a highly caffeinated summer

My first four shifts at Starbucks passed with a large volume of information and coffee calories digested in a short amount of time. I think I'll like the job. My location is in a Haggen's Grocery Store, so we get a good number of shoppers as well as "regulars" who frequent the location. The people who I work with and have met at my store location are very kind and forgiving when it comes to asking numerous questions and messing up orders on the cash register. One other woman is training with me, so we can feel confused by the information-overload together.

My first two four hour training shifts were an orientation to the company and its' values and a few procedures. I enjoyed the first two hours of our first shift because we got to sit outside on a gorgeous day! On day two, I also learned how to make cold drinks. We spent a couple hours messing around with the frappuccino machines and letting unknowing customers and employees of the grocery store try our initial concoctions. No one has reported an illness yet.

The second two shifts, I received lots of experience on the register. I am assured by my co-workers that my brain can, indeed, conquer the peculiar coffee language and ridiculously complicated orders that people shout out to me. It sure is fun to watch them whip around the store preparing drinks, but I've got a long way to go before I'll be 1/2 as talented as they as a barista!

But, when it's all said and done, I am learning some new skills, in an industry and company I'm interested in, and I get free drinks while I'm working (who knew?), as well as a pound of coffee a week (stockpile for Antarctica), and a store discount. And, all I was out for was a little extra cash for the summer!

Of course, at the end of the day, I come home smelling like coffee.