I know i have been home a week and havent even told everyone all about the mess that was my travel home to the states. i apologize for that. i have been trying to adjust to being back in the states and have been super busy during that process. plus i know that if i wrote something too soon after getting back it would inevitably end up very emo and i know not everyone needs to read all about that. anyways....
we had to get up early in the morning so that we could be ready for when his uncle martin came to pick us up. the drive to the airport seemed sooo long. but in a bad way. Alex sat in the front and i was in the back by myself. the radio was turned up so i couldnt really hear the conversation in the front - leaving me alone in the back in silence. lol. how sad and emo and pain stakingly long the drive was. something i had dreaded since i had arrived. finding our way around the airport was slightly difficult but then Alex and i finally got a few minutes to say our goodbyes. as always, it was full of tears and sadness. its something that never gets easier. i cant tell you how much i didnt want to leave him......
the plane ride to Amsterdam was fine. nothing went wrong. after landing i thought i had a bit longer than i was supposed to so i wondered around the shops before realizing that i needed to get moving to my terminal. found it with no problems....and then i sat there and waited. and waited. and waited. the plane arrived 1 hour after it was scheduled. the plane was a huge 747 so there was piles of people waited to board. i ended up sitting between to guys reading my book and people watching. i was very distracted by this family that stood near where i was seated. what kept my attention so much was who i assumed (which i know is a thinking error, lol) were a set of twins. they looked identical - freckles, curly Orange hair, same age - but acted quite disturbing towards one another. the were behaving as if they were dating, not brother and sister. their fingers were intertwined, she stroked the back of his arm, they kept kissing one another on the cheek, he kissed her neck a few times, they were playfully nudging one another.....it was very odd. they thing is, the boy was doing some of the same to who i assume was the father, minus the kissing. i wasnt the only one that noticed, a lot of people were very distracted by this display. it was very odd.
finally we boarded the plane. and continued to sit there for an additional hour before moving from the dock. the only thing they would tell us about this 1 hr 40 min delay was that there was 'paperwork issues' they had to sort out before taking off.....thats all we ever heard. the flight went ok once we got into the air and we eventually landed safely. however, the in flight safety video had to be restarted 3 times and the lights were all flashy during his time as well. they said it was an error in the video and kept restarting it. once we finally took off their was no more electrical problems. i sat next to a girl that was returning from backpacking through Europe with her friend. she grew up in Iowa so that was kinda nice. we didnt really talk much after the first few hours. i ended up watching 3 movies and playing some of the electronic games.
once we landed i was stressed about making my connecting flight from Detroit into cedar rapids. customs went quickly but the luggage took forever. time came and went and i missed my flight waiting for my luggage to come down. most people had connecting flights and we were all herded into another line where they would tell us which flights they put us on or if we had to stay the night in Detroit. when i got to the front of the line the lady told me 25 people flying to cedar rapids had to stay over in Detroit. i dont think there was any way there was that many people travelling to Iowa. she said this was because their was only one additional flight into cedar rapids that night and it was already overbooked. again, i think that was a lie. the cedar rapids airport is small, but there never are full flights going in or coming out. not that i have ever been on ayways. the lady told me i was lucky and that i could make the flight to cedar rapids if i hurried. i told her i would try. little did i know the huge mess that would end up being.
she game me the most awkward directs on how to get to the terminal i needed. and, of course, it included taking a shuttle bus to the other side of the airport with all of my luggage. just so everyone knows, i had 2 large suitcases that barely weighed under the 100 lb limit each, a carry on full of shoes and other heavy items, and my purse. luckily i managed to find one of those trolley things to lug it all in. it helped a lot. once i found the place where i needed to be to get onto the trolley i was lost within the wave of hotel trams and buses. i had no clue what this trolley looked like or where to find it. i asked a pilot that was smoking a cigarette outside where i needed to go. he told me that they should have never put me on that flight because there wasnt going to be enough time to recheck my luggage and get over there before the gates were closed. specially because the trolley i needed only came once every 15 min to half hour and i was already crunched for time. he stood there with me until i found one....which he flagged down for me. the trolley stopped, opened its door, and told me he could not stop to pick me up. he then drove off. the pilot told me the only way i was going to make it would be to catch a $30 taxi.....
eventually i caught a trolley and the driver helped me load everything on the trolley. the drive was soooo slow. of course by the time we finally got there and i unloaded all of my stuff it was too late. but i had no choice but to find the american airlines desk and ask them what the hell to do next. i ended up making it to the terminal at 818...and the plane was to leave at 825. the gates were closed and i wasnt allowed to board. i had to hall all of my luggage, without the luggage kart, all the way back to the other side of the airport. so i took a trolley and made my way back to the delta airlines desk. one of the hertz bus drivers saw me struggling with my luggage and offered to help. neither of us had change to get me a luggage kart so he found a stray wheelchair to do the job.
nearly 2 hours after i had landed in Detroit i finally made it back to the delta airlines desk. the lady was very helpful and set me up with a room in a hotel for the night, some meal vouchers, and a flight home the next morning at 830 am. again, i had to return to the wave of buses and trolleys and find the one for my hotel. which wasnt labelled i might add. the van ride only took 10 minutes, and it was full of delta airlines fliers that had been given other flights, only one of which was from my Amsterdam flight. we all swapped stories on the ride over and waited in line together at the hotel desk.
the hotel was ok, i didnt sleep very much, and i was overly tired. since my cell phone was out of service i had to borrow a mans cell phone in the airport to call my family and tell them that i was staying in Detroit. of course, nobody answered their phones so i left a million answers. i thanked the man and continued on my way. not 2 minutes later he returned with a call from my dad. lol. it was amusing. so anyways, once i was in the hotel i made at $20 phone call to my dad to tell him all my plans. and i managed to speak to Alex as well so he wouldnt worry. then i showered and ordered room service of a mushroom swiss burger. and went to bed.
i set 4 alarms that night so that i would most definitely be able to wake up and get to the airport on time. i did. and made my nearly empty flight into cedar rapids. it went smoothly and by that time i was more than ready to be home....even tho i never wanted to leave England in the first place.
to summarize - delta airlines sucks, people that are travelling really are friendly and nice to make small talk with, and siblings really shouldnt act like a dating couple in public....oh yeah, and i was sad to end my England adventure without a job and not knowing when id be back. the summer was unforgettable and i have people in England that i care about, and that care about me. i feel divided and people will always be missing me. that sucks.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Livin in the 80s and formal dinner parties
so here is what i was up to the last bit of when i was in England. i was sooo busy trying to make the most of every minute i had left in the UK that i didnt bother trying to get on here to update everyone. im really sorry.....
so basically Alex had nearly the entire last week i was in England off of work. we were very busy trying to get everything all ready for his cousins 21st 80s themed birthday party in a pub down the road. getting ready for it was a blast! we searched for weeks online and in shops for all of the bits and pieces to our costumes. i went as a cupcake doll and Alex as scrooge mcduck. i wore a bridesmaids dress with some sparkle fabric over the top and painted an umbrella hat then glued sparkle sprinkles on top of it. Alex had a duck beak that we glued glasses on, a top hat, i made him duck feet, and he found a blue overcoat. it was way fun! turns out that Alex, Anna, and i were one of the only people to show up in Fancy dress. and there wasnt many people there total.....but it was fun to get all dressed up and to see all of his family at the pub.
the next day we had to wait up to 3 am in order to ensure that his parents were awake to leave for their flight to turkey. they had to drive a ways to get to the correct airport so they left the house at 430. poor Alex wasnt feeling the best so he napped a bit while we waited up. Anna had left earlier in the day to stay with friends of the family for a week until she joins her parents a bunch of family friends in turkey. how nice that must be!
after that Alex and i had the house to ourselves for the rest of the time i was there....granted it was only a few days, but it was still very nice to get some privacy and nobody to bug us. unfortunately, Alex was really sick that first day (this past Sunday) so he took lots of naps and lots of breaks between our cleaning and cooking for the formal dinner party. we were invited that night to have dinner at his grandmas house with his aunt and uncle. luckily the spicy homemade soup cured him! it made him sweat like no other but he was feeling so much better after that meal.
the entire next day we cooked all of the food for the formal dinner party we were hosting. pictures are on facebook courtesy of Sarah. attendants ended up being graham, Sarah, Luke, Jo, Gordan, and Grant. it was so super fun! we cleaned hardcore and downloaded classical music, decorated with candles and place settings and flowers. the menu consisted of a mushroom starter with garlic cream sauce over homemade melbatoast, bourbon chicken accompanied by lemon wedge potatoes, veggie paella for those that dont eat meat, and beautiful fresh orange cream parfaits with double orange delight as an alternative. it all ended up very yummy and everyone seemed to enjoy it. the rest of the night was full of drinking and chatting and card games and music. it was a wonderful way to end my trip! 4 of them made me a british dressed build-a-bear with a voicebox recording of them saying hello and telling me the bears name (Bartholomew). people brought wine and flowers and chocolate, and a couple people made toasts to me - saying they would miss me and that they felt i was part of their group. it was sooo very sweet of them.
