Saturday, April 14, 2012

The funschoolers visit Google!

One of the unplanned side benefits of kiddo's debate class was meeting S and his lovely mom, N. N, works at Google's HQ. She had invited us to visit so yesterday, we finally did and had a very fun tour of the campus in Mountain View.

The highlights:

Google is dotted with various cafeterias for its employees. The food is not just your average cafe fare...it's restaurant-quality gourmet cuisine with some of the ingredients grown on site!

I had Indian. Kiddo had pizza.

Top L: One of the cafes. Top R: Pretty architecture.
Bottom L: Even the washrooms are high-tech!
Bottom Middle: A nap center. Bottom Right: Cute Androids.

The boys pretend to be
zombies in the ball pit.
Meeting the Predator.
N really spoiled kiddo by buying him a few souvenirs at the resident Google Store (honestly, the place is almost like a corporate theme park!) and bringing him to all the cool hang-outs. Kiddo and his buddy had a fun time in the ball pit. We were also blown-over by the well-equipped in-house gym. I went, err, google-eyed over the various pretty couches (it reminded me of a mini IKEA) and pretty little nooks for employee R&R.

Kiddo is now considering a career with Google. I'm not sure if it's because of its reputation for innovation (watch the video!) or the obviously very generous benefits (I think it's the latter. I shouldn't have let him have that sinfully delicious chocolate cake for dessert!).

10 comments:

  1. I reckon Google would be one of the coolest places to work! Ball pits! Nap centers! Can't beat it :)

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  2. It was super cool. :) I think it requires a tremendous amount of discipline to work there and not be distracted too!

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  3. What a great experience for you two. I am so jealous! :)

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  4. Wow! Now I want to work there! ;)
    ~Alicia

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  5. Thanks Jill and Glimmering Girl. :)

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  6. I know someone whose husband interviewed for a job there, and he raved about the food too, lol. He had to wear a mask at some point, so he wouldn't see "things."
    You know why they have all those nap places? Because you probably have to work LONG hours. At least, that's my jaded perspective.

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  7. Sheila, I thought the same thing but apparently that's not always the case according to my friend. It does sound too good to be true doesn't it? It really seems like a happy place. But I do hope kiddo will consider starting his own global empire before working for someone else! :)

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  8. I think they will love to have you, Alicia. ;)

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