Latest / The Group Chat / Ep. 7 Chasing the Paycheck
Transcript
- Carson: What's up everybody? Welcome to the group chat. I'm Carson. Brandon: You Paulina: I'm Paulina. Brandon: And I'm Brendan. Carson: And today we're going to talk about some jobs that we've had and things we learned or didn't learn. what was everybody's first job? Paulina: Damn. I don't know. I have to like think about what was my first job. You guys can take it away. I have to think for a moment. Brandon: Yeah. All right, I'll go ahead and start. My first job was, yeah, when I 16, I worked at a spot that was, I don't know, I'm gonna say names or anything, but it's like, not you say names, it was called Celebration Station. So was like Chuck E. Cheese, y'all remember that? Like the Chuck E. Cheese, the little, like when you're like a little kid, you had ⁓ a birthday party? Exactly. So it was like that, ⁓ it was like for older kids also. So it had like an arcade, they had like, Paulina: Yeah. Carson: ⁓ yeah, never forget Chuck E Cheese. So loopy. Brandon: batting cages, like bumper boats, mini golf, all that. Yeah, Dave and Buster's butt, not nice. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was, but it was, but it was busted at all. Right. But yeah. But yeah. So that was my first job. I was like a cashier. Paulina: Like they've a muster type of thing. Okay. Like, like, didn't save him musters. Carson: like a knockoff, like. Like not Oreos, kiddos. Brandon: Like for whatever reason, they trusted me because there's like a lot of people, like most of the young people, the 16 year olds that they hired, it's like, all right, well you work in the summer and you're outside with the bumper boats and the batting cages and all that. And for whatever reason, they trusted me. They're like, no, we want you inside with the money. I was like, all right, I can handle that. Been inside in the air conditioning. So yeah, so that was cool. So I did that for, think, I... Carson: Yeah, absolutely. Brandon: Maybe you two years a year and a half two years like working in summer and yeah Yeah, we're kind of summers and weekends Carson: You started at 16. ⁓ in the summer, summer. Very nice. Polina, what you got? Paulina: I think because I was working during the summer and generally like those jobs sort of overlap like it becomes a very blurry but I think one of the first jobs that I had was working in a coffee shop and I don't know which one was first because I was working at two different places almost like one after another. It was a coffee shop at coffee shop, let's put it this way. ⁓ ⁓ I think I was 18 at that time. ⁓ I started working a little bit later than Brandon. But yeah, it was fine. Like I met a lot of cool people ⁓ and job a job, you know, I got paid like I got tips as well and ⁓ Carson: Albania! Brandon: Been here. Paulina: was alright. I had a good time. I can't complain. It was also during the summer mainly because during the school year, that school, was in university. And during the school year, like during university, I was working a different job. So I was, what was I doing first? I was tutoring. I was working at a tutoring center at the university. Carson: Sweet. That's good. Brandon: That's cool. Paulina: And that was okay as well because it was sort of like a mixture of tutoring when you would have like your free time or like free blocks of, you know, between classes. You would go in there, you would tutor some students, you would put them down for a session, but also a little bit of desk jobs. So like the receptionist wasn't there because they had a lunch break or whatever. Like we would also pick up like phone calls and schedule people in and ⁓ Carson: Was it English tutoring? Paulina: It was, I was tutoring for art history. Yeah, surprise, surprise. I was tutoring English, like writing. So like writing composition, helping students with their essays. And I think the last few months that I was working there, I was also tutoring like French 101. So different, different types of things. that was based, yeah. Carson: Mm-hmm. Brandon: Yeah. Carson: It's a lot. Paulina: Yeah, I mean that was mainly based on like the grades you would get for the subject. So if you got like a really, really good grade like passing with an A or A plus, they would put you as a tutor for that. Yeah. Go ahead Carson, tell me. Carson: Yeah, very cool. I like that. Brandon: Let's go. All right, let's go CJ. Carson: I was a bagger or a bag boy at, I don't even remember that, think Bag It Up, throw it in the bag, at Kroger, which is a grocery store, for those who don't know, or K. Roger, I mean, whatever you want to. So that was just a summer job. So it must've been just what, two, two and a half months? I was 15. Paulina: That is everything. Brandon: Kroger Kroger KROGER Paulina: Good. Okay. Carson: That was my first real job. But I think even before then or around that time I was working, I mean, I wasn't working. was just mowing lawns, know, odd jobs around the neighborhood, cleaning cars, pet watching. had a neighbor who ended up hiring me for my next real job in college, who had a lot of animals like snakes. I just, there was one time where I watched the house and I just like, fortunately I didn't have to do anything with the snakes, but I had to go in the room or whatever. I was like, Paulina: you Carson: one of these guys is gonna get loose. It's gonna be the one that shouldn't bite that ends up biting. And yeah, they said none of them bite, but all of them bite. So yeah, everybody just learned that carcinoma is a fear of snakes. Anyways, the first job was to put groceries in bags. Very simple. the, you know, occasionally I would help. Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: you Carson: old people to their cars, whatever. I'd get the cards from the parking lot, nothing spectacular, pretty boring, but that was my first experience making, like whatever the minimum wage was. It was like seven, six, I mean, it was terrible back in whatever, that was 2005. ⁓ Brandon: Minimum wage, Paulina: Yeah. goodness. Brandon: Did you get tips? Carson: Yeah. Occasionally, yeah, somebody like if I were to help an older person in their car or whatever, ⁓ maybe five bucks or something here and there. But yeah, it wasn't about the money. was just about, I guess, parents wanting me to get a job to see what it's like working and having break and being taxed by the man. So I can't really say there were any life lessons being learned here other than, you know, maybe Brandon: Yeah. Good tip. No, no. ⁓ Carson: Nothing I can't think about it. can't, I can't. Trying to remember what a day on the job was like, the days were short. wasn't definitely wasn't full time. was probably, you know, ⁓ afternoon shift or something, morning shift. But ⁓ ⁓ Brandon: Good night. Paulina: Yeah. It wasn't really customer service then. it wasn't really, you weren't really working with customers. Like you were just putting things in their bags. Carson: Yeah, no, I mean, just making sure their eggs were not going to be smashed by their milk, you know. Paulina: Okay. Carson: I will say that it probably, skills probably, ⁓ it gave me the skills to bag my own groceries better than most people in Spain. Cause in Spain, for those of you who don't know, there ain't no bad boy. ⁓ you bring your bags or you pay for your bags and you put your damn groceries in your own damn bookers. Paulina: That's what I thought. Brandon: Hahaha No. It's all on you. Paulina: Actually, recently to the Mercadona I've been going to, they started recently, I don't know if like getting they're getting paid extra for this or what, but they started like coming around like, you know, you pay for your groceries and they start helping you put things in the grocery bags. The actual. Yeah. Carson: Actually. I think they do that when they see that you, yeah, they see you and they're like, ah, I don't know. Like she might need help with this. Brandon, thank you for jumping on that train, man. We're just ganging up on her early. We do, we love you. No, that's happened to me a few times where they, yeah, you get lucky and they have like an extra hand or somebody's not running around doing Brandon: I think it just depends on the person. This person needs help. Paulina: Alright, alright. Brandon: We love you Paulina. Paulina: ⁓ I know. I know. Yeah. Brandon: I think it's more like, or sometimes you see someone who's actually just really good and like they can go and they scan and at the same time, like they'll give you a bag and like if you have a lot of stuff in there also, like putting stuff in a bag also, just try to help it go quicker. And especially if there's a lot of people in the line or. Carson: That's true. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: I will say I don't like it when they mess with my groceries though because sometimes they're like trying to rush you along and it's like no no no that doesn't go there. And if you know me you know I'm a little particular ⁓ things and ⁓ I paid for that so you better not smash my shit. Eggs are like gold. One broken egg is like one tear shed for every broken egg. Brandon: He's like, I know what I'm doing. I know what I'm doing. Paulina: Yeah. No, it's true. No, it's true, it's true. I definitely prefer to just pack everything myself. Like I don't... When they start, you know, coming around, I'm like, no, no, it's okay. It's okay. It's okay. I got this. I'm like, thank you. Like I know I might look like I'm a mess, but it's fine. Carson: Sad moment. Brandon: Cut this. Carson: I'm capable! Paulina: Bye. What about other jobs that weren't summer jobs? Because you guys mentioned that most of these were summer jobs. Brandon: We got this. Carson: Yeah. Paulina: like after that like what was the the next step Carson: the next real job. Brandon: My next job was basically until, because it was, I went to the university and so when I would come home for like Christmas, I started working ⁓ like a shoe store. And so I would do that the same thing. So I'd do it during Christmas. If I came home for Easter, like for like, we had spring break, was like a week, week and a half, whatever, come home and we'll work with it. And then also during the summer. So same thing over again. ⁓ Paulina: Thank Brandon: Christmas and summer. I did that for once again, another two years until I finally just started like staying at where I went to university. I would stay there. And so I got a job at a different shoe store and I would work there. Same. But that was like more full time. I worked full time, go to class full time. Paulina: Did you enjoy working at the shoe store? How was it? Carson: My turn. Brandon: Yeah, because I mean, worked with friends, so it was all good. especially the first one, because the first one I worked at was like a normal stew store. It was like a local store. So was this family that created a store in Nashville. And they had a couple of stores throughout Tennessee. And they had one in, they had two in Knoxville. So I worked at one. And I knew a lot of people that worked there and young people, and it was cool. And we would go meet up on weekends and play basketball. Carson: Nice. Brandon: Like the store from like this store played gets other stores. So we have like little games and competitions like that. So it's cool. It's good time. ⁓ definitely. Yeah. Yeah. I spent way too much money on shoes. Carson: Did you get some discounts on the shoes? ⁓ yeah. Paulina: Thank you. Carson: Get the paycheck by some Jordans. Paycheck gone. