(In)visible work in the early mornings
Have you ever asked yourself why the dust on your desk or the dirty spots on your office floor have disappeared? Who is responsible for the clean toilets and the shiny stairs? I met Andrea Mendez and talked with her about the work she is doing as part of the cleaning team at GIUZ.
-
- Andrea Mendez (far right) and her colleagues from the cleaning team at GIUZ.
Marisol Keller: What is your work, what are you responsible for?
Andrea Mendez: I am part of the team that is responsible for cleaning all the rooms that belong to the department. We clean lecture halls, labs, stairs, elevators, the hallway and all the offices. Each of our team is responsible for three floors. Of course, if someone is sick or on holidays it could be that we get one or two floors more, we help each other.
For us, mainly sitting in the offices, it is difficult to imagine your everyday work. How does a typical working day look like?
I start at six in the morning. Because I don’t like stress in the morning I get up at 4 am every day. Once arrived at the campus I prepare my coffee and then start to work. Our aim is to get all the rooms that are needed for teaching at 8 am cleaned before the students arrive. We do have a break in the morning (20 minutes), one for lunch (30 minutes) and one in the afternoon (10 minutes). Mostly in the afternoon we take care of the labs, because they are more complicated to clean. The rest of the day we keep on doing our work, there is always something to do. I like the flexibility we have. You can decide yourself how you plan your tour on your floors.
What do you like about your work at our department?
I work for the Department of Geography for 17 years now, so I mainly just like the atmosphere. The people are very nice and kind, we hardly get any complaints on our work. I like the different interactions with other people at the department. I see PhD’s coming and going and I like to celebrate their success at their “Apéros”. Further on, there are many people I can chat with in different languages. I speak Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese. I also really appreciate that people help each other out. When I applied for the Swiss citizenship, Karin (Schwiter) explained me all the political facts I needed to know to pass the exam. That was very helpful and very kind of her.
-
- Andrea is a passionate cake baker. With her unique creations, she even delights GIUZ staff and wins prizes in competitions.
How come that I hardly never see the person who is cleaning my office?
We want to disturb as little as possible. That’s why we observe how people move around the department. We know who comes at which time and when people usually leave. We do have the overview: “Ah, they are taking a break now.” “Ah, there is a seminar here at this time.” “Oh, they have a meeting now”. We always pay attention to things like that and clearly, by talking to people at the department about what's new and so on, we get to know. And if we see that there is a free place somewhere we take the opportunity and clean it.
I imagine your day being finished in the afternoon as you started very early, what do you like to do after your work?
Oh, I do have a lot of hobbies. First, I love going to the ASVZ after work. Apart from that, I love excursions and travelling around. I have visited many cities in Europa. I love to hop on a train and visit some new places. Then, I also really like going out with my friends and enjoying a nice time together. When I have time left or at night, I love to bake. I create thematic cakes for friends and family and I like to decorate them in detail. Last week I participated in a cookies-contest which I won with an Argentinian specialty called Alfajores that I decorated.
What are your plans for the future?
I always see myself here, I like it very much.
More news
- «Wir müssen unsere Platzbedürfnisse komplett überdenken»
- Water – a human right
- IT services at GIUZ: a look behind the scenes
- Prof. Klaus Itten (1944-2023)
- Crossing boundaries
- «Wir verändern unseren Planeten nachhaltig»
- Kinder zum Entdecken, Nachdenken und Staunen über Landschaften motivieren
- Why nature is important to us
- Trees as witnesses of time
- Moderne Taglöhnerei
- Checking the pulse of society
- Das Blätterorakel
- Die Schweiz schützt die Artenvielfalt nicht genug
- «Wir wiegen uns in falscher Sicherheit»
- Wem gehört der Raum?
- Ehre für die Engadiner Blockgletscher – und für die Permafrostforschung
- Pflegen grenzenlos
- Klimakonferenz COP27: Wer bezahlt die Folgen von Klimaschäden?
