30 Day Writing Challenge: Day Nineteen

Something that shook your belief system to its core (a big disappointment in your life)

I'm not sure this has ever actually happened to me... Lucky, I know. But I suppose I can use this example:

I'm used to getting what I want. At home, at school, with people. For some reason, through no personal (intentional) influence of my own, I generally get things on my first try.

I applied for my Tourism Management training course in November 2010. I chose this course because it was the fastest way to get where I wanted to be career-wise and it also had the perk of being absolutely free save room and board charges at the school. Also, some of the hotels offered a place to stay at the hotel while I was working there, leaving me rent-free for almost two years (again, save 800 Euros for the entire two years at school --read: 200 Euros/Semester).

I applied, was contacted, was told I was granted an interview. I went to the interview and nailed it. Not long after it I was told I was accepted into the program and that I would be sent the list of hotels that were in cooperation with the program (read: where I would be working for the next two years). I received the list without a hitch, picked my top three and sent them back to the school, ready to send out some ass-kissing resumes.

My luck got me my desired, first-choice hotel. It was beautiful, inside and surrounding. It had a spa, pools, anything I could wish for. But it didn't have accommodations. I would have had to rent an apartment either from the hotel (350-/month, when I'm earing 600-700-/month) or find one on my own, which probably would have been tedious.

I declined.

The next hotel decided that it would be rude and not listen to my problems with transportation. I could not possibly come to them during the week (their hotel was on the other end of Austria, practically), and the train I could take from Vienna to Carynthia on Saturday was fine -- only I would have to stay overnight and ride back on Sunday. The HR manager was not at all friendly, nor did she make any suggestions of affordable places to stay the night, nor did she offer to let me have a room for the night at that hotel, as would be very courteous.

I declined again.

The third hotel was beautiful. No accommodations, unfortunately, but by then I figured: I just need a hotel, I'll worry about a place to stay later. The interview went well, we both smiled, she seemed nice, but it was short.

They declined.

Now I am currently waiting to be contacted (as directed by the school) by a fourth hotel to which they sent my application. I was told I would be hearing from the woman in charge this week so we could have our interview this week. It is now Thursday and I have not heard from the woman (who I should have heard from anywhere between Monday and Wednesday).

I am no longer convinced that I am lucky. In fact, if this hotel falls through like the other three did, I'm not sure I even want to stay in this program at all.

So it didn't shake my belief system to its core, but it has certainly been one big disappointment after the other.

--Cassy