England!

So some of you may know that I have decided to come to England for three months this summer. I was able to arrange for a work visa through a company that grants such visas to students in the middle of their university or those who have just graduated (me). I had been here before and really liked the country and wanted to experience it on a deeper level. I also wanted to add something fun and different to my resume before the real world started.

But let's rewind a bit back to my last week in Virginia. Marymount gave us a week off between the conclusion of finals and graduation. Graduation at Constitution Hall in DC was very nice and not too long. After graduation, my family had a nice lunch of homemade sandwiches at home. Graduation Day was also my last day in Virginia. So that night, it sure was a rainy one...lol, I drove over to Valerie's house to have dinner with her and say goodbye for 89 days. (Yes, we have a daily countdown). I picked up pizza from Esposito's and got to her house. She has a really fun summer of church workcamps and World Youth Day in Australia, so we're hoping these days will go by quickly.

So Monday morning, I woke up at 3am and found we had no electricity. The rain had decided to play a trick on me as I was trying to get ready. So i took two flashlights in the bathroom and showered, said goodbye to my mom (my sister was asleep) and then my dad drove me to the airport. To get a cheaper fare, I flew Air Canada through Toronto. It was interesting because in Toronto there was a food place called Casey's right at my gate for the London flight. I took a picture of the red sign. I then got on the flight to Heathrow and seven hours later I was across the pond.

The first night I decided to overnight at a hotel nearby the airport. The next few days involved meeting the staff of my visa program and finding a studio flat that was affordable and would allow a short-let such as the one I needed. I was lucky to score a flat in an area of London called Finsbury Park which is pretty close-in. I think that the subway ride would be similar to that of Ballston to the Smithsonian, so not that bad. The flat is very clean and has new enough furnishings so it should suit me just fine.

My program offers support and advice, but it is up to the participants to find their own jobs. I am looking at different staffing agencies now for a weekday 9-5 office job. I may get a part-time job in a coffee shop to earn some extra pounds (money not weight...lol) and meet more people. Right now everything has been focused on getting the "basics" set up that I haven't had time to go out and find social groups and such. That time will come.

So that's my life here in a nutshell. What is the single thing I miss most about Virginia besides Valerie right now...hmmm...I guess the familiarity of my day-to-day life of running, going to Mass on Saturday night, meeting up with my buddies and that kind of thing. I'm sure I will be able to reciprocate that stuff here and before long, England will feel more like a temporary home. Look for new updates soon.