Living La Vida London

This is me being positive......

2011-06-22T02:59:00.002+01:00

I have been back for 12 days. And I have to be honest. It is not going well. I am still job hunting and trying to remember that something will come. Something will come. Today I am struggling. I spoke with Pawel and the children on Skype and it was enough to make me cry....a lot. I really miss them! So I spent the day applying for jobs and have sent out about 15 CVs today alone. That brings my total to just over 40 sent out in the last month. Hopefully the phone will be ringing with an interview soon.
It's 8pm and I am really missing the London Life. I find myself wishing that I could put on some fake eyelashes and go out on the town. Then I remember that I am in Calgary and unless I wanted to go to Tim Horton's there isn't much around on a Tuesday.

Apparently I have turned into a self indulgent blogger that is just typing whatever is coming into my head....well ALMOST everything.....I need to think of a new name for the blog. Suggestions welcome!

One Week Left

2011-06-02T21:21:00.006+01:00

First off, TENERIFE! My first ever beach holiday! Not that I set foot on a beach, but I did see a few beaches. The sand in Tenerife is black due to the volcano in the centre of the island, so that was cool to see....Not touch...But we did see it!
I went with a friend from Regent's, Erin, and a friend of hers that I have been out with quite a few times, Tamsin. Tamsin's flatmate KP also came for the first few days. We spent an entire week by the pool. We did venture out a few times to learn that Tenerife is where people from Northern England go on holiday. I think we met three people who weren't British. And wow. Tenerife is tacky. In the end we were grateful for the tourist tackiness though. There was absolutely no guilt on missing out on culture by staying by the pool!

Landing at Luton airport on Tuesday caused me to have a mini (major) panic attack and cried for about twenty minutes because I realised that it was my last time flying into London for a while. The cold fish of reality punched me in the face and it hurt. A lot. I know my Mum and Nana are upset that I am not excited to move back to Canada, but I can't help it. These last two years have been absolutely amazing. The opportunities I have had and the people I have met have changed my life and helped me to become a better person.

In two years I have:
Watched some of the world's best tennis stars play at Wimbledon

Seen Snow Patrol, Train, Robbie Williams and Athlete in amazing, intimate venues and Stereophonics and Kids in Glass Houses at Cardiff City Stadium

Stood at centre pitch in Wembley Stadium and watched U2

Seen Wicked (twice), Phantom (even though the Phantom was played by a Canadian :p), Shrek the Musical(terrible), Les Mis, We Will Rock You (also terrible), Lion King, Avenue Q (twice) and Priscilla in the West End

Travelled to Edinburgh, Bath, Stonehenge, Canterbury, Leeds Castle, Wells, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwick Castle, Ely, Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, Milan, Bergamo, Munich, Cardiff (and a lot of Wales), Brugge, Tenerife and so many more places

Rented a car and drove through three countries and back in one day

Moved six times (seven on Thursday)

and so, so much more

While I am trying to come to terms with being deported, I am trying very hard to look forward and I am excited about the next chapter in my life....I am trying to remember that everything happens for a reason and I will be fine....If only I could find a job!!

Brothers and Sisters

2011-05-05T13:43:00.003+01:00

Lloyd came out to visit at the end of March for ten days, it was so great to see him! He arrived with lots of presents for the children and it was so much fun to watch them open them! He brought two Flames jerseys for the kids and when Piotrek opened it he said "I don't need this" (his new catch phrase....we hear it a lot now). I was so embarrassed and said "Piotr! When someone gives you a present you say thank you!" He replied with "Thank you....I don't need this". That was soon the catch phrase of Lloyd's visit!
On Thursday we saw Lloyd's friends' band play at a club in Islington, where the second catch phrase of the trip was "Let's hear it for me!" KJ kept saying it during the show and it still makes me laugh.
Friday morning we headed to Edinburgh because I had to work and attempted to drink the town dry...Brutal. Saturday was spent hungover, which was a shame because I really wanted Lloyd to be able to enjoy the city that I love so much.
After Edinburgh Lloyd went to Dublin to visit Gary and I headed back to London to the children waking up every morning asking "Where's Lloyd?"....He made quite an impression!

April was so busy with visitors and long weekends it is all such a blur! Over Easter Devon was taking a language class in Bremen, Germany so we decided to meet in Munich for our long weekend. It was so nice! Litres of beer and lots of pretzels (for me anyway....Devon is Celiac, so she stuck to wine and Easter chocolate)! We were able to meet up with Franzi who I hadn't seen since she visited my dear friend Julia in Canada in 2000. Franzi took us around Munich and to a wonderful Biergarten in the Englischgarten, tons of picnic tables along the edge of a lake, the weather was so beautiful while we were there and it was such a peaceful spot. Such a great way to spend our last night in Munich!

The following weekend was another four day weekend with the Royal Wedding on Friday and the first Bank Holiday of the year. I had been out the night before (fell face first in the middle of Charing Cross Road....It was messy!!) so I sadly missed the wedding, but enjoyed the empty streets, the only time I've ever seen London like a ghost town! I swear I saw a tumbleweed drift in front of the bus! On Saturday a friend from work and I went to Oxford for May Day. At 5.30am on 1 May there a boys choir sings from the tower of one of the schools there....I don't get understand the English....Rising at 5am to go hear the boys choir was amazing. Their voices were beautiful and the entire town came out to see it!....Or I assume that is how it happened if we had actually gotten out of bed.....But we didn't.

This week has also been insanely busy! My friend and Soul Mate (she made me put that) Jill from my first semester at Regent's came back to London for three days. We went to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert for Jill's birthday. So camp, so FABULOUS! And they sold feather boas as souvenirs! I am know the proud owner of a hot pink feather boa....Good life choices here....

This week has also proved exhausting as my ride on the denial train is hitting full tilt. My last day at Regent's is the 13 May and my visa is up on the 25th. To remedy that I have booked a holiday in Tenerife with two friends! Woo-hoo! But I have not booked a ticket home to Canada.....It just makes it too real! I have no idea what will happen in June and for a girl who likes to plan this is very stressful!! But I am trying to remember to wait patiently for the right thing to come along......Okay, how about now?

Some random musings.....

2011-03-21T10:13:00.006Z

So my life here has settled into routine. A routine that I love, but routine none-the-less. So I will try to use my blog to share random thoughts and still more adventures as I prepare to move back to Canada (sad face here) in just over two months time...I know some of you won't find these stories as cute as I do, but I have thrown in some drunkenness too!

This weekend was a really nice one, Spring made an appearance on Saturday in the form of 12 degrees and blue skies. Piotrek and I woke up first on Saturday (which is the usual) and to let Angelika and Pawel sleep I brought him into my room and we were watching cartoons on my computer. I had bought some cocoa pops the night before (my new addiction) and decided that Piotrek and I would have breakfast in bed. This was his first cocoa pops experience and he took one bite and looked at me with HUGE eyes and said "Do you know what this tastes like!!? It tastes like A CAKE!!" So, I guess the cocoa pops were a success. Once everyone was up and ready to go we decided to take the children swimming (indoors, not quite warm enough for the lido yet!), had a picnic and walked though a small wooded area near the children's school....It was a perfect day.

Saturday evening was a friend from the school's birthday. So I headed out to Camden town to meet Ricardo and 25 other people to celebrate at a small Portuguese restaurant. The food was amazing and the sangria was almost bottomless....But I strongly suspect it was also alcohol-less. We headed over to Proud nightclub afterwards and waited in the queue for ages. While we were waiting there was a group of four or five people that didn't understand that while in a queue you wait until it's your turn, so after pushing ahead of most of our group I decided (shockingly) to say something. And after having bantered with them one of the guys decided that he wasn't intelligent enough to keep up so made fun of my weight. I don't understand why boys in England feel the need to bring it up. ALL THE TIME. I have not had so many people make cruel remarks about my weight since junior high school. I have ignored it for the most part, but it just makes me mad. There are so many other ways to cut people down....For instance their inferior intelligence....Not their big noses or small eyes. Grow the fuck up. I was actually going to go home, but since the assholes behind me were being assholes I went into the club just out of principle. Inside there were fire breathers (the theme was equestrian....not sure how that fit, but it was cool) but I kept running into the assholes so I decided to bail as my temper was about to boil over. Walking to the bus stop was an interesting adventure....But walking in Camden is always an adventure. Lots of drunks, lots of stoners and a few crackheads thrown in for good measure. Always a laugh!

Sunday was almost uneventful. The children were playing quietly in their room, Pawel was hanging out in his and I was watching Grey's Anatomy online in mine. Then Piotrek comes in with hands covered in paint. The children have a problem where they are always drawing on the walls, we have tried everything. Punishment, taking art supplies away, buying more art supplies in the hopes that they will use paper but nothing has worked. And even though Pawel and I are no longer in a relationship I still help with the children (I can't help myself....The nanny in me won't stop being bossy...okay, the me in me won't stop being bossy). So I took both children to see their Father (complete with painted red hair) and said what are we going to do about this? We decided to take all their toys away....Writing this down I feel like the meanest person EVER....But that is what happened. Pawel packed up all the toys and took them into his room. I have to say the children handled it quite well. Pawel mother came to visit us in the afternoon and brought two small wastepaper bins for the children. One was blue with rockets and one was pink with ballerinas, very cute. But because they had no toys to play with they were playing with the bins....So sad, but Piotrek said something to his Babcia about playing with the bin and how happy he was that he had that to play with. Angelika piped up something about toys and Piotrek quickly said to her "Quiet! They might take the bins as well.".....We are so mean.

This coming month is shaping up to be ridiculously busy! Lloyd is coming for ten days and arrives on the 29th, trips to Edinburgh, Paris and looks like a visit to Germany to see Devon who will be there for the month of April. Hopefully there will be an interesting blog soon!

Wow, the power of Facebook

2011-02-13T16:17:00.005Z

So...Well....This is awkward....I have a confession to make. I am not getting married....Well...I hope I do before May, but right now I do not have a groom.

Do you ever forget that the people that you see everyday aren't the only ones who can see your facebook status?

I was looking up visas that are available to see how to be able to stay in London permanently and the only one that I will be able to apply for is by getting married. That's it. I am not eligible for any other visa. So I decided that I was going to get married...And as most of you know, if I say something out loud it usually ends up as my facebook status.....Oooops.

I had just made the decision to get married to someone....Sometime....

So...Thank you all for your congratulations, but I am not planning a wedding....Well I kinda am....But I need a ring (hint, hint all EU citizens...) first.

A bit of a rant...

2011-01-05T10:19:00.002Z

I know the primary focus of this blog is my adventures and the longer I live in London the longer I get frustrated by the lack of progress in this country! DOn't get me wrong, I LOVE living here and I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been able to have since getting the boot from Corus...But I just need to rant.....

