What Is An Expat?

The Job:

Our tasks are more split up than my previous job. I just do the desktop stuff, there are some Army folks doing the help desk tasks, and another contractor babysitting the few servers and the network. We have multiple networks actually, since a small group is on the Halliburton network instead. The domain here is only minimally set up since you have units rotating in and out all the time. That I can actually see and support, as it would be a true PITA to have to shift things all around for each different group every time they rotate. I see a lot of room for improvement, but everything is (generally) functional. I do, however, have a list. It goes under the heading of “any sufficiently large organization is inherently inefficient.” Actually, if I recall correctly, when I originated that phrase, it had “fucked up” in there someplace. It’s more like USWest / Qwest in that you have different groups responsible for different things and it can be complicated to get a good picture of how to make things work together.

I have an “office” now, as opposed to my previous “computer on a table in a tent.” A few plywood walls to get out of sight, or keep people from fiddling with your stuff, makes a huge difference. I got a tablecloth (?) to go over my table, as it was made of metal and made the metal-on-metal noise. It’s not fingernails on chalk but it’s close. We have a door, and I don’t have to lean over toooo much to get under the frame. As a matter of fact, there’s a lot of things in this camp that could be about a foot and a half taller. Then I wouldn’t need to duck quite so much. Hey you, John Gisi, quit laughing!

I do a lot of walking in the performance of my daily duties, and by my own choice, too. It’s best to get out and about, find out what problems your users have, and cut down on butt time. The cold doesn’t bother me, but we’ll see if that continues as it rolls past 100 degrees out, towards 140. I work a fairly consistent 12 hour shift, 7 to 7ish. If necessary I work over, but typically only if I am actively working something and might lose my train of thought if I let it wait. Sometimes I stay over anyway, since most of yall are just getting around to getting up then, and you might be popping up on IM, email, or maybe even via phone. Uzbekistan is 12 hours ahead of Mountain Time, so it makes it easy to figure out when’s when. When you are getting up, I am winding down the same day. When I am getting up, you have just left for the day, or will soon. (The previous day, that is.) If you aren’t on Mountain Time, well, do your own math. You’re either slightly ahead or behind them.

And what does my office look like? Funny you should ask…

The chair, sadly, is not mine. I am only borrowing it from someone who is gone more often than not. In that case, I think a compelling argument can be made that it really should be my chair….

I wander around a certain amount, as you may have read. Here’s a few vehicles you might see in common use. I got a kick out of this first one the other day. Was in the maintenance shop, and saw a problem description of “doesn’t suck.” Usually, that wouldn’t be an issue you’d think, but…

Here’s a couple more, your standard Van and standard Gator.