Triumph and Disaster

New Fun London Commercial

2012-01-15T11:20:00.005-05:00

Promoting "hands-only CPR" is Vinnie Jones. Quite a clever one:

Sunday is a double dose of MC!

2012-01-15T09:59:00.011-05:00

A lot of updates are happening but I don't want to have one continuous post so I have decided to break them into two parts. Here is the second part.

Golden Globes:

Golden Globes are on this evening and I will be missing it for the first time in years. I am a bit obsessed with movie awards and fully intend to watch them tomorrow evening but am quite bummed not being able to watch them live.

In the spirit of the red carpet I want to show my new favorite outfit. I bought this dress in the states and wore it to Tori's bday. Here is a pic of the dress and a close-up of me in the dress. I love it - can't you tell? Will need to get a better pic of me in the dress - it's super cute!

Travel:

In other news, I am planning to do quite a bit of travel this month. Next week I will be in Paris, house sitting for a coworker and then off to the states. Isabelle will be staying with Drew and the other kittens and I hope all goes well. I will be there to hopefully help make her move a little easier. Drew is a great caretaker and will be taking care of her till Dimitri makes his way back over from Spain until I am back!

French:

Also, looked into French courses (new years resolution). There is a course that starts in April at a local college and I am planning to enroll. Really looking forward to it! It's about 2 hours once a week which isn't too much of a commitment level and I will have a chance to broaden my language knowledge. Win-win....winning! haha :)

Keyboard/Work:

At work I just got my new keyboard - a European version. Here is a picture of what it looks like. Please note one big difference is the currency additions (Euro, GBP and Dollars). Also, the images on the keys do not necessarily match their output. I know you are thinking, what? So the pound symbol and the quotation marks - those do not align with what is displayed on the keyboard. It is confusing but I am used to knowing where they are and have managed my way through. Seems a bit weird to me though!

Online Dating:

One of the big things out here now is online dating. Everyone here thinks that this is HUGE in the states but I have tried to tell them it's probably similar to how it is here in the UK. A lot of my friends are trying it out - there are a ton of different sites to choose from. Some you have to pay and others are free - from what I understand the free sites can bring a lower caliber level of people than the ones that require payment.

I was able to get this profile example from a friend and find it absolutely hilarious. Thought you might enjoy as well. Apparently this guy is a bit frustrated with the selection on the site and some of the profiles available from the women are beyond ridiculous. I would almost hope that they are not real. Yet, that would make them less funny I suppose?

Read his profile but look below for the "gems" that I mentioned. Classic.

----- I GIVE UP ----- I'M BECOMING GAY ------ WHERE'S THAT VASELINE

FACTS.... 38 - 85kg - 6ft, looking for friendship first then who knows

BORING BIT....i take care of myself physically zzzzzZZZZZZ.......(gym , jujitsu ) love food, drink and enjoy cooking. Listen to everything preferring soul, house, reggae, rare groove , r n b , hip hop. Enjoy travelling and travelled a lot ,would really look forward to exploring sth americia and asia. Also enjoy going out to restaurants , museums , galleries and parks and discovering what London has to offer - plus weekends away in Europe are great too, Barcelona , Prague as is chilling out in a a local pub garden on a sunny day or curling up on the sofa watching a dvd (as long as the dvds mature midget porn)

HISTORY.....i have one son aged 9 from a previous longterm relationship (guess this is where a few people click on to the next profile….....condom split havent brought condoms from Poundland since, 99p store is cheaper ive discovered ) , he lives with his mum and i see him regularly

MESSAGING.....not really into the email thing if i like you id prefer to offer you my number rather then sending emails for months on end - lets chat, then possibly meet and take it from there , isnt that the point of this website

DISTANCE....if you live miles (50+) from Sth London ie Scotland or Thailand..... where i seem to be quite popular for reasons unknown (british passport - money transfer) i see little point in making contact. Its difficult enough travelling to the high street

RANDOM....why do 99.9% of women on here have at the bottom of their profile that they're not looking for a f*ck buddy - are men really that RETARDED ? (dont answer)

WITHOUT SOUNDING TOO BNP GENERALLY WOULDN'T DATE BLACK OR ANYONE WEIGHING MORE THEN ME AND I'M OVER 13 ST - NO NOT EVEN DAWN FRENCH OR SINITA OK MAYBE RUSTY LEE ...OR KELLY ROWLAND SHE FINE

If your wondering what a fluffer is : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluffer

FOLLOWING PROFILES ARE REAL ON POF, JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT US MEN HAVE A TOUGH TIME ON HERE TOO ,

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BEST PROFILE ON POF THAT IVE COME ACROSS SO FAR .......... read below......

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Hi im rachel im on here to meet a guy to make me pregnant, last year i was but lost the baby since then all i wanted was to be a mum. One night stands welcome, im happy to bring kid up by myself tho prober dad would be good. Im a size 12 and have 36dd chest. come and get me xxx

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......2nd BEST PROFILE..............

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i would like a text lover 4 flirtin and chatin x i want snog and cuddles maybe teasin on saturdays and to have a quick snog on mondays as my break and fun BADLY ASAP
ps. u MUST be in a reltionship, married or single to chat to me and possible an 02 mobile AND NO BOSSY MEN MUST TREAT ME WITH RESPECT

please u must live in or near croydon or know it and willin to travel to me. First Date meet up for a chat, kiss cuddles and walk around croydon on saturday mornings AND goin in allys for privite hot snogs please boys.

if we was to arrange a meet i like to be sneeked up on and get kiss on the lips a greet and then go somewhere in croydon for more passionate kiss and to kiss at my bedroom window

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......AND ANOTHER

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Hey Guys, I'm a model from just outside London. When i'm not working, i'm in the gym,i love working out, i train 5/6 days a week. It's so important to me to look amazing and have a wicked body.
I love shopping, holidays, tanning, pampering sessions, anything to do with fitness and nutrition, Las Vegas, body building shows, Starbucks! Energy Drinks! cuddles and watching movies.

My perfect guy is someone who works out, tanned and has an awesome body, i love, love, love muscles, the bigger the better! If you can't handle having your girlfriend being looked at 24/7 then i'm not for you! Please do not message me if u aren't good looking, u'll be wasting my time!