What is with the banking system in Britian!!? For having one of the oldest systems in the world you would think that there would be a bit more cutting edge. Today as I waited for Barclays to open and grew more and more frustrated as the staff just stood there chatting past the 9.30 opening time I thought that I would just use the cash machine around the corner to deposit my £13.50.....Nope, no outside cash machines (that I have ever seen) accept deposits. Here is my first complaint. How is Canada more advanced in this field? For as long as I can remember I have been able to make a deposit at any Scotiabank machine...Nope, not in England. So back to waiting for the staff to finish nattering. Finally get into the bank to the cash machines in the corner where only one is an actual cash machine and one is to pay bills and the other two are "pay in". I grab a deposit envelope from the table in front of the machines and see that I have to fill in all of my information....ALL of my information...Name, phone number, account number, sorting number, whether I am depositing cash, cash and a cheque or just a cheque and how much it is for. Put my cheque in the envelope, turn around, go to Pay In machine have to start two or three times because the touch screen is slow and I am impatient....Get to the part where I put in the envelope..Oh the machine doesn't accept envelopes. Then why the fuck are there envelopes by the machine?....Have to fill out a deposit sheet. Eff this, I'm going to the teller. Where I have to fill out a deposit slip...twice. Sigh. I miss Canada

Welcome 2011!

2011-01-03T08:41:00.003Z

Wow, so much to update from the past few months! Still living with Pawel and things are going really well.

In November I was so busy! Went to Paris again for work and enjoyed the Christmas market on the Champs Elysees and drank Champagne, it was great! Also found out that my work contract would be extended to the end of my visa (May) so I am still employed! At the end of November I turned 31. And since my 30th birthday kind of sucked due to poor friend choices I decided to have a 30 take II party. It was lovely! Pretty low key, went to the circus in Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland, but it was so cold we weren't able to enjoy the rest of the fair so we quickly headed to the pub!

December is always busy, this one even more so for me! With the kids and Pawel and work and Christmas it was a blur, but it was great we were able to take the kids to a show at Winter Wonderland so I got to see what it was all about this time. Lots of rides, food and game stalls, the circus tent, a skating rink and a Christmas market - Kind of like a small, Christmasy Stampede. I was so pleased to be able to spend Christmas in London this year. Even though I missed my family like mad (my phone bill can prove it). Christmas here is so festive...And you're allowed to say Merry Christmas! None of that Happy Holidays crap! Every High Street has Christmas lights up and little markets pop out of nowhere selling trees, trinkets and goodies.

For Christmas Day the plan was to go to Pawel's Mum's on Christmas Eve and stay there until Boxing Day (London transport doesn't run on Christmas Day). But a huge (for London) snowstorm hit (4 inches) and it messed with almost all of our study abroad students travel plans. So my co-worker Jonathan and I volunteered to stay at the school with any stranded students. At the beginning we were afraid that there would be about 20, but in the end only one was stuck so we had a nice Christmas lunch in Central London. Pawel was great and agreed to move Christmas morning to the morning of Christmas Eve instead....I think there were a lot of language barriers during this conversation because (I learned later) that Christmas Day for him is Christmas Eve and they open gifts at night (which I did ask about, but he said no, we open them on Christmas night....Which to him is the 24th).....But we worked through it and the four of us had a lovely time opening gifts.

So on the 24th we packed the kids over to Ela's and I enjoyed my first Polish Christmas (with a few Ukrainians thrown in for good measure)and then headed to work around 10pm. There were a couple of students left and they were watching movies when I came in, but I was so tired I just headed straight to bed. Christmas morning was quiet with the exception of a Christmas elf who left some gifts under the tree for Jonathan and I (what a lovely surprise!)We went for lunch at the Melia White House which is a swish hotel near the college. It was a buffet lunch and we sat for 3 or 4 hours drinking wine and enjoying the food. It wasn't busy so I don't think the staff minded....Most of the other tables were there as long as we were too....
Had a bit too much to drink...But enjoyed the Christmas miracle of a hangover free Boxing Day!

Boxing Day was pretty quiet....Except for the fire brigade's visit....It's a long story, short version...if you're going to microwave chocolate double check the time you put on the microwave before leaving it alone.....

The last student left on the 27th so we shut Reid Hall and I came home for a lovely week off. Went to the park with the kids, took them swimming...Lots of family fun days! On New Year's Eve Pawel's mum agreed to mind the children so we were able to go into Central London for the fireworks! For Christmas I had bought Pawel tickets to go skating on the Tower of London moat and I had booked them for 9pm on the 31st. So after dropping the children and a quick glass of Champagne at Ela's we headed to the Tower. Pawel was so excited he was bouncing! I, on the other hand, thinks this proves how much I love him.....I put on loaner skates and headed to the ice. Then I remembered two things...
A) I can't skate. A fact I have always known, but never remember until I am 1/4 of the way around the rink clutching the boards for dear life
B) I hate being on skates.

So I clutched the boards the entire way around once then said "Fuck it" and got the hell off the ice. I think that Pawel was relieved....He didn't have to babysit me anymore and I was happy because they were selling boozy hot chocolate. Win-win.

After skating we (attempted) to walk up the river to Big Ben where the fire works were going off.....But they had almost every street closed from London Bridge up to Parliament. So we walked the LONG way around and were able to get to Embankment station by 11pm which give up a pretty good view of the Eye and the fireworks. We drank a LOT of Champagne and rang in the New Year with big smiles and lots of kisses and headed to the first bar we saw that was letting people in. It was a great night and we finally got in at 4am!

2010 was absolutely amazing and I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring. Right now it has so much uncertainty with my visa expiring and not knowing what I will be doing or where I will be living in June, but I know I will be enjoying every moment here!

New Digs

2010-11-04T11:33:00.003Z

Hello friends! I know some of you are shocked with my recent news, so I thought I would fill you all in. I met a boy. His name is Pawel and he is Polish. We met at a club in Camden called Proud (shockingly, not a gay bar). He has two lovely children. Angelika, 5 and Piotrek, 4. Things have been going really, really well. We had been spending a lot of time together and Pawel knew that I wasn't happy where I was living (After Macheala moved out my landlady picked the most disgusting human being to live with) So Pawel suggested we move in together. My first reaction was "Are you fucking kidding me!?" (He didn't like that very much). We talked and talked and talked about it. But then we decided that since I was here a lot anyway it just made sense. So I packed all my shit and heading to North London. It has been going pretty good, we both are able to have separate space when we need it and are able to tell each other if something is bothering us.
I've been off work this week and have really enjoyed playing house....Well, I guess it's not really playing anymore....

Dublin!

2010-10-05T14:17:00.008+01:00

On 27 September I headed to Dublin! Birthplace of my boyfriend and some other famous people (the stalking was kept to a minimum.....He was in Spain) but had a great time without him!
I was also really disappointed that Gary and Gemma wouldn't be in town while I was there, but I did get to stay with Sarah Jane and her gorgeous family! I was a little nervous about seeing Sarah again as we hadn't seen each other in about 12 years, but my fears were unfounded (of course) and we had a great time catching up (mostly catching up on all the people that we went to high school with...I know waaay too much about these people :p)

I got in at 11am and was met at the airport by Sarah and the gorgeous Henry (Sarah's 11 month old son. It was so nice to be met at the airport. I miss that small luxury! After dropping off my things at the house and meeting the rest of the Kedian clan (husband Matt and three year old Freya) I headed out to do my FAVOURITE touristy thing.....The open top bus tour!

The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I took a bunch of pictures and decided what I wanted to see for the next day as the tickets are good for 24 hours. Seriously, if you are ever in a city that offers them, go. They are great!!

Spent the morning of the following day on the bus tour, had a Guiness for breakfast (I poured my own perfect pint) and went to tour Kilmainham jail, saw the hotel that Bono and the Edge own and hung out on O'Connell Street for a while too.

Wednesday I decided to take a proper holiday day and relax at the house for the day (and the fact that my bank card decided that Ireland was too foreign and wouldn't work)...And then all of a sudden my holiday was up and it was Thursday. Spent the morning with Sarah, walking Freya to school and having a coffee then back to the airport. Such a quick trip, but so glad I went. Feels like Sarah and I have really reconnected and reminded me of a great friendship!

Coming up work trips to Wales and Edinburgh and a trip to Berlin (if I can sort out accommodation) and maybe a trip to Poland.

Still not sure what is happening in the future. I do want to stay here, but we will see if I can get a job until May.....

What!? Four months!?

2010-08-17T18:03:00.003+01:00

So last week it dawned on me that my time in London is running out. That sucked my soul for a few days and I'm still trying to come out of that! I can't believe that in four months I may be living back in Canada! But I am trying not to think of it and just live in the now.....Very difficult for over-planner Piehl!

Man, when you work at a university the summer months are soooo long and soooo very boring. For the first 3 weeks I was happy for the break. Tidying up my office, taking care of some paperwork....But now, four months in I have had enough! I am really looking forward to the students coming back! I have been...I can't say busy...but occupied? with planning the trips for this semester. All the same as before Paris, Edinburgh and Pony Trekking in Wales and looking for trips to go on before I have to move back home. I have already booked a trip to Ireland to visit some friends from high school and I have been looking at a trip to Eastern Europe in October. Will probably hit Krakow, Budapest and maybe Vienna for a week. Just trying to sort out the logistics now. We'll have to see how that goes...I will keep you updated!!

So....This is July

2010-07-21T16:50:00.003+01:00

Things have been pretty quiet. I celebrated my year anniversary in style by going to Ascot with 15 students and then by drinking champagne on the banks of the Thames with friends.

Tasha and Jason came to stay at the beginning and end of thier month long trip abroad, the first time they came it was pretty funny. They were VERY jetlagged and I think their trip is pretty blurry, but when they came to stay last week we had a great time....We kind of accidentally got drunk and I ended up calling half of Canada and showing up to work drunk the next morning. Good times.

We are short staffed at work right now so they have asked me to live in the halls and do some RA duties, it's pretty sweet, but I have become UBER lazy and don't really leave campus anymore. But living right in Regent's Park is gorgeous and I'm loving the commute!

There isn't too much coming up in the near future. My colleague and I have decided to make up Commonwealth Day (she was born in Australia) on 6 August. Basically it's just so we can go and get drunk on the 5th....We did google Commonwealth Day and it's TECHNICALLY the second Monday in March, but I think this one will have waaay more people celebrate it....Namely Erin and me and whoever else we can drag along!

I'll let you know how it goes!

My Londiniversary

2010-06-08T10:42:00.004+01:00

In eight days I will have officially lived in London for a year! I can't believe it! So many ups and downs it has actually felt like it's been a lot longer. I still love it here and know that it is the best thing I have ever done. I love Calgary, but I know that this is where my happiness is. (Sorry Nana)

The last few months have been somewhat routine, work has really slowed down as most of the students are gone for the summer, but my contract has been renewed and I will be here until at least December!

In the last few months I have been back to Paris and Edinburgh for work...Still don't fancy Paris and still LOVE Edinburgh. Had a visit from my Great Aunt Anna, Great Uncle Gordon and cousin Laura from BC. We went to Oxford for the day and to be honest I was a little nervous about seeing them, I wasn't sure if we would have anything to talk about as I hadn't seen them since I lived in Medicine Hat (I hadn't seen Laura since 2002). But my worries were unfounded. We had such a nice visit! Gordon and Anna got stranded because of the volcano and I got to spend a few more evenings with them and they came to see me at work which was really nice.

My friend from Germany, Julia, now lives in London and we went out for dinner in April. It is amazing with good friends how you can see each other twice in ten years and still pick up like nothing has changed. I'm hoping to see more of Julia in the summer, but with our schedules it's difficult.

