Internship Ahoy!

This summer I am acting as an intern for the Finance Manager, more affectionately known as my mom, over at Brussels Airlines. I started off with extremely tedious and albeit boring work, but I am definitely learning a lot about the ins and outs of accounting systems and applying them to the real world.

Day 1 (5/31) and I was already writing out these Agency Debit Memos (ADM). These forms are then being input in a computer filing system called ARC and will be sent from there to the various online agencies that sell airline tickets. These were being sent out because people who bought airline tickets paid with a Discover card. Brussels airlines do not accept discover card, but most websites do and these slip through the cracks resulting in debit memos being issued. Phew! That was a lot for me the first time around. Now, I could fill those out with my eyes closed. I must have written, "Credit card not processed. Discover not accepted by airline" at least 45 times. It took me all day to fill those out and put them in the computer. Then, as a filler job while my mom finished some of her own paperwork, I filed away some invoices. The filing system is where things can get a little hairy. Nothing is clearly labeled and there are three different spots for different invoices: General Invoices, Canada and JFK. It can get confusing sometimes because there are often exceptions to the already accepted filing rule. Among these tasks come many others that are just shy of fetching coffee for her. I make copies, send FedEx packages and print their tickets, I re-file files, I print labels with the P-Touch and I open the mail. This past week at work I have been given the task of cross checking spread sheets with the addresses of all the airports in which Brussels airlines does business with and let me tell you...it is a lot of airports!

I punch in and out of the time clock every day just like every other non-salaried employee of Brussels Airlines. The fact that I am making money hand over fist is not the only reason I absolutely love this job. There are the delicious Neuhaus chocolates from Belgium and John's delicious "cookies" all the way from New Jersey, but these things are only part of it. You could also say that coffee, cookie and chatting time makes coming to work worthwhile. Honestly, it is the cast of characters my mom works for. Let’s start at the top of the food chain, shall we? First there is John. He is just the cutest little old man that ever could live. He reminds me of my grandfather in some ways. He is tall, white hair Belgian accent (my grandpa's is Italian but same difference) and like my grandfather; he tells a story but laughs before he can tell you the punch line. Next, there is Dave He works a lot of the local events that Brussels Airlines must attend and represent themselves at. He is equally as funny though. Just the other day, I had to hold my laughter in the office when he was on the phone with his best friend. Their conversation reminded me of the "Who's On First?" Abbott & Costello routine. Maybe it's one of those moments where you had to be there. Still nothing? Come find me and I will do the impersonation.

Next, is Olivier. I do not see him much during the day because he works on the 4th floor and we are on the 2nd, but when we do it's usually him and Dave making some kind of stir. Other than that, Olivier is quiet, but knows to arrive for check signing time, which he absolutely hates doing. Finally, there is Margareta whom I believe to have been a comedienne in another life. She just cracks us up at every turn and sometimes I cannot stop laughing. Her best jokes are when John is coming around with his "cookies" (mini danish). They are like heaven on earth that's how delicious they taste. It is unfortunate that she works on the 4th floor as well. My mom and I are the only two Brussels Airlines people on the 2nd floor most days because Dave and John travel a lot.

Next week is a big week for us though! We launch our first flights from Washington DC to Brussels. It is a very exciting time for everyone at the airline. My mom and I might even be making the road trip down there next week to attend the cocktail party and celebrate with the rest of Brussels Airlines!!!! *fingers crossed we get to go*

Summer Time Is Here!!!

Sorry to have gotten so deep on that last post, but this weekend's whole meaning just called for some serious thought. On a less serious note, summer is finally here!!! No more papers to write, scantrons to bubble in, or poems to analyze. It is time to kick up our feet, sip on some cold drinks and relax your brain cells. I have already spent many of my days off at the beach and earned myself a beautiful tan. If you are from the New York area, I highly recommend Point Lookout and Lido Beach. Both are very small beaches, but if you go at the right time on the right day then it is just heaven. So grab some friends, your SPF 5,000 and a soccer ball and get to the beach. There is nothing more relaxing. Please do remember though that the sun is twenty times stronger than normal because of the extremely icy winter we had. I already got burnt twice because I used too little sunscreen. Not trying to put a damper on things, but what ruins a perfect beach day more than awkward sunburn.

Party All Weekend Long!!!!

