Q&A

Stepping onto my soapbox for just a moment. I made the decision when I started this blog to try and leave my thoughts on anything that came up in politics and the news out of it. I’m not sure why, since it is my blog and that is a huge part of who I am, but I did. But I just have to say that if you get the chance, everyone needs to watch CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 at least once over the course of the next week. He and a team at CNN are in Africa covering two of the biggest humanitarian crises happening right now, in Darfur and the Congo. No other news channel is doing what they are doing and everyone needs to tune in, even though it’s upsetting, and hear the stories they have to tell. From Anderson’s blog:

“So many people in the Congo and Sudan have already lost their lives; so many more lives hang in the balance. There are few things worse than dying in silence, too many already have.”

So if you get the chance, it’s on from 10 – 12 p.m., re-runs at 1 a.m., I think it will be worth your while. Ok, off my soapbox. For now.

Now, responding to the questions I got a few weeks ago.

Q: How are your flatmates? -Brandie
My flatmates are really nice. They are all Italian, two girls and then one guy. The two girls went to school together in Italy, and at least one is from Sardinia. The guy is from Milan. They didn’t know each other until moving here, but eat dinner together every night, which I think is cute. And they are amazing cooks! Especially one of the girls, the smells are wonderful. When we first met the guy and he asked us where we were from, as soon as I said North Carolina he smiled really big and said, “Oh, Michael Jordan!” I thought it was cute. And something that I find really funny, and reminds me of home, is the fact that he’s always on me to put socks on. I’ve had a bad cough the past two weeks, and he always points at my bare feet and shakes his head. It’s hilarious because my entire life Daddy would never let me and Melissa and Joey walk around without socks on inside, and shoes on outside. I’m convinced now that it’s an Italian thing.

Q: Have we had any royal sightings? -Amee
No, as of yet, which is unfortunate. But supposedly a guy at work saw both princes at the Burger King near our work on a Saturday. Apparently all the girls were going crazy, which I mean, how often do you see two princes in a Burger King? Almost never! I would probably just die on the spot.

Q: How’s the weather been? Have you been watching much TV? -Jill
The weather here has been really nice, up until this week. I was expecting it to be already cold when I got here, so to have it in the 70s every day was surprising and nice. Unfortunately, I brought pretty much no summery clothes and one skirt, so I’ve been re-wearing a lot of the same stuff, but it’s worth it to have pleasant weather. It has also rained very little, which has been nice simply because I walk so much, especially to and from work. But it’s beginning to get cooler, getting darker earlier, so I feel like fall/winter is right around the corner. This week it hasn't made it to the 70s, and there's been more rain. I'm hoping we get just a few more warmer days before the cold sets in for good. I’m currently hunting for a good winter jacket, and praying I can make it through the winter.

I haven't been able to watch TV because the one in our flat isn’t hooked up to get BBC, and the satellite channels are all in Italian. Except for the MTV, which is MTV-Austria, so everything is either in German, or in English with German sub-titles. So I’ve seen one episode of “My Super Sweet 16” with the German sub-titles, way too many dating-show episodes, and one documentary on Tupac that was dubbed in German so I pretty much only understood the occasional rapper’s name. “German german german Ice-T.” Our landlord is in the process of fixing it, so he says, I will be reminding him yet again because it would be nice to unwind after work with some good or trashy British TV.

Q: Have you met any blokes? Are the people there as rude to receptionists as they are here? – Angela
I haven’t really met any guys here, which is to be expected because I never do. But I’m really just interested in meeting different people and making friends, finding someone to share my glasses with will have to wait for now. ;-)

It’s hard to say really if people are nicer to receptionists simply because when they call me all I have to do is transfer them to someone else, I don’t have to tell them that I really don’t care if they don’t have hot water, that I don’t know when their door is going to get fixed, or that of course they’re going to have spiders, they live in the woods. Though the day our phone system was down and I couldn’t transfer anyone, one guy did get rather impatient and rude. When he called back for the third time, and I told him that our phones were still down, he snapped, “That’s what you keep saying!,” which made me flashback to angry tenants who didn’t believe that maintenance was on their way. But at least it’s all done with a British accent, so that softens the blow a bit.

She works hard for the money

I'm a working girl now. First day as a junior admin assistant. Yes, four years at one of the top universities in the country and I am qualified in the UK to make sure the tablecloth is taken off the boardroom table before meetings, shop for biscuits once a week, and deliver post. Whew, so glad the all-nighters, loans, and thousands of pages of reading weren't for nothing.

Just kidding, I am alright doing what I will be doing for the next six months, knowing if nothing else, it will push me further to realizing what I really want to do with my life. And at least I'll be in London while I'm doing it!

Today was basically day one of like 35 of training. It's a lot of information but not hard work, and I think once we actually start doing the tasks, and not talking about doing them, it will be fine. It seems like a really nice, open office, with a good mixture of people. I also think it will be very interesting, just the project names of the things they are designing are interesting. And even though I swore after this summer I would never work another reception job again, at least I won't be dealing with crazy cat lady tenants bitching about their refrigerators and $70 cat food. Or owners with closets of hemorrhoid cream. (That was all just for you Angela. :-)) And it will be good to alternate the somebody's bitch part with the reception part.

