Jaclyn, Cardiff - Week 9

Today marks the start of my final week here at Admiral. I can't believe how quickly time has flown - what I would give if I could just have a couple weeks more... But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end....

Last Thursday, I presented my findings on the Online Testing project to some of the People Services managers and the Recruitment Team here in Cardiff. In total, there were 9 people in attendence, watching me as I presented the project I had been working so hard on the last couple months. Admittedly, it was pretty nervewracking, part due to the fact that I was presenting for the major decision-makers of the People Services department and part due to the fact that public speaking is one of my biggest weaknesses!! But, like I always say, the only way it'll stop being a weakness is if I turn it into a strength. So... I'll be traveling to Swansea on Wednesday to present my findings to the Recruitment team and managers in Swansea!

It's mad how quickly the project came together. In just two short months, I progressed from a single sheet of paper with a list of several testing options, to a full presentation complete with supported research and reputable companies offering their testing services. All that's left to do now is to make a decision on one of the companies (we have now narrowed it down to two), and the testing should be implemented by early next year! I can't wait to see how the online testing improves the quality of candidates, as well as the application process in general. If not for the people, I will definitely be staying in touch to hear updates about my project.

________________________________________________________________________

What would a week at Admiral be without a little bit of work fun? Last week's fun came in the form of Wii tennis. Only instead of playing against a computerized person, there was a brick wall at half court and you had to hit the target on the wall to get a point. If you didn't hit the target, a bit of the brick wall would fall apart wherever the ball touched. It was quite funny.

________________________________________________________________________

My last weekend in Cardiff was quite eventful. On Friday, Gary and I went to Wendy's house in Neath (about 10 minutes from Swansea) for dinner. We enjoyed some wine on the patio until dinner was ready. Wendy made cottage pie and vegetables. It was DELICIOUS. Apparently cottage pie is more of a winter dish, but very British nonetheless. Dessert was a slice of lemon tart and a double shot of Limoncello. Afterwards, we scooted back out to the patio (to soak up the nice weather) and continued drinking our wine until almost 10 o'clock! The weather was absolutely GORGEOUS - a little chilly by the end, but other than that, absolutely perfect.

Breakfast on Saturday was scrambled eggs (with cheese), toast, sausage, and bacon -- all British favourites - although, the scrambled eggs with cheese was my little American addition. Apparently the British don't put cheese in their eggs! Needless to say, they loved it. But how could they not?? ;)

Dinner proved to be even MORE American. Gary, his roommate Mike, and I ordered two large pizzas from Pizza Hut to split between the three of us. One pizza had an Italian Crust and pepperoni as a topping - quite normal. The second pizza was a margherita pizza with a cheeseburger and bacon crust. In other words... each slice of the pizza had a mini cheeseburger with bits of bacon baked into the crust.

Naturally, after seeing it on the menu, we had to order it. But I must say, it was much better in theory than it was in real life. Pizza and burgers are just not meant to be consumed in the same bite. Both are great on their own though! :)

(see photos of this ridiculous pizza below)

 

Cheeseburger and bacon-crust Margherita pizza

________________________________________________________________________

Sunday was the Cardiff Food Festival down at Cardiff Bay! The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the food was pretty great, too!

I went to the Festival with a coworker called Amie mid-afternoon on Sunday. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, there wasn't all that much food left. The fish cakes and scotch eggs were all gone, so that was quite a bummer... especially since people kept telling me how great scotch eggs were. We managed to find a good Mexican stand and bought a tortilla filled with vegetables, chicken, and chorizo and then got ice cream to cool ourselves down. Overall, it was quite a beautiful, relaxing day!

I'm really, really going to miss it here... xx