A Different Sun
The Training:
3 Months ~ 10 Modules ~ 6 Exams ~ 2 Practical’s ~ 1 Final ~ 1 Rules Exam
The Bad:
You must pass each exam with a 90 or better. You can’t get lower than an 80 on any of the exams. If you get lower than an 80 on one of the exams, you get sent home. We’re only allowed two freebies. If you get lower than a 90, you get to take it over again… only one freebie per test. The midterm practical is not evaluated. The final practical is. You fail the final practical, you go home. You have to get a 90 or better on the final exam, freebie not included. You get an 88 on the final… oh well, you go bye bye, regardless if you have passed all 6 exams, regardless if you didn’t use any of your freebies. If you pass the final exam, you still have to pass a rules exam. Once you pass the rules exam, you graduate. If you fail the course, you can not reapply for the position again. It's a one shot deal!
There were 10 of us. Now there are 8. I had no fucking clue it was going to be like this. I’ve passed 3 exams with a 98, 92 and a 96. There’s a lot of pressure, but I’m confident that I will succeed. I wake up everyday at 6 AM, go to the training center, leave at 3, go to the gym and study my heart out till I fall asleep. I've been creating study guides for each module on my laptop and I print it out for all of my fellow trainee's. I study all day, every day, 7 days a week. I am not taking this shit lightly.
The Good:
I’m in Florida. It’s definitely a different sun down here. I got burned in an hour... Fuck't t'up!! The weather has been beautiful. The temperature fluctuates between the mid 60’s to mid 80’s. Shit… it’s been sunny almost every day since I’ve been here! My company pays for everything. I get paid to train, eat and sleep. Internet and Cable TV, free and free. They even gave us a free membership to Gold’s Gym for the duration of our stay… fucking sweet. I go almost everyday... the perfect stress reliever.
I’ve been to the gun range with some of the guys and I had the opportunity to empty a bunch of clips into paper targets with 3 different types of 45s. The Beretta was my favorite. I’ve been to Jacksonville Beach and I checked out Bike Week at Daytona Beach… I’ve never seen so many motorcycles at one place at one time. Been bar hopping on the weekends, dining out at restaurants here and there and I plan to hit up Universal Studios and Sea World before I leave.
My classmates are great. They're a bunch of characters and we all have one thing in common… to become full fledged certified and approved Train Dispatchers. Teamwork is Key to our success and I’m blessed to be in the company of good people. I’ll keep you updated… NJ Dispatch Out.