I had booked off the second week in May and was hoping to go somewhere warm, but going on my own was looking pretty expensive. Bored at work one day I looked to see how much flights were to Canada and saw that a return flight was only £300 (which is what I was looking at to spend a week in Greece), so I figured I would go home for a week. Checked with Morgan to see if he could pick me up and set a great Mother's Day surprise in motion for the family. Showed up at my Mum's house on Saturday and actually made Mama Kat SPEECHLESS! It was funny because my Nana gave me the exact same reaction. No chance those two aren't related! Aunt Deb ended up dropping an eff bomb when I rang her doorbell....Yeah, we're related! Enjoyed my week at home, didn't do too much, had a short hospital stay (I'm fine) and relaxed all week. I'm always worried about going home, just in case I like it so much and want to stay. And while I love the comforts of home (slurpees, cars, my shower, having my family on the doorstep, hanging out with friends that have known me forever) I just can't see myself working in Calgary. Whenever I think about going home next Spring I worry about what career I will end up in...Because I just don't know....So I don't think about it too much and enjoy the life that I have made here.

Sidenote* I just bought porridge from the refectory at work and it was burnt....I can't even begin to imagine how you burn porridge and it was possibly the worst thing I've put in my mouth this year* hush peanut gallery.

Last week Jason from Corus and his brother came on a stopover to a family reunion in Malta. They had never been to London before so I got to play my FAVOURITE role of tour guide! We walked, Lord did we walk, around all the sights of London and I got to depart some of my useless freaking knowledge to the Wellman boys. We also played my favourite game of Pub Crawl, we would see a sight, then hit the pub, then we would have to pee, and hit the pub. It was a blast....Except for my hangover on the way to work...But it only lasted 30 minutes. Another reason to LOVE London! Short hangovers!

Last Friday there was a leaving do for one of the managers at the college and the after party was at a place called the Tatershall Castle. It's a boat on the Thames right across from the London Eye. At one point I was talking to a co-worker and Big Ben was right over he left shoulder. It still makes me stop and think "How did this become my life!!?" I had a great time getting sloppy with co-workers. At one point we were playing tourist and were taking pictures with the London Eye in the backround. Glad to see I am not the only one who is still a tourist, even people that have lived in London their whole life feel the same.

Saturday.....WAS EPIC!!!!!! I hopped on a bus to Cardiff to see the STEREOPHONICS...One of my favourite bands of all time! When the bus pulled up to Millenium Stadium to let us off it was pretty cool. There was a rugby match between Wales and South Africa that afternoon and there was a 50? (I'm bad with measurements) foot poster of a rugby player on the side of the stadium and it gave me chills.

I wasn't even going to the match and it was cool. Sat by the river to wait for my friend Charlotte who was coming on a different bus and got to listen to the crowd, pretty cool. Tried to ring Lloyd, but he screens calls at 9am so couldn't share the moment with him :(

Saw the band, and was sooo tired from the night before but really enjoyed the show. I do love them and it was really good. So cool to travel around for opportunities that I wouldn't get in Canada.

Now looking forward to seeing Tasha and her husband Jason on Friday. They are spending the day in London with me before heading off to sunny Spain. I am so excited to see her (them). Am in desperate need of some best friend time as I haven't seen either of mine since Devon was here before Christmas.

Building up to the London summer....And I thought I was broke before! I know you will all scoff that this might sound like a complaint (it's not...and I don't mean to gloat either) but there are so many once in a lifetime opportunities here in the summer and I want to try them all! Gets pretty expensive! The free event I'm looking forward to is Canada Day in Trafalgar Square again. Hawksley Workman is playing a free show and I'm ready to rock out Canadian style!

Hopefully will have more visitors over the summer....Let me know if anyone needs a place to stay!

Ooops, Belgium Part III

2010-06-08T10:24:00.004+01:00

Soooooo, totally got bored with the long story that was Belgium. Basically got to Dover and drove on the donut to the car rental place that I had seen on our way out (thankfully) to see if I could switch cars. The place was "open" 24 hours, but only by appointment and you were supposed to call the number on the door, but it was an 0800 number (which are usually based anywhere but England).
Peeked in the door and saw that there was actually someone in there! What luck!...Or so we thought.....
I will condense this into a short version as I have lots of other stuff to write about.
British customer service SUCKS. I blame the brainwashing that Slaveway put me (and most of you) through for my apparently ridiculous high standards. After about 8 phone calls...okay, I'm exaggerating....6 phone calls between the car rental place, the tire (or tyre, in England) place and the road recovery I was basically told...Meh, you should be fine....Drive on the donut...Sorry, what!? When I asked one of the people at the car rental call centre, if I was your relative, sister, daughter, whatever, would you tell them the same thing? The woman on the phone finally saw it from my point of view and said we'll sort something out for you. Yay! Replacement car! Jim (guy in the shop) got really stressed and tried to figure out what car to give finally found one and I thanked him profusely and was ready to be on our way...oh...what? You don't have an automatic? Back to square one.....sigh.

LOOOOOONG story and THREE HOURS LATER we were safely on the back of a flatbed (well, the car was anyway) and we were on our way back to Gatwick with...Matt? I can't remember now, the flatbed driver. Pulled into Gatwick at about 1.30am and checked the car back in and then remembered that we hadn't filled the tank.....And he made us fill it up! Back in the car, found a petrol station and FINALLY was shut of the place. Get into the terminal and see that we had missed the train by THREE minutes and now had to wait 56 for the next one. I think that's where Katherine and I lost it a little. The wait is blurry, but I remember a lot of tired shennanigans and A LOT of whining (not just by me!). Got on the train where the conductor came by (we thought to ask for our tickets, but no, it was to ask if we could see anything on the side of his face because someone had just spit, that's right, SPIT at him. Gotta love drunk Brits at 3am.
All in all, would do it again. It was a blast, and Katherine and I still talk about the things we did that day....Maybe with less hitting of passport offices though....

When I got back I wrote a scathing email to the customer service department and ended up getting £30 back for the ordeal, even that took three phone calls and six emails. The moral of the story is don't rent from EuropCar and ALWAYS get insurance.

Belgium Part II

2010-03-21T13:54:00.006Z

The train ride was pretty quiet and we thought that we may have gotten away with our wrong tickets, but just as the train pulled into Gatwick the conductor came into the car and asked us for tickets. Damn! So close! We had to pay £6 extra each so it wasn't too bad, but we did have to put up with him calling us "Baby". We get to the rental counter (sooner than if we had caught our original train) and I confidently hand over my debit card (knowing that the small print said no debit cards would be accepted) and was totally prepared to play dumb. The woman, luckily, loved Canadians (who doesn't!?) and was very chatty and not really focused on the rules of the rental. My card got declined (shocking) but she took Katherine's debit with no problems. Katherine was a little worried about the £250 just spent on her card, but she handled it with grace.
I was trying to keep quiet like we were just getting away with the con of the century and then all of a sudden we were outside....with KEYS IN HAND! Take that Surly James!
We get to the car, take some touristy pictures, get in. Then it hits me. Shit. I have to drive this thing, on the wrong side of the road...with ROUNDABOUTS! So I was a little nervous, and I was worried that I would kill Katherine. A fact I think I hid with grace. We started going and it was very easy. We had rented a GPS and that saved us I think. I didn't have to think about reading roadsigns and figuring out which exit to take, good old Jane GPS handled all that for me. One major annoyance was that the radio wouldn't work. It would say wait and count down 30:00 minutes, then when it got to zero nothing would turn on. So no roadtunes for the journey. But it wasn't too bad. Got to Dover without incident...Well maybe one....I may or may not have gotten a little too close to the passport window with the passenger side of the car and got a little yellow paint on the the mirror and door handle. The passport officer looked at the window and said "You almost took off the side of your car!"...Oops, Katherine is on line duty from now on.....
Got to the ferry with plenty of time and enjoyed just walking around the boat and looking in the duty free shop, there weren't any good deals on champagne though, which was a bit disappointing!
Arrived in France at noon and hit the road to Belgium. The GPS would only work in Ireland or the UK, so it was just us and our google map in the wrong side of the car on the right side of the road (a fact that was screamed constantly for the rest of our time in France in Belgium). Getting on to the motorway was easy, but it took me a bit to figure out the speed limit. I kept seeing signs that said 50, but that seemed really slow to me for a highway, so I thought maybe, for some really strange reason they were in miles instead of KM....about 30 minutes later we finally saw a sign that said 130 so I finally knew what I was dealing with!....But that means that I was speeding for the first part! :p
Drove into Brugge around 1pm. We had been in three countries in just over three hours! Gotta love Europe!
We drove and I tried to remember where we parked when Mama Kat and I came in September. We found a parking lot that looked like somewhere, sort of familiar with signs in Flemish. Couldn't even piece together what in said in bad French....But there were no words that looked like maximum time to stay or parking rates so we pulled in and went to wander the town. We quickly found a map and took pictures of the things around the parking lot just in case we couldn't find our way back...A modern day Hansel and Gretel!
Our first task was to have lunch, I really wanted to find mussels and french fries, Katherine wasn't too keen on the mussels, but she was a trooper and said she would give it a go. We walked around for a few minutes, but we were both so hungry that we decided to stop and hae lunch at a little cafe that served the french fries in paper cones with globs of mayo on top. We both just ended up ordering burgers (lame, I know) but it was great to have a burger that didn't taste like sawdust (90% of British beed does). After lunch we wandered in and out of chocolate shops and all of a sudden it was 4pm! We decided to stop and have a Belgian waffle and hot chocolate before heading back to the car and getting on the road to Dunkirk. As we were sitting there, it occured to us that if Paris is one hour ahead, Brugge probably is too! So we double checked the time with our waitress and it was 5pm! Not that big of deal as we had to be back at the ferry by 7.15pm and it was only an hour drive, but I was worried about finding the car so I thought we should head back pretty soon. We walked back and found the car without any problems (except for the flash rain storm that hit). No parking tickets and the car was where we left it! Result!
We got back to the ferry with plenty of time, but as Katherine rolled down her window at the passport window I could hear a loud ppppssssssttttttt noise and I said to Katherine that sounds like a flat tire. FUCK
I slowly drive to the queue for the ferry and we get out, sure enough the front passenger tire (or tyre in England) was flat. We got the spare tire out hoping that some kind person would see us and change it and just as we pulled the tire out of the boot it started chucking down rain again! Got back into the car and talked about how we were sure someone would help, and sure enough the guy right behind us knocked on my window and said let's get this tire changed before the rain starts again. In 5 minutes we had the donut on and we were set. Lifesaver!!
On the ferry home we talked about what we should do. I was worried about driving on the motorway, in the dark with a donut. I was sure that the truckers would squish a little Ford Focus going 50 mph. I had seen a branch of the rental agency in Dover so we decided that we would stop there and see what they could do for us.....

