JUST FOR YOU

《17》Internship.

This semester was kind of hectic as we were to undergo our internship programme with any company that was willing to accept IT students. Meaning we had to go job hunting.

All the companies I had gone to told me the same thing "they'll get back to me or they've accepted most of my colleagues and they weren't admitting anymore." For six weeks, I went job hunting, no luck and plenty suffering.

I sighed in frustration as I approached the fourth hospital, praying earnestly that I'd be accepted as I was beginning to run out of forms to submit. I walked into the reception, raised my chin and ambled towards the receptionist.

"Good day ma." I greeted and smiled flirtatiously at her forgetting she was a woman.

"Good day. Who do you want to see?" She smiled back at me without looking away from her computer. She seemed nice.

"Um, I'd like undergo my industrial training at this wonderful facility you have here." I gestured with my hands hoping she bought my fake optimism. Her brows knitted in a frown as she glanced at me with unnerving thoroughness. I shifted from one foot to the other nervously unsure of what next to do as she kept on staring at me. I quickly remembered I had an application form to show her. I unzipped my bag, brought it out and stretched out my hand to hand it over to her.

She took the form from my hand, gave it a quizzical look, looked at me dissaprovingly and then handed it back to me before she spoke. "Have your seat, I'll get back to you." She stood up from her desk and went into an office. Minutes later, she arrived and sat down back on her seat.

After thirty miserable minutes, she got a phone call. After she hung up, she said. "Go down this corridor to the end, you'll see a glass door, go through it, turn right and then take a left turn. After the left turn, you'll get to another corridor. The second door on your right is where you should enter. Tell them your reason for coming here." She explained in a stern tone.

I squinted."I can't remember these directions. Does the office have a name?"

She sneered. "Phlebotomy room."

"Thank you very much." I replied before walking away. Reciting the directions she gave me, I was able to locate the office.

The office was filled with about six people and there was someone that came to do a blood test. I let out a loud gasp as I saw the needle prick the person's arm making both the patient and the person drawing the blood to glance at me. I quickly tore my gaze away from that cringe worthy sight and sashayed towards the woman sitting behind the desk.

Grinning, I greeted. "Good afternoon ma."

"Good afternoon, how may I help you?" She looked up briefly from her phone before returning her gaze back to it.

Was I smelling or did I look stupid? Why was she looking at me like I was wearing rags or looking tattered? I thought.

"Er-I....er-I--" I stammered, she kept on glaring at me probably wondering what happened to my tongue.

I swallowed hard, cleared my throat, puffed out my cheeks, blew it out. My confidence was restored. I stated proudly. "I would like to undergo my industrial training here. This is my application form from my school." I brought out the form and handed it to her.

"You're from university of Lagos. Hmmm?" I noticed a hint of spite in her tone. "Have you written a letter of application?"

"I didn't know I was supposed to write a letter." My forehead creased.

"Well you have to write one." She said firmly and then continued after giving me a once-over. "Go to the secretary's office on the first floor, she'll tell you what to do. Don't come back here without a letter." She simpered and returned her eyes to her phone.

I sighed and asked. "How do I locate the secretary's office?" She better tell me how to get there. I rolled my eyes.

She looked up from her phone. "Go up the stairs and you'll find it." She answered lazily then looked back at her phone.

Where was even the stairs? I dared not ask her anymore questions.

I let out a cry of frustration as I walked out of the office. I remembered I saw a cleaner or a guard on my way here, he could be of help. I just wanted to be in Vincent's house. There was nothing like stress in his house.

I grunted as I got to the guard. "Good afternoon sir. I'm looking for the secretary's office. Could you please tell me how to get there?" I sighed in frustration.

He looked at me pitifully and said. "Go back to the corridor you just came from, but instead go towards the end. The stairs is on the left. The secretary's office is directly opposite the stairs. It's hard to miss."

"Thank you so very much sir!" I exclaimed cheerfully.

Finally a nice person.

Following his directions, I located her office quite easily and knocked on the door.

"Come in." A gentle warm voice accentuated with a British accent instructed.

"Good afternoon ma." Woah. I shivered, wondering how a person could sit in an office this cold.

"Good afternoon dear. How are you?" Why did she address me like she knew me, I wondered. She was so nice.

"I'm very fine ma." I said with a wide grin.

"Have your seat, you look languid." She said with concern laced in her voice.

What does languid mean? I pondered. I sat down anyways promising to check my dictionary later.

"How may I help you miss --" She trailed off.

"Janette. Janette Williams." I replied and smiled.

"Janette. Nice name. So Janette what brings you here?" She asked nicely.

"Thank you ma. I'd like to do my internship program here." The corners of my mouth quirked up.

"Okay. How many months?"

"For three months." I rubbed my eyes tiredly.

"Starting when?"

"From October to December."

Just collect my form and stop questioning me. I groaned insidely.

I brought out the form from my handbag and passed it to her. She didn't collect it so I retracted my hand.

"You have to write an application letter." She informed me, reached into her drawer and handed me a paper. "Take this sheet of paper and write the letter now." She ordered. "Hurry up with it, I'm about to leave or you would have to come back tomorrow. "

No way I could come back.

"I'd do it now and I'd be fast." I beamed, collected the paper, bounced on my toes and walked out of her office. There was a table and chair outside her office which I used to write the letter.

Few minutes later I went back into her office to submit the letter. "I'm through with the letter." I announced.

"Alright, staple it to your form and place it on my table. Come back in two weeks time for your acceptance letter."

So fast. If I had known I would have come straight to her office instead of wasting my precious time downstairs.

"Thank you very much ma." I cried excitedly and left her office.

A workplace at last!

Internship constituted a huge part in our CGPA. If you get an A in it, depending on if you're in second class upper or lower, you might graduate with a first class. I was relieved as it felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders.

Once I was out of the hospital, I boarded a bus and went home.

■■■■

Within weeks the semester was over and it was time for us to resume at our workplaces. We went home for the holidays. Once again I was away from my darling Vincent. The only difference was I wasn't going to be at home all through, I'd be working.

☆☆☆☆