Last minute lucy…definitely my name!

So this week I’ve learned not to leave shopping to the last minute, especially shopping for an evening gown! It took far longer than I expected it to and, for a scary few hours, seemed like it would be an impossible task.

Saying goodbye to everyone I love has been the hardest part of the week without a doubt,  but I keep having to remind myself that it’s not forever and I will see them again. God knows how I’ll cope when I do actually leave for good (assuming I do get over to America permanently), I can only hope that this experience will prepare me better for that.

My suitcase and packing has now hit the point of being totally ridiculous and there is no way in hell that it is under or even close to the 20kg luggage allowance limit; all I can do is pray that I can take all of my study equiptment out before I fly and that reduces it enough that my baggage charges aren’t into the unaffordable! I don’t honestly feel like there is anything in my case that is superfluous and 20kg really isn’t a lot of weight for a 9 month span, especially when you look at the packing list you recieve in your starter pack!

I’m actually on board the train to London now,  travelling 1st class for the first time in my life and I can’t believe how much better it is than your regular train journey,  and I’m especially appreciating the endless supply of coffee! It is strange though to be travelling through all the beauty of Yorkshire for what could conceivably be the last time; I never appreciated just how lovely the place I’ve been living is until I’m leaving it behind.

On a different note I’ve had a few questions asked of me about steiner,  both on this blog and on a forum I’m a member of and I thought I should say that I’m perfectly happy to help and answer any questions or queries that I can…I don’t know everything but if I can help I will!

Online training

Yesterday I got my password for the academy online training website and, being the little geek I am, I had to log on and start my training immediately!  I had been worried that, as it states we have 2 weeks to complete the training, it would be a very long and involved process and that working the hours I am I wouldn’t have the time to dedicate to it.  I needn’t have been worried though as I managed to complete my training in one day.  I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that time frame unless you have done extensive pre-learning and are willing to dedicate time to continue your learning afterwards.

The set up is much like that of any further learning academy that uses online learning tools; a personalised log in page with courses and modules that you enroll on yourself by activating them, which then gives you access to the online seminars.  The content itself is laid out in a powerpoint type presentation format that has a few interactive click-through buttons to lead you through the content.  I was initially a little worried that I was missing content as the slide numbers do skip around somewhat but just trust steiner and you will see every slide by the end of module exam!

The first course I completed as a masseuse was on board health and safety, a course which I would expect everyone will have, no matter what their profession, which was relatively straight forward. My only gripe with this is that one of the questions on the test appears to mark the correct answer as wrong, and I did double check against the information given within the presentation as I have meticulously screen printed each one in order to make a full set of learning flashcards (told you I was a geek!) to ensure my knowledge is sound. It didn’t matter a great deal in the long run as you only need a certain % to pass which I achieved,  but it irks me none the less.

The second course I enrolled on was the elemis products course, of which I had the face and body modules. This course was much more information heavy and I would recommend looking through the material a few times before taking the tests as you do only have two attempts to pass each one.  This course took me a good few hours to complete and I did find that some of the questions asked in the tests were for products not given within the study material.  There is always the chance I missed some slides but I did go onto the slide menu and look through that way so I don’t think that’s the case.  I am going to email the training coordinator and put these questions to her so I’ll get back to you with her response when I receive it.

All in all I think the online training facility is wonderful and really helps with getting yourself in the mindset to join the ships in your last few weeks before London. For me I have timed my training purposely to coincide with the time I would normally return to university, had I not just graduated, as my mind will automatically be geared towards learning and ready to settle back into a fairly punishing routine, however some will not have been in an academic setting for a while and for them this online learning stage will be very useful – settling them back into learning gently.

Now, onward to the embassy!

Final Preparations!

This blog was actually written on Friday last (23rd) and so it’s a little out of sync with where I’m at now, but I’ve had no wifi and so you get it late…sorry!

 

So we’re getting close to go time now…monday coming is my 4 weeks left date and the day that I *should* be able to start my online training with the steiner training website, however they have been having a few problems with the system so that might hold me up a little bit. I’ve been focusing on my pre-learning anyway so with or without the online bit I should have a good grounding in the product knowledge needed for the academy.

After sending a few messages out to girls I found on the steiner Facebook page that were going into training at the same time as I am it looks like I have found a kindred spirit in Australia by the name of Corinne.  We’ve been talking via message and swapping study tips, tattoo cover advice and other such fun, which has been nice; having someone to talk to who is at the same point as you is very reassuring.