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I never had a pair of Jordans. Brandon: Exactly. in, money out. Paulina: Yeah. I don't think I have either. Brandon: Nothing wrong with that. Nourdi got some last, when we went to, when we went home, went to Tennessee for Easter, she got some, her and my niece, they got matching J's. Carson: ⁓ thank you. Paulina: Aww. Brandon: Yeah. So they wear them to school. sit there at the same school, they wear them and both have the same. Carson: That's cool. Paulina: And they got the discount from that store, right? Brandon: Not from that one, yeah. Not from that one. No discount. Carson: Remember I used to work here 500 years ago? I was, when I was in the US recently. ⁓ go ahead. Paulina: How much do Jordans cost now? mean, were quite expensive back in the days already. ⁓ Carson: Thanks. Brandon: Yeah, no, they've always been expensive. think... don't remember. I imagine it's probably about a hundred. Carson: Yeah, they've gone down. The price has gone down. Brandon: Yeah, I mean, if you get any new ones for it, of course, it'll be probably like 200. Carson: Yeah, I was looking at some, yeah, no, no, was just saying that I was looking at some about a month ago. And of course I didn't have my size. So that made it easier. I think it was in the, yeah, it was in the U.S. but they were around 120, 150. They're not here. No, I couldn't find Jordan's here. I thinking? What am I thinking? No, I don't even try anymore here. Like I ask and they laugh at me. Paulina: Sorry, Courtney. Brandon: That was this one. Yeah, you have to be in the US. You're getting your shoes here? Carson: You got a 48? You're like... You could try ordering it online, but it'll probably take five years to get here. Okay, no. Paulina: I'm like, that type of size? No. Carson: like we don't sell clown shoes here actually. that's it's not even see the thing is it's not even that big of a foot in the US of 14 13 14 is nothing. Paulina: Bigfoot? Is that you? Brandon: That's nothing, you know. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: There was. ⁓ ⁓ Paulina: Yeah. Carson, what about you? What was your full-time job, your first sort of like full-time job? Carson: Ummmm Full-time happened full-time after college. I did have two jobs at one point in college the first job Not related to the two that I had I had like three or four jobs while in college so the first one I was ⁓ a busboy and like a Fancy steak Steak dining what do call it like steak restaurant? don't know. What are these restaurants called? ⁓ Paulina: minor. Brandon: Yes. Carson: It was a restaurant famous for steak, like steak and yeah, anyways, famous old bar in Atlanta, busboy there did that for, I feel like I did that for at least a year, year, year and a half. No, about a year. Anyways, I think probably everybody should work in the food industry and the service industry rather to get an idea of just how. Put this nicely. Just how people... Yeah, it teaches you to treat your servers and your bartenders with a lot more respect, not just by giving them a good tip, but by not being an asshole. understanding that they're nonstop, they're moving around nonstop. It's not, know, the food can only come out so fast. You only talk to so many people at one time and... ⁓ Paulina: ⁓ it is? Yeah. Brandon: Exactly. How horrible people are. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: So yeah, was a good lesson. mean, was job where I was moving around, which I like. So I'm an active person. So I like just constant, constantly doing things. So I'd run food. I would take the plates away, clean the tables. I'd refill waters, drinks, whatever. And the food there was great. So I would get my first meal, or I get my meal, I guess on the house before my shift. And they had everything. I mean, they had mussels, they had steak, they had some burgers. but they were known for their steak, they were known for the meat. So after that, I started working at a gym. I did front desk. I had to wear a shirt and tie, not a suit, but yeah. So was like borderline fancy. It was like a country club type gym for the rich. We had, oh yeah, oh you fancy, huh? And we had what, six? Brandon: Thank Paulina: Okay. Brandon: you fancy. ⁓ Paulina: Those big boy bugs. Carson: No, no, no, no, no, did that for a while and eventually I started doing maintenance ⁓ the same gym. ⁓ was getting to tell you that there were six or eight tennis courts, six ⁓ courts, indoor pool, outdoor pool. We massage. There was rock wall. There was plenty to do ⁓ as a member ⁓ and as course as maintenance staff. ⁓ Paulina: I'm. Carson: I'd be cleaning the pools, I'd be painting things. Not really things that mean a lot because I wasn't that handy, but I would do the things I could do. But it was great. I love my boss. He was always good to me. We always had a good laugh and ended up being my neighbor. And yeah, he just took good care of me. So between those two jobs and then it switched over to being a bouncer. ⁓ will stop there and let Paulina chime in with her jobs because I could go on. I got a lot of jobs. ⁓ got a lot of jobs. ⁓ Brandon: You Paulina: you No, I getcha. I had a lot of jobs as well. And I don't know if it was, I mean, after working at the cafe, I worked at a different cafe also. I think I lasted only about a month there. was like, that's it. Like was a summer job anyway. but we would get like unlimited amount of coffee pretty much every day. So that was like the best thing. Like I was well caffeinated. Brandon: Hahaha! Carson: Unlimited. Paulina: espresso smoothies with banana something like in love I absolutely love that job working also in a restaurant another summer job another Albanian place so was working on a Albanian restaurant there are a lot of Albanians in the neighborhood that I lived in ⁓ yeah yeah they were quite popular there so I was working on another job which was at a restaurant this was also over the summer ⁓ and Carson: You Brandon: I see. Carson: You Paulina: Honestly, as horrible as working in a food industry can be, I really enjoyed that job. The people that went to that restaurant were all friends or friends of the family or whatever. So everyone was always super respectful. They paid, they gave us pretty good tips, super patient, was very rare that we would get a really rude customer. And if it was a rude customer, it be usually by phone and they'd be like, I ordered my food and blah blah blah, is it ready? ⁓ like, ma'am, yes, it's ready for a pickup. We already called you. I know why you're when you can clearly see that you have three missed calls. But no, generally restaurant was really good. ⁓ Had a great time working there. Also, we had meals on the house. So I would have my lunch break. We could order anything on the menu. And the manager would make it because manager was also working in the kitchen. He was sort of like a chef and manager. So it was really family, close-knit type of little cute traditional restaurant. Brandon: That's cool. Carson: Yeah, you get really close with the restaurant people when you're working there, for sure. Kitchen, bartenders, everybody. Paulina: Yeah, for sure. Exactly. So that was still part time. That was like, well, it was full time during the summer. So that was like a first full time job during the summer. But then actual stable job, like I said, it was the tutoring, but it was also like part time. We sort of like went when we didn't have classes. another later on, I think I worked at the tutoring center for about a year and few months. ⁓ and I left to, I don't know what to even call it, was like a college fund. And technically it was like, they would have, all donations that go from the alumni's that like graduated, I don't know, 40 years ago, would go through the college fund. And there were offices, there was an office that would actually do the typical fundraising and do the, you know. Paychecks and whatever and then there is the office that would actually get in contact with the alumni and check is it called like all the addresses are updated if their phone numbers are updated Sending out invitations for events and that's sort of what we were doing. So ⁓ things in envelopes We were checked things online Send emails It was like job like it was a desk job It was fun because we attended different types of events with lots of rich people. So that was really nice, you know, we had our meals paid for, our drinks paid for. ⁓ We got pretty decent paychecks. I complain about that. ⁓ you like go to to the work and you would just joke around with your friends, you know, half the time like you're putting in envelopes for, you know, to be sent out. Brandon: you Carson: Yeah. Paulina: and you're making stupid jokes while drinking coffee and having a little snack. And time there was actually, they're ⁓ filming a show, I think it was, on our campus. ⁓ ⁓ of our staff members went to talk to the producers and to the cast and whatever. And we got free bagels. We got bagels and coffee from an actual cast of, I don't know what show it was. Carson: So... bagels? Paulina: We're just like, this is the best job. Carson: Did you also get cream cheese with those bagels? Were they everything bagels? Were they blueberry? Paulina: Yes. Brandon: You Paulina: don't remember. think they have like mixture. They have like mixed different types of bagels. ⁓ ⁓ pretty good job. ⁓ Carson: Assorted? Yeah, bagels and cream cheese and coffee. That's a pretty good day. It's not like banana bread, but it's a pretty good day. Brandon: Huh. Ooh. Banana bread. Paulina: Yeah. ⁓ What's a New Yorker? mean it's bagels. Bagels over here. So... But yeah, no, definitely. that was my... Yeah. It's like a job that, like I said, it was still part-time because I was studying, but I was working there throughout the whole school year. wasn't that, it was just weekend job or anything like that. Yeah. Brandon: day. Carson: ⁓ what are you gonna do? Brandon: Okay. Carson: That's a day to remember though for sure. Food. Paulina: And then when I moved to Poland, that's a whole different story of terrible, terrible jobs. Not all of them, but some of them. ⁓ my God, I had one job that was... I'm glad I left that