tuesday was my last day in England so Alex and i didnt bother to clean everything up, just some of it. i packed my things once everyone from the dinner party that stayed had left and we just kinda hung out and enjoyed the time we had left. lots of cuddling and tv watching, some wii sports thrown in there....a delicious tortellini lunch, and pizza for dinner. then some Big Bang Theory (my new favorite show) and bed. it was a great ending.....even tho there was quite a bit of crying.
so basically Alex had nearly the entire last week i was in England off of work. we were very busy trying to get everything all ready for his cousins 21st 80s themed birthday party in a pub down the road. getting ready for it was a blast! we searched for weeks online and in shops for all of the bits and pieces to our costumes. i went as a cupcake doll and Alex as scrooge mcduck. i wore a bridesmaids dress with some sparkle fabric over the top and painted an umbrella hat then glued sparkle sprinkles on top of it. Alex had a duck beak that we glued glasses on, a top hat, i made him duck feet, and he found a blue overcoat. it was way fun! turns out that Alex, Anna, and i were one of the only people to show up in Fancy dress. and there wasnt many people there total.....but it was fun to get all dressed up and to see all of his family at the pub.
the next day we had to wait up to 3 am in order to ensure that his parents were awake to leave for their flight to turkey. they had to drive a ways to get to the correct airport so they left the house at 430. poor Alex wasnt feeling the best so he napped a bit while we waited up. Anna had left earlier in the day to stay with friends of the family for a week until she joins her parents a bunch of family friends in turkey. how nice that must be!
after that Alex and i had the house to ourselves for the rest of the time i was there....granted it was only a few days, but it was still very nice to get some privacy and nobody to bug us. unfortunately, Alex was really sick that first day (this past Sunday) so he took lots of naps and lots of breaks between our cleaning and cooking for the formal dinner party. we were invited that night to have dinner at his grandmas house with his aunt and uncle. luckily the spicy homemade soup cured him! it made him sweat like no other but he was feeling so much better after that meal.
the entire next day we cooked all of the food for the formal dinner party we were hosting. pictures are on facebook courtesy of Sarah. attendants ended up being graham, Sarah, Luke, Jo, Gordan, and Grant. it was so super fun! we cleaned hardcore and downloaded classical music, decorated with candles and place settings and flowers. the menu consisted of a mushroom starter with garlic cream sauce over homemade melbatoast, bourbon chicken accompanied by lemon wedge potatoes, veggie paella for those that dont eat meat, and beautiful fresh orange cream parfaits with double orange delight as an alternative. it all ended up very yummy and everyone seemed to enjoy it. the rest of the night was full of drinking and chatting and card games and music. it was a wonderful way to end my trip! 4 of them made me a british dressed build-a-bear with a voicebox recording of them saying hello and telling me the bears name (Bartholomew). people brought wine and flowers and chocolate, and a couple people made toasts to me - saying they would miss me and that they felt i was part of their group. it was sooo very sweet of them.
tuesday was my last day in England so Alex and i didnt bother to clean everything up, just some of it. i packed my things once everyone from the dinner party that stayed had left and we just kinda hung out and enjoyed the time we had left. lots of cuddling and tv watching, some wii sports thrown in there....a delicious tortellini lunch, and pizza for dinner. then some Big Bang Theory (my new favorite show) and bed. it was a great ending.....even tho there was quite a bit of crying.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
No, I Haven't Made A Decision
people keep asking me my plan and whats next. and i still haven't a clue. ive tried to put it to the back of my mind but it keeps being brought back up. i just haven't come to a reasonable and acceptable decision as of yet.....
i figure that some of you out there have to wonder why i seem so stressed out over whats happening next and so bothered by the fact that i don't have a plan. i guess its just the way my mind works. i know plenty of people who just fly by the seat of their pants so to speak. they just do what they want when they want how they want. and if it doesn't work out the way they want then they just go with the flow or decide to randomly go in a different direction. for some reason i can't adapt those sorts of thought patterns. not in this case. i can see where it would be beneficial - a lot less stress, a lot more fun. its just not my way of doing things....not that i ever really do whats 'expected' or 'normal' in many situations. im sure you get what i mean......and if not then im sorry, im too deep in my own thoughts to explain it right now....
im finding it really hard to wrap my head around leaving England and not knowing when im coming back. not knowing when im going to be able to spend time like this with Alex again. not knowing when ill be able to be around all the wonderful people i have met. i know that will come in time. but i hate not knowing when that will be. im a very patient person most of the time. i can keep my cool with people and usually can put my emotions and opinions aside to help other people. that's a strength of mine. but i cant be patient for myself, no matter how hard i try. i cant just sit back and wait until something comes my way. i don't want to waste my life away. and i am not content with doing what society says i should be doing at this point in my life. blah blah blah. im not trying to sound all rebellious and nonconformist but i fear that's what it seems.....i'm done for now.
i figure that some of you out there have to wonder why i seem so stressed out over whats happening next and so bothered by the fact that i don't have a plan. i guess its just the way my mind works. i know plenty of people who just fly by the seat of their pants so to speak. they just do what they want when they want how they want. and if it doesn't work out the way they want then they just go with the flow or decide to randomly go in a different direction. for some reason i can't adapt those sorts of thought patterns. not in this case. i can see where it would be beneficial - a lot less stress, a lot more fun. its just not my way of doing things....not that i ever really do whats 'expected' or 'normal' in many situations. im sure you get what i mean......and if not then im sorry, im too deep in my own thoughts to explain it right now....
im finding it really hard to wrap my head around leaving England and not knowing when im coming back. not knowing when im going to be able to spend time like this with Alex again. not knowing when ill be able to be around all the wonderful people i have met. i know that will come in time. but i hate not knowing when that will be. im a very patient person most of the time. i can keep my cool with people and usually can put my emotions and opinions aside to help other people. that's a strength of mine. but i cant be patient for myself, no matter how hard i try. i cant just sit back and wait until something comes my way. i don't want to waste my life away. and i am not content with doing what society says i should be doing at this point in my life. blah blah blah. im not trying to sound all rebellious and nonconformist but i fear that's what it seems.....i'm done for now.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Crossroad Dead Ahead
I have realized that i have a big decision to make very soon about what i will do next with my life. its a huge decision thats going to effect a lot of people...and no matter what i choose someone is always going to be displeased. i know life is hard and full of tough choices, i just have to decide whats more important to me at this point in my life and where to go now that my latest plan has nearly fallen though.
i think it goes without saying that i took a huge risk coming here. i had a very stable, full time, real people job that i couldve had as long as i wanted/needed it. and i quit that job to come over here for 2 months. even though i got very frustrated at my job due to the lack of resources available, it wasnt a bad job at all. and it was such a secure one. with the economy how it is today thats a lot to give up just so i can essentially have a 2 month vacation, see my boyfriend, and attempt to find a job in a country that has an equally as bad economy. but i did. and i dont regret that choice. this has been an amazing summer and i wouldve regretted not coming here and giving all of this a go.
the decision is this: what will i choose to do with my life next?
i have several options here. i will list and discuss them now, weighing the pros and cons of each. (feel free to skip this blog....i have a feeling it will either be really dull or get really emo at some point. i wont blame you if you decide to click away from my blog) -
OPTION 1: GO BACK TO WORK AT TANAGER
STATUS: the easy option
i worked at Tanager Place for 10 months. it has been my only real people job and provided me with a lot of extra cash. which funded my current trip. like i said, its a very stable job. there will never be a time when they wont need more employees there. i may not be able to work in the same cottage that i was originally in, but i am sure i could get my job back quit easily.
PROS- ill have an income to fund more trips to england....if i would be able to get time off that is. i could live at home free of rent. id be around family. it would keep me busy = less emo cassie. the staff are amazing people. if i wanted i could go back to school part time and have it paid for by Tanager - but id have to commute and it isnt really the programs i want. when the kids make progress, its very rewarding. its a good job for my resume. i learn a lot there. it would take very little effort and has a high success rate.
CONS- id be working a job where i have the knowledge but not the resources to give the children the help they really need. it gets very frustrating. id go back to a work environment where i get swore at and beat up by children on a daily basis. id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: i wouldnt be very happy. id do it if i had to, but i would return to being a bit miserable.
OPTION 1B: WORK AT TANAGER AND LOOK FOR ENGLAND JOBS ONLINE
STATUS: the still being hopeful...at Tanager option
PROS - all of the pros from option 1 plus - there would still be a chance i could find a job in england online. id already be in the US to start the visa process. i could take my time finding a really good job. theres no time limit on this plan.
CONS - all of the cons from option 1 plus - finding a job is difficult if i cant be there for the interviews. phone interviews just arent the same. i may not find one. waiting for a visa could take a long time. communicating with jobs from overseas really sucks. if it fails, id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: its a pretty good option i spose. and a responcible one. one that i could please a lot of people with. im not sold on it, but i havent written it off as of yet.
OPTION 2: TAKE THE SUMMER OFF AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB IN THE US
STATUS: US economy risk
before i left the states i had mentioned to my mom several times that i might wanna find a new job in the fall due to my frustrations getting to me at Tanager. i would like to get other job experience before going back to school. i was thinking a drug/rehab clinic, working with eating disorders, or a more intensive in-patient treatment facility. it most likely would not be in iowa because our mental health services arent very good and we have one of the lowest budgets in the US.
PROS - a new job would be both interesting and challenging. it would keep me busy and happier than Tanager would. i would have my own apartment again. Morris could come with me. good for my resume. good for figuring out what i want to go to grad school for.