There are many reasons for why I love being a part of the Student Alumni Association on campus. We work on so many amazing projects and events. This weekend can easily be marked as one of my favorite reasons for being involved with this group. This past weekend was Reunion weekend and the 50th Reunion for the amazing class of 1963! We helped out at so many different events that were all a part of this weekend’s celebration. I did not get to attend every single event on the itinerary, but I will highlight my favorite ones.

Friday was not beautiful day weather wise.  It was windy and rainy through the entire day and night, but that did not stop Reunion-ers from attending the awesome 80's dance that was being held in the pub that night. There were animal print balloons, streamers, banners, an 80's DJ, the electric slide, crazy conga lines and many moon walkers. Michael Jackson definitely would have been proud. Professor Nancy Fallon and her husband were dominating the dance floor all night along with her partners in boogie crime: Corey and Eric Bruschett, Pedro Suncar and Stefanie Seslar. Some popular moves like the lawnmower, shopping cart, and the sprinkler all made an appearance. A new kind of dance that I am not too sure how well it works, but was fun in the moment, was born that night. We were "making a pizza". It's quite simple. First, you have your dough that you twirl in the air for a bit. Once it is perfectly rounded, you open the oven door (from the top) and then put the pizza inside (on the bottom). That must be one huge oven that the pizza goes on the bottom rack. The party went from 7 until 10 and, boy oh boy, can those 80's grads really party! They all seemed to be having such an amazing time just catching up and dancing and talking. We all went out afterwards and braved the rain in the name of a Froyo World celebration for a job well done!

 Saturday was a gorgeous day! The sun was shining. The sky was a perfect blue and the birds were singing. Our day started off with registration at 10am in the BCR. I feel so honored to have been surrounded by so many Albertus Magnus College alumni. There are more than I honestly thought there to be. The alumni spent a lot of time visiting their old haunts on campus. Many more people stayed in Dominican Hall than I realized. So many stories were told about the old cafeteria that once resided inside the dorm right after it had been bought from Yale.  Dominican Hall was officially opened as a dorm in the 1960's and many of the alumni were surprised by the changes they saw. One woman and her husband were waiting for the elevator and I recommended she take the stairs because they are definitely quicker. She just laughed and said, "I want to see if it is as slow as I remember". I could not help but laugh with her. It would not be Dominican Hall if the elevator was any less like the tortoise in that old fable. Then again, the old adage "Slow and steady wins the race" has been proven many times. I always wondered about that, but I digress. To coin a popular, Dr. Yeaman phrase, "Things that make you go hmm...." I had fun talking with them and reminiscing about their days of living inside Dominican Hall. Many of them were able to show me all the rooms they lived in back then.

My absolute favorite and proudest moment to take part in was the Golden Society Inductions for the class of 1963 in celebration of the 50th year as a graduate from Albertus Magnus College. This ceremony was led by the Alumni Association as they handed out certificates of loyalty that resembled diplomas and pins with the college seal and "Golden Society" on them. One of our very own, Dr. Joan Venditto, Department of Education Chair here at Albertus was honored as a part of this class. As all the names were called, I thought to myself that the grandchildren and children of these wonderful women should be extremely proud. My grandparents never went to college, but this is an amazing thing to be able to celebrate. Can you imagine? 50 years as a college grad and not just any college, but Albertus Magnus College. It made me really think about the mark I intend to leave on this college when I graduate in two years and how I am going to represent Albertus in the years after that. I teared up a little during "Alma Mater" as it was led by choir instructor Arthur Bellucci. I had never heard it sung before, but it was beautiful. I teared up a little during one part in particular.

Alma Mater, Alma Mater

Magic in thy ageless power.

Constantly fostering your spirit

Moves beside us every hour.

When the present is an echo

 In the hearts that from you came,

Songs of youth and friendship embers,

Will rekindle at your name.

This whole verse and then the beautiful refrain just struck something inside me. It reminds me that this is the place to be young because these are the moments we will call upon when our futures start to weigh on us.

It really was amazing how many of them remembered the melody enough to sing along. After 50 years, I might forget; then again I might not. There never was a dull moment at this event. How could there have been?! We, as present day students of Albertus Magnus College, were connecting with the faces of our futures. One day we will replace this 50th anniversary class and those students will be looking up to us and so on. It is a legacy that can never die and with another 50 years of Albertus alum, our Alma Mater will reign forever.