Okay, so this is not exactly day 2, it’s more of a day 2 through 4, but I’ve been busy with the company orientation and did not quite have the time to write. I am working on it tho. Pictures are coming, so bare with me.
The theme for today is budgeting. Although perhaps obvious to your and me, planning, and specifically financial planning of a co-op trip is a tricky business. After purchasing airfare, temporary stay in a hotel, paying rent, buying some food, buying some new work cloth, and also spending some cash on other smaller things such as SkyTrain passes, I noticed that my bank account was getting smaller by day and credit card bills just bigger and bigger. Luckily, I had a little extra money to fall onto, but only by a coincident.
What I did not realize, or maybe did not want to realize, that all my spending would not be reimbursed overnight. Although moving expenses are covered for me, and only shipping is taking up about $400, I will not get that money back for perhaps another two weeks or so. Rent was another sizable chunk, and although my paycheck would be just fine to cover it, the pay isn’t coming for a few weeks also. With all that, as well as food expenses and random spendings as I mentioned, money goes away very fast.
My advice – calculate in advanced how much you will need for the first month, preferably on week2week basis, and then double that amount. Make sure you are not only going with your sizable credit limit, but also with some hard cash. Remember, your landlord does not take credit 
In other news, the company I am working for has been very friendly to me so far. I will not mention the name as often it leads to various complications with employer relations, but I will tell you that I will be working in telecom business.
After two days of orientation, I love these guys even more than when I signed my contract. Although perhaps my job will not be the most challenging or the most exciting job in the world, the people I am working with definitely make it worth coming here. Many employees are young, under thirty, and I get a feeling of belonging and respect. Although I know a lot less than even those employees who worked for as little as a year, I feel respected by all the fish, how little or large it might be.
Tomorrow is a brand new day, and hopefully more news and suggestions from me.
G’nite!