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..........AND ANOTHER .............SORRY

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Going to be totally honest and say I want someone to look after me financially. I will look after them sexually, be their confidant and will look good on their arm. They can be married or single, dont mind I would be everything they want me to be.

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...............NEVER ENDING !!!!!!!!!

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Hi all... I wasn't born a girl, but yet a girl!! I've been studying English here in London for 2 years, and looking for good friends to hang out with. I'm so lucky, I love eating but it never can make me fat!!

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.......LAST ONE PROMISE - username : missxexybunny - if you want to check !!!!

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First of all i have to say i have had surgery boob job and have my botox every 4 months i do love the fake look that is on me i have hair extentions and eye lash extentions i also have 18 tattoos as that is my job so if you do not like fake or tattoos i am not for you .I love dancing , clubbing , football , cars , snooker , my kids .Snakes we have a baby 12 foot at work she is so cuddly , lizards , music is a big part of my life

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sorry they just amuse me ! useranme : cystalbxx

right guys let tell it as it is PLENTY OF FISH POF DOSE NOT STAND FOR PLENTY OF ****S i ant here just for the sex if i just wanted that i would just do myself with a dildo lest their not 100 Q IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ANYTHINK ABOUT ME JUST ASK XXXXXXXXXX

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last one honestly !!!! username : kinkylady6

I am here to find a submissive male for hopefully a long term relationship. I am a slim beautiful lady and looking for a meeting with a nice male who likes to obey a woman in all areas of life. I like men who are submissive to me and do what they're told

First Date

DUE TO MY ASBO , ELECTRONIC TAG AND RECENTLY BEING ADDED TO THE SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER IM RESTRICTED AS TO WHERE I CAN GO ANYWHERE NEAR PLAYGROUNDS OR SCHOOLS ARE DEFINITELY OUT THE QUESTION....................FOR NOW

joking apart , bar or pub with good lighting and fire escape close by , to have a decent conversation, won't be able to drink though due to being in the 12 step programme but some ketamine should liven up any date . Im not going to put bungee jumping or the zoo like some folk on here - as could be tempted to cut the rope if I don't like you and hopefully being on a date with you wont be like visiting a zoo ! - i should really delete that or most of this profile actually - probably why no ones contacting me - but some of the dates ive been on i could of brought a bale a hay, carrot and sugar cube to feed them , along with the rohypnol - also if we really hit it off ill introduce you to some of my favourite dogging spots around london - what more could a girl ask for - what's not to like - definitely marriage material me - can't wait to meet your parents , now .... Form an orderly queue . i thank you x

London Week in Review: NFL playoffs, Celebrities, Settling In!

2012-01-15T08:44:00.016-05:00

The past couple of weeks have been busy and today I am enjoying a day of leisure! So I am using this opportunity to catch-up a bit on the blog!

Lucy and I met-up to watch the NFL playoffs last weekend at a nearby sports pub. The Steelers lost; I wasn't even able to stay up for the entire game but really, did I need to see the entire loss? Probably not. On my way there I snapped up some pics of the St. Pancras Hotel. These pictures don't do it justice - it is an amazing building.

That being said, it's history is quite boring. Check out Wikipedia for the background but I was expecting more! Oh well.

During the halftime for the Giants game there we a stand-up comedy act. He was 100% not funny. Please see the comedian and Lucy's nonplussed facial expression. This is pretty much what we both looked like when we were not cringing. Apparently he is there often? WHY?!

We enjoyed ourselves despite the poor routine!

Two interesting celebrity tidbits - I have seen two celebrities since coming back to London. Corey Feldman walking down Oxford Street sporting sunglasses at night (which is why I was looking closely in the first place) as he is a part of the UK show "Dancing on Ice," and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire - Jimmy) at the airport.

In other celebrity news - I am quite obsessed with dailymail.co.uk for celebrity news. I am still behind on who the famous people are out here and have a tendency to not know references in daily conversation but I am determined to know the references before I leave here!

My new routine these days has me "off the sauce" (that one is for Tori; an inside joke about how no one actually uses that phrase except for people who are trying to hard to be "cool"). Too much drinking when I first got here has made me almost completely disinterested in drinking these days. I have limited it to the weekends only and even then it's usually only one day a week. Maybe that will change at some point but for now I am quite content. My flatmates are all very obsessed with healthy eating and exercising and that includes not drinking. My intention is to run in a half-marathon by summer so this is probably a good thing!

I don't know if I mentioned that I live with 6 other people in a gigantic house in central London. I live on the very top floor which makes for some good step exercises! My house is made up of people from all over the world - Denmark, Poland, France, the States, Belgium, and Canada. No brits to speak of though I am subletting my spot from a girl from England.

2 pancake recipes that are kind of interesting that I have learned by living with this group:

Healthy Pancake: Greek 0% yogurt, 1 egg, oat bran - mix well and spread into a crepe-style pan and cook like a pancake. Eat with sweetener or ketchup (the Ketchup was my addition as the sweetener is a bit too sweet to me).

Pancake wrap: Real pancake layered with ham, celery and mayo and roll (I have no tried this recipe yet but I have been assured it's really good. Not so sure!!)

I usually just do my normal meals of chicken or beef with vegetables and sometimes cheese. I have been cutting out carbs in the afternoon and evening and as mentioned above, alcohol. I have spent weekends running through Hyde Park which I really love. It's so beautiful and though quite a few people are in the park I feel that there is a ton of open areas that are less populated. Hyde Park is connected to Kensington Gardens and Green Park so you could run for quite a long time!

Here is a little map showing the connection of the parks:

Here is a shot that I took on my run last weekend - it's a bit foggy as it usually is here in London but a nice view of the Serpentine.

NHS Registration

2012-01-07T10:49:00.006-05:00

I just got back from registering with my GP for the first time since moving here. I feel like this is one of the rites of passage of someone who is officially an expat. Not that I have an actual list for moving to the UK but a few things would be:

Open a bank account
Move to a flat
NHS registration
Oyster card purchase
Sign up for a gym
Cancel your phone/bank/contracts from your home country
Accepting new food choices
Talking about the latest TV show/celebrity and actually knowing who they are
Caring about the rising prices of public transportation
Giving (accurate/correct) directions

Just to name a few. Please feel free to add any to this current list!