CONS - it most likely wouldnt be in iowa = not around family and friends. the economy sucks so it might take me a long time to find a job. i may not be able to find one at all. id probably become more withdrawn than i already am since i wouldnt be around anyone i know. i cant be bothered to make new friends. id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: its very much unknown how happy this option would actually make me. yes, its a bit of a risk and it might end up with me having a job i really like....but it might end in me not finding one at all. or that ill find one and move away, only to find out i hate the job or where i am living. it would make me happier to have tried this and failed than just being stuck at Tanager wondering if i couldve found a better job.
OPTION 3: TAKE A JOB BUT APPLY FOR GRAD SCHOOL
STATUS: preparing for 'our future'
i think my parents were less than happy when i took time off to go to work instead of going to grad school....a choice i made after applying and interviewing at several places. i do intend on going back to get a masters at some point. the idea was that job experience would help me decide what i want to go to grad school for. I think that i have decided i want to go for clinical mental health counseling. i did look up grad schools the other day and emailed myself a list of them with web addresses.
PROS - if i go to school now, the same time as Alex does, then i will be doing my supervised practise when he comes over to the US for his grad school. my schooling would then be out of the way and we could live together in the US and not have to worry about being in the US and apart at some point for school. it would keep me very busy. i would get my own apartment again. Morris could come with me. there are programs where i could concentrate on addiction or eating disorders. Alex and i could spend summers and breaks together.
CONS - i wouldnt be working so there would be no funds for trips to see Alex. none of the programs are in iowa.theres always a chance that i wont get in. its too late to apply for fall, id have to wait until the spring term. not all programs allow spring entry. id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION:this really does make a lot of sense in the grand scheme of things. i wouldnt be the happiest but it would make things a lot easier for us down the line. due to the intensity of grad school i would probably be quite content. plus the thought of doing something good for me and good for my relationship would give me a sense of purpose and satisfaction, keeping me sane for 3 years. an option i should and will very much consider.
OPTION 4: TAKE A CRAP JOB IN ENGLAND
STATUS: just so i can be with Alex
it has been suggested by so many people both in england and back home that i take this route. i can see why, its sortof a quick fix, get me over here kinda option. but i dont really think its that easy. id of course still look for a good job once i was here....but theres visa issues to think about.
PROS - it would get me into england. with my degree a tier 1 visa shouldnt be hard to get. i could leave a bunch of my stuff here when i go home. id be back soon. since i leave in 1.5 weeks the visa process could get started quickly. id be with Alex = happy Cassie and Alex. Alex and i can get a flat.
CONS - my parents will kill me if i take a crappy job because its not beneficial for my career. i would be away from the fam and friends for 3 years. bringing Morris here would take at least 6 months and would be very expensive. if i find a new job the visa stuff would get messy because i would need a different kind of visa and you cant hold 2 at once. i think there is stuff id have to return to the US to do...or at least spend a good deal of time sorting it out in London. if i didnt find a better job then i run the risk of having to leave after the visa expires and they wont renew it.
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: this option, in all honesty, would make me the happiest. its going to be a lot of a hassle and expensive to get all of my things over and i will miss everyone back home. it really is the decision my heart is in the most.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
i only live once, and i feel a bit of pressure to make the 'right' choice. im not worried about pleasing everyone else, altho i prefer everyone to be happy with the decision i make. im not at all worried about the status of my relationship. its strong and will continue to be no matter what choice i make. i guess its just down to what i think is best and where my heart is. Alex and i knew that our relationship wouldnt be easy but we are determined to get through everything and be together in the end. itll all work out, i dont doubt that. but this crossroad i am at is a tough choice for some reason. i think part of it is because now that ive been here for nearly 2 months i know what its like to be around him all the time in a non camp setting. and i love it. i truly dont want to go back to things being how they were before i came over. i was quite miserable. but i will endure it if need be, because its what i have to do and its all going to be more than worth it when we get things worked out. im sure people think that it should be a simple choice. that i should just take a crappy job in england. i mean, not everyone gets the chance to travel and explore and live in a different country for a few years. i dont want to pass that up. and, obviously, Alex is here so its naturally where i want to be. but theres also that pesky grad school option. it really does make the most sense for our future together and i would be pretty satisfied with the situation. i guess its either happiness now or later, right? thats really the choice here. i mean, we have come this far and have a lot of life together ahead of us. it probably doesnt matter which i choose because eventually he will be in the states and we can be together....
i know i need to make a choice soon and get my plan refined and set into motion. i guess i can always try for all of it and see when happens first. that might be a good plan of attack. my plans never really work out anyways so there isnt much need for them, really. and i know that, it doesnt bother me. creating a plan just gives me something to work towards and makes me feel a little bit better about being away from Alex....the silly the things people do to trick their minds into thinking they have some control or to self validate. oh the many wonders of the mind.....now to get mine pondering all of this obsessively until i come to a conclusion.
i think it goes without saying that i took a huge risk coming here. i had a very stable, full time, real people job that i couldve had as long as i wanted/needed it. and i quit that job to come over here for 2 months. even though i got very frustrated at my job due to the lack of resources available, it wasnt a bad job at all. and it was such a secure one. with the economy how it is today thats a lot to give up just so i can essentially have a 2 month vacation, see my boyfriend, and attempt to find a job in a country that has an equally as bad economy. but i did. and i dont regret that choice. this has been an amazing summer and i wouldve regretted not coming here and giving all of this a go.
the decision is this: what will i choose to do with my life next?
i have several options here. i will list and discuss them now, weighing the pros and cons of each. (feel free to skip this blog....i have a feeling it will either be really dull or get really emo at some point. i wont blame you if you decide to click away from my blog) -
OPTION 1: GO BACK TO WORK AT TANAGER
STATUS: the easy option
i worked at Tanager Place for 10 months. it has been my only real people job and provided me with a lot of extra cash. which funded my current trip. like i said, its a very stable job. there will never be a time when they wont need more employees there. i may not be able to work in the same cottage that i was originally in, but i am sure i could get my job back quit easily.
PROS- ill have an income to fund more trips to england....if i would be able to get time off that is. i could live at home free of rent. id be around family. it would keep me busy = less emo cassie. the staff are amazing people. if i wanted i could go back to school part time and have it paid for by Tanager - but id have to commute and it isnt really the programs i want. when the kids make progress, its very rewarding. its a good job for my resume. i learn a lot there. it would take very little effort and has a high success rate.
CONS- id be working a job where i have the knowledge but not the resources to give the children the help they really need. it gets very frustrating. id go back to a work environment where i get swore at and beat up by children on a daily basis. id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: i wouldnt be very happy. id do it if i had to, but i would return to being a bit miserable.
OPTION 1B: WORK AT TANAGER AND LOOK FOR ENGLAND JOBS ONLINE
STATUS: the still being hopeful...at Tanager option
PROS - all of the pros from option 1 plus - there would still be a chance i could find a job in england online. id already be in the US to start the visa process. i could take my time finding a really good job. theres no time limit on this plan.
CONS - all of the cons from option 1 plus - finding a job is difficult if i cant be there for the interviews. phone interviews just arent the same. i may not find one. waiting for a visa could take a long time. communicating with jobs from overseas really sucks. if it fails, id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: its a pretty good option i spose. and a responcible one. one that i could please a lot of people with. im not sold on it, but i havent written it off as of yet.
OPTION 2: TAKE THE SUMMER OFF AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB IN THE US
STATUS: US economy risk
before i left the states i had mentioned to my mom several times that i might wanna find a new job in the fall due to my frustrations getting to me at Tanager. i would like to get other job experience before going back to school. i was thinking a drug/rehab clinic, working with eating disorders, or a more intensive in-patient treatment facility. it most likely would not be in iowa because our mental health services arent very good and we have one of the lowest budgets in the US.
PROS - a new job would be both interesting and challenging. it would keep me busy and happier than Tanager would. i would have my own apartment again. Morris could come with me. good for my resume. good for figuring out what i want to go to grad school for.
CONS - it most likely wouldnt be in iowa = not around family and friends. the economy sucks so it might take me a long time to find a job. i may not be able to find one at all. id probably become more withdrawn than i already am since i wouldnt be around anyone i know. i cant be bothered to make new friends. id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: its very much unknown how happy this option would actually make me. yes, its a bit of a risk and it might end up with me having a job i really like....but it might end in me not finding one at all. or that ill find one and move away, only to find out i hate the job or where i am living. it would make me happier to have tried this and failed than just being stuck at Tanager wondering if i couldve found a better job.
OPTION 3: TAKE A JOB BUT APPLY FOR GRAD SCHOOL
STATUS: preparing for 'our future'
i think my parents were less than happy when i took time off to go to work instead of going to grad school....a choice i made after applying and interviewing at several places. i do intend on going back to get a masters at some point. the idea was that job experience would help me decide what i want to go to grad school for. I think that i have decided i want to go for clinical mental health counseling. i did look up grad schools the other day and emailed myself a list of them with web addresses.
PROS - if i go to school now, the same time as Alex does, then i will be doing my supervised practise when he comes over to the US for his grad school. my schooling would then be out of the way and we could live together in the US and not have to worry about being in the US and apart at some point for school. it would keep me very busy. i would get my own apartment again. Morris could come with me. there are programs where i could concentrate on addiction or eating disorders. Alex and i could spend summers and breaks together.