I’m actually writing this entry from the train into Bangor using my shiny new tablet – I figured it might be a good idea to test run the blogging function before I actually leave so that I can iron out any kinks whilst I still have access to a proper computer! So far so good though and I am totally in love with the little thing; the only problem I have found is that it’s so similar to my phone that I keep thinking I can make calls and send texts…it’ll take me a while to get my head round that I think!

I didn’t think I’d be returning to York apart from the day of my graduation but it seems that fate has had a hand in that and it will now be cheapercfor me to get a room in the city for a week than it would for me to be going back and too on the trains like a yo-yo!  I’m excited to be going back for a while and it means I get to spend some extra time with my friends before heading off which will always be something I’d try to do.

I’ve got my embassy interview on Wednesday so I’ll be travelling to London for that on the Tuesday and I’ll try to get a blog on that up as soon as possible afterwards.  I’m attempting to make a full breakdown of the process of joining steiner a part of this blog so that others know a little more about what to expect for those who, like me, prefer to have as much knowledge and information as physically possible!

I’m going to call and chase up on my crb check this week too as it’s been 6 weeks now and I’ve yet to hear back from them. After I’ve got that sorted and been to London that will only leave me with shopping and packing to do!  That thought more than anything else makes this new adventure seem to be approaching at a terrifying pace.

The preparation begins…

The preparations begin…

The level of preparation that has to go into starting a contract with Steiner is impressive to say the least.  Organizing a visa application interview; applying for a criminal records check; printing off, signing and returning all contract bits and bobs; researching insurance; learning and reviewing all products…the list seems endless, not to mention I’m moving house and sorting graduation ceremony details!  My biggest piece of advice to anyone would be to start as soon as is feasibly possible because it *will* get on top of you.  I’m lucky as I have nearly a full 6 months between my interview date and when I start in September which gives me plenty of time in theory, but even now I feel like I’m letting it run away with me and it’s making me a little stressed.

In order to make it seem more palatable I will break it down into its component steps and explain each one individually;

Applying for a criminal record check

When applying for a CRB check the most important thing is that everything you put on the form be completely and totally accurate.  Even the smallest mistake can lead to it being returned and needing to be filed again, which can create a major delay.  Ensure, before beginning to fill out the paperwork, that you have addresses for the last 5 years catalogued and to hand, in order to reduce the chances of making mistakes.

As you should have taken photocopies of your passport along to your Steiner interview you shouldn’t be required to send your passport along with the application, and a photocopy will do, thus it should only be necessary to pay the £60 fee, however do double check this as it will differ for some people.  The paperwork distributed with the application form will explain it all.

Visa application process

Unbeknownst to me you can actually apply for the C/D1 visa online, which seems to be by far the best idea considering the phoneline costs  £1.23 per minute and seems to be permanently on hold!  The questions are occasionally ridiculous and frequently confusing but the guidance down the side bar is very helpful.  The only area that I found myself perplexed in was the question that asked for a national identification number – in this I gave my national insurance number, but I’m still unsure as to whether this is what they were asking for.

At the point at which I applied the visa fee was set at £120 which was to be paid in full up front but would be refunded upon the ship.

Signing contracts

This part at least is relatively straightforward; print off the paperwork (the starter pack needs signing as well, the contract should arrive in the post), sign it, scan it in and email back to Steiner.  I would also strongly recommend photocopying the whole lot and keeping the photocopies safe somewhere else, just in case the need for them comes up.

 

Insurance

The company recommended to me by Steiner was STA travel, though no guidance was given as to which insurance option was the best.  From my research into this I would say you should expect to pay between the £450-£600 mark, depending on your age and level of cover.

 

Learning the product range

Having just come out of a degree this should be the simplest thing for me as my mind is still in learning mode, but for others it could be the most difficult by far.  I recommend using the tried and tested method of remembering something – repetition!  Print out the workbook, make a list of all the products and the facts you have to learn (2 ingredients and 2 benefits per product), separate these into ranges, make flash cards with the product on one side and the information on the other and practice the hell out of it!  Seriously, this is vital, as there will be a test on this pre-learning on the first day at the academy and if you don’t pass with 85% or more you risk being asked to leave the training and forfeit your chance on the ships.

In case there are people who, like me, would like to get a jump start on this product knowledge I shall pop the links to the training manual below:

http://www.onespaworldtraining.com/pdf/Steiner_Training_Guide.pdf

Next time … what I learned about working on the ships, from the Steiner recruiter!