Roadtrip to Belgium! Part One

2010-03-21T11:27:00.004Z

I need to set a bit of backround for this first.... I had been on a couple dates with a guy who was pretty nice, but I we weren't really clicking so on Thursday afternoon I came up with the brilliant idea to go somewhere on a roadtrip I thought it would be great way to get to know each other....And I could buy chocolate and beer. He has a car, but I didn't want to insinuate that he should drive (and I wanted to anyway) so I suggested (via text) that we should rent a car and get out of London on Saturday. He made non-committal noises, so I suggested that we go for drink that night so I could persuade him with my charm.... We met at a great pub in London Bridge (the neighbourhood, not the bridge)and I said "So......Roadtrip to Belgium!!?" He looked at me and said with absolutely no emotion "No, that is crazy." WHAT!!? That sounds AWESOME!! (Side note, NEVER call the girl you are just starting to see crazy, although he's right, it was way too soon for him to know that) I spent about an hour trying to convince him, it would be fun, such an adventure, what else are you doing? etc. To absolutely not avail. He wouldn't budge. I left there knowing that this wouldn't work and desperately wanting to make my plan happen....I think I have been reading too much lately, I feel like this isn't my usual style of writing....So I apologise....
Friday morning at work I mentioned it off hand to one of the RA's, Katherine, about how disappointed I was in his sense of adventure etc. and she said she couldn't believe that he wouldn't want to go (as did everyone else I've told this story to). And I looked at her and said "Soooo, Roadtrip to Belgium!!?" And she laughed and said that would be awesome. We talked a bit more and I said something about "...on Saturday" and we looked at each other....aka tomorrow! We had a lot of planning to do! I looked at cars, trains to get there and the ferry and everything was relatively cheap if you pre-book. So we booked everything and got 18-year-old-girl excited (which was fine for Katherine, she's 18....it was a bit too much on me, but I didn't care! We were roadtripping to Belgium!
After I booked and was reading all the small print (yeah, AFTER I booked...but seriously...are any of you surprised?) I saw that the rental car required a £550 deposit on a credit card, in the principle driver's name. I was freaking out a bit, if I had £550 on my credit card I would be spending a week in Spain! So I called the company and they said, no, no you don't need that it's only £250 (please refer to previous comments about Spain). But the car was already booked and paid for so I figured I would just charm them when we got there....And make a back up plan to go to Brighton, just in case. We were telling my co-worker, Surly James (who I adore), about the deposit and he mocked us all afternoon saying that they'll never give us a car, you're not that charming (clearly wrong), yada yada yada.
Since our train to Gatwick was leaving at 6.30pm we decided that I would stay on campus and sleep in Katherine's room, then we could just catch a bus to Victoria in the morning. So after work we had dinner, Katherine was working the reception desk at the halls until 9pm and we just hung out and watched Modern Family and Cougartown (sidenote...LOVE it!). At 9pm we went up and figured we should turn in, Katherine was thinking out loud about getting her documents ready for the border and I said that's a good idea, and went into my handbag to check that I had my passport (it's always in there).....Except for the time that I changed purses when I was in Edinburgh and left it in my Coach bag in my closet....Fuck. So after killing 3.5 hours at work, I now have to head home at 9.30pm to get my passport. Fuck. Back home to Canada Water I go. By 10.15pm I am still waiting for the bus and absolutely exhausted, so I text Katherine to see if she's cool getting to Victoria on her own in the morning and we can just meet there at 6.15am. No problem. Finally got home, found my passport and remembered to pack CDs for the event that the car doesn't have an input for an iPod.
Woke up for the roadtrip sooooo excited, but nervous because I didn't want to be disappointed with just going to Brighton, I was very certain they weren't going to give me a car. Just as I was brushing my teeth I heard the bus go by, but I wasn't too concerned, I had plenty of time, but still rushed out the door just in case there was another right behind it. Got outside and saw the bus sitting at the lights with it's four-way flashers on. A bit strange, I thought about it for a second, then decided to walk up to another stop about 10 minutes away because more buses leave from that stop. As I'm walking I peer into the stopped bus and see the driver in a heated discussion with a couple of the passengers and figure that she must be waiting for the police to kick him off (it was a night bus...happens a lot). So I hurried thinking that I could meet this bus at the next stop, but as I walked I saw that the road was blocked off by police tape and no one could get through, not even pedestrians. I asked the police officer how long he thought it would be and if he knew of another way to get to Victoria other than the N1 bus and he seemed to think it would clear up soon and had no idea about the buses, so I leaned against the wall to wait. 5 minutes, 10 minutes...Nothing. By this time it is about 5.45am. Very slim chance of catching the train. So I text Katherine to let her know and told her not to worry I had a charming back-up plan in mind. By this time one of the day buses that runs straight from my house to Victoria is running (the Jubilee line was down, as per, so the tube was never an option), but last time I took it (because the tube shut down in rush hour...grrr....) it took 2 hours, but I thought that maybe I could catch another bus to a tube station that is open and get there that way. So I walked the 15 minutes from where I was to Canada Water tube station. When I get there I discover that I don't have my oyster card (bus/tube pass) and will have to pay full fare (£2 per bus, more for the tube)...It has already gotten to the point that all I do is roll my eyes at this day, but I think that with all the hassle so far we must be getting a car, this day couldn't hate me THAT much! So the first bus that comes goes to Waterloo or London Bridge, so I get on and ask the driver how much the bus is...sometimes they take pity on the foreign girl and wave you through...and he starts driving and asks where I'm going. He said, y'know the C10 takes you straight to Victoria I said I know, but it's slow and I need to get there as soon as possible. Just as we say that the C10 drives by in the opposite direction. He says that I should take that bus, and waved me through without paying. I got off at the next stop (after shouting my thanks to him)to wait for the C10 that will come soon as all it has to do is turn around and as I walk by the front doors of the bus the driver shouts at me... That's it!? You're getting off!? I said, yeah, I'll just wait for the C10 here. He said, No, just back on and when the bus catches up just hop on there, don't wait in the dark by yourself. (Which is totally safe to do where I was) So I hop back on, get the C10 and get to Victoria, relatively quickly due to the lack of Saturday morning traffic, at 6.35am....Our train left at 6.32am. After a sigh and another eye roll at the day, we head over to the boards to see when our next train leaves.....7.20am. Eff that, we have a 10am ferry to catch. I tell Katherine of my cunning plan. We will get on the Gatwick Express train and use our foreign-ness as a way to (hopefully) not pay the extra. We head over to the platform and jump on the fast train.

9 Months!!? How did that happen!!?

2010-03-10T07:38:00.000Z

I will have officially been in London for 9 months next week. I can't believe it's been that long! I'm feeling pretty settled and still love being here. Work has been so busy. This semester the different schools are staggered in coming back so we've had students arriving since 21 January, but now they are all here and have been buying trips like mad! I have had to add an extra Edinburgh trip so I am going twice in March now!

I have finally moved into a flat and am no longer homeless. I live in a place called Canada Water and it's only 40 minutes door-to-door to work. I share a house with the owner and another girl who is quickly becoming a good friend. Her name is Machaela and she is studying to become a teacher. We bonded over our love of cider and Coronation Street!

My thoughts feel really disjointed because I am trying to think of what all has happened since January!

I went to Stratford-Upon-Avon on a daytrip with work on the 6th February and seem to have lost my camera on the trip. I am devastated. Not only losing the pictures from that day, including an almost exact replica of one of me in Stratford from when Tony and Mo took me in 1997, but I loved that camera and have no funds at all to replace it. I have a small one that I brought over with me, but it's not as good as my SLR. Sigh, 9 months and this is the first major thing I've lost...That is pretty impressive.....for me :p

My first trip to Edinburgh was last weekend. I had a great time. I really do love that city! It was a really small group of students, only 16 of us went and I ended up hanging out with three boys from the dorms that I sort of knew (one - Nick - I knew fairly well, the other - John- I had spent a daytrip with and the other one -Patrick-I had only met when he signed up). Oh, and when John and Patrick poked their heads in my office a few days before the trip to say that they were looking forward to bringing flasks on the trip to which I replied.....Have you met my boss Frank, sitting right here!!?.....So Friday night we decided to go on the pub crawl, Pat and I decided that the best way to do this was a drinking competition....Oh God, what have I done?. The pub crawl was a blast...very fuzzy, but great fun. At one point in the night I had two pint glasses in my hand filled with clear liquid and Pat comes up to me to see what I was drinking. I tried to convince him that it was vodka water. He tasted it was certain it was water, I told him "No, no, I swear it's vodka water". I am a liar. It was just water. Next time I see him he's got three shots looks at me says something about how this is for you Piehl (Which I think means he bought me a shot......no) He then shoots all three and slams the glasses on the floor and crosses his arms (not really effective. They were plastic). So I guess I lose.

Saturday we wandered around town, as we were up at the castle I looked at the boys and realized that they are the 20 year old versions of Johnny (Pat), Kyle (Nick) and Gary (John). So I've told them that I'm only referring to their Rowdie names. They're okay with that.

On Sunday I started feeling really ill and woke up Monday feeling complete rubbish. I went into work for about an hour and decided not to put myself through this anymore and came home. Didn't go in yesterday either and missed Phantom of the Opera. Really upset about that, but couldn't really breathe when I woke up. Tried to go to the doctor, but that was an epic fail, everything here is so difficult to get sorted, I JUST WANT DRUGS didn't really seem to go over well with the nurse. Bitch. :P

Don't have too much going on these next two weeks, but at the end of March I am going back to Edinburgh with 50 students this time, so it should be interesting! Two of the students that have become really good friends with (Christina and Ali) are going and I'm looking forward to spending time in Edinburgh with them.

So, all in all, things are pretty good. I wish I knew what my future holds after 30 June, but stressing about it won't change anything and I try really hard to remember that. I would love to stay on at Regent's and if I don't I think I might move up to Edinburgh for the summer, but the idea of starting all over again in a new city is a bit daunting....Not like I haven't done it before, just moving my stuff would suck!

2010-01-06T14:48:00.002Z

Okay, so have totally slacked on the blogging thing.... I apologise! I did go to Milan, well actually Bergamo for my birthday. I was kind of depressed...okay, really depressed about spending my 30th birthday alone but I couldn't waste the ticket that my Mom bought me for my birthday. I got into to Bergamo on 28 November and decided that I would spoil myself and rent a car. So I went to the counter and attempted to get one...But Aunt Deb made me renew my licence when I was in Canada and I hadn't got it in the post yet, sooooo had to figure out the bus system. Thanks to a lovely British Mother/Daughter team bought bus tickets (well, after back and forth into the airport because the ticket machine didn't work). Rode the bus all the way to the end ( I was meant to get off in the middle. Oops). "Spoke" to the bus driver, or pointed to my paper with the address of the hostel and he helped me to get off at the proper stop on our way back. Found the hostel with no problems and checked into my room. I think I got in around noon or so. I went and walked around, the language barrier was completely intimidating but I found a cafe where the waitress spoke english and had the best cappuccino of my life. Tried to wander around as much as I could, but ended up back at the hostel around 6 because I didn't really want to be out on the street alone. Talked to some creepy old guy in my room at the hostel....story of my hostelling life and least he didn't sexually harass me..... But I do need to mention the fact that he was eating SMELLY cheese. Who brings pungent cheese back to a shared room!!? Thankfully I booked myself a private room for the next night. Anyway, went to bed to sleep my depression away and woke up 30 years old. Decided to ignore the fact that I don't speak Italian and go into Milan. Got my tickets after more grunting and pointing and was on my way. When the conductor came through he looked at my ticket and starting shouting at me in Italian, all I understood was "In Italia......" and kept pointing to my ticket. I still don't know what I did wrong. Got off in Milan, found my way out of the maze of the train station and out into the POURING rain. It was like movie rain, drenched in 3.2 seconds. And since I was still protesting the rain at this point I did not own an umbrella. Walked across to the metro/underground/subway whatever they call it....to get into central Milan, because Centrale train station....not central (for tourists anyway). The only maps in the metro/underground/subway were for the trains that I just came off of. No one around to ask/point and grunt to and coupled with the rain and sadness of being alone I gave up, shopped at the train station for chocolates (an entire Lindt chocolate store was HEAVEN!) and lunch at a grocery store in the station and headed back to Bergamo. I was officially in Milan for 35 minutes. Went back to the hostel, checked into my new room and felt sorry for myself for a good hour and had a nap. Woke up, decided life is what you make it and treated myself to a very expensive birthday dinner (AKA ate my feelings) at a hotel where English was spoken fairly well....when pertaining to the menu :) Wandered around a bit more, checked out the Christmas market and the streets, but it was pouring and cold so I was pretty miserable. Monday woke up bought an umbrella and went into the old town (up the hill). It's amazing how an umbrella can improve conditions! Wandered through the cobbled streets and took a few pictures and retail therapied the shit outta 30.