CONS - i wouldnt be working so there would be no funds for trips to see Alex. none of the programs are in iowa.theres always a chance that i wont get in. its too late to apply for fall, id have to wait until the spring term. not all programs allow spring entry. id be away from Alex for the next 3 yrs....
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION:this really does make a lot of sense in the grand scheme of things. i wouldnt be the happiest but it would make things a lot easier for us down the line. due to the intensity of grad school i would probably be quite content. plus the thought of doing something good for me and good for my relationship would give me a sense of purpose and satisfaction, keeping me sane for 3 years. an option i should and will very much consider.
OPTION 4: TAKE A CRAP JOB IN ENGLAND
STATUS: just so i can be with Alex
it has been suggested by so many people both in england and back home that i take this route. i can see why, its sortof a quick fix, get me over here kinda option. but i dont really think its that easy. id of course still look for a good job once i was here....but theres visa issues to think about.
PROS - it would get me into england. with my degree a tier 1 visa shouldnt be hard to get. i could leave a bunch of my stuff here when i go home. id be back soon. since i leave in 1.5 weeks the visa process could get started quickly. id be with Alex = happy Cassie and Alex. Alex and i can get a flat.
CONS - my parents will kill me if i take a crappy job because its not beneficial for my career. i would be away from the fam and friends for 3 years. bringing Morris here would take at least 6 months and would be very expensive. if i find a new job the visa stuff would get messy because i would need a different kind of visa and you cant hold 2 at once. i think there is stuff id have to return to the US to do...or at least spend a good deal of time sorting it out in London. if i didnt find a better job then i run the risk of having to leave after the visa expires and they wont renew it.
RESULTING HAPPINESS/CONCLUSION: this option, in all honesty, would make me the happiest. its going to be a lot of a hassle and expensive to get all of my things over and i will miss everyone back home. it really is the decision my heart is in the most.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
i only live once, and i feel a bit of pressure to make the 'right' choice. im not worried about pleasing everyone else, altho i prefer everyone to be happy with the decision i make. im not at all worried about the status of my relationship. its strong and will continue to be no matter what choice i make. i guess its just down to what i think is best and where my heart is. Alex and i knew that our relationship wouldnt be easy but we are determined to get through everything and be together in the end. itll all work out, i dont doubt that. but this crossroad i am at is a tough choice for some reason. i think part of it is because now that ive been here for nearly 2 months i know what its like to be around him all the time in a non camp setting. and i love it. i truly dont want to go back to things being how they were before i came over. i was quite miserable. but i will endure it if need be, because its what i have to do and its all going to be more than worth it when we get things worked out. im sure people think that it should be a simple choice. that i should just take a crappy job in england. i mean, not everyone gets the chance to travel and explore and live in a different country for a few years. i dont want to pass that up. and, obviously, Alex is here so its naturally where i want to be. but theres also that pesky grad school option. it really does make the most sense for our future together and i would be pretty satisfied with the situation. i guess its either happiness now or later, right? thats really the choice here. i mean, we have come this far and have a lot of life together ahead of us. it probably doesnt matter which i choose because eventually he will be in the states and we can be together....
i know i need to make a choice soon and get my plan refined and set into motion. i guess i can always try for all of it and see when happens first. that might be a good plan of attack. my plans never really work out anyways so there isnt much need for them, really. and i know that, it doesnt bother me. creating a plan just gives me something to work towards and makes me feel a little bit better about being away from Alex....the silly the things people do to trick their minds into thinking they have some control or to self validate. oh the many wonders of the mind.....now to get mine pondering all of this obsessively until i come to a conclusion.
.WHAT . IS . NEXT .
Thursday, July 23, 2009
LONDON! LONDON! LONDON!
Alrighty, heres the long awaited explanation of my London trip, taking place 1 week ago. Sorry it has taken me so long - i have been a very busy bee and i also had a bit of a depressing breakdown yesterday because with 2 weeks left i have no job in sight and all my hopeful ones have fell through. looks like i am returning without a job....more on that in my next post. For now, my happiness adventures in London. Pictures are on facebook and have yet to be labeled. its on my list of things to do :P
We left here last Thursday afternoon when Alex got off of work. We were supposed to take a bus into the train station in Wolverhampton but Alex's dad had a break in his business calls so he offered to drive us. it was very nice. We took the 2 hr train ride into central London and got off right by the Tower Bridge. We spent 4 hrs in London looking at the sights nearby and snapping photos. We even had an ice cream with flake and sat in an outdoor cafe to eat it next to Tower bridge. There was mostly tourists around, of course, but it was still really neat to see some sights the first day.
We then went to his great aunt and uncles house in a nearby town outside of London. They are very wealthy and had a huge house by England standards. It was very beautiful and full of expensive things. I felt like I was staying in a hotel kindof. there was even a shower in our room! His Aunt and uncle were more than nice and very helpful with planning everything for our trip. I also got a chance to meet a few other members of his family that had come over for a meal. The kids were very amusing and they brought their very naughty dog, Murphy, who kept climbing in the bushes, walking through the pond, and hiding his bone all over the place. it was very amusing. I must admit that i was a bit nervous to meet the posh side of the family because i dont exactly speak and behave like a proper brit. but i guess i held my own and they were very friendly so it didnt seem to matter much that i dont eat properly or drink tea/coffee after every meal. but of course i made an idiot of myself trying to properly eat the english way and dropped the pizza i was cutting on my lap then to the white carpet. lovely.
Friday we spent the entire day in London. It was such a blast! we didnt get up quite as early as we would have liked and it took us forever to get ready because the shower had little water pressure so it took a very long time for us to shower...and the hot water ran out on Alex since i took so long. oops! The day flu by but we got to see most of the stuff we wanted to. It was so neat to see all of those historic buildings in the middle of the bustling town. it makes the city beautiful tho, thats for sure. We walked most of the sites so that was fun cuz we got to see more of London and not just the tourist parts. We did ride the underground several times tho....we even got our first ticket paid for! there was a frustrated girl as we approached the machine to buy the tickets and she stormed off swearing at it. we were picking our tickets and halfway through the transaction £10 came out of the machine.... so we reinserted it and paid for our tickets. we even got £2 back. woo hoo for that!
The morning was spent site seeing and walking around. we didnt go into many of the site since (A) we wanted to fit as much in as possible and (B) everything was expensive, from £15-30 a person! we had lunch on the steps of Trafalgar square. we sat with tons of other people and ate the sandwiches we brought with us while watching a man on the empty pith ride a stationary bike. just as we were leaving they put a basket crane up and let him down. we think it might have been a charity thing or some kind of record setting. we arent really sure. we then moved onto the science station. which ended up sucking. lol. it was free and huge but was pretty empty. they had one of the 3 floors closed and the top floor was half empty. there wasnt many hands on activities and a lot of the ones that were there were broke. there was some cool things to see and do, but it was mostly a museum with airplanes, trains, and other old stuff. it was a bit of a disappointment really. We did spend a good 3 hrs there doing things before we moved onto the natural history museum for about 1.5 hrs. it was WAYYYY better than the science museum. we were sad because we didnt get to see everything, but happy we went. there was tons of cool stuff to look at and a dead good souvenir shop. we were very pleased with it. i even got my picture with several dead animals.
we then went back to his aunt and uncles, ate, and went to bed. Saturday his aunt and uncle took us to an antique fair in Greenwich. This is a posh town on the outskirts of London that is beautiful and full of antique and craft fairs. we both spent way to much money on both ourselves and others but it was worth it. however, the walk back to the car through one of the queens parks and up a giant hill was not so much fun with all of our stuff. things i bought for myself in london included a really cool chinese noodle bowl and chopsticks (which i have already used every day since i got back. it might beat the coolness of the ariel cup i made Alex buy me shopping a few weeks ago), a bracelet, 4 england shot glasses, and a set of wine glassed made out of beer bottles....it sounds weird but they are nice. Alex bought a bunch of artwork and 2 shirts. we both bought lots of things for other people. i tell everyone, but then it wont be a suprise for people when i get back.
we then ate a nice meal at this spanish restaurant that specialized in tapas before taking the train back here. it was a most delightful trip. heres all of the places we saw: st pauls cathedral, the dungeon entrance of st pauls cathedral, lots of bits of castle left over from the wars, pudding lane (where the great fire of london started), downing street (which was all blocked off and you couldnt even see #10, only random buildings and #12), buckingham palace (but the queen was at the cricket game and we missed the changing of the guards), big ben, houses of parliment, bank of england, all of the WW2 memorials, we ate lunch in trafalgar square, the national science museum, the museum of natural history, st james park, regents park, whichever park is in greenwich, museum of gilded horses, the london eye (from a distance), westminster abbey, and greenwich....i think thats all the places. it was overall fun and worth the money but exhausting! i would love to visit again but never live there.
Random fun things i did in London- i kicked a pigeon, found a street sign for star alley, saw the horse guards and got him to make eye contact with my photo, asked and armed guard for a picture, climbed some monuments, saw a heard of asian tourists with swineflu masks on...and Alex started coughing in their direction, got on the wrong underground line only once, got offered more free newspapers than i ever thought i would in my life, nearly got hit by a bus, found a black phonebox, took an ANTM phonebox photo-op, got in many random photos of foreign tourists, and got our photo taken by some guy whist on the underground.
