I am employed! Properly employed! I will be working with the Edinburgh branch of Regent, one of the Uks biggest ESL schools, as their acommodation and welfare officer (placing students with homestay families, in hotels, sorting out welfare issues etc). I am excited beyond belief, and hugely relieved too. I can't wait to see where this could take me. I'll be working in Edinburgh's West End (no theatres, but lots of offices, banks, and suits) Mon-Fri, 9-5. Means I can plan my life again (shift work really doesn't do it for me), and know that I'll always have my weekends free. it's so nice to know that in 2007, I'll finally be living my life. Australia WILL still happen for me, either in '07 or '08, but for now, I want to concentrate on having fun again instead of worrying so about the future, and missing the past.
On the other hand, I heard yesterday that I got an outright rejection from Moray House for the teacher training course! It doesn't really bother me, it wasn't what I really wanted. But I did hope I'd get an interview. I have good experience with children, and I know I got a good refernce from Heinz. Some things aren't to be, and this, I think, was one of them.
It's Christmas Eve. I'm going to go round to our local for a drink with my family and some family friends soon. I wanted to go to Midnight Mass, but our minister has gone to give it at another church a car ride away, which isn't an option for me. And sadly, my exhausted, diseased body (bad cold) insisted on a long lie this morning, so I missed the usual Sunday service. I WILL get to church one day soon, I just really wanted it to be the Watch Night Service.
I hope that all of you, wherever you are, are with people you love, and who love you, and that you are warm, safe and happy. Have a wonderful Christmas, and be thankful for what you have. I'll leave you now with my warmest wishes for you and yours. Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
Second Chances
After having the first interview for the ESL school job (as accomodation and welfare officer), I was convinced that, although I hadn't answered anything badly, I didn't really makle myself stand out. I had all but chalked the episode up to experience, and was ready to move on.
Not so fast there, sport! I got a call from the school's principal this morning inviting me back for a second interview. Somewhat unexpected, but it certainly made me smile! It's 9.30am GMT this coming Wednesday, so please keep it all crossed for me!
I'm just finishing a lovely three day weekend. On Saturday, I went into town and finally got some Christmas shopping done. I still have a worrying amount to get though. I also met Rona for a Breakfast Club showing of the Goonies at my favourite cinema, the Cameo. I love that film! The actual reel of film was so old, it jumped around a lot, it was full of cigarette burns, and at one point, we were even watching it upside down. That just added to the 'natsukashii' feeling though! Saturday night was the Gap Xmas night out, and we went to a Mexican restaurant, the Tiajuana Yacht Club. I've had better Mexican food, it must be said, but I had a riot sitting with Craig, Louise and Sarah. We never stopped laughing, mostly at Craig who is a proper comedian, and I awoke on Sunday with a hoarse throat.
Sunday was a relaxing day of visiting my newly-hipped Gran, then me and dad took a walk up to Gladhouse resevoir. It was a beautiful clear and freezing day. We came home to find Mum had finished putting up the Christmas decorations.
Today has been the usual blend of chatting to friends online, washing my clothes, and trying to do a little around the house. Back to work tomorrow, and only a week til Xmas to go! I'm not that excited, really, but it's nice to have something coming up where I get to hang with my family, and eat lots of good food.
If I don't write again til after Christmas, I wish you all a very happy holiday, and I truly hope to catch up with you all in 2007.
Not so fast there, sport! I got a call from the school's principal this morning inviting me back for a second interview. Somewhat unexpected, but it certainly made me smile! It's 9.30am GMT this coming Wednesday, so please keep it all crossed for me!
I'm just finishing a lovely three day weekend. On Saturday, I went into town and finally got some Christmas shopping done. I still have a worrying amount to get though. I also met Rona for a Breakfast Club showing of the Goonies at my favourite cinema, the Cameo. I love that film! The actual reel of film was so old, it jumped around a lot, it was full of cigarette burns, and at one point, we were even watching it upside down. That just added to the 'natsukashii' feeling though! Saturday night was the Gap Xmas night out, and we went to a Mexican restaurant, the Tiajuana Yacht Club. I've had better Mexican food, it must be said, but I had a riot sitting with Craig, Louise and Sarah. We never stopped laughing, mostly at Craig who is a proper comedian, and I awoke on Sunday with a hoarse throat.
Sunday was a relaxing day of visiting my newly-hipped Gran, then me and dad took a walk up to Gladhouse resevoir. It was a beautiful clear and freezing day. We came home to find Mum had finished putting up the Christmas decorations.
Today has been the usual blend of chatting to friends online, washing my clothes, and trying to do a little around the house. Back to work tomorrow, and only a week til Xmas to go! I'm not that excited, really, but it's nice to have something coming up where I get to hang with my family, and eat lots of good food.
If I don't write again til after Christmas, I wish you all a very happy holiday, and I truly hope to catch up with you all in 2007.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Finnish Love
It's been a while. I guess things don't seem so vivid and memorable as they did overseas. The trick is trying to remind myself that they really ARE.
A few things have happened. I am enjoying Gap. It's mindless, it's easy, once you know what you're doing, and there's a certain perverse pleasure to be taken from meeting your sales target for a day. It's also nice to be speaking to people my own age, and finding out what's going on in Edinburgh. Polish people rock. We have two working with us, and they are really cool, easy to get along with, and smile endlessly.
David didn't get into the army. This is a blow for all concerned. It sucks to high heaven for him, as now he has to wait another 6 months to go through the whole damn thing again, and in the meantime, has to find a job to keep himself going. And it's looking horribly like he might need to return to Starbucks. It sucks for me, because now there is no date in sight for me getting my own apartment back, as that's where the boy is living. I have no intention of kicking him out, but at the same time, both myself and my parents realise that me living at home for another 6 months will likely drive all of us mad. So words need to be had to come up with some sort of solution.