job. Let's put it this way. Carson: terrible fucking fucking Brandon: You Carson: I think we've all had some of those. ⁓ Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. Or, or, not even one, maybe. Brandon: You Carson: Hahaha Brandon: Well, why don't we go that route? Let's go into what was your worst job. that you've had. Paulina: Thank you. Carson: Ooh, worst. Wow, that's hard. Not that all of them have been bad. I'm not saying that. just saying I try to... I'm a pretty optimistic, positive person, so I don't really... I wouldn't say I regret having any of my jobs because I can take something from each one, even though, I didn't like it as much. Maybe I'm really glad to not be doing it, but worst is hard. I have to think for a second. Paulina: Brendan, do you have an idea? Brandon: Yeah, have. Yeah, like I agree with Carson. I do. It's kind of difficult, but there was a job that I had. was like, yeah, this isn't for me. this was this was ⁓ in Spain. This was I it was beginning of 2017. So I was taking a break from teaching. So was like, let's see what's out there. And there was a job for it was just like to cover. ⁓ Carson: What was it? Brandon: maternity leave. So it was like four months and it was with a company that did a logistics company. So they did like, so basically you just had to like look for shipments or look for loads for the shipping company to go and pick them up and take them wherever. But the problem was like the just exactly those four months when I was working there were like the down months. Carson: Mm-hmm. nothing to do. ⁓ Brandon: So there's absolutely nothing to do. So I basically just had to sit there and like refresh like three different web pages, like seeing if like a new load would pop up and then, but basically everyone in all of Europe were doing the same thing. So if one load popped up, like you had to hurry up and call, but you're competing with literally like people from like 28 different countries, like everyone doing the same thing. It was just, just sitting there boring for like, for four months. I couldn't wait for that job to be over. was like, when is this lady coming back? Like our baby's fine. Like, speed this up, like, I need to get out of here. Carson: Like, she could do this and have her baby. Like, there's not a lot of work here. Brandon: But it was extremely boring and it was a long four months. Like you said, Carson, like every job you can take something from it. But from that one, was just like, not much. The people I worked with were cool, but the job was, it was rough. Carson: Yeah, that's rough. He's hard pressed to take anything from that. Yeah. I hear you. I hear you. Paulina: Yeah. So you're talking about that there wasn't enough like workload that it was just too boring. Brandon: It was literally just sitting there, refresh. Carson: just look at the clock every five minutes, like, I got two more hours of this shit. ⁓ that's ⁓ good. Brandon: Yeah. Thankfully, thankfully during that time I was also doing my MBA. So like on Fridays, like I left early because I had to go to class. So those Fridays were good days. Paulina: That was very Carson: Yes. Yes. Well, Paulina, you got it? do you need more time? I got something. Paulina: Carson, you got something? You need more time, okay. Carson: I mean, you It's your turn. You talk. Talk. Paulina: Alright. Um, I just talked a lot so I wanted to give the listeners a little bit of something, you know, different to hear your voice for- Carson: I... Well, it's very considerate of you. Paulina: But if ⁓ insist, I'll talk. ⁓ like you guys said, ⁓ think that you could take away something ⁓ every job that we all had. But was a job that really just like stands out in my mind and I worked in a travel agency. And ⁓ was Poland, it was my first job in Poland. Carson: I insist. Paulina: I started off in one city that was close to where my sister lives and One I hated the commute because at that moment I didn't have a car so I had to wake up much earlier my sister lives in bumblefuck middle of nowhere So I had to take a bus like you know like I literally live in like the freaking countryside I had to take a bus to go into the city. There was only one bus in the morning that got me to work So that was already like a shit show but mean ⁓ needed to have some some money, you know, like I can't just be mooching off my sister. So I was going to work. The job was at a travel agency and was pretty much just like first the first month it was ⁓ very things. It was a lot of training. It was sort of just I don't know getting older people like a bus ticket, you know, from one city and pull into another. I don't know, like very basic things in the beginning. And it was so boring because there was so much information that I had to learn. But at the same time, it was just like, same idea. Like I have to be here like six more hours and just check the clock, you know, like just check the watch. Like you would get like annoyed because the time would not move. Like it was just like the hour just stay exactly the same. then they actually moved me to a different city since I was the only one that didn't really have like a partner or like, you know, any ties to where I was working. They moved me to a bigger city. Moved as meaning like I have to find my own apartment. It's not like they took care of that. had to my own apartment. I was like. Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: Sure, yeah, it's a bigger city, more opportunities. If anything, I can find a different job. they needed somebody in the office because same idea, the woman that was working there, she was going on maternity leave. So there was like the manager there and there was another woman and then there was me. So she was going on maternity leave and she was doing like all the paperwork and everything to ⁓ me, pretty much to take her place for the time being. And it was organizing trips at that point, like they were, you know, using my English skills, like the little Spanish skills that I had at that point, the French, you know, like because I spoke French pretty fluently to send emails, call different companies, because would sell trips. Like if you guys think of like corte ingles viajes, they would sell like those like big trips and you have to organize, like you call the restaurant, make sure that... Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: They have space for, I don't know, 40 people in that restaurant for a dinner. What are the prices? What do it comes out for, you know, per plate and whatever, per person. So all of that, like I was taking care of that. And then we would have like groups actually go on these trips. And there were groups from like, you know, companies. I don't know. You guys think of like a big company and then they would send their workers on some sort of like business trip. Carson: Mm. Paulina: I think for me that was the worst part of it that Not only had my regular phone which you know, my co-workers would contact me on I would have a work phone and I organized the trip I was the one that they would call about Every little thing. I like I don't know 12 o'clock at night. I'm at a freaking bar on a Saturday and I get a phone call Brandon: Yes. Paulina: Like, hey, so listen, we're in Czech Republic and our bus broke down. Like, can you guys send me another bus? And I'm like, girl, like, I'm over here shit-faced in a bar on a Saturday night. Carson: No. Mm-hmm. You're in Czech Republic. I'm in Czech Republic. I'm at the bar. We're about the same bar as you! Brandon: You Paulina: So, like, I think that was sort of like really what, you know, pushed me over the limit. Like, it wasn't just working during the actual hours, but then you actually have to take care of the people that were in a different country. I get it because it's the company that is responsible for that, but like, I was not signing up for that. Like, I thought my job, like, in the first few months, especially since I'm just starting, would be... Carson: Yeah, that's right. Let's kill a man. Paulina: I don't know, selling tickets, don't know, selling the trips. And that's about that, you know? But no, it was working weekends, working on a Sunday, like not actually in the office, but still picking up phone ⁓ whatever. But I did travel to Spain for the first time because of that job. So I went to Cantabria. Carson: Hmm. Paulina: So that was the positive, you know, that actually went to Cantabria, I think was for like a week trip. I wasn't alone, like I was, yeah, technically like the face of ⁓ company there, but we also had a translator. So ⁓ was also like able to help me out with things. And was okay. ⁓ And be honest, like that trip, I have really fond memories of that trip. Brandon: you Paulina: But then after that, like things started going downhill. I started also having like health problems here and there. started applying for university and that's where I was like, I need to drop this job. Like I need to take care of myself. I need to take care of my university, like apply for university and things like that. want to do other things than just be stuck at this job. And yeah, I quit. I think I only worked there for about five months. So. ⁓ Carson: for Well, well, sounds rough. No, no, but it adds up. Paulina: Yeah, like I said, it wasn't a horrible job, but there were just things that, you know, yeah, as you said, it adds up. Brandon: Yeah, it's a lot. you Carson: the whole of the calling me while I'm at the same bar as you in the same country and I'm just trying to have a good time, not organize your second bus because you missed it because you were spending too much time at the bar. Yeah, that shit's annoying. I know. especially, I mean, I would especially hate it because my phone's on silent. Like, always. If I'm not expecting your call, I'm probably gonna miss it. Brandon: you Paulina: Thank Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I was quite young when I was working that job. mean, I just moved from the States at that time. So I was 22. That's a lot of responsibility for a 22 year old. Like now maybe I would be able to do that, like 22 year old me, like I had it together to a certain extent, you know, not to the extent of like, you know, figuring it out on Saturday night, you know, like what to do with a bus situation in Czech Republic. And no. Carson: It's asking a lot. Brandon: Okay. But not that much. Carson: ⁓ dude. ⁓ Paulina: That was not. Brandon: Yeah. At my logistics company job, we had a work phone also and that was 24 hours. Because the deliveries and everything, the pickups, there's no timetable for that. And so people call you and like, oh yeah, we're at this place to pick up this load and the paperwork's not correct or no one's here or it's closed. I was like, dude, I'm out at dinner. I can't do anything about that. You're there, you figure it out. Because the drivers would call us because we were in charge of it. Paulina: Thank Carson: Yeah. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: I can't do this. It's almost better when you're refreshing and there's no load. That's better because if you get a load, well then you have to deal with it. But all the problems that come with it. Carson: No, thank you. Right. Right. I didn't know you did that because I did something like that as well. My mother-in-law has a freight forwarding company so I can kind of relate. Although my brother-in-law was more in charge of like the case by case, the little details of things falling through and he has to jump on it. I was just more like maintaining the office documentation, getting things together, giving it to my brother-in-law and trying to understand. Brandon: Yeah. Cool. Yeah. Carson: as much Spanish as I possibly could. But it's a good experience. Well, I guess mine would be working at CBS. Not because it was at all bad, but for me it was maybe the most dull job that I had. It was just a bit boring. I wasn't very... There was very little stimulation. It was just kind of... Brandon: You Paulina: Yeah. Carson: You know, what does this cost? Scan it. Okay, you apply this discount. Okay, you're paying in pennies. Great. Brandon: you so much. I love you. ⁓ Carson: like then. Paulina: We always need change. that much change. ⁓ Brandon: But here, Carson, why don't you explain what is CVS? Imagine there's someone who doesn't explain what is CVS. Carson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Good point. Good point. Fair point. CB point, CB point. point not a thing. CBS is, if you're in the US like Walgreens, it's a pharmacy. Pharmacy convenience store. ⁓ Paulina: Yeah. Thank I'm Carson: So yeah, that's everything. You want unhealthy soda and candy, you got it. If you want medicine to cure you of the diseases that you put yourself through, then you can get that as well. You need a birthday card, you got that. You need condoms, okay. You wanna do a little bit of money laundering, buy a bunch of like Visa gift cards and paying cash, do that. Come back in a week, put a wig on, all right, like it's cool. You wanna launder money that way, fine. Brandon: You need a birthday card? Carson: The one cool thing that happened. What'd Brandon: memory card. A memory card, like a digital camera, I remember those. It's just like random, just everything. Paulina: Everything. Carson: ⁓ yeah! they sold everything. mean, they sold everything. The one cool thing that happened, I didn't even realize happened. But ⁓ one I was just doing my thing behind the register, checking somebody out. Unbeknownst to me, it was TI. I mean, this is in Atlanta. This is in Atlanta. ⁓ Brandon: King of the South. Paulina: It Is it like the Live Your Life video? No, what is it? What is that? The... No, you can have whatever you like. It's like that video. Carson: You can have whatever you like. Alright. I didn't know it was him. I didn't know it was him. I didn't recognize him. No. Sorry, I didn't check him out. All of a sudden, my boss... ⁓ you out. Checking me out. Checking you out. Anyways, my boss all of sudden shoves me aside. like, yo, okay, I got this. I'm fine, but okay. And then he checks the guy out. I didn't know who the guy was. I didn't recognize him. Paulina: Yeah. Check you out! Brandon: You Carson: much shorter in person than I thought. Maybe that, I don't know, I just didn't recognize his face. Anyways, he leaves and we're also like, did you know who that was? I was like, no, T.I. I was like, that's why you pushed me aside. He's like, ⁓ yeah, ⁓ All that's cool, man. I just like totally went over my head. Paulina: Thank question is, what was he buying? Carson: Yeah, that is a good question. Paulina: Extra large condoms, Carson: All I will say is I know he was on the phone and he was not happy. He was on the phone. That is what I remember. He was on the phone and he was talking to somebody and I was like, yeah, somebody is going to get that ass beat. I don't know going on there, ⁓ Brandon: We don't want an unhappy TI. Carson: Yeah, no, no, no quoting anybody because I don't even remember what he said. It's just like, and I could be mistaking him for somebody else. never know. This was years and years ago. but another crazy thing that happened, fortunately, while I was not there, and, and fortunately nobody got hurt, but, I think it was ⁓ the same that I was working. was in the morning or early afternoon shift. The girl who came on to work the evening shift sent me a message like a couple hours later. She's like, you wouldn't believe what just happened. We just got robbed at gunpoint. At gunpoint. And apparently it ended up being the same person that like robbed a pizza joint across the street like a week prior. And like shots were fired at the pizza joint. He didn't want to pay his tab or some shit. so they got him at CBS or they got him ⁓ camera again. And I think they eventually caught him. I was like, yo. ⁓ crazy you gave him the money right she's like yeah of course I'm not an idiot I dodged Paulina: If she didn't get the money, she wouldn't have been calling you, like... Brandon: Yeah. Carson: Right? not. So I dodged a bullet on that one. Paulina: quite literally, Brandon: Literally. That was good. Carson: I can't say anything bad. My manager was super cool. My coworkers were cool. It was pretty low stress. There were some interesting characters coming in there, but that's, ⁓ you work at any place long enough, it's going to happen. So yeah, it was just like a temporary thing. I think it must've been six months, eight months, just toward the of college. And after that, then I started doing a little personal training, getting into the bread and butter. So. Brandon: That's the thing about the US. You never know what's going to happen. People come in steal shoes. I'm not chasing anyone out for shoes. I don't get paid enough for that. If they take some shoes, well, all right, well, that's it. I'm not chasing anyone down trying to get some $50 shoes back. Paulina: you Carson: Paul Blartmullkopf. You got your segue. Prepare to die. I'll chase him just for the fun of it. Like I just want the cardio. No, go ahead, Paulina. What'd say? Paulina: For me, think like, I didn't have those experiences. Brandon: You Paulina: I didn't have those type of experiences. mean, probably like a few cards declined here and there while buying a coffee and a croissant type of thing, you know, and it's like, sorry, I can't give you a coffee and a croissant. Like, no, I'll just get the coffee then. It's like, okay, you sure you're not hungry either? Like those types of things. Carson: You're broke. Sorry, you can't afford the sugar either. Brandon: That'd be dirty. Like you take their coffee, just drink it in front of them. Paulina: That was petty, I wasn't that petty. That's a different level. Carson: But you told us earlier that you did that. You said that you mentioned that you pulled that once. You were feeling a little bit spicy that day, no? No, I'm full of it. full of it. Just had a moment where I was just like, you know what? I'm gonna drink this right in front of Brandon: ⁓ like... Paulina: What? Brandon: you Paulina: But yeah But I mean we all learn something from those jobs like I mean I know that I definitely wouldn't go back into like working in travel agency again like too much too much stress like too much responsibility like Not that my current job doesn't have that you know like obviously when you guys are also teachers like there is a lot of stress and responsibility with that Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: but it's a different level of stress. Like you're organizing a whole trip somewhere else, you know, in a different country, making sure that everything is done correctly, that everything is running smoothly, that the company will want to, know, hire us once again ⁓ to you know, another trip. It's... I wouldn't put myself through that again. Carson: Yeah. Yeah, the lesson I learned, guess, is somebody asked for money at gunpoint, you just give them one. Paulina: a good one, wasn't it? ⁓ Carson: Didn't really need that job to figure that one out, but. Brandon: But it made it much clearer. Carson: And also, if I want to launder money, start with some Visa gift cards. I guess. I I kind of stand out in the crowd, so I don't really know how I could pull that one off. Have you seen this redhead? Where's clown shoes? He's been coming into every convenience store asking for gift cards. No. What clown? I mean, what redhead? Paulina: and Yeah. Carson: Yeah. Brandon: Bye. Paulina: And what about Carson: Okay, so now we should, what about. Paulina: Yeah, yeah, no, tell us, tell us. Carson: you or your what about what? Paulina: No, what about the jobs that, like, I mean, what about the jobs that we currently have? Or jobs that we really enjoy? Because maybe the jobs that we currently have aren't the ones that we really enjoy, but... Carson: ⁓ here we go. Paulina: Carson laughs in pain. Brandon: This crash. Carson: No. Jobs we enjoy. Paulina: That's the most sarcastic and long and dire no no Brandon: I'm sorry. Carson: Told you it'd be authentic. There's no other way, no. Brandon, you're up. We're taking turns. Brandon: no other way. All right. The job that I got the most from was actually is part of my degree in the university. So I had to do like kind of like a work, not a work study, but part of my degree to graduate. I had to like volunteer. And so my last year I volunteered in like an adult like learning center by teaching immigrants English like the basis. Paulina: you Brandon: counting one through 10, like the colors, like the money, different, like a quarter nickel, $5, $2, or $2, no, $1, all that. And for me, that was probably the best working experience I've had in my life. The people were absolute, what's that? It was in Cookeville, where I went to university. Carson: Where was that? Where was that? I was in Knoxville. Brandon: It was like, so it's so like a rural area. like lots of immigrants came because there was like factories and things. So they were, the immigrants would come and they were working in factories. ⁓ people, like they work part of like 12 hour shifts from like four in the morning. They finished that, get back to their house or not. Maybe not even go to the house. Like get some food and then come to class. And then I come to class and then they were there for like an hour, hour and a half and then we'll go home, eat. go to bed, do it all over again. And these were like the nicest people that I ever met in my life. literally didn't have anything, but anything that they had, it was yours. They would give it to you. And it was amazing. Met some really good people ⁓ I was there. ⁓ don't know, I kind of rubbed it into my students' face. was like, yeah, so actually taught people that like been taught and appreciated. Carson: that's amazing. So cool. No doubt, that makes a huge difference. Brandon: Because the students, they just don't care. They go to class. Like, I hate school. I hate everything. And I was like, well, at point, I taught people that really wanted to be there after working 12-hour shifts and having to take care of their family and not have anything. But yeah, that's for me, that's something I'll never forget. And like I said, amazing people from all over South America, Central America. Really good. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: Yeah. Definitely. So cool. You see their character at the end of a day, a long day, and they're smiling and still eager to learn a language. And that's incredible. People are so cool. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: Exactly. I actually kept doing that job because all they had to do it for I think was maybe a few couple months, like two or three months. But because I stayed in the I stayed in the town before I came to Spain for like another year and I stayed on and I kept doing it and it was cool. Like I said, best best work experience for me. Carson: Nice. Paulina: Yeah, the rewarding. Yeah. Brandon: Your turn. Paulina: Person, you want to go? Carson: I'll take it this time. Yeah, sure. I could go. could go. Personal training, by far the best career, I should say. I did study exercise science, so it was, yeah, it was my career. I did that for five years ⁓ total before coming to Spain. And I loved working one-on-one ⁓ with clients, seeing their ⁓ just seeing change their lives in the sense of building a healthy habit and sticking with it. For those who stayed with me, some of them for a year, two years, I did change gyms a few times, quite a few times. No, One in Atlanta, one gym. Actually, I didn't train in the gym in Atlanta, but I did. I did. I worked at another gym in Atlanta to train there. Hard to remember. Hard to keep track of all that. But yeah, just the people you meet, the stories you hear. how they're working full time, still squeezing in their workouts. had one, one of my last clients before moving to Spain, she trained with me. Well, she, I think she probably wanted to do like five or five 30 in the morning. think we compromised on six. I think it was around six, which was hard for me. I'm not a morning person and I cannot go to bed early. So those days, but like just seeing how hard I could push her, I pushed her. Like I trained her probably harder than 90 % of my other clients. Paulina: Okay. Carson: at six in the morning and then she would go and work her full-time job after I'm like, yo, wouldn't be able to do that. I would be so exhausted. I would just be recovering all day for two days. So she was a badass. She was badass. She was a mother, hard worker. And just so, you get to really know the person after some time, obviously, you everybody opens up a little bit on their own schedule, on their own, with their own, at their own. Paulina: Peace. Brandon: Thank Carson: pace, guess I should say, you but you you don't get to know everything about this person, but enough to see how they are. And they share a lot with you. The more comfortable you are with somebody, the more you can push them, the more you can relate to them. They're comfortable telling you about their injuries or their concerns. And so I love just really having that connection. Of course it was awesome. The work environment was awesome because I would, I would work at a gym. I mean, how can you complain? You're working out at gym. It's, it's pretty low stress. It's everybody's pretty happy there. either if they, if they come in a little unhappy, they're going to leave happy. And so. Yeah, I couldn't complain at all. I was on my feet. I was moving around sometimes. I mean, not sometimes, most times I would be demonstrating exercises. So I'm getting a few more reps in. Paulina: Thank Carson: I mean, comfortable clothes, comfortable shoes. Like you can't really think of a negative aspect of the job. You know, it could have been, it was. like you're running your own business within the business because you do have to get your own clients. Some gyms help you more, but there, does come down to you are just between sessions or you have an hour to spare before you have to go home and do whatever. And you're just walking around and you're saying, my name's Carson. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you next time you see them. Hey. My name Carson. noticed you're doing this. Can I, can I give you just some quick advice? And people actually receive that quite well if you do it in a, the right way. If you, if you, you know, if you read the room, it's not always, not everybody can be approached. And especially not told what they should do. It's kind of, you know, you have to be careful of the egos. But yeah, I mean, that's how I got quite a few clients and referrals and I even trained other trainers on doing Brandon: Hmm. Paulina: Yeah. Carson: that. that. And just being a real person with people just trying to be like, this is, know, and when you're in your environment, when you're in your element and you're in your happy place, people can feel that. can sense your energy. know, you have that aura. and so people are way more receptive to advice, criticism, whatever, ⁓ you want to call it. ⁓ it was fun. It was fun. Yeah. It was tough to make ends meet. was, I was pretty much constantly paycheck to paycheck, but I loved what I did. So I would have, I would have continued had I stayed in the U S. And just being a real person with people just trying to be like, this is, know, and when you're in your environment, when you're in your element and you're in your happy place, people can feel that. can sense your energy. know, you have that aura. and so people are way more receptive to advice, criticism, whatever, ⁓ you want to call it. ⁓ it was fun. It was fun. Yeah. It was tough to make ends meet. was, I was pretty much constantly paycheck to paycheck, but I loved what I did. So I would have, I would have continued had I stayed in the U S. Definitely would have continued because it's quite rewarding seeing somebody, you know, drop their body fat and be more active and get outside more or whatever, get back to doing the things they love doing or have less pain. can go on and on. I love it. That's great. ⁓ Brandon: Okay. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: I can attest to all that because the few times we went to the gym together, like now when I go to the gym, I still remember all the things that you were telling me to do. Like how to breathe and the deadlift, like when you did deadlift, everything, all that. And I started thinking about it I started laughing because I remember being in the gym. was like, all right, now they're going to think I'm crazy because I'm sitting here doing deadlift, like laughing. Paulina: Thank Carson: Yeah? I love it. Cool. Paulina: you Carson: I wish I could laugh during Deadlifts. I'm just like, ⁓ my god, this should be so much more weight. Paulina: Thank Brandon: You Yeah, yeah, no, I'm not pushing that much weight. can laugh. Paulina: it. Carson: That's great, man. I'm happy. Happy to be a good influence. Paulina: Aww. Look at you guys bonding. Brandon: Alright. Carson: know. Paulina: Bye. Brandon: The students there call me Carson. Carson: ⁓ yeah, and they would call me Brandon too when I worked there. They're like, yeah, I'm black, white. I still. Brandon: Yeah. But no, still like now, still now like they call me Carson. every name, every English name except for mine. Paulina: You guys are so much alike! Carson: was great. ⁓ remember getting called Brandon quite a few times. I'm like, who am I? And they're like, Brandon. I'm I'm Brandon? Okay. Everybody, my name's Brandon. I make a scene about it. ⁓ It's ⁓ We we look identical basically. what it is. ⁓ man. Paulina: It's crazy. Brandon: Yeah. You ⁓ Paulina: you You're like Christmas. Brandon: Kids these days. So much of identical twins. Paulina: Yeah, no, but I get what both of you guys are saying. Like, think it's necessarily always about the money, right? Like Carson said, like sometimes, you know, paycheck to paycheck, but it's this idea of how you feel when you work with certain people. ⁓ And had jobs where ⁓ they pay very well. I was working in academies as well in Poland and it was... regular English teaching jobs, you know, but you see certain people that would come in as Brandon said, they would come in ⁓ ⁓ working long hours, they would have the English class and they were so motivated just to be there, you know, to actually learn a little bit more English to to go on a trip, you know, that they plan to UK, for example, or wherever, you know, to Germany or whichever other place to be able to communicate more freely. They would come back from the trip and they're like Paulina you know I went to this restaurant and I actually ordered my food, you know by myself and it's like Amazing, you know, it's like you feel really happy because you see like that the barrier that they would have and you see them like breaking down those barriers and it's something that's super rewarding ⁓ I Right now I feel like the the job that I have, you know working for myself Carson: So, yeah. Paulina: to a certain extent. Sometimes I worry because I know that being a freelance in Spain is not easy with all the feeds and all the bull crap you have to go through, honestly, I really enjoy it. I really enjoy the students, like the classes that I have with my students. I mainly teach now adult. I had my, you know, time with younger students at our previous job. And I sort of went into teaching adults once again. Adults, and I have some teenagers, but usually they're like 17, 18, so it's like late teens. And it's great because they want to be there. As Brandon said, they actually want to be there. They want to be there. Yeah. Carson: Mm. Yeah. It's the Difference Maker. Paulina: and just look like the look on their face when you actually tell them something that they have never heard before using an expression or a certain phrasal verb and when it just you see that you know the gears turning and it clicks and you're like you know and I wouldn't change that for anything right now like I'm in that moment in that zone of where I feel really comfortable Brandon: me. You got it. Paulina: where I am with my students. ⁓ ⁓ talked about it in previous episodes as well, Brandon mentioned about that one of his students later on became like he's one of closest friends. I could definitely see ⁓ being friends with some of my students if it was like a different scenario, you know, if we stopped having classes and so on, ⁓ could definitely see myself being ⁓ with some of my ⁓ They're just good people and For