So back to registration. I expected an actual office like they are in the states. I would see maybe a small parking lot with large signs that could produce a light in order to function even when it is dark. Nope! In the small residence square there was one door that had a couple of signs referring to "NHS."

Something like this:

I walked in the standard door that could be a doorway to a Londoner's home. I was a bit surprised but when I walked in I saw the standard window that is in every doctor's office in America and it was back to normal. Please note for anyone needing to register in the future - Urine samples are required in addition to filling out quite a few forms. It didn't take very long at all though - about 40 minutes total.

Then I was able to walk along Edgeware Road and pick up some random things I needed.Tonight is my friend Tori's 30th birthday party. Really looking forward to celebrating with her and Lucy and having a fun night!

Clever meme idea - Ode to Sam!

2012-01-06T16:35:00.004-05:00

So clever Drew considered the notion of my good friend Sam becoming a meme. What does this mean?

Well cutie pie Sam is pregnant (yay!). One of our friends and co-workers, Heather, from my old workplace in the states decided to post up a photo a day of colleagues around the office with a sign displaying "Hi Sam + baby." It's just an adorable idea (way to go Heather) and I had to post it! Now let it go forth!

All of the group:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71178199@N07/sets/72157628234157593/with/6642738663/

Take a look at all my favorites from the office. How I miss them!

Here is my contribution from London:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71178199@N07/6641534207/in/set-72157628234157593

Everyone looks so serious in the background but I promise, we all laugh a bit too!

The holiday is over...back to business!

2012-01-04T15:42:00.007-05:00

2012 resolution: learn French. I already reached out to a nearby locale called the French alliance which is nearby me to join their 10-week program. One starts in January and the other in April. It's quite pricey and I have quite a few travels coming up so may have to wait it out till April but at least I am trying to make it a true resolution. Though last January I resolved to quit smoking and I did. Maybe I am a little hard on myself or maybe there is something to resolutions that make me do what I should be doing.

In the spirit of resolutions here are a few additional items I am fully invested in doing as well:
Half-marathon in Europe
Kick of new business
Travel to at least 3 countries before summer
Finishing writing the story I have been working on by the end of the year
Be a good friend and family member and keep contact as much as possible

As my friend Lucy said today, this is the year of "yes." I love that concept; saying yes to everything.

Being here has been hard, rough and exhausting. Yet, it has also been wondrous, magical and allowed me the point of perspective in many ways that I never knew I needed. Just going down St. Christopher's street off the main drag of Oxford street (which is complete insanity running up to xmas) makes me so excited.

My long time boyfriend and I broke up in my move here and when I was able to see him on holiday break in the states I realized how lucky I am to continue to have him in my life. The same with friends and family I was able to see....it's easy to forget how much they mean till you are away and then get to be back together.

Look at my adorable younger sister with the board she painted. Such a talent!

Still, I want to make it work here and knowing I work with great people in a fabulous city makes me feel good. Plus I have made great friends and want to see my life play out a bit here and experience new things that I wasn't going to get where I was before.

Look who was waiting for me on arrival back to heathrow? So sweet right? Haha

Now for plotting trips and activities with the girls while watching "Mamma Mia" and reading up a bit on the gossip from dailymail.co.uk

Hilarious Commercials - Cravendale

2011-12-07T07:56:00.004-05:00

The commercials out here are definitely risque and hilarious. My newest favorite commercial is the Cravendale milk spot. I love cats as most of you who read this blog know but even a non-cat lover would love this spot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6CcxJQq1x8

Moving...Again & Other Fun Activities

2011-12-07T05:41:00.006-05:00

So I finally found a place to live! My awesome current flatmate, Tori, (that I am not allowed to live with because the leasing agency is terrible and won't accept any financial documents from the states)had a friend that was subletting her place for a minimum of 6 months so I am planning to live there. It's a rather large house in Marylebone with a number of people. One interesting tidbit is that there are two pronounciations for Marylebone which is quite confusing. It could be either "Marleebone" or "Mary-lei-ben." Or at least that's what I have heard in the city and via Forvo (http://www.forvo.com/word/marylebone/).

The house is huge with multiple kitchens, bathrooms, rooms and really quite beautiful. I will be sharing the top floor with a couple of girls - one from Belgium and the other from Poland. The only drawback is leaving my current flatmates - I am quite sad about that but know we will visit often. I will now be able to walk to work; it is about 2 miles from work which is really good! I walk so much here it is incredible and I really like it.

When Tori and I went to look at the flat we decided to go stop by a few stores as I needed some leggings. We went to place called Primark that reminded me a bit of like Kohls meetings Forever 21 meets JC Penney's. It was definitely mayham but the clothes were so cheap but decent quality. The nickname for Primark is Pri-Marni (ie Armani) as Primark has worked very hard to be seen as a fashion-spot-go-to.

We also stopped by Selfridges; I thought for the longest time that this was pronounced and spelled "Suffrages" with the British accent. Similarly how I always get confused when someone here says "I was pissed." I always think and say "why were you mad?" Suddenly realizing they mean drunk or making a joke. Too many meanings for this one word!

Selfridge was named the "Best department store in the world" and has the most amazing windows. I didn't have a chance to snap a picture while I was out but found one and intend to take one next time I go. Since I will be moving there that should be easy! Also, lots of inspiration for xmas shopping which I intend to do in the next couple of weeks. Even took a couple of days off to get it done! :)

Very excited that my friend Lucy from Scotland is back as well! We have only been able to hang out once in the last couple of weeks because of massive schedule conflicts including a bit of a hangover this past weekend. We have a hangout planned this weekend though - yay! I am thankful I have met so many great people here and just need more time to spend with them ha!

Our work holiday party is this Friday and the location is a secret - can't wait till the big reveal and will have to let you know after it's done! I am moving Saturday so cannot be out too late!

In news around London: Apparently fares are increasing on the tube which makes me even more excited about limiting my exposure to the underground transportation system. They are already quite pricey depending upon when you travel and where; London is broken out by zones and travel expense increases as you go through more zones. Zone 1 and 2 are the center of the city and then it moves out from there to the more suburban areas being in zone 4 and 5 (story here)

I had the chance to visit the outside area of London myself with a trip to the area nearby North Greenwich suburbs with a friend. North Greenwich has a tube line - the Jubilee - and is fairly new. It was very nice to see the world outside of London along the Thames. I still love living in London though even though I never really thought I would - never have been one for the city life and yet I am quite content.