We left here last Thursday afternoon when Alex got off of work. We were supposed to take a bus into the train station in Wolverhampton but Alex's dad had a break in his business calls so he offered to drive us. it was very nice. We took the 2 hr train ride into central London and got off right by the Tower Bridge. We spent 4 hrs in London looking at the sights nearby and snapping photos. We even had an ice cream with flake and sat in an outdoor cafe to eat it next to Tower bridge. There was mostly tourists around, of course, but it was still really neat to see some sights the first day.
We then went to his great aunt and uncles house in a nearby town outside of London. They are very wealthy and had a huge house by England standards. It was very beautiful and full of expensive things. I felt like I was staying in a hotel kindof. there was even a shower in our room! His Aunt and uncle were more than nice and very helpful with planning everything for our trip. I also got a chance to meet a few other members of his family that had come over for a meal. The kids were very amusing and they brought their very naughty dog, Murphy, who kept climbing in the bushes, walking through the pond, and hiding his bone all over the place. it was very amusing. I must admit that i was a bit nervous to meet the posh side of the family because i dont exactly speak and behave like a proper brit. but i guess i held my own and they were very friendly so it didnt seem to matter much that i dont eat properly or drink tea/coffee after every meal. but of course i made an idiot of myself trying to properly eat the english way and dropped the pizza i was cutting on my lap then to the white carpet. lovely.
Friday we spent the entire day in London. It was such a blast! we didnt get up quite as early as we would have liked and it took us forever to get ready because the shower had little water pressure so it took a very long time for us to shower...and the hot water ran out on Alex since i took so long. oops! The day flu by but we got to see most of the stuff we wanted to. It was so neat to see all of those historic buildings in the middle of the bustling town. it makes the city beautiful tho, thats for sure. We walked most of the sites so that was fun cuz we got to see more of London and not just the tourist parts. We did ride the underground several times tho....we even got our first ticket paid for! there was a frustrated girl as we approached the machine to buy the tickets and she stormed off swearing at it. we were picking our tickets and halfway through the transaction £10 came out of the machine.... so we reinserted it and paid for our tickets. we even got £2 back. woo hoo for that!
The morning was spent site seeing and walking around. we didnt go into many of the site since (A) we wanted to fit as much in as possible and (B) everything was expensive, from £15-30 a person! we had lunch on the steps of Trafalgar square. we sat with tons of other people and ate the sandwiches we brought with us while watching a man on the empty pith ride a stationary bike. just as we were leaving they put a basket crane up and let him down. we think it might have been a charity thing or some kind of record setting. we arent really sure. we then moved onto the science station. which ended up sucking. lol. it was free and huge but was pretty empty. they had one of the 3 floors closed and the top floor was half empty. there wasnt many hands on activities and a lot of the ones that were there were broke. there was some cool things to see and do, but it was mostly a museum with airplanes, trains, and other old stuff. it was a bit of a disappointment really. We did spend a good 3 hrs there doing things before we moved onto the natural history museum for about 1.5 hrs. it was WAYYYY better than the science museum. we were sad because we didnt get to see everything, but happy we went. there was tons of cool stuff to look at and a dead good souvenir shop. we were very pleased with it. i even got my picture with several dead animals.
we then went back to his aunt and uncles, ate, and went to bed. Saturday his aunt and uncle took us to an antique fair in Greenwich. This is a posh town on the outskirts of London that is beautiful and full of antique and craft fairs. we both spent way to much money on both ourselves and others but it was worth it. however, the walk back to the car through one of the queens parks and up a giant hill was not so much fun with all of our stuff. things i bought for myself in london included a really cool chinese noodle bowl and chopsticks (which i have already used every day since i got back. it might beat the coolness of the ariel cup i made Alex buy me shopping a few weeks ago), a bracelet, 4 england shot glasses, and a set of wine glassed made out of beer bottles....it sounds weird but they are nice. Alex bought a bunch of artwork and 2 shirts. we both bought lots of things for other people. i tell everyone, but then it wont be a suprise for people when i get back.
we then ate a nice meal at this spanish restaurant that specialized in tapas before taking the train back here. it was a most delightful trip. heres all of the places we saw: st pauls cathedral, the dungeon entrance of st pauls cathedral, lots of bits of castle left over from the wars, pudding lane (where the great fire of london started), downing street (which was all blocked off and you couldnt even see #10, only random buildings and #12), buckingham palace (but the queen was at the cricket game and we missed the changing of the guards), big ben, houses of parliment, bank of england, all of the WW2 memorials, we ate lunch in trafalgar square, the national science museum, the museum of natural history, st james park, regents park, whichever park is in greenwich, museum of gilded horses, the london eye (from a distance), westminster abbey, and greenwich....i think thats all the places. it was overall fun and worth the money but exhausting! i would love to visit again but never live there.
Random fun things i did in London- i kicked a pigeon, found a street sign for star alley, saw the horse guards and got him to make eye contact with my photo, asked and armed guard for a picture, climbed some monuments, saw a heard of asian tourists with swineflu masks on...and Alex started coughing in their direction, got on the wrong underground line only once, got offered more free newspapers than i ever thought i would in my life, nearly got hit by a bus, found a black phonebox, took an ANTM phonebox photo-op, got in many random photos of foreign tourists, and got our photo taken by some guy whist on the underground.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Over Halfway Done ?!?!?!
I realized a few days ago that my time here is just over halfway done. its so crazy! in a lot of ways I feel like I have been here for a very short amount of time, like I haven't accomplished much or seen everything I wanted to see. In other ways it seems like I have been here much longer - I feel very comfortable here, despite not having my own space or a job to keep me busy. Its so strange that in a few weeks I will have to leave....Don't get me wrong, I will be very glad to sleep in my own bed and be around my family and friends. My mom even told me the other day that we might go on a bit of a family vacation when I get back. All of this I look forward to.....but leaving here will be so very hard. I know its too early to get myself all down and stressed over leaving and that I need to enjoy every moment I have left. And believe me, I am.....but the thought of leaving makes me sick and brings tears to my eyes. I know that sounds over dramatic.....but I really don't want to face leaving Alex. I am now so used to seeing him all the time and can actually say we have experienced be around one another all the time in a setting other than camp or longer than 10 days.....and I love it. so much that I don't want to do without it. I just hope and pray that I find a job before I have to leave so that I know for a fact that I will be back soon. I came here on a mission and it hasn't been completed yet, and time is running out. If I don't find a job then it will be 2-3 YEARS until Alex and I can be together like this again. And I will have to return home a failure that was stupid and quit my job in tough economic times to chase a dream. I wouldn't regret my decision if that was the case because I know I would have always wondered about this amazing 2 months and I would have missed out on so much happiness....but if it ends up that I don't find a job then I will be more than crushed.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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(big sigh) OK I'm done. done with being insecure. I just had to get all of that out there in the open. Everyone I keep telling my worries too just keeps telling me the same things - that I have plenty of time left, that things will work out as they should, that everything happens for a reason, and that I will come away from this with a job. But it just doesn't feel that way sometimes when I haven't had any interviews yet. BUT overall I am still confident that the right job will come my way or that something will happen so that Alex and I don't have to be away for that long. And next week I do get to go into the place where Alex's uncle Martin works and have an informal interview and poke around to see if working there might interest me....I just don't know much about it yet. i know they are taking applications or whatever but I also know that the job Martin does is temporary and he jumps around to different places a lot. That kind of thing wouldn't work for me. I need to be on salary with a consistent workload where I won't get cut hours. We shall see how it pans out. I am hopeful and keeping my fingers crossed.
Well since I started out this blog and wasn't intending it to go the way that it did, I shall swing back around to what I originally was intending......With less than half of my time left here I realize that I only really tell you guys what has happened to me. Which I am sure is probably of some interest to you, otherwise you wouldn't shill be reading through all of this business. However, I haven't really told anyone much about all the odds and ends that I have come to like or hate. So here are some with explanations where appropriate:
LOVE:
HATE:
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.
.
.
.
.
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(big sigh) OK I'm done. done with being insecure. I just had to get all of that out there in the open. Everyone I keep telling my worries too just keeps telling me the same things - that I have plenty of time left, that things will work out as they should, that everything happens for a reason, and that I will come away from this with a job. But it just doesn't feel that way sometimes when I haven't had any interviews yet. BUT overall I am still confident that the right job will come my way or that something will happen so that Alex and I don't have to be away for that long. And next week I do get to go into the place where Alex's uncle Martin works and have an informal interview and poke around to see if working there might interest me....I just don't know much about it yet. i know they are taking applications or whatever but I also know that the job Martin does is temporary and he jumps around to different places a lot. That kind of thing wouldn't work for me. I need to be on salary with a consistent workload where I won't get cut hours. We shall see how it pans out. I am hopeful and keeping my fingers crossed.
Well since I started out this blog and wasn't intending it to go the way that it did, I shall swing back around to what I originally was intending......With less than half of my time left here I realize that I only really tell you guys what has happened to me. Which I am sure is probably of some interest to you, otherwise you wouldn't shill be reading through all of this business. However, I haven't really told anyone much about all the odds and ends that I have come to like or hate. So here are some with explanations where appropriate:
LOVE:
- Comparing English accents - I can actually hear the difference in people now and am starting to distinguish between different areas of the country.
