Three stints through school at a week-long "Work Experience Tryout" and they were at two different local stores and my old elementary (gawd, nightmare trips all of them!). They proved I'm most comfortable doing something under somebody's supervision, assisted, but with only one other person. That's what I've found out. And that I don't always think clearly. Not when nervous. Which is most of the time.
I didn't want to go to do a summer job, everyone else did, it was almost a scandal I was the only one in our village who hadn't been working summertime in the village cemetery. My grandparents let me chill the summer, take it easy and load batteries. They said after a school year, time off is a good thing. Besides, I never went anywhere beyond hopping on my bicycle and hitting the neighborhood, and later, not even that. So I was at home. All the time. I never went anywhere. I had my own shit. Though the paranoia caused by a former classmate spying on me left me unable to go outside for years, so that did cause the isolation as well.
Anyway, I digress. Next job was after I simply got fed up with studying after the semi-fiasco that was Joutseno... I simply crashed and burned. I had also tried phone sales and lasted a week, berry picking just destroyed my knees and the owner's wife and father were horrible to be around with. Few days only.
I was thrust into a personal service through the employment office, who got me to 6 months in a youth workshop. I first was nervous about it, then, liked it, then, ended up absolutely hating it. I also got some arguments in there, was sent to see a shrink (that led simply nowhere except the fact I had depression, had known that since junior high, that place changes people into monsters) and luckily I got to apply to art schools. Two of them I did get the entry to but chose Lappia Vocational College. It was crap as well. A trainwreck of a school.
Before that, I had my second most difficult job ever. Amusement park ticket cashier. Oh sweet bejesus! Only people not enjoying that place has to be those who sell the tickets. I can't go to details, but I couldn't handle the pressure. Even until the last day, I couldn't grasp the details and fumbled with the register, which was old fashioned, but still, gawd, it was horrid. I like going to the place and I have sympathy to everyone who starts as a cashier, it ain't simple.
Through Lappia I had to go and get a month's work practice place. The local weaver didn't reply or seem keen into taking a free worker, so I just called up my birth town's yarn store and was instantly taken in for the month. Hard, yes, did I blunder there too? YES. I never seem to do things right even after directions, which did hammer me down for weeks and left me with fear of failing so crippling I just can't. I liked it and visit the place, purchase stuff, but still...
I would have probably gotten to work in the local Chinese restaurant, I was good friends with the owners, but we moved and soon, they quit. I'm still rather bummed out, the owner would have taken me in right away. But I needed to get away from the town. I still have difficulties being there.
When I got to Sea-Lapland, I was pointed towards the free vacancy and appointed a place as a temp for Children's Culture and Art Center. 3 and a half months. Well... I was the one they picked, I was also hilariously underqualified for the job that I was simply dropped into. I had no idea what to do and was just fumbling around, barely managing to keep it together with the kindergarten groups that I had to help manage and run craft classes. Not really popular ideas I seemed to have and I just... I learned one thing, I don't want to deal with kids. I seemed to be a child magnet growing up and maybe still a bit too, but I don't like them the least bit. They couldn't have picked the worse worker than me. Out of three of us, one never showed up and the other... well she couldn't have been worse than me!
I don't remember how long was I without a job, when I was put into the care of employment office through the city and managed to score a place for 8 months, my longest yet, with the city's park maintenance unit. It was... a double-edged sword, it caused (and nearly broke my knees and back) my significant other's fibromyalgia to manifest and was full of friendships drama, but at least two good friends came out of it. There were days when I absolutely hated it (not a morning person and idiots make my blood boil) but also fun and an interesting job at times. Helped me know the city better.
Been unemployed for a year now, I pretty much shot myself in the leg with my anxiety as I didn't sign up with YTK sooner, so I didn't get their support (18 fucking hours!), but the government's, which fluctuates nowadays, thanks to the "Active Form", which means if there's no job or any courses checked up, I get reduced unemployment support and that just destroyed the last remnants of my sanity.
I've been almost to the brink of a total meltdown at least twice a month since I've been unemployed, struggling with money and not able to find a job I know I can do. I have tried asking the park maintenance do they want me back to the watering unit, but nothing yet, I'd have almost 4 months of the supported pay left, so they wouldn't need to pay me, but... I've also applied for housing support, which we are getting and living support, though I'm still waiting for that decision, do I even get it.
I'm a total wreck, left at everybody's mercy. Broke and Broken. I'm not even good enough to hire and nobody is really interested of my art or jewelry. I haven't felt this insignificant in years. Honestly.
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