Interesting little tidbit of info

Laundry detergent bottles have a few different categories for wash on the back of the bottle. One of them actually says "handwash" as an option. Seriously who does this???

On a personal note - Things are definitely tough keeping connected with friends and family back home. The time difference is tough - at 10PM my friends are just beginning to consider leaving with it being 5PM in the east coast. It was hard when I lived there and even more difficult now that I am in a different time zone! It's hard to even explain accurately my life out here to people I love as it is so fundamentally different and more difficult than it was in the states. The challenge makes it very exciting and I never know what to expect which I do like but it can drive a wedge into your relationships and I have already seen the fallout from that. I don't know what I can really do though so I just have to keep living as I am and hope that they will resolve in time.

Lack O' Sleep is not an Irish Pub

2011-11-19T07:33:00.011-05:00

These past couple of weeks was pretty intense at work which left little time to sleeping or doing anything else but well, working.
A lot of long working nights meant a couple of nights stopping by the local Irish pub for a pint (or two) so that my life wouldn't be comprised of only work then bed. I am little bit obsessed with the pub down the street - though mostly older men frequent the place I feel comforted by the ambiance. The one night I stopped by there was a wake that was more about celebration than sadness. Also, there was an Irish football game on so everyone enjoyed a bit of that while they celebrated the life of their friend and family member. Apparently this had been going on for a couple of days so they were all a bit lit up. I met a couple of very nice people - I feel like that's the theme of my experience. Unexpected new friendships in the oddest of places.

I definitely miss friends and family from back home and since I just booked my ticket I am looking forward to seeing the girlies (dinner plans are all ready booked; yay!), family (Campbells, Bowdens, Boekes, etc), friends and Izzy-face.

Decided to make a quick list of my current "likes" and "dislikes" about living in London:

London Loves	Bloody Hell
Cider	Texting while walking in central london
Beautiful Sights	Public transport closures
Kettles & Tea	Way too close and personal on all transport
Fish & Chips	People walking out of a store and stopping in the middle of the sidewalk and looking around
The melodic sounds of accents and different languages	Extremely loud phone conversations on the bus in many different languages
Amazing location names	Lack of peanut butter and wheat pasta
Amazing friendly people and great London friends (ie Lucy, Andy, Tori, Mikey, Steph, etc)	The sense of panic everytime you cross into a heard of people at a major walking intersection or outside of a tube station in Holborn

I would love it if there was a coinstar out here as well...the amount of coinage is a bit extreme. I am sticking to some of the things I know from back in the states - ie enjoying some "Waking Dead Season 2"- so glad that I get that show over here! As everyone knows, I love a good zombie flick and entire show is even better!

Other little fun things from the past two weeks:

Little cafes are economical and the service is terrible and the food is only fair
Perrier in a can is so cute; I am surprised that more fizzy water isn't available here cause it's my fave
You CAN have multiple Thanksgiving dinners in the UK - just need to know the right people. Thanks to Leslie and Steph I had two amazing Turkey dinners with some new friends (Pics of Berkhamsted and London where I ate some delicious food including hanging out a bit with a super sweet border collie)

Frankfurt is a beautiful city - I only spent a night there with Steph saying some basic German for work and need to get back
I had multiple bday celebrations and have included some new pics of those (Cake and Wine from Work; Cupcakes and wine from Tori); very sweet

It's Official - I have a home...for now.

2011-11-14T16:06:00.017-05:00

Happy Birthday to me!

ADAPTING
It's been a crazy couple of weeks - I am fully integrating/adapting into the English subculture and trying to learn to live successfully in the big city! I have officially moved in with my flatmates, Tori and Mike, and they are very nice! I cannot wait till my Scottish friend, Lucy, is back in town so we can hang out again as well! She should be back sometime later this month for us to stir up some trouble.

The Big 3-0
I am in a particularly good mood today since it is my birthday. I am 30 years old. I have officially been on this earth for 30 years and now suddenly am thrown into the mix of being a successful, mature business woman AND settling down to be a wife/mother. I don't feel pressured by friends or family to make huge life decisions at this point but I am wondering when this will happen for me.

ADAPTING not as well...
I officially had a complete meltdown this past weekend as everything suddenly came to a stressful point for me. Thankfully, my Dad was there to make me feel a bit better. Couple of things: 1. Customer Service is not so amazing here. Specifically, my leasing agency is ridiculously heinous. If you are having the best day of your life and called or communicated in any way with the Black Katz leasing agency you will suddenly find yourself thrown into frustration/sadness/madness. The fact that I have a place that will not allow for me to bring over my cat has been a point of issue.

Also, #2 the fact that my bank is taking FOREVER to get my acct opened has been problematic as well. You need a bank acct to do anything - "let" a flat (rent = let), "top up" your "oyster card," (add $$ to your bus/tube card), pay for items. In Europe they have different cards than the US. The cards here in the UK include a chip which requires a pin entry whenever you purchase an item - like a debit card. "Swipe Cards" are US credit cards and are not accepted anywhere. You can get chip cards outside of the bank and upload cash onto them but a bank replenishment is easier. Also, banks in the UK do not have money orders - so if you need to get $$ to someone the one way that you can do this is via wiring the $$ from your acct. Namely, your bank acct. Which I am still waiting on. So the other option is to take out a bunch of cash and walk with your flatmate to a joint bank acct and input it into that acct for wiring over. The fear and stress in my body walking down the street with lots of pounds in my pocket was quite extreme but all went well. Money is in the bank.

Taking time AWAY!
Moving was an interesting situation - moving with one bag and plastic bags attached to it since I didn't want to pay for yet, another expensive cab (cabs are very expensive here vs the states) did not set me up for a successful day. I was a bit tired and emotional when I met my Dad at Paddington Station for our trip outside of London. I have had great moments travelling outside of the city of London. One to Hampton Court for work - haven't had a chance to see the palace but did see some of the surrounding areas.

Also, my Dad took me to Swindon, StoneHedge, Avebury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avebury), Bath and Glastonbury. All very lovely places - and quite impressive in person. Bath is quite beautiful and Glastonbury is amazing as well. The long mountain up to the tower - Glastonbury Tor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Tor) displayed such an amazing scene. I felt like I was suddenly swept up into an Austen story. Some pictures of our experience!

