I have officially worked every single day this week. I wonder if I'm ever goin to get a free day. Sunday and monday were only 4 hours but still. I worked from 10 -4 today and 6-11. It gets tiring but I guess still easier than my schedule when I was doin school and work. I got to go into town yesterday. Its really small town called Iguri about 10 min away. Maricio, Pauola, Little Lucia (dos anos) and I drove in Chef's little hatchback. Manual of course, and he drives really fast down the mountain. All the stores in the town are separate.
There is know big super market/ Costco for everything (silly americans). We first stopped and got fruits, then we walked down the block and bread from the bakery. We unloaded everything in the car, they we went into a grocery store that reminded me of the closest thing they had to a jewel, but still not everything. I was able to pick up my toiletries and some food. It was a quick little run and we were headed back up the mountain.
Once we got back, I started to clean a little bit. It has just become second nature to me, b/c not only do I cook and do prep in the Kitchen, I clean a lot. No problema, I kind of look at it as exercise since I haven't really got a chance do much of it. Mauricio says he has 5 bikes in this storage facility of a house (Luis keeps all his Muebles (furniture) at this house. If we had a garage sale, we would make so much money. No lie! But I guess, my first off day, I'll get to ride bikes with Luis around the mountain. It seems like a lot of fun, b/c I always see bike riders passing by, but some of the parts of the mountain or muy steep.
Luis prepares lunch and a light salad. It's great living with a chef b/c he always makes good food. We had Pain con fromage, pollo con caramelized red onions and red peppers, and Pear (pera) por postra. Luis said he enjoys nice simple meals but with great flavor. He then told me that when he's in the kitchen he may be crazy from time to time, but it is important for me to be tranquille. He gives me time to look up the word and it means calm. He points across the street to the hotel and says mucho trabajar pero aqui mas tranquillo( calm) en le casa. We had a good talk and he said he enjoys the company and how there are always different students passing through Etxegana. He appreciates my hard work , but he said it's important for me to Mirar (watch) him and apprendir (learn) from him. Our conversation was a good one although it was broken up b/c we both had dictionaries and and we were trading words back and forth. But it was good for both him and me, and it shows that he is trying to learn as well.
The next day, Tuesday, started off slow. everyone in the hotel seemed to be running around. I didn't get a chance eat all with the family (staff ) today. There must have been an important event goin on for around 12-15 people. Luis told me to watch him as me some food which would probably be for tomorrow's dinner service. This is the part I actually enjoy, getting to watch him make food that I just know will turn out great. And these meals we serve up are gourmet fine dining meals, which is another part I like about my externship. I'm not just working at a Chili's or a TGI Friday's/ Applebees. All great restaurants, but all there stuff is corporate and it probably is all premade and shipped out to the restaurants. Everything is made from scratch here and it allows me to learn much more. Typical dinner service, but this no days off thing is really taking it's toll with me. I need to nap more I guess. Gotta be up tomorrow for desayunos!
Buenos Noches.
No comments:
Post a Comment