Work wasn't too busy the first two weeks of December, but the social life was. Devon made two trips to London for auditions and it was so nice to hang out with her. We wandered around Covent Garden and bought gluten-free muffins. It was great to spend so much time together!

The Jillians left to go back to America and that was REALLY hard. Jill stopped talking to me the week before she left....She avoids her feelings :) We would sit at her flat and stare at the TV, look at each other, start to cry and go back to silence. It was a BRUTAL week. On her last day I made her get dressed and go on an open bus tour. My favourite thing to do! It was FREEZING, but we had a great time being tourists around sites that we'd been around for months.

My Mom bought me a plane ticket home for Christmas and we surprised the family on the 23rd. We went to Aunt Deb's work and made her cry because she was so surprised to see me. It was great! Was supposed to fly back on the 30th, but I was really sick and had to move my flight to today. And now there is a huge snowstorm in London and Gatwick is closed....Not sure if I will make it back today, but I hope so!

Looking forward to a new semester, my contract got extended to 30 June so I am still at the College. New batch of students and trips to plan! All of the trips are the same but I am looking forward to going back to explore more!

I will try to blog more, but once work starts going it falls into the routine and not that entertaining....But I'll try!

Canada and back again

2009-11-09T11:42:00.003Z

Well, I'm back to normal life....Had a great time in Vancouver with Lloyd, Liz, Katie and my boyfriend Bono. Learned the important lesson that Lloyd and general admission don't mix.... Again, starting writing at work, got distracted and forgot where I was going.
Things since I've been back (I can't believe it's been a month!!) have been crazy. I am still homeless and have been hopping between Aimee's, The Jillians and Rebecca's. I was so tired of being unsettled that I have moved into a hostel...More on that later.

Went to Paris two weeks ago and...well....I thought it was a little overrated, but I was tired, stressed and broke when I went so it was probably just my mood. Our first night there we (Jillian, Naima and myself) went to the Eiffel Tower and drank a bottle of champagne at the base which was pretty cool. We did go up and take some pictures and had a good time just being ridiculously us. Afterwards we got a crepe (best part of my trip) filled with nutella and cream. We we walking along the riverbank trying to find the metro and we stopped for a bit because we were tired. I was watching all the illegal souvenir sellers, there was one with all his wares spread on a blanket and he moved to grab the blanket and I said to the girls "I think the cops are coming" all of a sudden we heard a jingling like Santa was coming (the noise from all the cheap Eiffel Towers jangling together) and about 30 souvenir sellers came sprinting up the bridge. It was hilarious to watch, I have never seen people run so fast! Then about 30 seconds later the gendarme came around the corner. Very entertaining! On Saturday we went to Montmarte and saw the Moulin Rouge, then I went back to the hostel because I was really grumpy and didn't want to ruin the girls' day. They ended up going to the sex museum (damn!) but I napped and ate cheese, it was great!
Last night I moved into a hostel in Hammersmith. It's a great location and might stay there until mid-December when I know if I still have a job or not. Last night I checked in, had a shower, got into bed and a few minutes later one of my roommates came in. I didn't catch his name, but I found out that he was from Romania and was really friendly..... REALLY friendly. He told me he was going down to the bar and asked me to join him, I declined. Then he told me that the room gets really cold at night and that when he came back from the bar he would join me in my bed (single upper bunk bed) again, I decline. Then he told me he wasn't leaving the room until I kissed him. I told him it would be a long wait and to have a good night. He finally left and I waited a few minutes. I was worried because he was going down to the hostel bar and reception is in the bar, but after a phone call to Jill and her demanding I get another room I went downstairs (wet hair, pajamas and slippers) to change rooms. All seems to be well in the new room, no randy Romanians.....
I've been to see Wicked in the West End and get to go to the Lion King tonight. After all the work I put into the Corus proposal for the Lion King I am really excited to see the show finally!
This weekend I'm going to Milan. Mama Kat bought me a ticket for my birthday so I'm excited to go and just veg. I'm a little sad about being alone on my 30th, but hopefully the Italian countryside will be worth it!
Hopefully I won't wait so long between updates, so much little stuff happens, but I just don't seem to have the time to write it all down!

2009-10-21T13:14:00.004+01:00

I know, I know, it’s been ages since I’ve written anything. But honestly not as much happens once you start working!! Well, lots still happens, but I just don’t have the time! A lot has happened lately….I am pretty much homeless….Well, I’m also dramatic…I am living with Aimee right now. She was so nice to let me stay with her after the whole Creepy Landlord debacle at the beginning of October. I’m really glad to be out of that place, but looking for a place to live in London is almost as daunting as job hunting! But aside from not having a permanent residence everything is going quite well. Since Mama Kat left me I have been really busy, went to see Phantom of the Opera it was really cool to see it in London, the Phantom was Canadian though…Can’t believe I came here to see a Canadian Phantom… Went on the daytrip with 90 students to see Stonehenge, seriously, I know it’s a must see…..But it’s just rocks. It was really cold and windy the day we went, so I got my picture taken and then hung out in a sheltered area for about 45 minutes waiting for everyone else. I’m an awesome tour guide! We also went to Salisbury that day the cathedral there was beautiful, but I am beginning to become jaded…You’ve seen one 500 year old church, you’ve seen ‘em all.
Last weekend was epic. I took 39 students to Edinburgh and fell head over heels in love! What an amazing city. As soon I stepped off the train I felt relaxed and like I was home. The city was so friendly, the weather was beautiful (which I take credit for....protesting the rain has totally paid off). We arrived on Friday afternoon and checked into the hostel. My friend Jillian and I decided to go for dinner and we walked down the Royal Mile and found ourselves in the Canon’s Gate. A nice pub that was serving taster portions of haggis (the perfect amount) and ice cold Tennet’s (ale). Jill is possibly the pickiest eater alive so I wouldn’t tell her what was in haggis, just that she had to try it. It’s really not too bad, you just have to make sure you don’t think about what’s in it….So haggised up and two pints in we decided to pub crawl our way back to the hostel, where we would be meeting most of the other students to go on a pub crawl….That’s right a pre-pub-crawl-pub-crawl. I think Jillian is my soul mate. We stopped in at 4 pubs and a souvenir shop on our way to the pub crawl…I don’t know if you have ever been drunk souvenir shopping, but I HIGHLY recommend it! The last place we stopped at was a live music bar and we adorned our beer with the most awesome beer cozy EVER! A kilt with Velcro that can wrap around any beverage…..BEST PURCHASE EVER some guy that worked at the bar gave us dirty looks. I’m not sure if it was because we are soooo touristy or because I had a kilt wrapped around my guiness. Whatever. We went back to my room to drop off our purchases, where the epic conversation "I'm really dunk. Me too, let's go on a pub crawl" took place. Went on the pub crawl. Sang O Canada very loudly in the street at the first bar because there were so many freakin' Canadians in the vacinity....The night was possibly one of the best nights I've had. Such a good time.
Saturday I woke up miraculously hangover free (the same could not be said for poor Jillian) and spent the day walking the Royal Mile with Jill, Rebecca and Brady (students). Went on the Scotch Whiskey Experience....I don't like whiskey, I don't know what made me think I would like to experience it but there we were. Saturday night Jill made me go on a ghost tour. She wanted to do the graveyard tour, but I really wanted to see some of the underground vaults and compromised on a ghost, vaults tour. It was really interesting, except for when someone jumped out at the end and scared the entire tour (planned by the tour company) and I grabbed onto the guy in front of me and may or may not have ripped a chunk of skin out of his back. Whatever. At least he was a student. I was so embarassed, but was grateful not to have ripped skin out of a stranger....The student, not so much.
Then as we were finishing in the vaults our tour guide mentioned that we would have time to go on the graveyard tour that starts at 10pm. great. really excited. thanks a lot.
Jillian makes me go on the graveyard tour, then made me go into some haunted mausoleum that had a poltergist. Seriously!? Why do people walk into these places if they KNOW there is a poltergist? I told Jill I wasn't going to eff with some pissed off ghost and she gave me the evils so I had to go in. 30 seconds into the backround story the tour guide was giving my lips started tingling like they were falling asleep. I thought...Don't be such a baby, you're making that happen. Then my lips went numb and my face started tingling.... EFF THIS! I'm out! I stood outside for the rest of the tour and when Jill came out she was pissed I left her for dead...meh, her legs could have taken her out of the scary place too! About an hour later we were on our way back to the hostel and I noticed a mark appearing on Jill's cheek. It looked like she was getting a black eye, it was so strange. The only explanation we can come up with for the mark was that she got bitch slapped by a poltergist! Great trip in all! :)
Last night went to see Robbie Williams at the Roundhouse. It was the same venue that I saw Snow Patrol in a few months ago. Amazing! 2,000 people and me and Robbie. About halfway through I started feeling really ill and had to leave. I missed the last half of the show, but it was really good. I really do love him.
Anyway, I can tell you all my stories in 8 more sleeps when I see you!!!!!

Spending Time with Mama Kat

2009-09-27T15:18:00.006+01:00

Well, it's been a crazy busy two weeks! My Mum has been here since the 19th and we've had a great time! Well, I have anyway! We have done so much; Windsor, Buckingham Palace, a bus tour, champagne tea at the Dorchester, a weekend trip to Northern Wales, a trip to Brugge, a trip to the laundromat (long story), I introduced Mom to pear cider and ploughman's lunches. I have really enjoyed spending so much time with Mama Kat and showing her why I love living here so much!

Let's start with Saturday the 19th. Mom flew in at 7am, just as I was taking my first set of students on my first daytrip. Great timing!! I was in Bath as Mama was checking into her hotel. Bath was really beautiful. It was a gorgeous day and one of the RA's (Solvi) came with me to help wrangle in the students. We had a nice time wondering around, having lunch and sightseeing. We spent a lot of time on a giant map of the world that was set up in the square, just wandering around countries we'd been to and where we live. ....At this point in my update my internet crapped out and I haven't been able to blog all week and have completely forgotten how I was going to lay out the update. Dammit!

