Thanks and wow!

Thanks for all your comments, thoughts, well-wishes and prayers about my new job. I have to say that my first day exceeded my expectations. It was really terrific, though I was pretty tired by the end of the day.

I got to campus early because it was arrival day for new students. The area where I had been told to park was blocked off. When I approached the Bethel security people, he explained that I needed top park elsewhere, directed me there, and when I told him I was a new employee, he gave me a cheery "Welcome to Bethel!" I saw him later in the day and he asked me how my first day was going (this on a campus with hundreds of people).

I was early, so I walked up from the parking lot and planned to tour a little bit. As I was walking along, I saw an old classmate, Wayne (I've seen him his wife, also a Bethel alum, at reunions). It was nice to be greeted by a friendly face.

As I looked around I saw preparations of all kinds going on--balloons going up, people in Bethel t-shirts and Bethel polo shirts running around everywhere, directional signs being posted, people stationed in strategic spots--all to welcome the new students and their parents to campus. I felt myself getting a little choked up as I remembered being welcomed in a similar fashion exactly 30 years ago when I was a freshman at Bethel. Where did the time go?

I got up to Human Resources (HR) and sat for awhile until Sara, whom I was meeting, saw me and directed me inside to begin paperwork and a brief orientation. I didn't realize all the perks of working at Bethel--training on everything from website stuff to how to run the copier. I got a list of places that would give me discounts as a Bethel employee--from Tires Plus to Northwestern Bookstores.

I met with my department chair and we discussed my job duties. I went down to purchasing to talk to someone about getting fitted for a chair. This gentlemen not only fitted me with a chair, he showed me all the ways to adjust the back, the seat, the height and it seemed like several other things. He also showed me an adjustable monitor contraption for my computer and a keyboard/mouse holder that could be moved for my comfort level. No back/neck/wrist strain at Bethel!

I saw Jeremy, my computer friend (IT) that I mentioned in my blog. He was having lunch in the coffee shop with some friends. Then I went back to the office, and after lunch at my desk I headed over for some administrative assistant training with Pam. She was really terrific, and walked me through many things like how to work the phones and she went down to the campus bookstore to help me purchase some things for my desk.

It ended up being a much longer day than I had anticipated, so today I'm only going in for a couple of hours this afternoon, and then take off on Tuesday. Oh, I also saw a student who had attended our church last year and was back on campus briefly before she leaves for a semester abroad in Spain. And as I was walking out to the parking lot, I saw my good friend Kathy who I haven't seen in a couple of years--she was bringing her daughter to campus.

Can't wait to see what happens today!

Till next time,


Suzi