Lots of Sheep and a bit of a hill!

I put a pound in this rock for luck. We shall see if it's effective...

Fish and Chips & Strongbow cider were on the menu in Swindon!!

Current Residence: London, UK

2011-11-06T14:09:00.004-05:00

Adjusting to Life

As of Sunday, November 6th, 2011 I am not watching football (or 6/11/11 as they write in the UK). If I was in the states this would be extremely odd and I have been contemplating purchasing the NFL GamePass subscription to keep up with the games. Tonight my team, the Steelers, are playing Baltimore (HUGE rivalry) but the game is at 8PM which means it will be on at 1AM my time. I can watch the re-run via the gamepass but I must admit, watching the game live is really the only way I want to go. Maybe this will change over time.

Other interesting things that I have since learned/adapted to:

In suburban ville I could drive up to an hour to visit my family and at least an 1.5 hour to go to my client's office. I don't have a car in London and travel by walking or public transportation. My morning route includes waiting at the bus stop for at least 10 minutes and then standing on an overpopulated bus for 25 minutes till my stop. It still beats route 1 in Princeton! Anecdotal story - my first bus was without an audio reference and I basically kept hopping on and off a couple of buses till I arrived at my destination. I was extremely jet-lagged and confused and since then have only encountered one other bus that didn't have audio support on the bus. Audio support = so much easier!
The UK has significantly better commercials - much more entertaining and amusing
Everything around you suddenly has an English accent. I remember listening to a couple of videos on Youtube and the commercials were with British-speakers. This was to be expected but suddenly I realized my world completely changed.
It's not a "line" it is a que
The Brits use quite a bit of slang - from the news to reality TV
The UK has all of the same shows and movies (if only a tad delayed)
Everyone (and every office) has a kettle - tea and instant coffee are automatic. (I love this change!)
Fountain Soda is pretty much obsolete - I pretty much have eliminated Diet Coke from my diet. I miss it but tea is better!

UK News Items

The EU Budget crisis has been top of mind the last few weeks. Currently trying to determine how Greece will proceed and the impact on the rest of the EU

The other big item in the UK is Armistice day - the 11th hour of the 11th day of November signals remembrance of those who gave their lives in the war. Everyone from reporters to co-workers have been wearing a poppy flower as part of this remembrance. Apparently there is an appropriate etiquette associated with wearing this flower.

A Change in Scope and the BIG MOVE!

2011-11-06T12:21:00.009-05:00

Old versus New - A Change in Scope
The original intention of this blog was for my anticipated move to Istanbul to teach English. That didn't exactly happen as I planned. I ended up getting a job in pharma advertising and I am still with that company 3+ years later. I didn't want to create a brand new blog as I believe even my posts from a few years ago show how my life has evolved.

Before the BIG MOVE

My move to Europe had been discussed for quite a long time but logistically wasn't given the go-ahead until a few months ago. As soon as I got the go-ahead I sprinted into action researching all of the things I will need to do before moving across the Atlantic. My first thought was what I would do with my kitten, Isabelle. My parents have a cat as well that doesn't exactly see eye-to-eye with Isabelle so I knew that would only be a temporary solution at-best. Isabelle is confined to the guest bedroom but thankfully my family is good about visiting her often. She is so very friendly and fun to be around and I want her with me always!

I got right to work applying for a UK bank (I chose Barclays) online - but I had to get my documents certified so I didn't get the application in till I got to London. It takes about 7-10 working days for the bank to post a decision about your acct. I should have mine in the next couple of days!

The VISA process was fairly simple - my employer had to provide documentation supporting my move to the UK and I had to complete an online application, a biometric evaluation (taking fingerprints at a local government office - appt required), and submitting all of the documents with my passport and a picture to the border agency. The picture had to be with no smiling - I look ridiculous. Almost borderline depressed to be honest - I am much more of a smiling-type.

I received my visa extremely quickly - it took like a week via priority mail. It costs a bit more but definitely worth it!

I also was set-up with temporary housing through my company which is definitely extremely helpful - it's definitely a bit tough trying to find a flat. I did a bit of looking before heading over through Gumtree and SpareRo om. I would advise learning more about the areas before you come over but to be honest, I found that I learned the most by just being here and walking around. And walking around. And Walking, walking, walking...you got it.

Saying Goodbye almost deserves it's own post. I felt as if I had a manifest destiny - yet this time moving East. That doesn't mean I wasn't in a state of stress and sadness for the last month in the states. Everytime I would see someone from my gym instructor to friends I would think, "is this the last time I will see them?" There was a sense that I was either dying or going off to war versus becoming an expat in a country a mere 6+ hours by plane away. I wanted to be moved already so that I could focus on my new residence and visiting back home versus leaving everyone behind.

After several farewell parties and packing (and repacking quite a number of times) I was ready to go. My aunt and uncle thankfully were also visiting the UK and took over a suitcase for me. In total I moved three suitcases, mini carry-on bag and computer bag (which looks purse-like) to the UK. Everything else was moved into storage (thank you, parents for letting me use yours)!

Below is my departing flowers/Corona's from the colleagues from the states. I definitely miss them!!

GoGameFace, WeBook, 5K fun!

2008-07-20T20:46:00.008-04:00

Short blog post this week. I have so much to do! GoGameFace has consumed a lot of my time. Our new site will be launching in about a month, make sure to go check-out our current placeholder site! It looks great:

The author, me and friends will be out and about visiting cities to throw "GoGameFace" parties at local popular bars. As of now we will be visiting:

New York City
Bethlehem/Lehigh Valley
Philadelphia
Boston
Chicago
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Cincinnati
San Diego
Orange County/Los Angeles
San Francisco

Other Possible Cities: Phoenix, Dallas, Detroit, Denver

So Excited! More information, including venues, to follow in later posts.

New writing application - not sure if I want to push my writing up on a website yet or not...I am still content with a word doc.

For fun and time-wasting (it most definitely wastes your time) here is the falling sand game: http://chir.ag/stuff/sand/

On a personal note (and really, it's MY blog so it's all pretty much a personal note): I fully intend to run a 5k before the move to Istanbul. Maybe October?
I am currently regularly running 2 miles! Very exciting for me. Though it takes me about 24 minutes to run 2 miles, so hopefully I can try and get faster and eventually run 3.1 miles under 30 minutes.