- GIUZ @ Berlin Science Week: Nov 4-8
- Erschreckend schöne Bilder
- Rockglaciers of the Engadine are one of 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites
- Prof. Harold Haefner (1933-2022)
- Worse than 2003: Swiss glaciers are melting more than ever before
- Longer, Hotter and More Frequent Heat Waves in Swiss Cities
- Ein letzter Rest Zukunft für die Alpen-Gletscher
- Gletschererlebnis nur für Mädchen
- Extreme Heat and Drought Events Require More Systematic Risk Assessment
- Sri Lanka am Abgrund – wie kam es dazu?
- «Es braucht eine Trendwende»
- Eating plants
- NEW: Organic Food Hub at Irchel
- Scientific images that ask questions
- Making landscape services tangible
- Climate and biodiversity: Parliament meets science
- Ein Labor, das die Grenze schafft
- Die goldenen Jahre sind vorbei
- Digitalisierung zum Anfassen
- Studying fjord ecosystems in Greenland
- Oben mitspielen
- IPCC Report: Taking action now can secure our future
- International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- Faire Arbeitsbedingungen in der Gig-Economy
- Gletscher - Gradmesser der globalen Erderwärmung
- Sustainable and climate-resilient management of high-Andean ecosystems
- "Almost like mission impossible"
- Rund um die Uhr auf Abruf
- «Enorme Anstrengungen nötig»
- Missed the inaugural lectures?
- The Miner and the Neon Fish: Decolonizing Alpine Ecologies
- Thinking locally to solve the climate change and biodiversity crises
- GIUZ Researchers at COP26
- Running a world class database on glaciers
- Sind die Alpengletscher noch zu retten?
- Glacier observation from space
- Towards integrative water management policies in the Andes
- New Assistant Professorship in Labour Geography
- GIUZ postcards: colourful, diverse and practical
- Zu gut, um wahr zu sein
- Schleicher's Dream
- Scientifica 2021: "Synthetic naturally"
- Wasserschloss mit Meeranschluss
- Welche Verantwortung trägt die Schweiz?
- Encapsulating the ecosystem for soil research
- "Embracing Diversity of Opinion"
- Chamoli Disaster Could Happen Again
- «Das Anwendungspotential ist riesig»
- Science and Nature Festival auf dem Campus Irchel: 22. - 30. Mai 2021
- The WGMS contributed to the European State of the Climate report
- Pandemics, biodiversity and climate
- Geografische Daten der Schweiz für alle verfügbar
- Today is World Water Day
- Swiss water bodies in a changing climate
- Live-in-Betreuung in der Krise
- Landscape services and basic landscape knowledge
- Schutz vor Extremhochwasser an der Aare
- Chamoli disaster in India
- #WomenInScience
- How remote sensing can help protect biodiversity
- Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
- The first 125 years
- 2020 WDS Data Stewardship Award
- «Expedition 2 Grad» gewinnt den Bundespreis Ecodesign
- UZH signed the “Climate Alliance Declaration to G20 Leaders“
- Boost for polar research
- On the river
- Würdigung der «Teachers of the Hour»
- Risk guidelines for glacial hazards in the Indian Himalaya
- Transnationale Altenbetreuung im Lockdown
- Glaciers are retreating unabated
- "Reversing the Gaze": A new research project in Political Geography
- Environmental Data from Space
- Wenn die «Stimme des Berges» warnt
- Honorary professorship at University of Nottingham to Christian Berndt
- Eminent Ecologist 2020: Bernhard Schmid
- GIUZ alumna is the new SDC director general
- Erwärmung des Permafrosts in der Schweiz
- “We’re pioneers in Switzerland”
- Precision Predictions for Hydropower Plants
- On Thin Ice
- “Giving people room for creativity”
- 1.5 Billion People Will Depend on Water from Mountains
- How can local populations be won over to protected areas?
