New Beginnings, Fender Benders, and Racism

How's that for a title? Well, I'd all but abandoned my blog and I thought it was about time I revived it.

I'll start with the new beginnings. I finally found the Italian and I a new place to live. My previous place was the size of a shoe box and not a whole lot going for it but when I moved to Portland, it's all that was left in the neighborhood I wanted to be in so I took it. Now, there's a surplus of apartments in this area and as a result, I found us a great deal! This place is so much bigger!! It also has a balcony and a beautiful view of Mt. St. Helens and downtown Portland AND it's two blocks away from work! I love not having to drive and saving on gas as well as saving the environment. I come home for lunch, it's great! I had some friends over this weekend and they could not believe the deal I got. I can't wait for the Italian to see it!



I had a fender bender a few weeks ago but no one was hurt except for my poor car. I accidentally backed into my friends car. His car had not even a scratch, thank goodness. I was on a really steep hill trying to parallel park. There goes my good driver discount....Boo! I had never had to deal with a body shop and insurance before. What a pain! My insurance was actually really nice, it was the body shop that made it difficult. They kept my car for 3 weeks. Who knew one could have separation anxiety from a car!




My job is going great! I am doing really well. I have only been there two months and I already got a promotion, however, it was not without drama. This is where the racism comes in. I was hired as an assistant although the person I was assisting had no background or education in that position. She has worked in the medical field but as a medical assistant. Medical assistants really don't make much so she took a job as the clinic receptionist and was actually making more money. When the position became available she volunteered for it and the office manager decided to take a chance and train her. This isn't really a job where one can just be trained. There is so much more to it. It takes some education. Eventually I was hired as an assistant because she (we'll call her "A") was really struggling. "A" knew that I had the educational background and ever since I started working there she has been really snippy and condescending. I can hold my own, but being that I was new and her assistant, I didn't want to be insubordinate. So, I let a few things slide. Everyday I would catch mistakes she was making and when I presented her with them the look on her face was clueless. The sarcasm on her part got worse. Now I see that perhaps she was threatened by me. One day we were discussing Spain and she said that she was treated badly there because of the way she dressed (she's very hippy/bohemian, not that it matters to me but just to give you an idea) and then she said that Spaniards are the "lowest" of the European community and my response was that I had never heard that and that I disagreed with her. She continued to say, "You know, just like how Mexicans are the lowest of the Latin American countries". She said this to my face knowing full well that I am Mexican. I could feel the blood rushing to my face and my fists clenching but I wasn't going to indulge her in a reaction like that. I knew she was trying to push my buttons. I just told her that that is absolutely not true and I had never heard such an ignorant thing. Her response was, "Oh, I don't feel that way, but other people do". I decided to let her ignorant commment go. She obviously doesn't know any better and has no class or tact whatsoever. I later found out that she insulted Spaniards because she thought the Italian was Spaniard. Can you believe that?? I mean if she doesn't like me fine. But to generalize a whole culture and to put someone down that she has never met and knows nothing about??!! I feel sorry for her.

Shortly thereafter, my boss came to me extremely frustrated and asked me if I wanted "A"'s postion because she was making way too many mistakes and costing the clinic money. I can't tell you the feeling I had inside. I was so happy and the term poetic justice rang like a melody in my ears! Of course I accepted and she said she would put "A" back into her original receptionist position, which would now make me her boss. I knew "A" would not be happy. She started with her sarcasm again, but this time I gave it right back to her. Now she is acting really nice and is acting like she is relieved not to be in that position anymore. I know this is just a defense mechanism of hers. It is a very challenging position and there is a lot of attention to detail. I'm sure she is humiliated but she needs to learn to be humble. She goes around the clinic acting like she knows more than everybody else. As terrible as it sounds, I hope she leaves. Everyone else in the clinic is so cool, she's the only moody one. Can you believe now she is actually inviting me to see her boyfriends band play...Ha! We will never be friends. I don't surround myself with people like that.

On to a happier note, as a result of my promotion I get to do to Dallas for a conference on June 10th for 4 days!! Things are going great for me career wise and in my personal life. The only thing missing is my Italian and I am really hoping he makes it here by August so that we can start our life together!