My final thoughts about my WLE are that this year I find to be much funnier than my previous internship even though I felt like this year was the most stressful. I'm glad I ended up interning there and I learned a lot such as work isn't as stressful as I would expect. Everything is just as stressful as you make it. I found out that I can actually have fun while working and from there it's much easier and less stressful and I actually found out that I enjoyed it. I also learned that I love to meet people and learned that when under pressure I tend to forget things. 
This decision won't necessarily affect my decision goals for the future. I already knew I would not want to own my own business, which was made even more clear after working at my internship because when you own your own business, you won't have much of a social life and your whole world would revolve around that job. This job actually has made me more interested in flying and actually has me considering getting my pilot's license but I"m not sure if I'd be capable of that. It makes me curious to try it out so maybe it has affected my future decisions if I actually go through with it.
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Today I got here at my normal time at 8:15 am and edited and printed the maintaince log and then I checked in some plans that had flown last night that didn't get checked in. Checked in meaning I put in their tach and hobbs, which will determine the amount of money that they will be billed. Then after that I made copies, like lots of copies, about 50 to be specific. It really got confusing after awhile because there were so many pieces of paper, and so I messed up a little and made more than needed. Then I had to write on every copy "California Airways" because it was chipped off on the copies and then I stapled them together. It didn't take as long as I expected it to take, but it definitely kept me busy. After that I took my lunch break, and then I checked some more planes in. Also throughout the day I answer the phones and help people with anything they need help with, such as if they want to book a flight. Today I found myself leaning on people more for help instead of working out certain things. Such as a phone call, I get worried i will say something wrong if they are asking something I"m not too familiar with, so I hand the phone to Jason or my mentor instead of trying to figure it out on my own. Then I had some down time today because it wasn't very busy here, so I worked a little bit on my letter to my mentor and now on my blog.
Ways that I have improved as an intern is definitely be able to be more comfortable around my mentors. Before I would have been scared to death to ask my mentor if I could write in my blog or anything like that, and instead when I had down time, I would just sit and stare at the wall waiting nervously for someone to call. I don't think I've improved on much of anything else because today was like mistakeville for me because I messed up on a certificate because I spelled their name wrong, and I messed up with the printer and I felt like I just kept messing up and needing help all the time, so today for me didn't show I learned as much.
My workplace all together is a really great place to work. The owners are super nice people and are very welcoming and they really treat their workers the right way. They are super understanding and give us presents for the holidays and offer to buy us lunch all the time (even though I've respectively declined). There is lots of work, but are okay with answering and helping if I ever need help with work or have any questions, which is great because I always have tons of questions. There really isn't anything bad about my workplace at all because everyone is just doing their job and having fun as they do it, and it has taught me a lot about what a job is really like, well at least what a job here is
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In order to find my WLE and get hired, I had to first try and call several different places that I found the number to in the yellowpages or online. After calling several places, Jason asked me if I was still interested in working at the Hayward Airport, because that's what I was interested in doing last year as an internship but instead worked at a daycare. Jason said they were looking for new interns. At that point I was like I would take anything because I didn't want to be a student that couldn't find an internship, and plus I had been interested in working there last year, so it worked out, especially since Jason had guaranteed would get a job there. After that, I called the number Jason gave me, which was my mentor and I talked to her and answered question about what was expected for school involving our WLE. Then she told me to come in and visit with Jason and give them my resume, and that's what I did after school one day. I didn't meet her but I did meet her husband. I talked to her again and she asked if I liked it there when visiting, which I did, so she said I could work there, but I just needed to have my dad sign some papers of liability, and then I had to job!
The most effective way of looking for a job and getting hired is to call all numbers you can find and that you would also like working at. This is effective because most places that you call will turn you down, which I find a lot or are really sketchy about returning your call. If all were to say yes, than that just gives you way more options to pick from. The most effective way to get hired, is while on the phone sound professional and don't use any slang, you have to remember you're trying to impress. When having an interview or even just meeting with a possible mentor, be professional and dress professionally and make sure to have a clean copy of you're resume that is polished. You're resume shouldn't have food stains or be folded up at all because that's definitely not professional. Also another way that is effective for getting hired, is to have lots of impressive things that you have accomplished on your resume and have lots of qualities or things you've done on there that make you sound extremely good, because you are trying to impress.