- Alpine-wide observation of glacier mass loss from space
- Teachers of the Hour
- ValPar.CH - Values of the ecological infrastructure in Swiss parks
- Teaching award nomination for Hendrik Wulf
- Sustainable Research, Teaching and Operations
- WGMS contributing to European State of the Climate 2019
- Additional e-media for geography
- Neuer CrowdWater Kurs online
- COVID-19: Information for students
- Public events cancelled until 31 May 2020
- Risks in the tropical Andes
- Mercator Award for Simon Etter and Barbara Strobl
- New Assistant Professorship in Social and Cultural Geography
- «Wir bräuchten eine Greta Thunberg für die Biodiversität»
- The Underestimated Threat
- Disappearing glaciers: UZH media highlight 2019 comes from GIUZ
- Swiss polar expeditions
- The "Geographie Alumni UZH" society: a platform for people interested in Geography
- Swiss Data Cube at the WEF in Davos
- New unit "Space, Nature and Society"
- GIUZ experts for the federal administration
- Saving the World
- WGMS Letter of Concern to COP25
- Alexander von Humboldt: Trailblazer of Science
- Grassroots ideas to halt biodiversity loss
- To space and back again: mapping Earth to save it
- The world's highest mountains hold vital climate change lessons
- GIUZ treasures on Swiss television
- Problematic 24-hour care at home
- Fertile Ground
- Biochar could be the solution to crop burning in India
- Why your tweets can really matter in a natural disaster
- Local experts for global reports
- Blogging political geography
- Crossing Borders
- Talk show «Zoom Persönlich»: Working Mom
- Forscher simulieren auf dem Klausenpass den Ernstfall
- Scientifica 2019: Science Fiction – Science Facts
- 1894–2019: 125 years of internationally coordinated glacier monitoring
- Monitoring the Matterhorn with Millions of Data Points
- Reise bis zum Ende der Eiszeit
- GEO 401: Integrative Project in the "Berner Seeland"
- Conflict Minerals, Inc. – Transnational Regulation, Fragmented Authority and Violent Resource Networks in Eastern Congo
- At a Glacial Pace
- Fostering permafrost research and scientific exchange
- Four Scientific Institutions will Monitor Switzerland from Space
- Klimaindikator Gletscher
- Land Talks
- Ideal Backdrop for Projections
- Liberale Kräfte geraten ins Kreuzfeuer
- Struggling for the golden mean
- Sri Lanka, Muslims and violence
- Scientific Image Competition: Distinction for "Rainfall Simulation in the Alps"
- Gender and Space
- Global warming is shrinking glaciers faster than thought
- Dangerous glacial lakes across Tibetan Plateau
- Den globalen Zusammenhang vermitteln
- Auch die Betreuerin braucht mal Pause
- Der Permafrost in der Schweiz erwärmt sich wieder
- Tauender Permafrost: Eine tickende Zeitbombe
- Panta rhei - everything flows
- Our research page now in a new look
- Universität studiert die Katzenseen
- Science Info Day 2019
- Old and alone in Nepal
- Listen to the landscape
- Farewell to Prof. Ulrike Müller-Böker
- Mountain glaciers: Vanishing sources of water and life
- Training fürs "Bio-Navi"
- HILLSCAPE project: Movie about the 2018 fieldwork
- GIUZ-Alumnus Ruedi Haller wird neuer Nationalparkdirektor
- Ein fliegender Wächter für die Ökosysteme der Erde
- Boost to UZH’s Climate Research
- Ein Jahr der Extreme für Schweizer Gletscher
- Zum Klimabericht tragen viele bei
- «Es sind mehrere Gründe, die zur Ablehnung führten»
- «Das Nachtleben bietet eine Gegenwelt zum Leistungsdruck»
- Variety from above
- Tackling global problems together
- Im Zeppelin auf der Suche nach Plastik
- Tango into the abyss
- Professor Shahul H. Hasbullah (3 September 1950 - 25 August 2018)
- NASA lands at UZH
- Sarah Speck receives the 2018 BioOne Ambassador award
- Scientists set out to explore microbial life in glacier streams
- The Alpine Journey - Live from Grindelwald