- That Even at Posh Restaurants You Can Order Chips as a Side - not that I order them, its just amusing.
- The Adorable Houses - most front gardens have hedges, brick walls, wrought iron fences/gates (or a combination of those), and all of the houses are old and made of brick with bay windows and lacy curtains.
- Truly Multi-Functioning Buildings - all of the small towns (and even the big ones) use and reuse buildings over and over again without remodeling the outsides so any one building has probably been a dozen different kinds of shops throughout the years and many of them still have structural evidence of that. We just don't do that in the states.
- That Umbrellas and Wellies are Stylish Here - Wellies, or Wellingtons as they are properly named, are just rubber rain/mud boots but here they have a bit of a heal on them and are full of crazy patterns that even adults wear!
- Colored Hair is More Than Acceptable - Its not uncommon to see professionals, grown adults, and elderly people of all social statuses with crazy colored patterns in their hair. I've seen purple, pink, blue, green, multicolored, stripes, spots, zebra patterns, cheetah patterns...and its completely socially acceptable.
- English Slang - they really commit to it more than Americans do. And, as said in the movie Eurotrip, they really are on a totally different level of swearing. The comparisons they making are truly amusing.
- 911 is Valid Here - not that I have ever needed to utilize it, but its nice to know that so many Americans visit that they actually use 911 in addition to their own emergency service numbers.
- Everyone is So Friendly - Nearly everywhere you go people are nice to people they don't know. Everyone greets everyone else on the streets and will invite you in for a cup of tea. They even give the home repair guys tea and some tv before he starts his job!
- Rude People are Overly Rude - it seems odd, but its actually quite amusing. For such a polite culture they really do lose their tempers quickly and tend to over exaggerate their personal inconveniences. They do not hesitate to curse at one another in public, start yelling arguments in the middle of the street, and completely blow things out of proportion just to be seen as correct in the end and receive compensation. its kindof an art form really.
- Cats have More Than One 'Home' - so many of the cats I have met while being here live in multiple houses. They will belong to one house specifically but will eat at, visit, and sleep in multiple houses. Its really common for a cat to have 3 or 4 places it sleeps and gets fed. And any one of those people will take it to the vet if it needs it and buy it treats all the time. They also have those cat doors where the cat can wear a collar that allows only it to get in and out of the house whenever it wants. They are amazing. I am sure we have them in the states, but I've never seen them.
- Prawn Crackers
- Everyone is Fascinated with America - I can't tell you how many times I have had lengthy conversations with complete strangers about something American. They have so many questions and everyone seems to want to visit. Its like how everyone in America hopes to someday visit Europe...and I have all the answers for them. Well, not all, but they are still so very interested in knowing about America.
- Having an Accent - its so much fun! It gets me free stuff all the time. but it also causes confusion a lot as well. People are always wanting me to say different words that they think sound cool with my accent. They always feel bad and like its annoying me, and sometimes it does get annoying when I am trying to have a conversation with someone, but usually i don't mind and even find it amusing myself.....why so many people think they way I speak is cool is beyond me. But fair is fair because a lot of the time I am quiet and antisocial just because I like to listen to everyone's accent. That's another thing that never gets old.
HATE:
- Roundabouts - seriously, they are so annoying.
- Fish and Chips - WAYYYY too greasy.
- Indian Food and Curry Sauce.
- 2 Lane Streets and Parking on the Sidewalks - I understand that England was built before cars were around so that the streets are narrow and two lanes....but it's rather dangerous! Because many people do not have driveways they park up on the curb. Literally, cars will be half in the street and half on the sidewalks. Therefore other cars must weave in and out of tilted parked cars and pedestrians must walk around parked cars. Its not legal but people don't have much of a choice and nobody really gets in trouble for it.
- Wetslick Tights and 80's Madonna Skirts - So the fashion here is really broad....but the 80's sure seem to be making a comeback. People wear wetslick tights and those puffy Madonna crinoline skirts in bright colors. We have them in the states but really only Hot Topic sells than and not many people other than celebrities wear them....well not in the UK. They are everywhere and people are crazy about them! Specially the shiny wetslick tights. I'm sorry, that's one fashion trend I will not be following.
- False Balconies - So many apartments (of flats as they call them here) have big, glass sliding patio doors off of their flat....but when you open it up it leads nowhere. its literally up against a big iron railing to prevent people from falling out....then why have the patio door and not just a window? so strange.
- Chavs (particularly on the Bus) - I know that I have explained this kind of person before to everyone, but I will refresh your memory. A Chav is a person of any ethnicity, usually lower income, that are the American Equivalent of a cross between a 90s gangster (think baggy clothing like track suits or Ginkgo jeans with oversized shirts, some added bling) and a stereotypical white trash individual. They always ask 'Can I have a fag, love?' when they walk by you on the street and play their hip/hop music wayyy to loud on the bus. They also have then tendency to hang around parkinglots and stare at you creepily as you walk by. I understand that they are responsible for a majority of the vandalism and produce a large percentage of the teen pregnancies.
- Roosters - I think everyone knows why.
- Everything I Need Has Another Name - I cannot tell you how many times I have wanted something or spoken of a certain thing and nobody has a clue what I am talking about because it has a different name over here. I can usually describe it but a lot of times it is slightly different over here so people are still not sure if what I want is what I am asking for. I don't HATE it and I usually can get it worked out but it is annoying sometimes. At least I have learned a lot.
- Too Many Potatoes - everything comes with a potato of some sort. And most of the time there is multiple potato variety to choose from. I like potatoes, but not every single day! And also, everything comes in a sauce or in sandwich form. It usually tastes good, but I don't always want tons of sauce or so much starch. Therefore I ask for my plain sometimes. It isn't a huge hassle, just something I had to get used to.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
4th-O-July Weekend
Ok Ok, i know that i promised i would try to write yesterday but it ended up being very full of things to do and i didn't have time before Alex got home to make an entry worthy of you, the reader.......what it comes down to is that the weekend was amazingly fun. here's a brief summery:
Friday was Gordon's birthday so we went to Wasall to the rocky/biker pub and did some drinking and dancing. It was super fun! It started out with some chatting at Gordon's house before ordering a minibus to pick us up. we needed one for 7 and got one for 6....so it was crowded and illegal but the driver said it would be ok. we made it safely, but the ride was interesting with 2 boys trying their best to fit into the same seat belt.....of course that didn't work at all. It was a very lovely night out so we didn't stay inside very long before making our way out the back onto the patio seating area. we spent the first half of the night out there and eventually got ahold of one of the covered seating areas. Then Jo and Luke joined us. We did lots of dancing the second part of the night and a few shots....LOTS of pictures you can check out on facebook.
Saturday we got to sleep in a bit before preparing the food and house for the 4th of July celebration I sortof made everyone have. The turn out was great, even tho few people dressed up and nobody really knew why they were celebrating an American holiday.....Alex and I made sloppy joe's, potato salad, twice baked potatoes, and red and blue sugar cookies. there was also meat on the grill, salad, popcorn, and cheesecake. and once again, lots of drinks. Alex and his dad built Baggo boards for me to paint during the week and Anna picked up some beanbags for it. I will have to locate the pictures from that night and get them up on here. the boards looked way corny and American and everyone enjoyed playing the game. oooo! there was also an American flag hug up and everything! Most of the people there were family and friends of the family....and Alex's friends. The younger crowd played some drinking games and enjoyed the American music Alex and I put together. It was classic patriotic American stuff and some good old country. Eventually Alex's dad changed it to Bruce Springsteen and some other stuff....and played it very loud at like 3 in the morning.....i felt a little bad for the neighbors. i had some great conversations with a bunch of people and found a few people that are looking into job stuff for me!
Sunday we all slept in and cleaned stuff up. Alex had that day off as well so it was really nice. Graham, Gordon, and Luke came over that night but didn't stay too late because Alex had to be at work Monday at 7 am.
Yesterday was quite interesting. I got my hair trimmed at 1045 and am much more satisfied with it.....no more split ends AND my fringe has been sorted out so its not all over the place. Where i went is just down the street and there was only one hair dresser in that day. no big deal really cuz i didn't have to wait long. However, the weather had been really nice but humid and then suddenly changed to cool and rainy. wellll the weather effects this older lady that was before me getting her hair finished up as i go there....then she nearly fell over and passed out! the only worker left me with the older lady and went down the street to get this ladies husband....the lady ended up laying on the floor for awhile before we helped her walk out. she was very embarrassed and i felt bad. When I returned to the Kubara household I was the only one home for a change - Alex was working, Alan was on a business conference, Paula was working, and Anna had some assembly at school......no big deal really for me. I made myself a nice lunch and then cleaned stuff up around the house a bit. then i got a phonecall from Paula from her work telling me that some stuff had happened at school with Anna and that she would be home soon and probably upset...and wanting to know if I could watch after her a bit til someone else got home. no big deal, i was on it.....but 2 hrs later Anna was still not home so Paula left work and beat Anna home by 20 minutes. the house was very chaotic the rest of the afternoon with things trying to get sorted out so i had to divert Alex up to his room when he came home so he wouldn't ask questions and make the situation worse. luckily Alex and I have to watch his Grandma's house this week so we stayed there last night so we would be out of the way. Graham, Luke, Gordon, Daz, and Clint came over and it was a pretty good night. The cat from next door even stayed the night! Its a big fat black one and I guess they let it in all the time and feed it and it usually hangs around for a few hours and sometimes sleeps over. it even has its own food and water bowl! it was pretty friendly and kept to its self once everyone got there. I would sneak away and bring it treats upstairs where it was napping and pet it. I let it outside at one point because it was acting anxious. at some point someone went outside to smoke and it came back in....well its not a big deal but Alex and i didn't know that....and at about 730 this morning apparently Alex rolled over and got claws in his back from the cat that was laying on top of the blankets next to him....he said it must have been there a long time because for most of the night when he tried to roll over he got poked and he said it was driving him crazy because he didn't know what was poky in the bed. i totally called him a liar like 4 times before checking it out for myself and seeing the cat all sprawled out on the bed. it was sooo funny. he made me pick it up and take it outside since he doesn't really like cats much and it had been poking him all night. ahhhh good times.
