Luxembourg -- Andy arrives tomorrow afternoon, so I will soon have my travel and email/blogging partner back. I am sure he'll have a few entertaining stories for everyone soon, this is supposed to be a joint blog from both of us after all!

So I've survived most of my first week of work. I am enjoying getting to know everyone on the ArcelorMittal team -- there are 12 of us on the core team, I think there are another 5-10 that will join us at the busier times. Of the 12, four are American, two are Russian, one is Romanian, four are Dutch, and one is Belgian. The two partners share an office, the two lead senior managers each have a small cube, the rest of us are all in one large conference room. It is crazy. I knew I was spoiled in Cincinnati with my cubes at P&G and AK Steel, but this is a bit extreme. I will get used to it, but my notoriously short attention span when there is commotion around me could make work life interesting.

I am getting better at driving, but I have yet to feel 100% comfy at it. I attempted to get home tonight without the navigation system. I discovered a new part of Luxembourg as a result, but escaped unscathed. I had dinner at the Italian restaurant next to my hotel and I ended up sitting at a table next to another lone diner, a "lovely girl" from Scotland named Tamara. At one point I wasn't sure who I was having more trouble understanding, her or my French-only speaking waiter. It was nice to have someone to talk to while eating, she happens to be staying at my same hotel and has recently arrived here as well pending a move for her company.

I learned today that my lease has been approved by Deloitte, so that is good news! The guy in charge of signing isn't back in the office until Monday, so we can't take possession until then, but at least there is a light at the end of the Hotel Ponte Vecchio tunnel. The hotel is fine, but I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to have a kitchen and our own furniture (once we go buy it all). I travel to Geneva for training for a few days next week, so hopefully we can move in before I leave on Tuesday night.

That is all that is really new in this neck of the Ardennes. I have finally succumbed to the peer pressure and signed up for Facebook if any of you want to be my friends.

Love,
Lesley