Pay raises

From my current rate of hourly pay, I'll get $0.25 more per hour after working 175 hours in the Sparta deli.

Not bad. Averaging 40 hours a work week in the deli, I can get paid $4 more every week after I worked for four weeks!

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Weekly, Biweekly, or Monthly paychecks

In Indonesia, there is only one method of paying your salary: Monthly.

It's paid either early of the month or late of the month. Which is a bad method, because I think some people tend to overspend their monthly budget for leisure and other unnecessary expenses.

In other words, for people with poor money management, after they get their monthly paycheck and pay their monthly bills, they tend to splurge it on everything else.

While in America, there are three methods of paycheck. Once a week, Once every two weeks, and Once a month.

In Sparta I get paid once a week, every Thursday.

Which is a good thing, really.

Let's say that my monthly pay is $400, then instead of getting $400 on the first week but having almost spent so much (especially with my poor money management) for three weeks after my paycheck, I get $100 to manage every week.

And another thing.

One month does not equal four weeks (with the exception of February).

It is equal to 4.28 weeks (for 30 days) or 4.43 weeks (for 31 days).

Which means that if you get paid $400 monthly, that doesn't mean that you go home with $100 every week.

You go home with a bit less than $100.

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How I willingly picked the hardest job when there were other options available

The other day I was wondering what the hardest job (or position) in Sparta is. You know, other than the deli or bakery clerk, we also have those cashiers, CSRs (Customer Service Representatives), pharmacists, meat clerks, florists, janitors, baggers (those who help customers on bagging their purchased items), and even fuel clerks!

Then I asked Sally.

"The deli" was her firm answer.

She went on to explain that we are the only ones who are constantly and steadily busy for most of our 8-hour shifts other than the cashier. Except the very fact that cashiers are not required to clean their counters or stand up for eight straight hours.

That makes the deli job a hell lot harder than any other jobs in the supermarket.

"Then why did you choose to work in the deli if you know it was the hardest?" I asked her.

"Because it was the only job available when I first came in here. I would've chosen to become a pharmacist instead, if there were an opening in the pharmacy...And why did you choose the deli job"

"Err...it was a random pick"

Yes people, that was right.

The hiring manager gave me freedom to choose whatever job I wanted to take in Sparta when I was first interviewed, and I willingly and haphazardly chose the hardest job there.

Dammit.

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Working two jobs

As some of you my blog readers have known, I am working two jobs at the moment. The first job (which gives me a full-time 40 hours a week) is as a Deli clerk in Sparta, an American grocery where I work for five days a week.

And the second job is a part-time 10 hours one as a Sandwich maker in Pinara, an American franchise of sandwich eatery, where I work for the remaining two days.

So, I'm working 5+2 days a week (for a total of 50 paid hours)...This leaves me with no holidays at all!

Hahaha, that doesn't matter much though. I don't need holidays.

In Indonesia I needed those holidays every once in a while, because holidays there could be well-spent by visiting relatives or hanging out with a bunch of friends in the mall.

In America, I no longer need such holidays. I need the money more, which is why I am being 'harsh' now by not even allowing myself to make any room for holidays.

Both are located within 40 minutes of walk from my homestay residence, and usually I either walk to my work places, or I ride a bike.

Now here's the fun part.

My regular shift schedule goes like this:

• Sunday : 15.00-23.00 in Sparta
  
• Monday : 16.00-23.30 in Pinara
  
• Tuesday : 15.00-23.00 in Sparta
  
• Wednesday : 15.00-23.00 in Sparta
  
• Thursday : 15.00-23.00 in Sparta
  
• Friday : 11.00-14.00 in Pinara
  
• Saturday : 15.00-23.00 in Pinara

That may seem like a bad deal for some people to see me coming home late at 23.00 everyday (except Friday), but I actually kinda like it.

Yes, it usually gets really windy and chilly outside at those hours, but at least it gives me the luxury of staying up late everyday.

Because I hate going to bed so early in the night. Haha.

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My work places: Sparta and Pinara

Currently I'm working in a supermarket as a deli clerk and a sandwich eatery as a sandwich maker.

In America, blogging about your office or work life, especially if you happen to bitch a lot about your coworkers, your boss, or your company; could land you either in a discharge (read: getting fired) or a lawsuit.

Now, I want to feel free to blog about my life in both places without sacrificing my own jobs.

Hence, I have chosen to call my supermarket (which I've never named here anyway) with the pseudonym of Sparta and my sandwich eatery with the new name of Pinara.

If I happen to mention my mates, they will be given their own false names.

Both names are adapted from ancient Greek city-states. Don't bother looking for the correlation between those city-states and the companies in real life, because they were just haphazard picks.

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