Alex had to be at work at 12 today so Ive been hanging out and job hunting some more. Anna came in and asked me to help her take Pepper to the vet for a blood test and to get his thyroid tablets. i did. it was quite the adventure really. because he is so aggressive when you mess with him they have to knock him out to take his blood.....this vet was not very cooperative with us about all of it. first of all, they didn't have record of Pepper or any animal with the last name of Kubara. then, after finally finding his name on some tablets and starting new records, we got to see the vet. he wouldn't believe Anna and i about needing to put him out and insisted on us muzzling him so they could draw the blood. of course he growled and snarled at both us and the vet....he had a take Pepper outside and try it there...but of course it didn't work. he was very against injecting him but eventually did. the shot is supposed to knock him out quick but it didn't after 15 minutes so they gave him a second and then we had to walk him around outside before he finally started to fall asleep. even then he got up and growled when the vet tried to muzzle him. he made the excuse that stirring him up would help promote blood flow and knock him out quicker....it was obvious he just wanted to muzzle him cuz he thought Pepper was sedated enough. but no. then he wanted Anna and I to carry Pepper back into the examination room.....but Pepper is huge and heavy so luckily there was another lady with a dog in there that offered to do it. cuz the vet wouldn't. He drew the blood and lectured us 4 or 5 times about how cruel and traumatic it was to inject Pepper and how we needed to buy him a muzzle and put it on at home before we brought him to the vet next time....because he would be more calm at home. however, that would never work with this dog, hes far too grouchy. After all was done they had to inject him again to wake up. that ended up taking 15 minutes. and then we left......we were both afraid that Pepper wouldn't make the walk home. he was all wobbly and drug his feet from time to time. he nearly tripped and fell over all the curbs......but we made it back and now Pepper is sleeping downstairs.
That was pretty much my weekend in a huge nutshell. tonight Alex and I are staying in and taking it easy. having an 'us' night with movies and whatnot. then Alex works tomorrow night 5 - 10 and has Thursday off. I'm going to go see what I can dig up for lunch and then its back to job hunting. love to everybody!
Friday was Gordon's birthday so we went to Wasall to the rocky/biker pub and did some drinking and dancing. It was super fun! It started out with some chatting at Gordon's house before ordering a minibus to pick us up. we needed one for 7 and got one for 6....so it was crowded and illegal but the driver said it would be ok. we made it safely, but the ride was interesting with 2 boys trying their best to fit into the same seat belt.....of course that didn't work at all. It was a very lovely night out so we didn't stay inside very long before making our way out the back onto the patio seating area. we spent the first half of the night out there and eventually got ahold of one of the covered seating areas. Then Jo and Luke joined us. We did lots of dancing the second part of the night and a few shots....LOTS of pictures you can check out on facebook.
Saturday we got to sleep in a bit before preparing the food and house for the 4th of July celebration I sortof made everyone have. The turn out was great, even tho few people dressed up and nobody really knew why they were celebrating an American holiday.....Alex and I made sloppy joe's, potato salad, twice baked potatoes, and red and blue sugar cookies. there was also meat on the grill, salad, popcorn, and cheesecake. and once again, lots of drinks. Alex and his dad built Baggo boards for me to paint during the week and Anna picked up some beanbags for it. I will have to locate the pictures from that night and get them up on here. the boards looked way corny and American and everyone enjoyed playing the game. oooo! there was also an American flag hug up and everything! Most of the people there were family and friends of the family....and Alex's friends. The younger crowd played some drinking games and enjoyed the American music Alex and I put together. It was classic patriotic American stuff and some good old country. Eventually Alex's dad changed it to Bruce Springsteen and some other stuff....and played it very loud at like 3 in the morning.....i felt a little bad for the neighbors. i had some great conversations with a bunch of people and found a few people that are looking into job stuff for me!
Sunday we all slept in and cleaned stuff up. Alex had that day off as well so it was really nice. Graham, Gordon, and Luke came over that night but didn't stay too late because Alex had to be at work Monday at 7 am.
Yesterday was quite interesting. I got my hair trimmed at 1045 and am much more satisfied with it.....no more split ends AND my fringe has been sorted out so its not all over the place. Where i went is just down the street and there was only one hair dresser in that day. no big deal really cuz i didn't have to wait long. However, the weather had been really nice but humid and then suddenly changed to cool and rainy. wellll the weather effects this older lady that was before me getting her hair finished up as i go there....then she nearly fell over and passed out! the only worker left me with the older lady and went down the street to get this ladies husband....the lady ended up laying on the floor for awhile before we helped her walk out. she was very embarrassed and i felt bad. When I returned to the Kubara household I was the only one home for a change - Alex was working, Alan was on a business conference, Paula was working, and Anna had some assembly at school......no big deal really for me. I made myself a nice lunch and then cleaned stuff up around the house a bit. then i got a phonecall from Paula from her work telling me that some stuff had happened at school with Anna and that she would be home soon and probably upset...and wanting to know if I could watch after her a bit til someone else got home. no big deal, i was on it.....but 2 hrs later Anna was still not home so Paula left work and beat Anna home by 20 minutes. the house was very chaotic the rest of the afternoon with things trying to get sorted out so i had to divert Alex up to his room when he came home so he wouldn't ask questions and make the situation worse. luckily Alex and I have to watch his Grandma's house this week so we stayed there last night so we would be out of the way. Graham, Luke, Gordon, Daz, and Clint came over and it was a pretty good night. The cat from next door even stayed the night! Its a big fat black one and I guess they let it in all the time and feed it and it usually hangs around for a few hours and sometimes sleeps over. it even has its own food and water bowl! it was pretty friendly and kept to its self once everyone got there. I would sneak away and bring it treats upstairs where it was napping and pet it. I let it outside at one point because it was acting anxious. at some point someone went outside to smoke and it came back in....well its not a big deal but Alex and i didn't know that....and at about 730 this morning apparently Alex rolled over and got claws in his back from the cat that was laying on top of the blankets next to him....he said it must have been there a long time because for most of the night when he tried to roll over he got poked and he said it was driving him crazy because he didn't know what was poky in the bed. i totally called him a liar like 4 times before checking it out for myself and seeing the cat all sprawled out on the bed. it was sooo funny. he made me pick it up and take it outside since he doesn't really like cats much and it had been poking him all night. ahhhh good times.
Alex had to be at work at 12 today so Ive been hanging out and job hunting some more. Anna came in and asked me to help her take Pepper to the vet for a blood test and to get his thyroid tablets. i did. it was quite the adventure really. because he is so aggressive when you mess with him they have to knock him out to take his blood.....this vet was not very cooperative with us about all of it. first of all, they didn't have record of Pepper or any animal with the last name of Kubara. then, after finally finding his name on some tablets and starting new records, we got to see the vet. he wouldn't believe Anna and i about needing to put him out and insisted on us muzzling him so they could draw the blood. of course he growled and snarled at both us and the vet....he had a take Pepper outside and try it there...but of course it didn't work. he was very against injecting him but eventually did. the shot is supposed to knock him out quick but it didn't after 15 minutes so they gave him a second and then we had to walk him around outside before he finally started to fall asleep. even then he got up and growled when the vet tried to muzzle him. he made the excuse that stirring him up would help promote blood flow and knock him out quicker....it was obvious he just wanted to muzzle him cuz he thought Pepper was sedated enough. but no. then he wanted Anna and I to carry Pepper back into the examination room.....but Pepper is huge and heavy so luckily there was another lady with a dog in there that offered to do it. cuz the vet wouldn't. He drew the blood and lectured us 4 or 5 times about how cruel and traumatic it was to inject Pepper and how we needed to buy him a muzzle and put it on at home before we brought him to the vet next time....because he would be more calm at home. however, that would never work with this dog, hes far too grouchy. After all was done they had to inject him again to wake up. that ended up taking 15 minutes. and then we left......we were both afraid that Pepper wouldn't make the walk home. he was all wobbly and drug his feet from time to time. he nearly tripped and fell over all the curbs......but we made it back and now Pepper is sleeping downstairs.
