Interesting...

Well, I am officially locate-able on the internet. Briefly concerned, but now I'm moving on. Someone from Syracuse Law found out about my internship at UNCITRAL and emailed me. Apparently this individual will be doing the same internship in January of '08 - wanted to know how I was doing this when I'm not going to be a student. I had to explain the whole "William Mitchell has a part time program and I'm going to be a 4L" thing.

So may I just give a shout out to the Austrian Consulate General in Chicago for approving my visa. Many thanks! I received a call from them yesterday indicating that all my paperwork was in order & that looked fine, I was just short on my fees by $50.30 and could I send a money order? Absolutely! Immediately if not sooner. I went to the post office on my way home & mailed it to them - whatever you need to allow me to be in the country legally after 90 days in Schengen states. Very, very pleased about this.

I was reviewing all of my past notes about Farmers. I make it sound so awful and like I have a really bad attitude. That's the danger of a blog - you only see the one aspect and in my case it seems to be ranting and raving. I think that the biggest problem is not that they are a bad company - because they are a GREAT company to work for - fiscally secure since their merger with Zurich, job opportunities, etc. But I don't like that they are a male-dominated corporate structure - there are no women at the top of the company with the exception of HR - which is to be expected as it is pigeonholed as a typical women's job. The claims department is a difficult place to work in. They have corporate policies against harassment, but in my particular office it is not really enforced. Our manager is the biggest perpetrator of harassing comments and inappropriate behavior. I don't care for the corporate culture. But those observations aside (not being able to blame the company if it is not a good fit for me) I've really just outgrown the position. I'm like a kid in shoes that are too small and I'm whining that they are pinching my feet. That is more of what is going on. I'm ready to move on and move up in my career and life, there are not opportunities for me to do that where I am, however I'm still hanging in there for the sake of timing. I need an intellectual challenge. I need mobility within a company that fosters it for EVERYONE - not just the good old boys. I want to work hard and be rewarded for it. I want my skills, talents, and knowledge to be recognized instead of having the company try to force everyone to have the SAME skills, talents and knowledge.

But, I'm leaving soon. I have to say Farmers has been a good place to get my feet wet and get some work experience. The salary has been fairly good and it's enabled me to do the law school gig. I can't blame them for the fact that I don't fit in and don't feel like trying to fit in any longer. That is not their fault. I just wish that someone at the upper levels would notice the strife in the lower levels and take a genuine interest - for the sake of those that are staying. There are some real problems that need solving.

OK - I've rambled enough for one day! I have a TON of schoolwork to get caught up on from this week, so I'd better get cracking, by golly.