I've been to the 'mothership.'

I slept with the window open last night, and I left my jacket in my hotel room on my way to work today. Impossible in Ann Arbor (I hear it was -25 degrees with the wind chill this week…brrr!), but not an issue in Mountain View, California -- the home of the Googleplex.

I spent the day today working in Google’s headquarters, which was both eventful and intriguing. I started the day with an amazing breakfast of French toast, eggs and bacon, which made me feel a little better about my 7AM phone shift. Part of my current responsibilities as an AdWords Coordinator include spending two to four hours a day, five days a week on a phone shift. While on the phones, I speak with advertisers to give them information about the AdWords program or help troubleshoot any issues they may be experiencing.

After the phone shift ended, I had the opportunity to shadow numerous teams within the AdWords department, from the account optimizers (who work to enhance the performance of AdWords accounts) to the dedicated sales reps. It was interesting being in Mountain View, because there are actually separate teams for chat support, phone support, account optimization, etc. In Ann Arbor, we're kind of smushing all of the teams together, which I love. I am really enjoying learning about the different aspects of the AdWords program, ranging from communication with the advertiser (via chat, phone and email) to things such as Google Analytics, which is a program that allows anyone, for free, to track a user's behavior in relationship to their website.

In Mountain View, I had sushi for lunch, which I chose from one of the eleven cafes on campus. Rough life, huh? Decisions, decisions…

We leave for Squaw Valley tomorrow morning for the annual Google ski trip. I have no idea what to expect, but I am so excited! Given the fact that I have never been downhill skiing, I am a little nervous to try - but I grew up cross country skiing with my family, so I am hoping that will give me at least a little bit of courage. Not to mention the fact that the skiing/everything are free of charge for us Googlers at one of the most beautiful ski resorts in the nation (that once hosted the Olympics).

Regardless of if I ever make the slopes, I am having a great time with my coworkers. I think a lot of us are in the same boat, not really knowing what to expect but loving every minute of it. That in itself brings us all closer together, and I've found myself making some really great friends here. I know after the week that we're all having, we are going to return to Ann Arbor on Friday absolutely exhausted.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Googleplex. The perks are amazing and the atmosphere is fun and exciting, but I really love the intimacy and the opportunity of the Ann Arbor office. The benefits are amazing wherever you're located, however being a part of a start-up office for the #1 company to work for in America is an environment, at least for me, that can’t be beat. And when it comes to the perks, we may not have the size of the Mountain View office, but we’re taken care of in every way possible. Breakfast (I eat way too many bagels, plain + plain cream cheese, please!) and lunch are provided each day (one of my personal favorite perks), along with any snack you could possibly want. To balance it all out, we are able to expense our gym membership. The office is full of colorful balls and rugs, and I love cuddling up with one of our fleece blankets should I ever get cold. Tired in the AM? Grab a cup of coffee. Need to destress in the afternoon? How about some chamomile tea?

Stay turned for the details of the ski trip...I have a feeling they will be pretty crazy.