me, it's also like I can sort of choose who I want to work with. If I have like a first class with them and I see that the vibe is not there. I know generally the first class, you know, like some people get very shy and nervous and whatever. always give it like a month trial, you know, but if I see that after a month, we're not vibing, they're not learning, they're not putting in the effort. else can I do? Right? Maybe I can recommend somebody else that would be a better fit for them. Brandon: Yeah, it's odd. Paulina: But I haven't had a little... Sorry? Carson: Has that happened? Has that happened? Where you like, I don't know if it's gonna work. Paulina: I don't think so. I had one student that was like doubting at first, ⁓ that when we first started, I was like, oof, I don't know how this is going to go. Like, she's a very nice lady, but it's just, I just didn't feel the energy right away. Like I couldn't get her, I couldn't read her very well. But then like two classes later, Carson: Mm. They were just... Paulina: She started to open up a little bit more. started to show herself a little bit more, be a little bit warmer. now it's fine. Now we have very good vibes, very good classes. But yeah, the only time that actually has happened was actually when I was working in an academy where I had a student ⁓ that in and my boss told me, he's a bit of a strange guy. Like, I'm telling you right off the bat, he's a bit strange. You guys can have your first class and see how it goes. He was a guy who was in his, I don't know, mid-20s or maybe early 30s. I was also like in my, I don't know, was 23 or 24 at that time. And he was talking to me about manga. Japan ⁓ ⁓ and that's pretty much all he wanted to talk about. And I'm like, but can we actually get to the ⁓ topics that we need to discuss? I think he was preparing for like a job interview and he wanted to talk about his hobbies. And I was like, I don't know how this is going to work. So I had that one class with him ⁓ ⁓ I had that one class with him. Brandon: Okay. Carson: Just one. Brandon: Yeah. Paulina: And I told my boss, like, I don't know how this is going to work because I don't think he's actually putting in the effort to actually change the topic. Like I tried to change the topic. I'm like, okay, but we're here for the job interview preparation. Let's look at some vocabulary. And then he tried to connect it again to like manga and I don't know. Carson: But... It's like it's that one-up anime episode I saw. Brandon: Look. Paulina: I'm like, I don't know how to work with him. You know, like I have no clue how, like what other approach I could possibly try. Carson: Okay, buddy. You just need to do a little role playing. You just need to dress up, do a little cosplay, right? Come in the classroom and do like, you know, a little anime interview. No big deal. No big fucking deal. Yeah, come on, Misa, for sure. He's gonna kidnap you and make you do that in his basement for 30 years. Brandon: Don't do that. Should come up missing. Paulina: I wouldn't be here. Yeah, so... But other than that, like, hasn't happened. I don't think he's listening. He's too busy watching anime. Carson: Sorry, guy. Sorry, buddy guy. Brandon: So love. Carson: I know. Paulina: But yeah, no, thing is, after that I haven't had any like strange things. yeah, definitely teaching is something that I enjoy. Mainly teaching teens and adults. because they want to be there. And I think that really makes the difference. Carson: I second that. I second that for sure. I mean, I feel for my teens who are like more or less forced to go to the academy because your parents say it's a good idea that you learn English and it is a really good idea, yeah, when have my 20, you know, the 20 year olds and the adults who are driven, ⁓ highly Brandon: Always. Paulina: All Carson: They need it for work. They need it for travel. They're moving to an English speaking country. It's just get in there and get down to business. So I'm writing things on the board. I'm putting up resources. I'm using a book. I'm over explaining things when I will not over explaining to me, but I mean to them, but to me, it's like, should know this, but okay, we're going to make, we're going to drill this until you get it. But they're way more respect, way more receptive ⁓ you spend less time talking about anime and manga. Let's get down to breast tacks. Paulina: And yeah. Carson: It's rewarding, it's rewarding. Teaching, teaching is rewarding. And when you, like you said, when you have those moments where you see it click, you're like, ⁓ so happy that I could help you get there. Brandon: You Paulina: Yeah, for sure. Especially if it's like a difficult topic that you see that I've been struggling with. Like a lot of students always struggle with conditionals, right? And the moment that they have an exam for conditionals, it's like, all right, let's do this once again, you know? And the first second, the zero and second and first conditional generally it's fine, but then you get into that mixed conditional third. ⁓ my God. ⁓ my God. Brandon: Finally. Carson: Hmm The third. Brandon: Second third Carson: And then the mix conditional mix conditional throws them for a loop to. Paulina: Yeah. it's weird because when, especially for ⁓ three of us, that's something that we normally don't have to think about. We and we say it how we say it and we're just like, it sounds good. It sounds good to me. But then when you actually have to explain it, that's the art of it. How... Yeah. ⁓ Brandon: How can I make this simple? Carson: If I were you, I would stop talking about manga. Brandon: You ⁓ ⁓ Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. Carson: If I had known were going to only talk about manga, I would not have come today. ⁓ What conditional is that, motherfucker? ⁓ If I had known were going to only talk about manga, I would not have come today. ⁓ What conditional is that, motherfucker? ⁓ Brandon: There you go. Paulina: Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Brandon: There you go. Hahaha Hahaha Carson: Conditional Paulina: But you guys want to know, when I actually realized that, I realized that when But you guys want Carson: Conditional this, bitch! Alright, I'm done. Paulina: to know, when I actually realized that, I realized that when Carson: bitch! Alright, I'm done. Paulina: I had to study for a final exam in Poland, because I was studying English Philology, and every, like, all of the students, like, everyone in my class and the master's degree was just, sitting there reviewing, like, and this is the past perfect participle of blah, blah, blah, this is the future perfect continuous, this is the, and I'm like, what, can you, like, say it? Carson: So long. Brandon: What is that? Paulina: like normal English, you know? And obviously at that point I already was like, I have taught English for a few years, but for me, I didn't really think about that like outside of work, you know? I'm like, okay, I go to work, I prepare my presentation about future perfect continuous, this is what it is, you know? This is how you use it. You leave your job, you're like, and you're like, okay, that's it, adios, you know? Like, it's not in my head anymore. And then when I actually had to study for the exam, I was like... Carson: Give me an example. Paulina: they were talking to me, they were telling me all these things, Halina, can you tell me how you should form the mixed conditional of blah blah blah? And I'm like, first you need to explain to me what a mixed conditional is because I have no idea. And this is how they would study, like, because this is how, yeah, this is how how they were taught, you know, so for them it was very natural to study that way. And I realized that now when I actually Carson: It's a mixed cocktail, it's a mixed drink. Paulina: have classes with my students, try to not avoid because grammar is really important as well. Obviously it all depends on the type of student that I'm teaching, but do a little bit of a mixture. Yes, do grammar, but also put that actual grammar into use. So it's not like that they will remember, ⁓ this is a past perfect whatever, you know? No, I want them to remember how it's used rather than, Brandon: situation. Carson: function over everything. Paulina: ⁓ exactly. Yeah, because Carson: It's like, why do you say it like this? Well, then we can talk, break it, break it down. But mean, it's a lot of cases, I find myself just saying, we just say it like this. We just do it like this. It's like, that's the way it is. ⁓ sometimes you can like say, okay, no, but we need the preposition here. Like in Spanish, you would use preposition, right? Well, in English, we use preposition. Maybe it's a different one, but we still need those different parts of speech to give us our complete idea or complete thought. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: It just is. Paulina: Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ Carson: whatever we need to express ourselves completely. So then you explain what the prepositions mean and you gotta, where's the pen? Where is it now? It's in my pocket, things like that. And yeah, it's like, it's kind of annoying, it's boring, but they need that depending on the level. Paulina: Yeah. Exactly. Yeah, but no, it's definitely rewarding. It's definitely something that, you know, when I have classes with my students, I definitely like look forward to them. Like there are some students that, know, in some classes that I have prepared them like, today we're doing grammar and we have to do grammar because whatever. Brandon: basics. Carson: for sure. Paulina: But then there are other classes where we have just conversation classes. I'm like, yes, this is a basic, we're gonna talk about this. And you learn how these people work. learn their opinions. And you learn some of them like, wow, this person is very much like me. Or like, wow, this person has completely different opinions and ideas than something else. Carson: Yeah, ⁓ those are so great. Those are so great. I've got a few of those right now. Well, one or no, just one. Brandon: Okay Carson: So Paulina: So, else we got on the agenda? ⁓ Carson: I think that's a good place to lead it, personally. Brandon: you. Paulina: We had something about desires as well, like necessity, how it affects our decision making. Carson: Well, in terms of choosing a job, mean, obviously you have to consider the market. What's available in your area? Are you able to work remotely? You know, what is there that you can do? We're all expats. So when I first came to Spain, ⁓ mean, I came to Spain with the English language assistant program. So I had something. I was fortunate enough to have a little bit of help when I first got here. Of course, I coupled that with tutoring online and in person. The first year I was running around