Assignment: Familiarise self with more files and read relevant information on the internet.
Status: Mission accomplished. Brain supersaturated with information.
~ ~ ~
As the office consists of two other senior females and one senior male staff, I hang out with an intern about 9 years younger than me. The kid is friendly and has attempted on both days to make sure I am not feeling left out during lunch as the newest person in the office.
She's a millennial. By the categorisations in the image below, I am one too, but we have marked differences in our general attitudes of life that I refuse to be associated with this generation. I mean, I can't really find fault with the way they think. They are, after all, a by-product of their circumstances like the time of birth, upbringing, social status, etc. Still, spending a little time with her today made me feel really relieved to be 31 years old.
Now don't be an asshole, Shuri.
Image Source: The Wire
Said kid is an over-achiever in my dictionary. She's only 22 years old, few months away from graduating with a Bachelor's double degree. She said she was a professional dancer. She also dresses very professionally to work which gave me the initial impression that she was about 26 years old. She's managed to get accepted into the UN as an intern and she was very confident when she told me that she was going to do her Master's degree next year.
And by contrast, I was a train wreck at 22!
Okay, I can really feel my case weakening now...
I swear, my lunch conversations with this youngster went like this today:
She: The girl before you was nice. I didn't know what to expect when they told there will be a replacement. But you are really nice.
Me: *smiles shyly*
She: So what do you do in your free time?
Me: Erm. Lot of things. Spending time with pets, some photogra-----
She: OMG, I love your spectacles. It has a blue shine!!!
Me: Erm yes. It's a protective coating to minimise radiation.
She: Soo cool. So what will you do after your 6-month contract with this NGO ends?
Me: I have to work on my thes---
She: I really love your spectacles. I wonder if I have to wear them too.
Me: Can you feel your eyesight is getting weaker?
She: I think so. My friend had to wear them too. So how old are you?
Me: I'm 31.
She: *nearly chokes on her rice* REALLY?? You don't look like that at all.
Me: Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment. You must be about 26? (grave miscalculation on my part)
She: NOOOO, I'm 22!!
Me: *gasps* but then slowly notices the doe-eyes, naivety, blemish-free skin and realises this truly is a juvenile human specimen underneath an adult persona.
She: So are you married???
Me: No, not yet.
She: Do you have a boyfriend???
Me: No, not at the moment.
She: Even my mother was hinting the other day for me to get married!
Me: You have PLENTY of time to be married. Don't rush.
She: You know, I did an Human Resource Management exam and got a Distinction!!!
Me: Nice! Well done.
She: I wonder what I should ask my parents?
Me: What do you mean?
She: I need an incentive from my parents for getting a Distinction! It really works, no?
Me: [No, you don't!] *keeps quiet*
She: It's so hard to get a Class for my degree but my mother told me she'd get me a car if I got a Class.
Me: Well, that's a strong motivator to try harder.
She: Yes!
Many things considered, the kid is alright and has added some colour to my observations and experiences within the UN compound (besides Agent Cat).
