It took me about one year to get my EAD(employment authorisation document) what with all the bereaucratic roadblocks and whacky rules! And the fact that it is valid only for six months and it takes about six months to get a new one. Which basically means the moment you get one, you need to apply for the renewal. Of course there is no such thing as a "renewed EAD". It is the same process as the first one, with all the same documentary evidence to be submitted and fresh biometrics. All they do at the biometrics stage is take your fingerprints and picture. As if my fingerprints change from one EAD to another! They remain the same. How about just having the fingerprints in a database? With this country's obsession with fingerprinting each and every person who enters the borders, they should be glad to store fingerprints in a database.
Now, after getting my EAD, I am having trouble finding the perfect job. I know that the cynics will tell me that there is not such thing as a "perfect job", but I am not looking for perfection in its strictest sense. I just want a decently paying job in training. Surely that is not too much to ask. Of course, the rub is in the fact my idea of 'decently paying' and prospective employers' ideas differ slightly. And when there are so many more better qualified people out there, what chance does poor me have?
So it is serving coffee at Starbucks and thinking of going back to school part time. Now, one of the benefits of working in Starbucks is the free coffee. Alas, I am off coffee! But serving coffee is fun, making it with those big milk steamers and espresso machines. It is amazing! And the tips are great too. I could use this kind of cash in my life.
As far as next steps in my career, who knows? I might go from a barista to a bartender! Maybe I should go to bartending school instead of going in for some stuffy course like organisational psychology. I will think about it later. For now I am enjoying my new job, working with really fun guys, making coffee and meeting some great people. And this is way better than what I was doing till now, and I count my blessings.
