This was the same group of people who, when pre-boarding ("people needing assistance or people with small children") was announced, made a great big clump in front of the desk and had to be told to go sit down because it wasn't their turn yet. They didn't, they just waited there and made people who were in the pre-boarding list weave through them to actually get to the point where their boarding passes could be checked.

Apparently the concept of "keep your seatbelts loosely fastened while seated" is beyond them, because clearly they weren't deaf - they heard their flight number and destination being announced and came running. I found it strangely funny to walk past them when my row was called and board before those eager (impatient? uncomprehending?) travellers.

My two weeks of training was good; a week in Arizona and a week in Montreal; the weekend in between was spent doing the tourist thing with my new co-workers in Arizona. It was fun, and they still seem like nice people after spending two weeks with them virtually non-stop. I figure that's a good start.

Despite the impression that I had gotten when I signed the contract, there is (slow, via satellite) internet and phones all over the complex, even if most of them can't do outbound long distance. I have been instructed to expect hell on earth, that way I won't be too freaked out when I actually get there.

It's desolate. There's nothing to stop the wind; the slightest bump gets snowdrifts piled high - the complex ("hotel" and mill) is built on stilts so it doesn't have to be shovelled constantly. And by shovelled I mean with a backhoe or other big mechanical earth-mover, anything else would take too long. One of the guys told about one time his hard hat blew off, and it was 300 feet away before it hit the ground.

I have to buy -40 rated boots and jacket, or they won't let me on the plane.

It should be interesting.