§ Summer Jobs - Erasmus - Trips §

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First DAY : New job // Saturday 27th of June
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I wanted to go to sleep early in order to be dynamic for my first day. But, as I'm used to sleep late, I don't succeed to sleep, so I continue my blog and I don't see the time flying. In fact, I won't tell what time it was...

However, I woke up easily at 8:30 because I don't really like my bed...it's little weird. I prepare for 11:10 or 11:20 because on Saturday bus don't pass as often as other day. 15 minutes after, I take my breakfast whilst writing on my blog and checking my emails. Keith wants to take a picture of me dressed in black and white. I take advantage to photograh him and Karen.



I get on the bus but I missed the first so I wait few minutes. Last times, I had bought a ticket for the week (£17 AD RETURN) so I use it. It should be better if I take the bus one hour before. Because, traffic isn't fluent while bus have often their own line.



Small anecdocte : the changing room for the employees is in the same kind as those in France: a wall cupboard. So I'm not very surprised, I have the habit.

It's okay, I arrive in good time. I ask to see Gemma. She explains to me that I will be barman. She gives me the rest of uniform : red tie, black apron. I meet the boss of the restaurant Jon Egerton, a young man who contrary to english customs he shakes my hand, wishs me good luck and lets me with one of his assistante, Gemma.


 
She presents me to the little team of barmen and also barwoman. Peter, a young and tall Pole, strong of course! It's him who explains to me first the rules of bar. He's a good teacher, he speaks a bit fast but I understand because it's obvious when he shows me a example. He looks nice and sounds funny.



He has told me in 10-15 minutes, how we work, how many barworkers there are, all about sold drinks of course : what glasses; what proportion; where they are put; what kind wine, juice, beer, liqueur, champagne, water, coffee we have; when and how we make the refill of drinking, ice, straw and where throw the waste and the empty bottles. Without forget, the fastest dishwasher that I have never seen, and also the pump for beer and soft drink.

§§§WINES AND DRINKS§§§

After all this, it's the time to try and of course to succeed. So, we have to wait a ticket, which is sent by the waiter or waitress since their tactile computer. Except if it's writing AVOID, we take first a tray, we put it on the bar by clamping down the ticket. Then, we take glasses adequate. Rest that to serve drinks and to put the ticket on the tray.



There aren't lots difficulties : just you have to work quickly because often there is a command each two minutes (during the busy hour). On average, customers ask 3-4 drinks per command, some are quicklier to prepare than other as cappucino, milk coffee, teapot, italian coffee. So, it's easy to take late due to contrary to french people, english people are used to go to restaurant.



At the beginning, the most difficult is the cappuccino but only chocked milk. Because we use hot jet of water. It's special you have to be careful to the noise and also milk has to get on. It isn't easy for me the first times and the next too.



Little by little, I remember what I have to do for common drinks (coke, soda, juice, tap water, beer). About wine, café rouge proposes several kind for red, white wine and rose. Often, English people ask for house wine so it's useful for me because I recognize them easily and quickly.



I have tried to make a cappuccino but I'm not quick enough quickly so Peter and Marco prefer me to do other things such as load dirty glasses in the dishwasher,  unload dispose of litter, add ice, straw when there aren't enough. It's better for us due to at this times English people drink lots cappuccino, tea and coffee.



Marco is the second barman that I have met. He has just worked for CAFÉ ROUGE for 2 months but he has lived in England for 8 years without his family. He is Brazilian…so he asks me if I speak Spanish. Of course, I love the Catalan thus he was happy, me too. He is a great guy. He used to work in the restaurant. Soon, I need something, he always advices. Sometimes, he calls me: "hey mon ami" or he tells me: "merci beaucoup mon ami ". It's weird, when he speaks me French, I don't find my word for answer him…

Any way, soon you make something for a mate, he always thanks you…it's boring…because there isn't lots words to say : "it's okay", "cheers" (English word which isn't in the dictionary)…So you have to repeat the same thing all the day.



During my work, I meet several mates.They are more numerous that I believed to see the last times but it wasn't the same time. Next, the restaurant's politic about waiter  who are only waitress, is wrong. So I start by waiters and waitress because we are always in contact. There are: Charles, a young man who comes from to Normandy...Great, my first french conversation! Ben, one of the managers, he looks like a true english man(tall, blond hairs, blue eyes and few tasks of redness), sometimes he tells few french words. I remenber to Emma, she looks also like a true english woman. She used to serve to the terrace but sometimes she comes to drink behind the bar. Later in the day, I got acquainted of Lucie, a young French who lives in England since few years. She works with me behind the bar. It's useful ! When I finish my work at 18:30, I meet Adele, a nice waitress (she looks like MEGAN FOX...aaah). It's her who brings me my dinner (baguette au poulet, even if it's more turkey). Else, I used to go to the kitchen to take the cupple of tea and throw wastes. So, I meet Victoria, she washs the dishes, and I have seen the cooks. The chef presents him to me when I went searched some ice cubes but I don't remember more his name (sorry...).

Before to go to eat, Jon wants to speak me about this day and he tells me that Gemma was happy of my work. She accepts to give me the job. He asks me what I think about this first day. I answer him that I'm surprised about work's barman. I used to be waiter, but I'm happy to discover this new job. It's interesting and I like. Finally, he gives me my next hours Thursday 18->23, Saturday 12->21 and Sunday 10->17.