Today is a blah day. Mum left this morning and I haven't been sleeping very well due to my living arrangements.....More on that at a later date....I am going to look at a new flat tomorrow in Maida Vale, which is really close to work and a pretty nice area. It's more than what I'm paying now, but it will cut down on travel costs and time, which is such a perk!!

Things at work are going really well. I'm going to Stonehenge and Salisbury on a daytrip with the students on Saturday, then in two weeks we go to Edinburgh!! Starting with the Edinburgh trip I figured out that every two weeks I'm in a different country. At the end of October I will be home for a few days, then Paris, then Milan for my 30th with Aimee!! And I also have tickets to see Robbie Williams and U2 in there too!! Should be a great two months!

I know this is a short post, and I haven't said anything about what my Mum and I did, but we had a blast together and I am already missing her! I wasn't homesick until she came out, today I kind of wish I had gone with her. But looking at all the stuff I have planned helps a bit. And I think a lot of it has to do with where I am living.

I have lots of pics up on facebook of mum's trip so check them out!

I promise to write a better blog soon!

Lots of love!

So, it's been a month...

2009-09-15T06:39:00.002+01:00

Whoops! I guess I haven't blogged since the U2 concert....Yikes! Well, what has happened in a month?
The last two weeks of August consisted of me going to work and coming home. Nothing too exciting at all. The first two weeks of September however have been crazy busy and utterly fantastic! I think I'll start with the Bank Holiday weekend that was at the end of August. Pretty sure I didn't leave the house until the Monday, but what a day it was!
Started by going to the Notting Hill Carnival. I didn't want to go, but I knew that it was something that you have to do once in your life. It is the second largest street carnival in the world. It's a carribean festival with parades, steel drum bands, jerk chicken and 1,000,000 people over two days. When we got there we had to walk a bit from the tube station and as we went there were tons of boarded up shops. I learned that the people tend to riot so the shop owners have learned their lesson....It was stupid busy and we couldn't get close enough to the parades to see the costumes very well, but I did get a couple of pics and they are on facebook. Just as we finally were able to get to the very front of the crowd to see a parade we got the crappy section of the parade. It was just a few trucks with steel drum on them, and everyone on the trucks were eating lunch....So we just watched a bunch of people eat jerk chicken on the back of a semi....I'm glad I only have to do Carnival once.

After Notting Hill I went to Aimee's for her birthday BBQ. Such a nice night, just a few friends sitting in the garden eating and laughing. So chill and really relaxing. When I got home I was greeted by Eduardo, the giant spider (again, pics on FB) to this day I am greatful that I saw the web before I walked into it. (this hadn't been the case on the previous Thursday or Friday and spent my whole workday convinced I had spidewebs on me) HUGE spider across my front door and have been fighting with him daily every since. I now take a stick from the hedges and wave it up and down until I get to the end of my walk. The neighbours must think I'm bonkers!

Fast forward to the next Friday. I had my first outing with the students. We took 100 students on the tube (for some it was their first time, so it was.....interesting) to Tower Hill to go on a Jack the Ripper Walk. Over all fairly successful, definately choatic, but I didn't lose anyone....I think. One girl almost passed out (from the combination of gruesomeness, jet lag and dehydration I think) so I missed a lot of the tour as I was going back and forth between our three groups after that to make sure that no one else fainted. Had a night in the college bar afterwards which was a great success. Really busy, and now the bar manager loves me and tells me to bring more students down all the time.

The entire first week of September was crazy busy at work (actually the entire month so far). We had most of the students arrive by Monday and all last week was the Fresher's Fair, so lots of new faces, events and parties! Wednesday night they had a party on campus to welcome all the new students and as I would be encouraging students to go on trips and buy tickets to events I had to be there....Well, I accidentally got drunk (I was only going to stay for an hour, but one of the RA's convinced me to sleep in her dorm room so all restraint went out the window!) and at the end of the night (11 pm) I was talking with my boss about the afterparty at a nightclub. He asked me if I was going and I told him that I didn't think so as the cover charge was £20 (which is something that I defiantely cannot afford) and I had to work at 10am the next morning. He replied, well take the 20 quid out of petty cash and come in at noon. I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!
So two RAs, a German student and I went down to this club, but it was so packed they weren't letting anyone else in, we stood there for an hour then decided to just go home. Actually this is the point that the RA (the lovely Karen - girl from Lebanon) suggested I sleep at hers, so I really did get accidentally drunk.....

Saturday was my first day trip, again with 100 students, to Bath. What a beautiful town! I had a lovely time, but was anxious to get back to London because Mama Kat arrived just as I was departing the college. I did have a wonderful time hanging out with the RA that came along (Solvi - boy from Iceland). But the best part of my day was going to see my Mama!

So now my Mom is here until October 1 and we have lots of great stuff planned. We walked a little bit around central London on Sunday (saw Big Ben, Parliment, the eye and the inside of a pub) then went to Windsor yesterday and had a really great day. Today we are going to Buckingham Palace, taking a bus tour that Liz and I took and then having tea at the Dorchester. So excited for tea!!!

That's pretty much all the exciting bits from the last little while....oh, except for getting violated on the tube twice in one week. The first time some creepy guy was pushing his erection into my thigh during rush hour and then a couple of days later there was a guy that kept pressing against me fully and when I told him to stop it, he called me a bitch. Hooray for public transport.

Sorry it's been so long! I'll try to update a bit more frequently!!

The Love of my Life

2009-08-15T02:34:00.007+01:00

Haha, so I re-read my previous blog and you can totally tell that I wrote half of it at work and the other half at home when I was tired....Totally disjointed. This one might be the same because it's 2.36am, I have been home from U2 for an hour and am still on the sweet, sweet high that my love of Bono provides....and I'm waiting to upload my pics to facebook and really just killing time.

So, the concert....It was okay I guess. Or IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I may have given up buying groceries this week to be able to go, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Even though I got punched in the face by some crazy girl (on purpose...It was a very Lloyd moment in my life...) It was great..not the punch, well really more of an aggressive slap...the concert was great!

Wembley is huge, but not what I thought 88,000-ish (they broke a world record that night) people would look like, until I got out after the show. That was unreal. There are pics on facebook. This has totally primed me for Vancouver and I can't wait to take the three U2 virgins to their first show (my 6th!) Too bad Bono doesn't run a frequent buyer club, buy 5 shows get the 6th free. I'll have to talk to him about that.

I feel like I'm talking nonsense...I know, I know, what else is new...So I will finish this in the morning!!

Woke up at 8.15 this morning...after talking to Tasha until 4.30, hate this curse of waking up early, but at least it is Saturday and I can nap. Still having flashbacks from last night. I was saying to Devon earlier this week about how I was feeling like I had to like U2 because everyone knows how I love him. I can't believe that I had such blasphemeous thoughts! I walked into the stadium and felt the rush of love all over again. Was even really please when they played their new stuff....The album has totally grown on me I do like it, it's not even my least favourite album.

I took over 200 hundred pictures and put 175 up on facebook....A little much I know, but it was just so amazing!

Ok, enough gushing....First week of work was great, people are so friendly and the job is a lot of fun. I like to plan things and this job is planning! Everything from Jack the Ripper Walks to weekends in Paris, I plan and get to go to! I tried to plan the weekend in Paris on my birthday...nothing says 30 like a free weekend in France! But it's too close to exams so it's 2 weeks before my birthday. And that started a cunning plan to do something amazing every weekend before my birthday...which let's face it is pretty close to what I'm doing now...I keep getting these amazing,one-in-a-lifetime, over-priced opportunities and keep taking them saying...Now I am broke and can't do anymore, then something else comes up and I eat special K for another week...But my cunning plan starts on October 30, it's the Friday that I will be in Canada, it's the 30th (obviously) and it's 30 days until my 30th birthday so I want to have a birthday party while I'm home...and of course wear my party dress. 30-30-30 Party....There will be no mention of Halloween though. I hate Halloween. So keep that date open!!

I think that's all I have to say...Two blog enteries in one week should keep you vultures at bay...right? : P

Working Girl

2009-08-12T13:08:00.005+01:00

Hello Friends,

I know that I haven't updated the blog for a while, but my position in London wasn't cemented until I had a job so I really didn't have much to write about. Now that I am employed I have more to say!

I started my job yesterday at Regent's College as the student centre coordinator. I have spent the last two days planning day trips to Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury, Stratford Upon Avon and Warick and Leeds Castle and Canterbury. These are to take place over four consecutive Saturdays starting September 12....The day Mama Kat arrives...Bit tricky there. When Mama arrives I will be in Bath, not ideal. But will find my way around it somehow. I don't think I am required to go on every trip, but I think I am for the first one. Classic. So still not sure how we will get around this one, but will figure something out soon.

I am also planning trips to Paris and Edinburgh where my attendance is required (yay me!!). Gotta love a job that sends you on trips for free!

I was looking for a different apartment and came up with a lot of wasted time and money spent on travel so I am still in the boonies of London (damn). It only takes 1 hour 40 minutes to get to work.....Gotta love commuting. (I wrote the last bit at work....it took me 2.5 hours to get home...Eff the commute!)

Everyone at the college is really friendly, it's pretty quiet right now because the students don't arrive until the beginning of September. But that's nice because I can familiarize myself with everything before they get here. Yesterday I wanted to order some wipe calendars and waited for my boss to get out of meetings so I could clear the purchase and he told me "Order whatever will make your job easier" Sigh, I love this job.

As I was walking home in the rain ( I refuse to give into the umbrella industry's evil plot and will NOT buy one) I passed a dodgy ticket booth that had a hand written sign advertising U2 tickets. I popped in and he said they were £60. I couldn't decide if it would be worth it so I left to think about it and if the tickets were there when I went back to work it was meant to be. Talked to Aimee and she couldn't really buy a ticket either, so that kind of cemented the deal, but then I talked to my friend Steve and he said he would go....Changes everything...

This morning I woke up, went onto the ticketmaster site to see if they had released anymore tickets and got 2 general admission floor seats.....**Caution curse word coming*** Holy Fuck! I'm going to see U2 at WEMBLEY...I just peed. Seriously, re-reading that made me so happy...So tomorrow night I will be hanging out with my boyfriend while he sings to 65,000 or something ridiculous people. I have no notions that I will get close enough to touch him (Like I will in Vancouver in 75 sleeps) but I will be there for him to sing to me.

Well, I should go. I have to go get ready for my massive commute, but will be listening to Bono all day so it will be with a huge smile on my face!

I also wanted to point out that you guys can leave comments on here too, not just send me harrassing emails and facebook messages! : P (I love it. I'm glad you guys like the blog as much as I like writing it!!!) Next one will be FULL of U2!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!

The cold, hard slap of reality

2009-07-24T22:23:00.003+01:00

I haven't written in a while because I've been feeling kind of shitty. This whole no job thing sucks and blows! It's hard to enjoy a city as wonderful as London with no income! But I do make a pretty good go of it!

