I wasn't really sure what we were going to learn here at the "Center for Professional Education." I mean, sure we are all absolutely clueless about how things work in the real world, but at the same time, two weeks is a long time. It didn't take long before the students and the teachers all started showing signs of fatigue.

Out of a group of five hundred new-hires from many countries, I got into the classroom of laid-back people. The instructors promised us the first day that they would try to cut out all crap and just teach us what we needed to know. Even if we did learn everything, it wouldn't help much. Experience would be the best teacher.

Instead, the instructors stressed the social aspects of our training. Recent college grads from all over gathered in one location with nothing to do at night. Everyone reverted to the old college days of drinking and chit-chat. The on-campus (there are over a thousand "students" staying at this converted college) social center is full of partying fools every night. I went out and made the rounds the first night, but somehow it didn't seem right. Sure, I can understand the importance of the relationships we start here, but when does the workday end? I am still trying to adjust to the eight-hour workday and already it seems like we are on-call twenty-four hours a day. These training centers are funny places.

By thursday, the group had worked itself up to a major outing including all of the instructors in a fun night of drinking. It started at the local bar, and continued into a nearby dance club. Since the training center is far from the city, there are not a lot of club-goers out here. Over half of the crowd at this huge club were from the company training center. Hundreds of people gather there every night to dance the night away till four. I left around one, but I later heard that a select few continued on to a local riverboat casino. Needless to say, this wacky group, including a couple of the instructors, were in less than perfect form the next day. One week to go.