That was pretty much my weekend in a huge nutshell. tonight Alex and I are staying in and taking it easy. having an 'us' night with movies and whatnot. then Alex works tomorrow night 5 - 10 and has Thursday off. I'm going to go see what I can dig up for lunch and then its back to job hunting. love to everybody!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Busy Girl
So i know that I told everyone I would write something all long and detailed early this week but Ive actually been really busy. no, not with job interviews, sadly. just after my last post i checked my email and got my first job reply - and they told me i wasn't qualified for the position. to be fair it was a job that i figured i wasn't experienced enough for, but since it didn't have any specifications i though it wouldn't hurt to go on and try. that was a job i applied for last Thursday. because i heard back to quickly and haven't heard from anything else could be a good thing. that's what everyone is telling me anyways. it means that i most likely got through the initial paper sort where they read the applications and get rid of everyone not qualified. legally they have to tell me something one way or another within two weeks of me applying. therefore i should hear from the first round of jobs by Monday. and believe you me ill be making some phone calls if i don't hear from them! i know that they interviews are next week for one of those jobs so i really should hear either way very soon.
since i haven't been busy with job stuff, then what have i been busy with you may ask? lots of things. mainly the 4th of July party this weekend. i have decided that i will steal a camera from someone so that i can take pictures. i am SOOOO tired of not having anything to take pictures on. it really really sucks and i feel bad that i cant share more of my England adventure with everyone. I am meeting Alex tomorrow at his work so that we can buy all of the ingredients we still need. we are making sloppy joes, hot dogs, American themed cookies, twice baked potatoes, potato salad, and popcorn. Alex and his dad also constructed baggo boards which i have to paint tonight. we have to go get the bean bags for it at the early learning center on Saturday morning as well as attempt to find some fireworks. it will be cutting it close as far as getting things done on time but we decided it would totally be worth it. lets see....we are also having some game that i cant remember what its called. something to do with a stick and a ball on a string and 2 bats. idk. apparently its English and it hurts when the ball hits you. lol. there will also be much drinking i am sure and some drinking games. people are also coming in Fancy dress. a lot of people in American themed outfits i think. i have no clue what i am going as. i might just dress in red white and blue. we shall see....I'm really looking forward to it tho. some of Alex's family and friends will be coming by. nothing huge. probably like 15 people is all. but i am sure there will be plenty of food and activities for everyone. Alex even downloaded a bunch of American songs and some country music for Saturday and is going to put up his American flag. yay 4th of July. i just hope we don't get rained out.
today i am very excited because Alex's grandmother and uncle are taking me to their dancing lesson! I'm really excited about it even thought its going to be me and a bunch of older people. i don't mind really, I'm used to dancing with them. i guess they go every Thursday and learn a different pattern of dance. i didn't bring my dance shoes but i am sure ill be fine with my heels. the instructor is really excited about meeting me and dancing with me....he even said he would write down the steps so i could bring it back to America and show my mom. how sweet of him!
speaking of people excited to meet me. its so strange that everyone here seems to know something about me. all the neighbors recognize me and people in shops will approach me and ask if I'm Alex's Cassie. its cute. i guess its what i get for Alex adoring me so much and living in a smaller town.
tonight is my night in with Paula and Anna. Alex and his dad go out once or twice a month with some of his dad's friends and Alex's uncle Martin (the one we watched the chickens and rooster for). I have opted to stay here because i don't want to intrude on guy time. Alex said that Martin's wife, Sara would come if I wanted to so that I would have female company. Sara is such a sweet lady and i am sure it would be fun but I figure its good to let Alex go have fun on his own for a chance since he gets no alone time while i am here. not that he minds. so yeah, it kinda sucks on one hand because Alex is at work until 4 doing CPR and 1st aide training so i will only see him for an hour or so before he will leave to go out with everyone. and then he will more than likely come home pretty late....so not much Alex today :( BUTTT, this does mean that Paula, Anna, and I get to watch girlie movies in the front room and order take out! which will be very fun.
tomorrow is also Gordon's birthday (one of Alex's friends that we hang around a lot) so we are going out to celebrate that. Alex is again at work and, like i said, we have to buy all the food and whatnot for Saturday. we also need to somehow find time to make the potato salad and start the cookies tomorrow night before we go out. oh my that will be busy! i haven't a clue where we are going for Gordon's birthday but i do know that he is starting pretty early and moving around to lots of pubs.....so we are supposed to just meet up with him whenever. which would work out perfectly BUT i am sure Graham, Luke, and Sara will want to meet up with us at a certain time. or maybe even pick us up. oh how busy but fun this weekend will be!
speaking of being busy. its about time I go start ironing the laundry. yes, you read correctly, i am so very domestic since i have been here. i spent yesterday doing laundry and cleaning in between watching Jeremy Kyle episodes (a trashy UK talk show. think Jerry Springer like host but no actors, less punching, and more yelling by the guests. oh yeah, and some of them you cant understand what they are saying because they are 'chavs' with wide accents that speak very fast) with Anna. because people still dry their clothes on the line outside in the back garden, i had to wait all day for them to dry and now have to iron everything i washed. i don't HAVE to but i figure I'm not doing anything important and if i don't do it than Paula will have to eventually. so yeah, i spose i should get to that. be expecting a fun post after the weekend all about how busy i was in a fun way.
i miss everyone!
since i haven't been busy with job stuff, then what have i been busy with you may ask? lots of things. mainly the 4th of July party this weekend. i have decided that i will steal a camera from someone so that i can take pictures. i am SOOOO tired of not having anything to take pictures on. it really really sucks and i feel bad that i cant share more of my England adventure with everyone. I am meeting Alex tomorrow at his work so that we can buy all of the ingredients we still need. we are making sloppy joes, hot dogs, American themed cookies, twice baked potatoes, potato salad, and popcorn. Alex and his dad also constructed baggo boards which i have to paint tonight. we have to go get the bean bags for it at the early learning center on Saturday morning as well as attempt to find some fireworks. it will be cutting it close as far as getting things done on time but we decided it would totally be worth it. lets see....we are also having some game that i cant remember what its called. something to do with a stick and a ball on a string and 2 bats. idk. apparently its English and it hurts when the ball hits you. lol. there will also be much drinking i am sure and some drinking games. people are also coming in Fancy dress. a lot of people in American themed outfits i think. i have no clue what i am going as. i might just dress in red white and blue. we shall see....I'm really looking forward to it tho. some of Alex's family and friends will be coming by. nothing huge. probably like 15 people is all. but i am sure there will be plenty of food and activities for everyone. Alex even downloaded a bunch of American songs and some country music for Saturday and is going to put up his American flag. yay 4th of July. i just hope we don't get rained out.
today i am very excited because Alex's grandmother and uncle are taking me to their dancing lesson! I'm really excited about it even thought its going to be me and a bunch of older people. i don't mind really, I'm used to dancing with them. i guess they go every Thursday and learn a different pattern of dance. i didn't bring my dance shoes but i am sure ill be fine with my heels. the instructor is really excited about meeting me and dancing with me....he even said he would write down the steps so i could bring it back to America and show my mom. how sweet of him!
speaking of people excited to meet me. its so strange that everyone here seems to know something about me. all the neighbors recognize me and people in shops will approach me and ask if I'm Alex's Cassie. its cute. i guess its what i get for Alex adoring me so much and living in a smaller town.
tonight is my night in with Paula and Anna. Alex and his dad go out once or twice a month with some of his dad's friends and Alex's uncle Martin (the one we watched the chickens and rooster for). I have opted to stay here because i don't want to intrude on guy time. Alex said that Martin's wife, Sara would come if I wanted to so that I would have female company. Sara is such a sweet lady and i am sure it would be fun but I figure its good to let Alex go have fun on his own for a chance since he gets no alone time while i am here. not that he minds. so yeah, it kinda sucks on one hand because Alex is at work until 4 doing CPR and 1st aide training so i will only see him for an hour or so before he will leave to go out with everyone. and then he will more than likely come home pretty late....so not much Alex today :( BUTTT, this does mean that Paula, Anna, and I get to watch girlie movies in the front room and order take out! which will be very fun.
tomorrow is also Gordon's birthday (one of Alex's friends that we hang around a lot) so we are going out to celebrate that. Alex is again at work and, like i said, we have to buy all the food and whatnot for Saturday. we also need to somehow find time to make the potato salad and start the cookies tomorrow night before we go out. oh my that will be busy! i haven't a clue where we are going for Gordon's birthday but i do know that he is starting pretty early and moving around to lots of pubs.....so we are supposed to just meet up with him whenever. which would work out perfectly BUT i am sure Graham, Luke, and Sara will want to meet up with us at a certain time. or maybe even pick us up. oh how busy but fun this weekend will be!
speaking of being busy. its about time I go start ironing the laundry. yes, you read correctly, i am so very domestic since i have been here. i spent yesterday doing laundry and cleaning in between watching Jeremy Kyle episodes (a trashy UK talk show. think Jerry Springer like host but no actors, less punching, and more yelling by the guests. oh yeah, and some of them you cant understand what they are saying because they are 'chavs' with wide accents that speak very fast) with Anna. because people still dry their clothes on the line outside in the back garden, i had to wait all day for them to dry and now have to iron everything i washed. i don't HAVE to but i figure I'm not doing anything important and if i don't do it than Paula will have to eventually. so yeah, i spose i should get to that. be expecting a fun post after the weekend all about how busy i was in a fun way.
i miss everyone!
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