Even though these last few days have been hard last weekend was fantastic! First, Nathan and Kathy from home were here visiting some friends just outside of London in a town called Aylesbury (They lived there for a year a few years ago). I was invited out there for a BBQ on Friday night. When I got there Nathan met me a the train station and we pub crawled back to Scott and Lizzie's...It started to POUR just when the pubs were getting few and far between so I was soaked, but it was great! We had dinner (no BBQ, but lots of wine....maybe too much wine), I was having such a nice time I missed my train, but another couple that was there offered to drop me off at the tube station as they were going back to London. Fantastic!! Except I missed the last tube by 2 minutes and had to take the night bus home. That was a London experience in itself! It was like being on a pub crawl bus, the only sober person was the driver...I hope! About two hours into my night bus ride some kid behind me that I could see in the reflection of the window wasn't looking too hot...Sure enough he puked, no one ever batted an eye!!! He puked SIX TIMES!! It was pretty gross, I was glad I only had another hour to go...I hate transit. There was also puke running down the side of the bus from the upper deck. Gotta love night buses. But I made it home safely even while drunk texting Natasha.

Saturday I was going to lay low, but Kathy called to see if I wanted to come with them to a show. I didn't want to miss that opportunity so I went with them to see "We Will Rock You" the musical co-written by Brian May of Queen. It was.....interesting. The first 20 minutes were stupid strange, but it got better. Then the Queen propaganda scene kind of put me off again, but all in all I enjoyed it. The female lead was amazing and she made it totally worth it.

Sunday was another great day. I met Julia (my friend from Germany that I haven't seen since June 2000) and her boyfriend Andreas and we went for Dim Sum in Chinatown. Who would have guessed that Dim Sum would have been the first food that tasted like home! Then we went for frozen yogurt at a place in Soho called Snog. It was so good! but Julia didn't know what a snog was and when I tried to explain it I made all the staff laugh with my phrasing....It was so nice to see her and it was so strange that even after nine years neither of us had changed!

Monday and Tuesday I spent with Liz Hobday!!! We met up and wet to the Tate Modern on Monday afternoon....I am not cool enough for modern art. A rope on the floor and a mirror on the wall are hardly awe inspiring.....When we went for lunch we had to take a second for the fact that we were sitting on a patio on the Thames for lunch instead of at home...It was totally surreal. We walked around the embankment and over to Leicester Square (where I took Liz for her first Snog...take that however you want) and then Liz went to a show with her friend Aime. The next day we went on a London Bus Tour. I have to say that the 20 quid pricetag made me a little nauseous, but it was 100% worth it. We went all over central London and had a great time just hanging out together. At the end of the day when we parted ways I just gave a quick goodbye like I would at home, then when I sat on the tube it dawned on me that I wouldn't be seeing her until October and felt quite sad that I didn't give a proper goodbye. Living here really has become surreal.

Wednesday I went with a friend to the Natural History Museum, but found that it hadn't changed in the 12 years since I was last there so we left right away. I figured that there was so much in London that I hadn't seen I didn't quite need to do repeats just yet. So we went over the road to the Vicotria and Albert Museum and it was quite interesting, but having just done a museum with Liz I got bored pretty quickly and we left after about an hour. I bought a monkey in the gift shop for a few pounds...That was the highlight of the musuem...I love monkeys. Then we went to see Bruno. Hilarious! Then we stopped in the pub for a drink and left 5 drinks later, good day all in all.

Yesterday my brokeness sunk in and so I've stayed home the last two days to conserve money, hopefully a job will magically appear next week and all this stress will melt into another form. It was kind of funny today that when I was talking to my Mom on skype today that I was crying because I didn't want to come home. I don't think any of us had our money on that one!!

I know that things will get better, but I'm too impatient for that. I want things sorted out NOW!!! Oh well, hopefully the next blog will be details on my amazing new flatmates and fun, fabulous job..

..Not my plane arrival times.....

Sigh....Job Hunting

2009-07-13T12:44:00.002+01:00

Well, not too much has been going on. My job hunt is sucking the life out of me. I have been applying for tons and getting very little back. I figured out that I have spent over £160 on travel costs alone for these damn interviews....But something will come. Man, being positive is just not in my nature ; )

Things aren't too bad. I went out to Somerset on Thursday night to see the Hannigans. Michael and the children were staying with his sister (Zaf's mum). They were supposed to leave on Sunday, but I found out when I got there that their flight had been changed to Friday morning, so I only got a few hours with them, but it was great. Zafar cheated a win at Risk and crushed three small children in the game....It was so nice to be around people that know me so well. I didn't realise how much I missed that until then. It was nice to have a cuddle with Livs and Euan...Not Conor, he is now taller than me and much too cool for a hug.

Saturday I went out to Oxfordshire (about an hour away by train) for an interview to be a nanny. It was out in the country which has it's pros and cons and it's not sole care, the mother is home...Which also has it's pros and cons....

Decided to come to the BUNAC office to see if they had any different jobs and they have one that I'd be perfect for. It's as a student coordinator for a local college (maybe an ESL college? I'mnot sure...I should check that out)...So pretty much just planning events and pub nights for students. I'm custom made for that. There was also a job for the BBC which would be heaven! It's for Radio1 and 1Xtra (the two 'young' stations) being a station sound manager, so basically making sure that the image of the stations are preserved and some promo. Very similar to what I did at Corus but soooo much cooler.

I'm really getting antsy about finding a job, so I hope one comes this week....

Nathan and Cathy are coming today (friends from home) so I'm hoping to meet up with them for a drink this week, also Julia (from Germany) is coming to visit her boyfirend who just moved here and we are supposed to get together too. I haven't seen her since she left Canada in June of 2000! I'm really excited to see her. She's a doctor now!

This is a relatively short post as I haven't been doing much but moaning about job hunting. Hopefully the next one will be much more entertaining!!!

Love to all!

And by tomorrow, I meant next week

2009-07-04T20:07:00.003+01:00

I'm so tired and there is so much to talk about this week that this will be a long, rambley entry....So I stopped writing, then caught hell from Devon, so fresh page.

Sunday, July 5:

Wimbledon was amazing. Aimee and I had a hell of a time getting to Southfields due to underground maintenence. We left at 4:45am and didn't get there until 7-ish. We got into the queue and as it was Saturday and the Brit's own Andy Murray was playing it was crazy busy. We got numbers 8598 and 8599 and we were pretty dissapointed, but then one of the stewards said that we would be getting in for sure. We hung out and waited, and a few hours later Aimee asked another steward how many they were letting in and they said between 9,000 and 9,500!! So we were definately going! It was so cool to see the schedule (pics on facebook) with Venus Williams, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray playing. We sat on a huge hill outside of court #1 called Murray Mound (or Murray Mount according to some papers, maybe it is...I can't tell with the accent) with 8,000 other people and watched tennis on a big screen TV with jugs of pimms. It was fantastic!! Definately an amazing experience! I went a little crazy in the gift shop and bought a few things but my favourite by far is the notepad that says "Does love mean nothing in tennis?" I love the impulse items!!!

I stayed in Sunday - Tuesday trying to conserve money. Wednesday was Canada Day and I met Zafar in trafalgar square for the party that "Canada" puts on. Ran into Craig Ridley from high school. Small world. I saw a sign a week or so before saying that there would be Canadian beer so I was excited for a Kokanee or Molson product. Hell, I would have settled for Labatt's Blue...But no, they had Sleemans....Zafar and I had one and it was disgusting as ever. I can't believe this is the beer they choose to represent Canada to London....Brutal. Thank goodness there was a Tesco over the road and the security guards were charmed by my friendly Canadian-ness (I like to think that, but in reality they just didn't care....But I am very charming) and let us buy booze across the street then bring it into the square. Six cans of Pimms later Aimee showed up and I didn't really think it then, but I was pretty tipsy as things are a bit blurry, I know over priced fish and chips were involved....

Friday I went for another interview and really liked the family. Really cute kids and pretty laid back so fingers crossed for that one....Went to a movie on Friday night it was interesting. The concession boy took a liking to me and kept giving me scratch tickets to win a free small pop...weird...It's so strange here. You pick your seat when you buy your ticket and they have ushers. The theatre probably fit about 50 people and the screen was about the size of our...okay, Mama Kat's... free 52" TV, but there was an usher. They also have premium seating. You pay £2 extra and you can have a cup holder....The British LOVE the class system!!! Damn me and my second class citizen-ness.
Then, while I was waiting for the bus home I witnessed a woman get barred from a pub with her four year old son running around like a maniac outside, then she got on her phone and cursed the pub up and down while completely ignoring her son. Classy. Women like her are why I couldn't be a social worker. I'd just want to save them all from trashy mothers.

Saturday I had two interviews the first one was good, cute boys, decent location but not as good as the day before. The second was absolutely ridiculous. On the phone and in the email the woman told me she was right by the overground station. Great, so I took the overground to the end and couldn't find her station, then had to take a train, then a bus and walk for 25 mintues. When I get there they tell me this big long schpiel about how they talked to agencies and are paying the going rate for a live in au pair....£60/week. BULLSHIT! I was so surprised I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped. I just traveled to the edge of London, seriously! I saw farmland!! I told them that there is no way I could live on that. The travelcard alone would cost more and they were pretty defensive and had arguments ready like "We interviewed two other girls from the UK and they had no problems with the salary." I laughed and told them that I had 19 years experience and there was no way I was working for £2/hour. They said, yes but all your food and bills are included and I said that yes, that is expected of a live in postition....
Then he told me that I wasn't going to find another job that paid better (this was all very ammicable, not snotty or anything...my side was more bewildered amused than outraged, nice change for me I think) And I told him that I wasn't interviewing for jobs that paid less that £150/week and they told me that I should take those jobs. To which I replied...Yes, I know. (ok, maybe that was a little cheeky). Then they offered me their sitting room to relax in because I came so far...I really wanted to reply, no thanks, but can I have the last 3.5 hours and £8 that I wasted getting here? SO ANNOYED!!!
Got home and hung out for a bit, then got an email from iTunes saying that I had won tickets to see Snow Patrol for tonight!!! I had seen the advertisment on facebook for the last few days talking about iTunes Festival it's something like 62 bands over 31 days it's been going for a couple of years, but since facebook adverts sell miracle weightloss and things I didn't pay much attention. Then I went into the iTunes store online because I wanted to change my country from Canada to the UK so I could get some of the music that doesn't come out in Canada and I saw it advertised there....Win tickets yada yada yada. So I had to sign up as a fan of the iTunes Festival, which I am also wary about, but it was worth a shot. They have bands like Oasis, Bloc Party, Kasabian and of course Snow Patrol...Lots of others, but I only entered the ones that I really wanted to see and got an email saying I won for Snow Patrol! So Aimee and I are going tonight. It actually works out quite well because I have an interview not too far from there at 3pm so I'll just hang out until I meet Aimee!! I really hope it's not something dodgy, I'm really excited for it!
This week there isn't too much going on. Hannigans are in Somerset visiting Michael's mom and sister and I am going there on Thursday night and all day Friday to hang out, so excited to see them!

There Devon....Are you happy!? Slave driver!

Wow, what a week!