Presidential Hopeful, IM madness, Elance, Kawaiinot, and other laughs

2008-07-13T16:54:00.003-04:00

Check it out, I am the new presidential hopeful:

GoGameFace!
I have been an extremely busy girl as of late because of GoGameFace work. I am so excited about this project and it looks like we are getting some book tour/GameFace parties mapped out so I should have more info in the coming weeks.

Facebook!
As I have written in previous posts, I become easily distracted by Facebook. The most recent application that has me fascinated and gave me quite a bit of laughs is the "Flair Button" app. There is one button that I just love, "Strange women laying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government."

Also, I added the GoGameFace flair button!! Go add it to your profile. Um, seriously go now. :)

Instant Messenger Madness!!
I am looking for a PC chat client (instant messenger) because I am so sick of AIM crashing on me or preventing me from IMing people. I will see someone online and think "I can't wait to tell them about that cool movie I just saw." I click on the person's name in an attempt to begin the chatting ritual and "DENIED." Literally it just refuses to open the window. I can look at their profile and invite them to a have a "proper" chat in a chat room but I can't just casually IM them. So Lame.

Elance! (www.elance.com)
After reading the book that has pretty much changed my life for the better, (or at least so far it has) "4-Hour Work Week," I started looking into things that would create efficiencies in my life. One of them was Elance.
If you ever needed research done on the cosmetics industry or need a temporary worker with strong writing experience this is the place to go. It is all about outsourcing and having personally used this site I have to say I love it. I had posted a project for $50 total to find out the cosmetics industry including big manufacturs, industry trends, online presence, ingredients, etc. I got back about 20 pages of very insightful research in approximately 5 days. I have added a little Elance button on my right rail if you want to check it out.

Here is an excellent and very funny (like laugh out loud type of funny) by the fabulous writer/author AJ Jacobs about outsourcing in Esquire/Smart Money section: http://ur.lc/33

Kawaiinot by Meghan Murphy
Meghan is a great illustrator with killer wit to match. If you have an opportunity definitely go check out her sites. Her personal site is http://www.murphypop.com/

For more kawaiinot comics like the one posted below (so funny, right?) go to: http://www.kawaiinot.com
As stated on her about/FAQ page, "Kawaii Not is a four panel webcomic, typically featuring cute versions of everyday objects doing and saying some crazy stuff. Hopefully it's funny. Or maybe you're just dead inside."

In closing - Dimitri "the stud"
To finish up this post I leave you with something truly spectacular. I am not sure if this is real or fake, but it is absolutely funny and I have met some "interesting guys" before with Egos the size of Texas so I feel like this guy could be completely serious. It is posted on fellow blogger's, The Sherman Foundation's site. Hit play, sit back, and question humanity. http://ur.lc/2d
Also my Dimitri confirmed it wasn't him. Whew. haha

banned commercial: skyy vodka

2008-06-26T17:39:00.001-04:00

Slight change of plans and fun new applications!

2008-06-26T15:16:00.018-04:00

Plans have changed, but only slightly. Instead of leaving at the end of August for Istanbul, I will instead be leaving at the end of October for a November TEFL course. I am going to be working in marketing/promotions for my Aunt's new business venture that includes a book tour in September. More information to follow in later postings and hopefully some of you will be able to attend one of the events!

In my search for some interesting applications to assist in promotions and event planning I ran across:

This seems to be a pretty good site for adding and finding events nearby even in international locations. I will be posting some dates and locations for the book tour route over the next couple of months.

*************************************************************************

Other applications that continue to hold my attention:

1.

There is fantastic art displayed here and also it's pretty easy to work with the drawing tools. Needless to say, I wasn't constructing anything even half as good as some of the displayed work, but fun and time consuming nonetheless.

2.
As a friend stated when I mentioned this new application, "the names of these applications are getting to be more and more ridiculous." Though I kinda agree I still really like this new application quite a lot. Xoopit finds and shares pictures, videos and files buried in your inbox. I discovered some old JROTC pictures that I totally forgot about. The video I posted of the banned Skyy video was shared quite a bit via Xoopit.

3.

Facebook...totally sucks me in. I login and then it's, "oh, Stacey changed her profile pic." Next thing you know I am browsing through wedding pictures of some girl who lives in Texas that I have never met. I find myself thinking "nice flowers." Caption reads "Aren't they cute together?" and I find myself slowly shaking my head, "yes they are." Ridiculous.

4.

Though not a social media tool, I have been using the URL compressor quite a bit this week...pretty handy. Take a look at these "before" and "after" celebrity TMZ images that held my attention for way too long via the "compressed URL:" http://ur.lc/2b

Washington State Lottery Commercial

2008-06-17T21:12:00.001-04:00

Every bird should get to fly...what a great message.

Bad News and Turning it All Around

2008-06-16T22:24:00.011-04:00

Bad news was received in the form of an email. The Lehigh professor helping me with the Fulbright decided, after looking over everything that I would have a difficult time being able to win the scholarship. My pursuit of a business degree and work experience in advertising didn't exactly hail me as the most likely of candidates, but I feel so passionate about working and "giving back" to the world right now I figured it would be enough. Apparently not. I will find another way or the European Union may just be ruled out for a while at least.

In other news - I have continued my soziety.com interactions. There are a limited number of Americans who speak English on the site so I usually am bombarded with people wanting to chat via Skype. Currently I am chatting with Miguel from Seville, Spain the most often. He works as a financial controller, is 36, likes long walks on the beach...just kidding.

I am starting to consistently talk/IM via Skype with the same people and my only fear is that I may run out of things to say. They want to hear the English words for familiarity and I can't just spit out random sentences because that's not really helpful. Yet, there is only so much of "how are you," "what is your favorite color," "it's Friday night in (European/Asian country insert here) so why are you on Skype learning English and not out having fun?"

I may be delaying my move to Turkey because of an opportunity (to be discussed later as it develops) that may take place during the month of September.

I am continuing to read my grammar books and need to crack open my "Younger Learners" book just in case little ones are in my teaching future. Also, I fully intend to practice my guitar more often than I have been. No more excuses. (I say this more to push myself than as an interesting sentence for the readers).

The Turkey soccer game is coming up soon for the Eurocup and I fully intend to watch! Hopefully some of you will as well.