I met Katja the other week! Katja is a Finnish friend from the heady days of Uni, and together, we were going to change the face of acadaemia. Well, life got in the way of that little idea, but we remained in patchy contact whilst I was in Japon, and then she finally came up to Ed last week with her lovely French boyfriend Laurant and his friend Benoit. We spent a glorious Edinburgh afternoon holed up in the Baillie drinking beer and chewing the fat. It was really great to catch up with her again, and I only wished we lived closer.
I received a wonderful letter from dear James, he of the beard who played rugby and ultimate at various competitions with us, now somewhere in the Australian bush, riding in helicopters and putting fires out. He sent along some snaps of his farm, and I am resolved to getting out to that country really soon. It looks wonderful.
I have my first real job interview coming up! I am so excited, but trying not to get too worked up. It's for an Edinburgh ESL school, working as an accomodation and welfare officer for the students. Woo hoo! I am just glad that finally someone saw my CV as being somehow relevant to what they are looking for. I haven't had interviews for anything apart from shops since my return, so I know that this job might not happen, but it's a real boost for me to finally see some results coming from my experience.
I submitted my application to Moray House College, the teacher training school in Edinburgh. It's not what I want to do. Of that, I am pretty certain. I will go through with the application process, and, should I get an interview, I will try my very best. But the more I think on it, the more I realise that I'm doing it for the wrong reasons. It's a bit of a conundrum, really, because that degreee would be a great way into Australia. But even then, I'd still be tied to teaching. James is urging me to simply take a year off and go on a working visa, see the country, and take it from there. It's a great plan in theory, but the thought of putting life off for yet another year is not one that sits easily in my mind, though it does have its attractions.
Mummy's off to Dublin next weekend for a shopping trip with my aunt. That leaves me and Dad with the rule of the roost. I think he's going to make monkfish tails in balckbean sauce one night for us (a first for me), and I think I'll do curry soup with lots of naan the other night.
Christmas is just around the corner. Madness. I picture where I was this time last year. I try to imagine where I'll be this time next year. Not knowing is exciting, but also pretty frustrating. I thought I was good at being a free spirit, and just letting it all wash over me, but actually, I'm not. I have this impatience to know what's coming next, and to see people and places that sitting back and letting it all happen is like proverbial nails on a board...
Love you all!
A few things have happened. I am enjoying Gap. It's mindless, it's easy, once you know what you're doing, and there's a certain perverse pleasure to be taken from meeting your sales target for a day. It's also nice to be speaking to people my own age, and finding out what's going on in Edinburgh. Polish people rock. We have two working with us, and they are really cool, easy to get along with, and smile endlessly.
David didn't get into the army. This is a blow for all concerned. It sucks to high heaven for him, as now he has to wait another 6 months to go through the whole damn thing again, and in the meantime, has to find a job to keep himself going. And it's looking horribly like he might need to return to Starbucks. It sucks for me, because now there is no date in sight for me getting my own apartment back, as that's where the boy is living. I have no intention of kicking him out, but at the same time, both myself and my parents realise that me living at home for another 6 months will likely drive all of us mad. So words need to be had to come up with some sort of solution.
I met Katja the other week! Katja is a Finnish friend from the heady days of Uni, and together, we were going to change the face of acadaemia. Well, life got in the way of that little idea, but we remained in patchy contact whilst I was in Japon, and then she finally came up to Ed last week with her lovely French boyfriend Laurant and his friend Benoit. We spent a glorious Edinburgh afternoon holed up in the Baillie drinking beer and chewing the fat. It was really great to catch up with her again, and I only wished we lived closer.
I received a wonderful letter from dear James, he of the beard who played rugby and ultimate at various competitions with us, now somewhere in the Australian bush, riding in helicopters and putting fires out. He sent along some snaps of his farm, and I am resolved to getting out to that country really soon. It looks wonderful.
I have my first real job interview coming up! I am so excited, but trying not to get too worked up. It's for an Edinburgh ESL school, working as an accomodation and welfare officer for the students. Woo hoo! I am just glad that finally someone saw my CV as being somehow relevant to what they are looking for. I haven't had interviews for anything apart from shops since my return, so I know that this job might not happen, but it's a real boost for me to finally see some results coming from my experience.
I submitted my application to Moray House College, the teacher training school in Edinburgh. It's not what I want to do. Of that, I am pretty certain. I will go through with the application process, and, should I get an interview, I will try my very best. But the more I think on it, the more I realise that I'm doing it for the wrong reasons. It's a bit of a conundrum, really, because that degreee would be a great way into Australia. But even then, I'd still be tied to teaching. James is urging me to simply take a year off and go on a working visa, see the country, and take it from there. It's a great plan in theory, but the thought of putting life off for yet another year is not one that sits easily in my mind, though it does have its attractions.
Mummy's off to Dublin next weekend for a shopping trip with my aunt. That leaves me and Dad with the rule of the roost. I think he's going to make monkfish tails in balckbean sauce one night for us (a first for me), and I think I'll do curry soup with lots of naan the other night.
Christmas is just around the corner. Madness. I picture where I was this time last year. I try to imagine where I'll be this time next year. Not knowing is exciting, but also pretty frustrating. I thought I was good at being a free spirit, and just letting it all wash over me, but actually, I'm not. I have this impatience to know what's coming next, and to see people and places that sitting back and letting it all happen is like proverbial nails on a board...
Love you all!
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