- GIUZ Open Doors Event
- Charcoal: Major Missing Piece in the Global Carbon Cycle
- IPA Lifetime Achievement Award to Wilfried Haeberli
- Malerberuf im Wandel
- How the Alps inform polar research
- Greater Zurich Area – a Center of Competence for Geographic Information Display
- Towards an operational glacier monitoring service: Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service
- In the Engine Room of the World
- First UZH Space Hub Research Flight Campaign
- How Pizzas Went Online
- Virtual cities
- Eine Ausstellung auf Reisen
- CrowdWater: An App for Flood Research
- Summerschool on Governance at the Edge of the State
- Creative, bold, innovative
- Pictures of research
- WGMS contributed to European State of the Climate report
- Short break in the warming of the alpine permafrost
- Geochronology Summer School
- Was Landschaften leisten, wird nicht immer respektiert
- Frequently cited comment on glacier mass loss
- Interdisciplinary Master's thesis topics
- Wie ein Dübendorfer Experiment zur Internationalen Raumstation geflogen ist
- Summer school "Gender and Space"
- New Assistant Professorship in Earth System Science
- “The state functions according to its entirely own logic”
- When Olga from Poland takes care of grandpa
- “The army plays a double role”
- Sara Fabrikant and former PhD Student Marco Salvini win Breheny Prize
- Second issue of the Global Glacier Change Bulletin series
- Volunteer work in Guarda
- Digital pathfinders
- What Swiss landscapes need to be worth to us
- Nature protection in times of climate change and globalisation
- Mapping Functional Diversity of Forests with Remote Sensing
- Mysterious underground streams in the Ybrig mountains
- Online course on water in Switzerland
- Machine-Vision Drones Monitor Animals in the African Savanna
- Warning of rockslides due to research
- The rockslide of Bondo and the global warming
- The Oberaarglacier's bleak future
- New Assistant Professorship in Remote Sensing of Water Systems
- Deglaciation in Switzerland
- Identification of forest vegetation
- The five most beautiful projects for hobby researchers
- Michael Schaepman named Vice President
- Alumna Andrea Scheller profiled
- Mapping for remote places
- Asian glaciers - water source for millions of people
- How language shapes our sense of place
- Climate data for countries of the global south
- Medical tourism: Critically ill africans undergo medical treatment in India
- Lack of snow in winter season 2016/2017
- No more lonely cowboys
- Distinguished dissertation
- The underrated engagement of teaching staff
- A tipping point for Greenland and its ice caps
- Bacteria, deadwood and climate change
- EU funding for a GIUZ research project
- Just being like everybody else
- “Our object of interest is about to melt away”
- Migration in Val Müstair
- Alumna Maria Lezzi profiled
- Precipitation radar in the Peruvian Andes
- Global center for biodiversity research
- Lost talents
- The night’s liquid gold
- Nature conversation in flux
- Why microinsurances don't work as a private market
- Glacier stories from Grindelwald
- The virtual butler
- When passer-by search for traces
- Taking stock of charcoal in the world's soil
- Rock glaciers crawl slowly down the slope
- Internally displaced persons in Eastern Congo
- The voice of the dark sides of the Olympic Games
- The ways cartographers create the illusion of depth on maps
- UZH launches Digital Society Initiative
- Medically disenfranchised people find hope in India
- Care Migration - A part of the family?
- Prix Média for research on sponsoring at universities
- WGMS Jubilee
- Animated graph shows rise of temperature
- Indigenous peasant organizations in Latin America
- War waste in greenland
- For smaller Olympic Games
- Max Maisch interviewed in the Glattaler journal