As a result of my WLE, I think being a professional is the way that one holds them self. This means the way the are with people, as in being professional would be acting friendly and nice to everyone you work and meet with. Also the way you stand, with confidence with and not slouching. Another is how you dress, if you dress with sagging pants or cleavage showing, that show's as more immature and not professional at all. Another is your language, as in if you use slang or slur words, is really unprofessional.
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From working at my WLE I've learned about myself is that I actually do really enjoy meeting new people. I use to be scared to meet new people because I'm so shy, but I really found out that I really do enjoy meeting new people. There are so many people from around the world that come there to take tests or learn how to fly there, and I get to meet them, and I find that amazing. A challenge I faced while working at my WLE was probably my shyness because it made me hesitant when answering the phones, which is my main job. I've overcome this challenge a little bit, but not fully by being use to answering the phone and becoming more familiar with what to do if there is a question that I don't know.  A life lesson that I learned, is it's ok not to know everything and it's ok to ask questions because it's better to ask questions than to do something wrong. My WLE placement affected me by really giving me more of a human interaction, which I think helped me grow a little out of my shyness. I guess I realized now that I didn't know before this profession, that owning your own business is a possible option, but it's a 24/7 job, that's exhausting, and would be something I would not want to do. 
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The leadership skill I'm using the most at my WLE is communicating powerfully. I use this skill a lot when it comes to asking my mentor what she wants me to do or when i answer the phone to help a customer. I think I'm doing better at this leadership at my WLE than I have in any other previous case. I'm more able to speak up if I have a question and ask lots of questions if I get confused, where before I'd be too scared to ask questions.  I could be better at this skill to my be so intimated by people when answering the phone, and be more confident when answering phone calls. This leadership skill helps me during a week day by helping me know what I'm suppose to be doing when I ask questions to my mentor. Also my job is involved with handling things involving people, so without this leadership skill, I wouldn't be doing my job. My mentor also uses communicating powerfully the most because she is always helping people and talking to people all the time. She also answers phone calls and emails workers and talks to people who are coming in to take tests. Like it's the main thing she does do is communicates with people, so obviously it would be the leadership skill she uses the most.
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Since I didn't go to my WLE on Nov. 8th, this will be about the day I did go, which is the Nov. 22nd. Today was a super busy day, the busiest day I've ever been there. I got to fold flyers and put them into envelopes. Then I had to lick them all closed, but thankfully my mentor got me a sponge to use instead because the envelopes were nasty. Then I kind of learned how to use the copy machine, after wasting at least 4 pieces of paper because I kept messing up on them. Also I just did little things, like printing out certificates and answering phone calls. The busiest part was having tons of people coming in and out of the office. Then I helped set up for the birthday party, like blowing up balloons and setting them up, which was a lot of fun.
My mentor and I discussed my project a little. Pretty much I know that what I need to do is actually go to one of the birthday parties this Sunday and see what I think could have improvement, and then that will be what I will do for my project. My mentor just told me when they were having birthday parties, and then I chose which day to come in.
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My mentor's name is Susie Amaro and her job title is the owner of the Hayward Airport Student Flying School. Susie's responsibilities  include every aspect of running a small business, which include marketing and bookkeeping. She didn't know she wanted to get into this field at all. She was laid off from her job, and her husband was the owner of the flying school, so that's how she became part of the business.  Susie attended college at San Diego but only went to school there for a year. She really enjoyed her college experience because she felt much more grown up in college, and she was only 17 when she attended but she was very mature for her age.
Susie's first job was working at a pizza place where she cooked and cleaned plate. She found and got her current job at the flying school because she was married to the owner. Susie's favorite part of her job is meeting new people, even people from different countries. Her least favorite part of her job is that she was to work 7 days a week. The advice Susie gave to me is to study hard, stay in school, get a good education, and listen to your parent because you may think they don't know what they're talking about, but they really do.
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What I am thinking about doing for my WLE project is probably going to have to do something with the birthday parties they conduct there. When I asked my mentor what she thinks needs improvement, she told me that when I go help her with the birthday parties on Sunday, that I can observe and see what could need improvement. So on Sunday during one of the birthday parties I will try to see what could be helpful that could help my mentor in some way or help improve the parties in general.