2009-06-27T21:44:00.002+01:00

Tuesday I went and met Matilda for the interview that I had set up before I went home. Things went really well, got on quite well with mum and baby. I was feeling quite good about the situation.
After the interview I met Michael Hannigan's nephew, Zafar, for lunch and we had a great time, go a pitcher of pimms and a sunburn....Good afternoon really.
Wednesday I went to Wimbledon, but I woke up too late and didn't get there until 11am or so. When I walked out of the station the air was literally buzzing with the excitement and all the people. I thought I'd go down to the grounds and see what it was about, but then I saw the queue for the buses to the tournament, and there must have been 1,000 people there. It was crazy!! So I just wandered around the shops and walked around the neighbourhood a bit.
Thursday was the worst day EVER! Went to bed early so I could get up to go to Wimbledon (they have 6,000 rush seats per day for £20, but you have to get there really early). I left the house around 5am and got to Wimbledon tube station, waited for the bus to the stadium and specifically asked the driver "Does this bus go to the stadium?" he said, "Yes, I'll tell you where to get off". Great, perfect. I get off at "my stop" and see a sign that points to Wimbledon Stadium, so I follow the sign....To basically the equivalent of the SE industrial park. Imagine walking around there, trying to catch a glimse of the Saddledome, so you know you're going in the right direction....but you can't see a stadium anywhere....oh, and it's 6am. Brutal. Finally found someone to ask directions and he said, "Oh no....You want southfields, just go back to the main road and follow it up...You'll see it." Great, perfect. But to get back on the main road you have to follow an "S" shaped road back to where you started....And don't think just because you can see the road that you can get to it....The Brits are waaaay too clever for that. I also have a strong suspicion that they were too lazy/forgot where all the street signs were supposed to go after the war, because they are few and far between...
Anyway, finally get on the main road and SIX MILES later (and a large number of buses that matched the number that I got off of had passed me) I finally get to the queue for the ticket lines! And I was 3892!! Amazing! I'm going to Wimbledon!
By now it's 7.15am and the turnstiles don't open until 10am so I sat and read my book, hung out basically. Then at 9am I got a phone call from Matilda saying that they didn't think they wanted a live in nanny and so she was sorry, but she thinks she just wants someone who will come and stay a few nights. It is my opinion that she isn't ready to go back to work, and isn't sure what kind of childcare would fit her....
So me being me, hung up the phone and immediately started to cry (I am like a four year old and when I'm tired I cry). Had the whole WTF am I going to do now thing going on and was basically a mess.....Oh, did I mention I was in a large field with 6,000 people? Great, crying alone....Classy. So I decided that since I was going to go to Wimbledon in a few days with Aimee, I should save my money and go home...Holy crap this is a long story.....Hopped on a bus down the hill....I'm not walking that shit again...Oh, I forgot to mention the 4" blister I had on the bottom of my foot had ripped open and I was in agony.....Right, caught the bus to the tube station where I almost got a concussion because the bus driver slammed on the brakes TO STOP FOR THE FREE RIBENA JUICE BOXES. Then got yelled at by the same bus driver because I hit the bell to for a stop that was closed.....I may have had a particular four letter word for him as I got off the bus. Really annoyed with myself that I didn't have a snarky comment about the Ribena stop not being closed.....A-hole.
Spent the rest of Thursday pretty much feeling sorry for myself. But did get a message for another job interview....That helped a lot ; )
Friday went and met Sarah about a nannying job 5 minutes from a tube station. Right now it takes me over an hour to get to the tube. So that alone makes the job dreamy. And again, things went really well. I'm hoping to hear back from her on Monday.

Today, went to Wimbledon with Aimee.....But will finish this tomorrow. I'm so tired and need to sleep.

Hope this wasn't just rambling and you were able to piece together some sort of story!!!

Settling In

2009-06-22T15:38:00.002+01:00

Moved into my new place on Saturday. Nothing too eventful, just made the bed and checked out the lay of the land.

Went into central London at around 6.30p to meet Aimee. When I told her that I would be 45 minutes I forgot that I live in the effin boonies and made the poor girl wait for 2 hours for me....She got me back though......We went walking around all the touristy stuff, Big Ben, Picadilly, Trafalgar, Parlament, then after much whining from me went to an Italian restaurant for dinner. Walked around more after dinner, got lost looking for a park to drink my champagne in, saw some wierd, wierd shit in some shop windows (check my facebook pictures) and finally decided to sit and drink the bottle on a bench directly across the river from the London eye**. Perfect way to spend my first Saturday night in London!!

Just as we sat on the bench Big Ben starting chiming midnight so I started opening the champers, but Aimee was calling Devon so I waited until she was off the phone...But the champagne pre-maturely popped and took out a tree and scared the crap out of a group of tourists standing almost right in the line of fire! We were laughing hysterically wondering where the cork went and then a leaf floated down like a dead bird, about 3 seconds after that the cork finally came down....We were laughing like maniacs. Mental note....Don't walk around London for 3 hours with a bottle of Champagne in your bag.

**I was in a pub a few days before and overheard the landlord ask a police officer what the policy on drinking in the street was and apparently there isn't one. So in our lost wandering we saw a police station with 3 policemen outside and I wanted to open the champagne there, but Aimee didn't think it was a good idea....What a spoil sport : P

Aimee graciously let me stay at her house so that I wasn't stuck on a bus by myself for two hours and we hopped a bus to hers the whole time doing a pee dance. Almost peed in a park, but sod's law, the bus came just as the top buttons were undone. Slept like the dead and woke up and went to the cafe for breakfast, so yummy! Didn't do much else on Sunday, just hung out at home and enjoyed the simple pleasure of wi-fi.

Today I woke up and went to ASDA (Wal-mart) to get some things to girl up my room and bathroom a bit. As I was waiting for the bus some guy that was a head shorter than me with gold teeth and a rottweiler and told me he liked my style (or at least that what I thought he said, which is strange because I was wearing a flow-ey summer shirt with black jeans and trainers, nothing too exciting) then he muttered something else and asked me if I had a boyfriend. Immediate answer was yes, then I realised that he said he liked my size....Terrible lead, anyway, he said something else after I told him that I wasn't single and I just smiled an said "No, thanks I'm alright" and he said something about me being sweet and told me that if I changed my mind he was available....What a strange way to start the day....Something else like that happened when I was walking but I can't remember it now.....

Got all my girly stuff for the bathroom and finally unpacked and hung up clothes so I feel a bit more settled. Tried to take the bus home but the bus driver didn't speak english so he didn't know if he stopped at my stop.....Got off and tried to figure out the transit system (I left my A - Z in the cafe on Sunday so it was pretty difficult), gave up as I had 4 huge bags of groceries and housewares and got a taxi. Sigh....Then the taxi caught up with the bus I had gotten off all the way to the end of my road, Grrrrrrrr.

Still searching for a job because not working=spending and would feel a lot better if I had something coming in. Not to mention it would alieviate the boredom. But things are good, still think this is the best decision I've ever made and will probably need reminding of that in 3 weeks time, but am really enjoying myself!!!

Meeting Matilda about the nanny job tomorrow. Then lunch with Zafar (Michael Hannigan's nephew) and maybe a show in the west end with Aimee and Andrea! Busy day!

Will write next time something interesting happens!!

Friday

2009-06-19T12:30:00.003+01:00

I read the little black box attached to my computer cord and it is compatible with the UK, so my computer is fully charged!!

It's 12.30 on Friday afternoon and I really want to go some touristy stuff, but I have two massive blood blisters on the balls of my feet and walking around London is not too appealing today : (

Went into Sainsbury's yesterday (supermarket) for some lunch and twix and the very first thing that I saw was a big sign that said 1/2 off....And it was for champagne, not sparkling wine, but real french champagne for £13!! Don't do the conversion and it's a great deal! Went back to my room and almost drank the bottle because it was cold and I don't have a fridge....I texted my friend Zafar to see if drinking a bottle of champagne, by yourself, in a hotel room at 2pm is acceptable and he told me that as long as I had a glass to drink out of it was ok. Right out of the bottle is just not classy. This is why we get on so well. I didn't open it, but will this weekend sometime.

Went out for dinner with Devon's friend Aimee last night and had a great time! Met her in Oxford Circus and when I came out of the tube station it was the first time I truly felt I was in London, it was great!

Aimee and I went to a little creperie and had dinner on a terrace with a bottle of wine, fantastic! Then she showed me the BBC studios, where I took a picture like the radio dork that I am.

My way home on the tube was very entertaining, so many drunk Brits. One guy was loser pissed and tripped getting onto the tube so me and my saucyness to him to mind the gap, damn I'm funny. He sat down with his friends and pointed at me from across the train and said "That girl told me to mind the gap....because I didn't" and then we were best friends. I also made fun of some guy that got on the wrong train and was moaning about how being drunk on the tube only leads to catastrophie, I told him that that was true, but it was very entertaining for everyone else...And then we were best friends. I love the Brits, nothing offends. Found out he worked in radio and he told me to add him on facebook, but I don't think I will....Too strange, but very entertaining!!

Got off the tube and after careful pre-planning went to find the bus that would take me to within 4 minutes of my hotel and couldn't find the stop for it anywhere. Found the one that took me back towards the circus, but couldn't find one for the other way, so ended up getting a cab...£20 later...But I look at it as a tourist thing, I had to ride in one eventually....

Hope you're all doing well!!! Lots of love!

Somewhere to live!

2009-06-18T13:12:00.002+01:00

I had my phoneinterview this morning for the part-time nanny job that would be heaven, and I found out that it wouldn't start until August. I only have my hotel until Saturday, and that is not August. Holy crap! Survival mode!! I went to 5 estate agents and had everyone tell me that they don't do short term leases and to try getting a room at the Queen's Hotel (the clean, but not ideal hotel I'm already in). Walked into estate agent #6 and the lovely Jane thought she might no of someone who needed a lodger. Took the 10 minute bus ride to meet Roger and I now have a room to sleep in for the next 6 weeks! I have the top floor of a nice house on a quiet street about 15 minutes from where I'm staying now. Seems like it will be perfect.
I'm meeting Matilda (nanny job) on Tuesday for a face to face interview and hopefully will secure a job and then will be able to relax and really enjoy London, instead of being stressed out with what I am doing next.
Plugged in my iPod speakers last night and the cord started to smoke.....Won't be able to charge my computer until I find a converter or new cord, so will be internet cafe-ing it for a bit...good thing I bought a mini computer to save money in the cafes....
Gotta run, computer is really going to die now

Love to all!!

S

The first full day

2009-06-17T15:49:00.002+01:00

Well, I have just completed my first full 24 hours in London. In this time I have spent 5+ hours on the transit system, dragged a 50 lbs suitcase up and down (mostly up, only 2 down I think)15+ flights of stairs, lost all muscle use in my right arm from dragging a 50 lbs suitcase up and down said stairs, cryed when someone asked if they could help (I blame this on the lack of sleep from the plane ride) and found my hotel with little difficulty (yay!!).
Woke up at 6 am GMT this morning and went to my BUNAC orientation, got a cell phone ( +44 020 07 55293 4748...I'm not sure if that's how you dial it from Canada, but that is basically the number) so cheap!! £15, but it came with a £10 credit and got a bank account.
I am sitting in a pub somewhere close to my hotel with free wi-fi. I like it here, the menus are glued into record sleeves and they've played 3 Bonnie Tyler songs in the last 30 minutes!
I plugged my alarm clock in last night and it kind-of-sort-of blew up so I'm afraid to plug in anything else, I may have to play outlet roulette with my iPod speakers and if they blow up I will have to start going to internet cafes. I can afford to replace speakers, but not a laptop!!
My hotel room doesn't have wi-fi or a phone that dials out so I'm pretty cut off!
I have to run before my battery runs out!
Update you soon!!