Alright, it's Sunday and I have survived my first week at work.

I've attended my first meetings and I have met most of the key players in the hotel. I have also met most of the staff I will be responsible for and that will be another adventure in itself.

There is the usual hotel problems here just like everywhere else. In addition, the hotel has recently changed property management system and so there is a few quirks still to iron out. I guess that will be my job...

Apart from the technical expertise, the language will prove the most difficult. I will start Spanish lessons at some point soon, but nothing definite yet.

I also attend the longest departmental meeting ever (over 3 hours) and get a feel for what is important to people here.

Overall, the hotel is humming with groups and weddings and is fully occupied most of the week. So, when I come back from car shopping on Wednesday evening, I'm told to pack my gear and that I'm going to the hotel next door. They are booking me out instead of real guests. Bit of a pain, but there you go.

Yesterday sort of the same thing happens. This time I can stay but need to share my room with another colleague who is in the same boat. The things you do for your employer...

After work it's mostly out to go apartment and car hunting. I think I have found a car on Wednesday and I will hopefully get it next week. It's done via a broker and currently he is trying to get the price down a bit more. I haven't heard from him in 2 days so I guess he was not really successful. We'll see.

I'm also out to look for an apartment but have been less successful this week. The place I have seen is too small I feel and the other place has no cable TV or internet, which is not an option.

I might still go for the small place as it even has Housekeeping included once a week and is very close to work. As long as I'm alone, it would certainly do.

On Friday we go to the cinema and see Transformers which is awesome. The cinema is okay as well and that is a big relief. I guess I'll pretty much see all the movies coming out from now on. On Saturday I start on that quest by seeing Shrek 3 which is funny, but you realise that it's running out of steam.

I've also played Softball again on Thursday and yesterday along with socialising afterwards. People in Curacao really like to sit in front of the corner shop and have lots of beers together. As most of you know, this fits me quite well, so no problems there.

All in all a successful week I guess and I'm starting to settle down. My shipped boxes have actually arrived as well, even though I haven't picked them up yet.

Tonight and tomorrow I'll be doing a night shift so I might find some time to email some of you individually. We'll see. In the meantime I'm off for a nap at the pool (hehe) for some sleep preparation for tonight.

Take care