Some funny items listed below:

One very funny comment I saw on the Facebook SpeedDate application that I had mentioned on Twitter and Plurk - Please read the the 4th comment:
http://ur.lc/1r

more cat pictures

more cat pictures

Be sure to watch the Penguin flying video that I posted from YouTube! Totally the best commercial ever. :)

Learning Spanish: old-school style with new application!

2008-06-11T17:16:00.008-04:00

I just found out about this fun site: http://www.soziety.com where you can practice a variety of different languages via Skype. I just registered and plan to try it out when I gain the courage to practice my Spanish. Go ahead and click on the logo and check it out!

After browsing around for a little bit I ended up chatting with someone from Argentina named Diego. He was really friendly and spoke English pretty well. i think he thought I was lying to him, but truly he did a pretty good job. There was just one point where I think he was displeased that I was asking too much about the "command form" of a verb. "No need to worry about stupid things like these" were his exact words. Yet, it was followed by "don't worry about making mistakes or anything, you are doing really well." So, the sting of being called-out for an obsession with verbs diminished and my pride has remained unscathed. We are chatting again tomorrow early evening and I am actually excited!

I found out about this great site via another super informative site that I must give credit to: Spainexpat.com.

Also, I am getting really into the need to up my karma points in Plurk. There is a regular "chat" type demeanor within this application that I am really quite fond of. Though some would say it is a twin of "Twitter," I feel like I use the two applications very differently. Twitter is much more about stalking and reading up on interesting news and random stories. Plurk seems to be about responses and philosophical queries. I heart them both!

Though my Fulbright essay revisions are complete and I feel good about that, I still feel pangs of guilt at any one time for not doing one of many other things. Practicing Spanish, practicing Turkish, practicing English grammar, organizing my mementos, reading up on teaching English, blog writing, ebaying, emailing, plurking, twittering, etc. There is always something I can be doing in preparation for my move and I am not very good about just relaxing and letting go.

Also, with the influx of emails from prospective companies (that normally I would be super interested in) emailing me, I have a constant state of "is changing my current career path the best choice?" I absolutely think it is only because I think I will come back stronger and better than I was before. I feel really good about the impending move and know that though it will be a challenge and very tiring and frustrating at times, that it will forever change me in the best of ways.

TWITTER Whore Part 1

2008-06-10T22:28:00.002-04:00

I am not to this level yet...wondering when "Plurking whore" will be be available...

eCards, laptops and all things wonderful...

2008-06-08T00:00:00.010-04:00

First of all - following someecards on Twitter has revolutionized my life. I know I will laugh everytime I look at their tweets even though I may be swirling in a daze of pessimism.

Will I ever get married, am I making a mistake doing A, B, and C? Click to Twitter and the post reads " I'm torn between Burger King's desire for me to see Indiana Jones and Burger King's desire for me to see Iron Man," "It's time we all accepted the Gay Pride Parade isn't much gayer than any other parade" or " My agonizingly trivial Twitter updates only confirm the bone-chilling hollowness of my existence," and I cannot help but laugh aloud, even if someecards doubts me. (http://www.someecards.com)
In other news - my laptop was out of commission for less than 48 hours because of Dell's awesome service. Thankfully Dimitri and I were smart in our purchase and got the 3-yr warranty that just hooked me up with quick parts delivery and at-home service. Having to chat with the serviceman about foreclosures, cicadas, and the weather was just an added bonus. I felt naked and alone with my laptop displaying grid-like marks and black lines, and I am starting to think I just might be a tad too addicted to the Internet. I say oh well and keep browsing.

My laptop not working deflated my motivation for revising my Fulbright essays. The feedback I received requires quite a bit of work. Whereas I had written about concrete examples of implementing social media into TEFL, it has been requested that I express more passion and interest in Spain as a country. I do have the passion, I just haven't written an essay in a few years and it's more obvious than I would like it to be.

I am in the midst of planning going away get-togethers for the end of summer in preparation for the big move in August. In the meantime there are essays to write, grammar to learn, Spanish to study, cats to cuddle-with....you get the gist.

Plurking, Twittering, Pouncing all up'n hurr.

2008-06-03T23:19:00.007-04:00

It's been a few days since my last post - but I have been busy so stop nagging peeps. Also, my laptop is "sick" right now. I instant messaged with SLCg_Robert_168499 and he informed me that within 2-5 days the parts should be available and then the service guy will arrive and solve all of my laptop issues.

Exciting news is that I am testing a new part-time role as an online English tutor. I figure it will help provide a basis of what I can expect on "the next big move" as I now calling it. I have literally moved at least every two years since my first year of high school. I am intrigued to see where I end up living for 3 years. It may just never happen. I never really saw myself as restless - but maybe I just refuse to acknowledge it.

As stated in my Twitter posts; I am practicing Spanish on a daily basis with a little Turkey mixed in to break it up. Oh, and Ebay and application writing for the Fulbright. My life is so "living-on-the-edge-like" isn't it? Yet, with all of my Nintendo DS Spanish game, Rosetta Stone and Audiobook Spanish on my iTouch, I still feel like I am lacking at proficiency. Sometimes in my dreamland (or after a few glasses of wine) I envision that I am proficient. I believe I will get better, it's just taking a while and I feel the time constraint of my language assessment closing in on me.

I had some interesting news stories and such to post, but they will have to wait till I get my laptop back in working condition!

Impatiently Waiting...

2008-05-30T10:11:00.007-04:00

I have issues with waiting. I completely admit that. I just want to have my essay with edits and comments back from the professor. It has been approximately 24 hours. Yeah, I know, I can be pretty ridiculous.

I cannot wait to start teaching. I need to practice my Turkish but have been spending a lot of time working on Spanish for the language assessment portion of the Fulbright. I really hope I am ready for the assessment.

I saw something funny on Laughingsquid.com that is a must-see for those who enjoy the LOLcats website:
Missing Lolcat, Responds to “Cheezburger”
http://laughingsquid.com/lolcat-responds-to-cheezburger/

Twitter has now become part of "my routine." Awake. Talk to the cat about how "dry food is just as acceptable as can food." Also that she is "only getting cans every other day." Realize I am talking to my cat and it's time to go interact with people. Sit down at computer and "interact with people" via Twitter. Drink coffee and check email then check eBay. That is the AM portion of my day. When Twitter doesn't work it really throws me off...so for any Twitter admins out there - just realize you hold a lot of power and can truly create a destructive morning.