Like I said above, I asked my mentor what she thought needed improvement there, and she didn't really know of anything, and instead asked me what I thought could be improved, but I didn't know either. Since birthday parties there are a big thing now, since she sold tons of parties last month, it was something she thought maybe I could find improvement on. I've never been to any of the birthday parties yet because they are all usually on the weekend, but on Sunday I will be working in the office and helping with the birthday party, so she found that the perfect chance for me to go and help and see what could need improvement from my observations. 
I'm excited to do this project for the next 3-4 weeks because I think it should be fun coming up with a project based on what I think needs improvement, which is a bit scary but it's not something I've ever done that would affect others like this would. Plus I'm excited to help my mentor in any way I can. Also I love party planning, or just planning in general, it's something I live for, and so being involved with the birthday party on Sunday, and then finding ways to help even more with the project, is pretty exciting, especially when it has to do with planning.
To accomplish my project in the next 3-4 weeks, the first step will be to go on Sunday and help and observe the birthday parties, and while doing so, see if there is any either large or small things that could need improvement or that I could do a project on. When I get home I could think more about what I observed that day. From there I should be able to come up with a project either while I'm at my internship at the party or once I get home. Depending on the project that I come up with, I will from there figure out what exactly are the next steps, but right now, not knowing specifically what my project will be, it's know exactly what would be the steps quite yet.
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My main responsibility at my internship is to answer phones. I'm pretty sure there isn't really a name for someone who answers the phone, maybe just a phone answerer person? I'd prefer not to have a title anyways. Being more specific of my duties, when I answer the phone I pretty much ask how I can help them. Usually they ask for a certain person in the office, or a good amount of the time it's a customer with a voucher, which means I have to ask them further questions as to what type of voucher do they have (ex: groupon, travelzoo, etc), then from there I have to decide what plan I would put them in, I'm not really sure how that works, so I usually just put the customers in one specific plan that I know they could definitely go on. Then I ask what date they would like to redeem their voucher on and then I look at the schedule and see what we have available. Then I ask for their name, best number to reach them at, approximately how much they weigh, if they'd like to have another passenger with them, and finally I put my initials. This is usually what phone calls are concerning.
Over the next ten weeks I will also be answering phones, but I will also be coming up with my WLE project and then following through with it there. Also I will come in to make up hours that I missed and will make them up by helping out with birthday parties that they have there during the weekend. I will also be checking credit card receipts, checking in and out plans, and whatever else my mentor would want me to do.
A regular day starts with me walking into the office, saying hi to everyone, then I get the keys and unlock one of the drawers that holds the laptop. Then right from there I print the airplane reports so that people will always know how long until a plan is needed maintence.  Then after that I log in any plans that weren't checked in the previous day or even that morning. Then I wait for phone calls, or do anything else my mentor asked me to do, like today when she asked me to check the credit card receipts. Rarely I make purchases, usually that's my mentor, which I'm glad because I don't understand that stuff all the way. That's pretty much what I do throughout my day. Sometimes there are new things i need to do but this is the usual stuff that happens.
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My workplace is in the Hayward Airport Plaza and there they schedule and teach flying lessons and schedule flights in smaller planes for people who are traveling. In the office I work in, the business would seem small, but I actually think it is a medium sized business because even though I haven't seen it, I know there is more to the business than what I just see in the small office I work in. My workplace is located in Hayward, and it's in a medium sized building that is two stories. I work in the second story. There are also several small offices in the building but I'm not sure what they are all for though. In the office I work in, there is about four other people, but they don't really work that much in the office, some are pilots that are more in the field but are sometimes in the office as well. My workplace employs experienced workers in the flying field. I'm not necessarily sure what type of degrees the workers have but I know for sure most of them have their pilots license. My workplace serves people who are interested in learning how to fly. They also conduct exams there, such as exams that would qualify someone to become a mechanic, and people around the world go to this specific office to take certain tests. I think the strengths of my workplace is that it's a very friendly office and it's extremely organized which is nice and doesn't make things crazy there at all. I haven't found or seen in weaknesses in my workplace. It's really organized and runs smoothly so I don't see any weaknesses and I doubt I will later on.
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