It's also not a bad walk to work. I realize I say that now, after the first day, and when I'm not in danger of dying of exposure, but we'll see. If only I could lend Marissa some of my legs it would be an even quicker walk. Any of my friends who have had to physically pull me back to keep me from walking too fast now what I am talking about.

So I'm sitting in this super-cheap, super-nice internet cafe not far from my flat, and I keep smiling to myself and I think the people around me are a little freaked out. But I mean, they are playing old school En Vogue on the PA system and how can you not smile at that?

Oh, the flat. We moved in yesterday, finally. I think it will be nice. Very safe so far, well-lit, quiet, but near a main road, and a good amount of other flats around us. Nice size room with large ceilings. Our flatmates seem very nice. The Italian guy is very nice and showing us how everything works. (Gas stove you have to light with a match - scary.) And the other two girls are Italian as well but don't speak much English, but are still very nice. And they are all so clean and I think it will work out well. Knock on wood. We're still trying to get situated and everything but it feels good to have a place to come home to at the end of the day.

We went to a pub night for BUNAC last night and I talked to some people and got one girl's number. We both really want to see "Wicked" and may try to go on Saturday, if I can get cheap tickets. But the pub was nice even though we got there too late to eat and I didn't drink anything. But after a long day like today, I don't know people have the energy to do anything after work.

I feel like my entries are too long so if you get through them all I thank you. But I tend to ramble and rant when I'm talking so why should when I'm writing be any different?

First weekend in London and I'm too exhausted to enjoy it. But I guess it's a good exhausted as everything appears to be working out. Got a job, roommate, and flat, all within a matter of days. It has happened a lot faster than I ever thought it would, and I just hope that I've made all the right decisions and that everything will work out. Nothing in my life ever works like clockwork so I'm not expecting this too, I just hope it doesn't all come crashing down right away.

First, the job. I will be working at an architecture/interior design firm. Mom looked it up and said it's one of the premier resort design firms in the world, with offices everywhere. I will be a receptionist and junior administration assistant, alternating days between the two. Answering phones one day, and then running around doing whatever they want the next. I don't know how this will ever help me in my future as a journalist, and less Anderson Cooper calls and wants me to run around for him, and then, well...

The roommate. I met her at BUNAC one day and we just decided to live together. She's a journalism major as well, and is from New Hampshire. She says wicked a lot and has a slight accent, but is nice. (And she lives about 40 minutes from Boston so her accent could be a lot worse.) This is for you Karey: the first thing I thought when she said she was from New Hampshire was "Ooh, that's where President Bartlett is from." I didn't say it though. Oh, and I also want to ask if their maple syrup really is better than Vermonts, as the Pres says. (Was it maple syrup or their cheese being better than Wisconsin? I don't know, I should just e-mail you this.)


We went through an agency to find a flat, because on top of job hunting and dealing with hostel-living it was just too much trying to sort it all out. So we are in Paddington Green, across from the Edgware Road tube station. It's 15 minutes to Hyde Park, about the same to Regent's Park, 15-20 to Oxford St, and also close to Marylebone (sp). It's an interesting area because one street can be so different from the next. We asked around the area to check for safety, and even interviewed a police officer, and everyone thought we would be fine, just to hold on to our bags, as everyone says anywhere. And the good thing is he only required two weeks deposit and two weeks rent, plus if we are unhappy at all we just give two weeks notice and he can even possibly help us find a different place. We're sharing a room in a flat with three other people. There's no living room, which we hope won't be a problem, but there is a nice and modern kitchen and a nice big bathroom.

The room has two beds, a couch, a table, two wardrobes, a chest of drawers, a fireplace, and a tv with satellite. All bills are included and he said he could get us internet if we pay a little more a month, but we'll see since I found a really cheap internet place and I should have it at work. I'm just praying that it will work out and we'll be happy there. I got a good feeling from the place when we saw it, so let's just hope the feeling stays.

Tomorrow I hope to finally be able to do something fun. Actually see the city that I'm living in without constantly worrying about everything. And finish a meal without getting nauseous from worry.

Hopefully this will satisfy everyone that has been telling me I need to be more detailed (coughJoeyMomcough). I swear I'm reading everyone's e-mails and will respond ASAP, so just keep sending them!

Well, today was about as good as the other days were difficult. First, I met a girl while on the computers at BUNAC, and we decided to live together. She's from New Hampshire, a journalism major too, and seems really nice.

Second, I got a job! It was the first interview I went on, which many may think wasn't smart, especially since it only pays £7 an hour, but I feel really good about it. The people were incredibly nice and funny and I just got a really good feeling. And by a weird turn of events, the girl I'll be living with will be working there too. Start on Thursday, which is a little later than I wanted but better than nothing. And I feel better knowing that I have a job.

Now the only hard part left is finding a place to live, which just may prove to be the hardest part yet. We would like to live close to work so we can walk, but since it's off of Oxford Street, which is just a prime location and near where I wanted to work anyway, it is going to be harder I think since it's so centrally located. So keep your fingers crossed and say just a few more prayers for me.

I am so thoroughly exhausted and am actually looking forward to going back and crashing at the hostel. Thanks for all the e-mails you've been sending, it makes me feel a lot better and I know once some of the craziness dies down and the homesickness sets in, I'll need them even more.