So, instead of another long-winded post that is filled with text and lacks in images, I have decided to present a few videos from a really great site, Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/
The third one has nothing whatsoever to do with social media or TEFL but I felt a need to post it anyway.

Clever video discussing Social Media:

Social Media in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.

Video about Twitter:

Twitter in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.

Random but Funny Zombie Information Video:

Zombies in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.

First draft complete!!! and other fascinating news...

2008-05-29T13:02:00.010-04:00

I must start off with a nod to a story that captured my interest and can be deemed as relevant to my blog (all things come back to MY blog right? Well they should).

A news story from the Chicago Tribune by Eric Zorn (http://ur.lc/1b) discussing McCain's pronunciation error of the Iran leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad included a link to one of my favorite sites Forvo (http://www.forvo.com/). In daily conversations I haven't found myself ever saying "Ahmadinejad," so my attempt to try and say it was much worse than McCain's. I then engage my Mom about it briefly and she says it perfectly, just like the native speaker from Forvo. Okay, so maybe McCain and I need to brush-up on "world leader's names and pronunciation." A fun game for the whole family.

Also I found the challenge posed on the WikiProject EduTech page on Wikipedia to be interesting! The challenge/goal is "that representatives of the EduTech community work on any one of the many lamentably poor articles in their field, and get them up to at least Good article status, ideally Featured article status, within the next sixty days." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_EduTech)
The lamentably poor articles being those related to incorporating technology into education.

I have finally finished (hoooray) my first draft of my proposal and purpose statement for the Fulbright to the Lehigh professor helping me through the process! I know there will be many, many, many more rewrites before I submit the application, but I am still excited about at getting through the first write-up!

In other news and possible future goal: How long would it take to gain 25,000 followers like Scobleizer on Twitter? Apparently around 12,000 updates... http://twitter.com/Scobleizer

And the process continues...

2008-05-27T15:33:00.018-04:00

I have encountered a very minor, but annoying, dilemma: there really isn't any offline material for someone pursuing a teaching career within the EFL field. More specifically, someone who has an interest in utilizing Web 2.0 capabilities within their teaching practice. I know it may seem ridiculous to desire to read a book about these two elements when I can find the material online, but I figured there might be a great book with consolidated information that I could use as constant companion in my new adventure.

I have gone to a couple of larger bookstores to attempt to find the "all encompassing" book but haven't been successful. I realize that most EFL/ESL books center around teaching to students in which English is the primary language. I know that I could learn some important and essential tips and tricks on teaching by reading these books, but I am looking for a read that places the emphasis on being in a location where English is primarily a second language.

I did some perusing on Amazon and found, Teaching English Abroad, 7th (Teaching English Abroad) (Paperback) from 2005. (Amazon listing: http://ur.lc/14) Could be interesting, but is it the only one of it's kind? What about a book referencing social media outlets, etc? Maybe this one instead TEFL Questions and Answers (Paperback)(http://ur.lc/17).

I have been reading How To Teach English (Book with DVD) (How S.) (Paperback): http://ur.lc/16. It has been pretty fascinating to read about aspects of teaching that I never would have considered previously. Such as a general layout of a classroom and the social impact that it can represent.

Thankfully there are lots of great online resources that have helped me formulate some good ideas not only for when I begin to teach but also for my Fulbright application.

I had spent the majority of the last few days writing by hand (almost a foreign idea to me nowadays) my proposal and personal statement. Last night around 11PM I started to type-up my rough drafts. Organization is lacking within my paper so now I need to motivate myself to complete that...

Some cool applications/sites that I have seen on the web that would be relevant for TEFL:
*Forvo - A pronunciation guide in different languages by native speakers (http://forvo.com/)
*Heads up English - a website with English lesson plans and articles (http://www.headsupenglish.com)
*Twitter - always deserves a mention. Great social networking (http://twitter.com)

Off-Topic Alert:

Here is an interesting Turkish news story: http://ur.lc/15

Also, here is an extremely funny reward for making it through my blog from LOLCats:

more cat pictures

The beginning...

2008-05-26T11:26:00.006-04:00

I have been wanting to start a blog for a while but never felt I had anything worthwhile to say...I now realize that I want to collect my thoughts and feelings for personal gain as well.

I am about to embark on a really amazing experience (at least I hope it will be amazing).

My story (in very short form): I had graduated from college with a business degree in marketing and communications and have spent the last three years working within the interactive marketing and advertising sector. I have had the opportunity to work in publishing as an intern in NYC to pharmaceutical advertising in Philadelphia. In order to move away from sounding like a resume/CV lets just say that I had some good and bad experiences. I have personally experience "the Devil Wears Prada" type of boss and have felt caged by the three cube walls that I began to view as a second home. At the same time I have been challenged and had the thrill of working through some complicated material or project successfully. I always struggled tremendously with accounting and finance in college but somehow managed to do quite well when faced with required budgeting tasks.

About a year ago my boyfriend was able to get a relocation opportunity to the south of Spain through his employment to start this summer. We started to consider what we should in terms of my career, blah blah. Countless (and I meant countless because I am definitely one of those people who go over-the-top in terms of planning and preparation) conversations later we had decided to possibly get married. Then we decided maybe not...time was limited and it was stressful enough moving to a foreign country. Also, I wouldn't be able to work over in Spain. If I did choose to get my certification for TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) there was no guarantee that I would get a job and a work permit as a non-EU. (I will discuss all of my research on this subject in a later post).

Finally it all came to a halt as he needed to go over there early and I am not sure how it will all play out. I have decided that after endless research about the best opportunities for teachers in EFL/ESL that I will go to Eastern Europe. Istanbul, Turkey specifically. I have a friend (who has been ridiculously helpful) teaching there now and think this might be the best option.

Also, I am applying to the Fulbright program for a teaching assistantship in Spain for the 2009-2010 school year. (More to come in later posts on this as well)

So that is my first blog. My last year of decision-making and stress all wrapped up in a few paragraphs. Regardless, I am so excited about what the future holds.

Well that wasn't really all that hard. Maybe I am self-absorbed and like writing about myself. :)
That couldn't be it...