everywhere, all over the region of Mursia. Like driving on the phone, working at a couple different schools in Mursia, working at three schools ⁓ in rural ⁓ Mursia. So like you make ends meet, you you do what you have to do. And then, so that's necessity, that's necessity, that's food on the table. Brandon: Cool. Carson: I had no other options. I did not speak Spanish. I had no certifications. I didn't have my full residency. I was still on a visa. that, you know, necessity drives it first in terms of what job you're going to have. And then if you get lucky and you get some options, then it's about, you know, choosing sometimes the lesser of two or three evils or choosing something you want to do. And now I'm getting closer to being able to choose what I want to do. been working on... Brandon: Yeah. Carson: transitioning from education to IT and that's exciting. ⁓ taken ⁓ but that's I am. What about y'all? Paulina: And then go ahead. Brandon: It's the same. Well, the same as Carson, I started out as the axiliar. And I think you kind of realize how difficult it is. Like you said, like a lot of times, like you're in multiple schools, most of the time, maybe you don't even speak the language and all the paperwork that you have to do because it's also usually the first time you're actually in another country and you're actually working. So it's not like, oh, I'm coming here for vacation. I know you got to get your paperwork, get your visa, get everything in order. So it's a lot that you have to do exactly. And then also as Carson said, little by little you get situated and you start learning how everything works and you realize, okay, I'm gonna be here for a while. And then you start trying to figure out, what can I do? What else can I do? What can I add to this? Or what other options are there? Carson: Shit gets real fast, yeah. Brandon: And in reality, I think it's a little bit difficult now. As you said, the job market is, is rough. The job market is rough for, I think it's not just for us as expats, but for everyone in general. And it doesn't seem like it's going to be getting better anytime soon. So I am thankful. Exactly. A lot of competition out there. Carson: It's not easy. It's not easy. for sure. It's a lot of competition for one. Brandon: but I am thankful for the job that I have and obviously you have your good days, your bad days, it is very rewarding. Like you said, Paulina, like when you have, you see everything click and you see like your students progressing and it's like, it takes away from all the bad days. Like just having that one moment of something good and something positive, but. Carson: Sure. And it doesn't happen every day, but. Paulina: I'm sure the students love ⁓ Sorry. ⁓ the students love you. Like, that's another thing. That's also like a plus, right? It's like when you have that connection with the students or with you're doing, right? With the people that you're working with makes it so much better. Brandon: Exactly. No, doesn't happen every day. Every now and then. It is true. Yeah, some good kids out there. Paulina: Yeah, no, it's true. I get what you guys are saying. I mean, for me, it was a little bit easier because obviously, like, I didn't have to go through the visa process thing. So for me, it was a little bit easier. Yeah. All right. So for me, it was a little bit easier to get residency. But no, I get it. Like the whole thing of getting a job in Spain when you don't really speak the language. mean, Carson: You're already European. King of the castle, king of the castle. Brandon: Yeah Paulina: When I went in for the interview at the school, I was so worried because I was like, oh my God, like, yes, it's an international school, but who's going to interview me? Like I literally moved like two months before that, you know, and I was doing also like teaching people like here and there teaching in person, still had some online classes from Poland. But I wasn't working full time. So when I started working, I was like, Carson: Pero... Brandon: No. Paulina: Oh my god, what did I do? Like, it was so scary. I mean, Brandon, you probably remember my face all the time was like, traumatized, you know? Carson: Yeah. Brandon: Alright. That's the face of every new teacher at our school. Paulina: I'm an MSU. Carson: I just remember claustro and I was like, yeah, this is useless for me. could last like I remember tracking it. I was like, okay, when I started at the school, claustro is our teachers meeting for those who don't know. ⁓ I would last about maybe 10 or 15 minutes following along understanding, ⁓ know, 70 % of what I was hearing. Brandon: Yeah, that was it. Carson: And then I hit the wall. hit that wall. Mind you, this is the end of the day. So I'm going to toot my own horn. I was doing pretty well at this point. would hit a wall and then beyond that point, it was like just making stupid faces at Paulina or Brandon like, I don't know anything that's going on here. Save me. ⁓ my phone, like on my computer, just like, yeah, whatever, blah, blah. Anything but this. ⁓ then, yeah. ⁓ Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: And then they call your name. It's like, Carson, what do you think about this dude? And you're like, Carson: you repeat the question, please? ⁓ day, yeah, we're gonna play sports. And then everybody like, yeah, that's good. I'll be like, yeah, that is good, isn't it? We're gonna play sports. We're gonna do whatever you guys wanna do. What do you guys think is good? Follow up question with a question like, come on, I've got this shit. ⁓ Brandon: You Paulina: Can you tell us more about his birthday? Brandon: here. Paulina: Yeah, that's a good idea. Brandon: Hehe. Paulina: No, I mean, that's the thing. It was my first job, like a real job out of school. I I worked in academies before, but you can't compare an academy to a private school, right? It's a completely different world. I was always stressed. Yeah, I was stressed. There were many days where I cried. But I mean, not a shame to admit that. Carson: Not yet. and a private international school at that. Paulina: It's scary on top of the fact that you're in a different country, different language, different like tradition, like people have different little habits, you know, to handle situations. Um, it was all new and as much as I would like to say it gets easier. I don't know. I don't know if it did. I mean, there were days and days as Brendan said, like there were some days that were really good, you know, and there are other days where. Brandon: Yeah. Carson: Yeah. Paulina: ⁓ I don't know, like, five shots of tequila, you know? here I am teaching English once again, you know, but this time for myself, right? This time, this time it was, I think it was a necessary step. And you know, who, who am I to say that I'm not going to go back to teaching an Academy as well, or, you know, to a private school, whatever, because we don't know. And I think that's sort of also the beauty of Brandon: exactly. Carson: Made it, made it through. For me too, I believe. Paulina: of life, right? That we're sort of free to choose where we want to go to a certain extent, right? As Carson said, like, yeah. Carson: I say to a large extent, I say largely. mean, there are the limiting factors, of course, things beyond our control always, but we have a lot more control over it than I think we believe. Paulina: Yeah, like we can get up and switch what we want to do like from one day to another. I'm like, okay, today I'm going to start doing this type of course. This is, I did my research. This is what I like. This is what I'm going to start doing. Right. And I think there's, there is definitely beauty to that. Of course, Spain is not maybe ideal country for, for work. It's very difficult with the job market, as you guys said, but Brandon: you Carson: For sure. be tough. Paulina: But we're not just limited to Spain, right? We have to also think about it. yes, our lives are here, but who's to say that we can't go abroad for a year and work somewhere? I see many of my friends do that. Like, they move from Spain to, I don't know, Switzerland. They work in Switzerland for two to three years and they come back to Spain. Carson: It'll tough. Right. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Buy a bunker, come back. Brandon: Hehehehe. Hehehehe. Paulina: Exactly. Exactly. Carson: Yeah, that's the beauty of it all is when you, more you get to know yourself, how you work, your strengths, your weaknesses, you can hone that focus. ⁓ as you get older, of course, you get more mature, you have better work ethic. You can change. You can change careers. You can change your mindset. You can change your country, change your location. can. Maybe even if you're in a fortunate enough situation, convince your partner to go with you on that adventure. ⁓ But we have that. We have so many things, so many options, I should say. Most people, of course, some people are not in such fortunate situations such as us. But if you have no major ⁓ know, psychological, mental, cognitive, whatever, Paulina: Yeah. Carson: If you're willing to work hard and you're willing to get better as a human and take care of yourself and do what it, you know, most importantly, do the work. There's so much you could do. There's so much you could do to chase your passions and to figure out what that is and experiment and just try things and just move across the world and just go for it and say, Hey, I don't know where I'm going to land, but I'm going to land somewhere. I'm going to figure out what it means to be happy and successful. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: Exactly. Carson: I'm going to surround myself with people who support that and who help me in whatever way I need them to be there for me. Brandon: Thank Can't be afraid of change. Paulina: Yeah, for sure. So, any final words for today about jobs? do have final words, that's not final words. I forgot to mention another job that I had, ⁓ it's a really good one. ⁓ I don't know if I told you guys about this. ⁓ not there yet, no. ⁓ I actually worked. Carson: So. Brandon: Go for it. Carson: OnlyFans. Brandon: yet. ⁓ Carson: Hold on. No, you're not on there yet. Paulina: as a taxi call center. Did I read that? Yeah. Yes, it was in Poland. And it was the best job ever. You guys wouldn't be surprised, but it was so good. You literally would just sit there, answer phone calls, like you would have your headset or whatever, and you would just send a taxi. Carson: Taxi Call Center. Brandon: Where was that? Carson: Bye. Paulina: Of course there were problems, you know, sometimes, but it was just so fun. was like also very funny because you would get people on like Saturday night trying to go in the morning telling you ⁓ they need a taxi in I don't know where and you're like, but what street are you on? I don't know. I'm next to this tree. I'm like, what tree? You know, there's this house. There's this wooden house here. Carson: I need a taxi. Brandon: Good description. Paulina: And there is a tree and there is a fence. I'm like, is there anything around you? Can you walk to the nearest block? There is a supermarket here. Ah, great, can you tell me the name of the supermarket? So you get those people, you know, and it's like, it wouldn't be funny because at the same time, it's like, you know, they're having a great time and they're making jokes in the background. They're giggling and, you know, it puts you in a good mood. But there also be like dramatic people. We had a lady that jumped out of a taxi. Carson: What's the name of it? Paulina: Yeah, so there was this woman that jumped out of a taxi because the driver... No, no, it's not that she didn't want to pay. The driver that went there apparently had a stroke before, like I'm talking about like months or a few years ago, but that left his side, like half of his face a little bit droopy or something. And he had his speech a little bit slurred as well. Carson: Shit. She don't want to pay. Brandon: Exactly. Did it want to pay? Was that expensive? Paulina: But he was still capable of driving. It's not like he passed all the exams or whatever, he was still capable of driving. And she called and she was like, I think your driver is drunk. And we're like, no ma'am, ⁓ not the case. I'm just like, I want a normal ⁓ Mind you, the driver is right in front of her. ⁓ like, I want a normal driver. And I'm like, he is a normal driver. Brandon: Exactly. Carson: It's a little late for that. Paulina: And she's like, he looks drunk. I'm like, man, this man had a stroke before, like he's fine. He shouldn't be driving a car. I'm like, lady, like he'll get you to your destination just fine. And she started like, apparently they're at a red light. The driver later has called us and that she was pulling the car like to open the door. Yeah, the handle. And she actually like got out because I don't know like how she did it, whatever. And she actually got out of the car. Brandon: I handle you. Paulina: and like stumble onto the freaking rope. Like this lady. so we had stories like that as well. But overall it was, we got pretty well. The boss was really like, he was a nice person. We had also lots of ⁓ breaks in between, because mean, there were so many of us and we take, you know, coffee breaks every now and then, ⁓ cigarette breaks, whatever. So no, like, and we would work technically eight hour shifts, but then the weekends, I think we would have to walk, like work one weekend or two weekends during the month. And then the other two weekends were off. And if you worked ⁓ X amount of hours, I remember what it was, but you had to work certain amount of hours throughout the month. If you would pull double shifts, that means you would have like other days off. So every month I would have at least a week and a half off. including the week and then add on the weekends. So it's pretty nice. It's a pretty sweet job. If I could, I would go back to that job. Brandon: No bad. Carson: Nice. Perks. sweet. shit. Paulina: I don't know if they still have those jobs, like a call center, like a taxi call center. This was in 2018. Carson: Hmm. Well, yeah, you gotta call somebody. Somebody's gotta answer. It's not the taxi driver. They're just like getting sent They don't think they're talking. So yeah, I guess it still exists. Brandon: Okay. to wear it. Paulina: No. Brandon: think here, now in Murcia, they do it by WhatsApp. send ⁓ message or number, say, hey, I'm here. Then ⁓ contacts you and all right, yeah, driver, be there in five minutes. Carson: Hmm. Paulina: Anyway, that's my last anecdote of the jobs that we worked and the jobs that we liked and hated. Carson: Hmm. fun. Paulina: Carthage, you have any last words? Any of you? Carson: I was a bouncer. That was kind of crazy. Didn't talk about that yet. Yeah. Fake IDs. We took them. Which I felt a little bad about. But yeah, it's kind of funny too seeing you cry about it. How you for that one? Not enough. ⁓ Kicking people out. You know, like... Brandon: again. Carson: Darson, this guy's gotta go. And the good thing is, it's a simple order. I don't have to ask questions. I don't have to reason with anybody. Just go in and say, hey, it's time to go. And if they don't wanna go, then you just physically take them outside. I will walk you outside then. I've given you the option. Also, if it's not with me, I could go get the police officer or the other bouncer who is a former Marine. What would you prefer? Brandon: Haha. Paulina: Pick them up. ⁓ Brandon: You help them out this way, please. I'm go. Carson: But it was pretty low key. was like mostly college kids on the weekends. So, you know, they would try to stay long later than close, close, guess. I don't even remember really. think it was like 2 30, 2 45, be the last call. And like, everybody would just stand there and not finish the drinks. it's like, okay. And then the bell would ring. It'd be time to leave. And then, okay. At that point, I am dumping out your drink and you are going to just. get somewhat embarrassed before you have to walk your ass out of the place. I it was an interesting job because for reasons, you just see some freaking idiots. ⁓ You have to deny some people. They'd be so drunk. It's like, I don't want to deal with you in 10 minutes. So why would I let you in? Yeah, stressful. ⁓ were stressful moments, but overall it wasn't stressful. People see you and they, I'm a pretty big guy, so most people don't wanna mess with me. They don't wanna start anything. And most people just go to bars to have fun and like, you know, they're not trying to start shit. So it wasn't, ⁓ clown, I'll just step on you with my size 48. ⁓ And I don't think like, Paulina: in the scary, scary clown. Brandon: Okay. ⁓ Carson: Ego aside, wasn't even, yeah, it was more just like not that kind of bar, first of all. wasn't, there was no angst associated with that bar. Like the crowd was not very unruly. Although there were some, somebody tried to fight me once or he wanted me to like put my hands up. And of course I didn't. Put my hands on my hips and he didn't like that. And then, and then, so he's, he's banned at this point. He's banned. Paulina: you Brandon: That's what I was thinking. Carson: and put your hands on your hips, you big tough guy. I'm like, I don't know. Am I a big tough guy? Do you want me to be a big tough guy? Do you want me to physically throw you over the wall? Because I would, but I would go to jail because there's a cop here. then so he was banned for a minute. And at some point, being the nice guy that I am, I let him in because ⁓ story. He was going through a hard time. I think he was on steroids or something. Brandon: you Paulina: you Carson: This guy, I let him in. was like, if you so much as look at me the wrong way, it's over, man. And you'll never come back in. And he was a good little boy. that's not as exciting as it got. ⁓ Just, you know, typical things. I mean, I got my free meal on the ⁓ of the shift. Had a drink or two after the shift. Late nights. Got home at like after four most of time. But, you know, the crew was awesome. I'm still like lifelong friends with some of the people there. You know who you are. Paulina: Thank you. Carson: Shout out to you, you real ones, thinking about you. And was fun. I would say it was a fun joke. I had a little too much fun one day, but that's not a conversation for right ⁓ But yeah, ⁓ good people. That one's not from podcasts. Got to maintain a little bit of mystery here. ⁓ little bit of dignity. ⁓ little is left? Paulina: Thank That's not to be on the crew. Brandon: Thank you. Paulina: and dignity. Brandon: Just a little bit. Carson: What little is left? all I got to say about that. Brandon, what do you got? You got a fun one? Brandon: Okay. Paulina: Yeah. Brandon: No, like all my jobs are teaching. Carson: except for that time you chased that guy who stole the Jordans. Brandon: Definitely not. Definitely not. I don't have any crazy stories or anything. Paulina: That's my man. Brandon: It's nothing, nothing too exciting. Like I said, like, especially since I've been in Spain, it's just basically all teaching except for the four months at the logistics company and working at the private university also for a few months, but not too much. Okay. Well, the private university. So the private university is obviously Catholic. not Catholic, but No, but it doesn't matter. Like if you're at the university, have to go to, to, you have to go to mass and everything, all the different celebrations, everything that they do. She probably walks in and all of a just asks, she's like, Ooh, what happened? But yeah. Paulina: I would walk into that and it would go off in flames. Carson: Paulina's like, ahhhh! This is why they help you bag your groceries. It's the same thing. I'm not saying, just saying. Brandon: But I don't know. Yeah, so we had to do all the different events, everything. We had to go no choice. Like the entire university was shut down and everyone would go to the church for mass. And I guess it was Ash Wednesday. And like, so everyone had to like go up and like they put the little ash on your head or whatever. And so of course me, I was like, all right, well yeah, we got to do it. whatever, so I'm going down. like to. Carson: I don't give a mother. Brandon: Some getting asht up and then I guess like they were there like recording they were like filming like the news or whatever It's all I later that day like one of our friends like calls nerdy. She's like Just saw Brandon on TV like that Ash Wednesday ⁓ like he's not Catholic is he? And she course already like no, but I mean it's part of the job. ⁓ Just gotta do what you gotta do Gotta get asht up Carson: You For five minutes. Paulina: Gotta get Ash done for her. Brandon: When the Pope calls? Carson: ⁓ setting me up for a good joke pretty soon. You just keep going. Getting asht- asht up by the Pope. ⁓ Brandon: That's it. Carson: and we're gonna leave it there. Brandon: Sign off! Paulina: So thank you guys for listening. Bye. Carson: Well, does anybody have any other? Paulina: I think the Pope and the Ash, that's... Brandon: ⁓ That's it. Carson: In the ash? Right in the ash? Is that what you said? He poked you right in the ash? ⁓ my god! Paulina: I said, and the ash, and the person, and the connector. Brandon: I definitely did not say that. Paulina: Alright. Carson: Okay, so I think that's it for today, everybody. Thank you for watching. Please like, share, and subscribe. You know where to find us. We're on Spotify, we're on Apple Podcasts, we're on YouTube, we're everywhere. We're like the wind. So we'll see you on the next one. Thanks, everybody. Paulina: Hash out. Brandon: You