And here I am!

It’s really quite unbelieveable that less than 12 hours ago I was nervously awaiting my flight in JFK and now I’m in London! I’m staying in the cutestest little flat that belogs to a friend of my mom’s and her four roommates.  They’re kind enough to let me crash with them for a few days while I get my bearings.  This afternoon, assuming I’m not too jet lagged, my mom’s friend Mimi is going to take me around the neighborhoods in the area so get an idea of good places to live.  She’s also given me an oyster card (for tube travel – they actually say Mind the Gap about every three minutes) and her old phone for local calls until I can get my own.  I’m beginning to wish I had brought her a lot more than oreos, ibuprophen and dryer sheets (the three US things she says she can’t find abroad).

In fact, my trip has already been a bit of an adventure (alright, adventure might be a strong word.  Problematic might be better).  I arrived in customs with my Blue card (which allows me to work), my passport, and a UK entry visa which BUNAC, the program sponsoring my blue card, said I needed to receive otherwise I’d have problems traveling.  No one in customs had any idea what the entry visa was.  I ended up waiting for about 45 min while they made calls and generally looked confused.  I’m pretty sure I’m legally allowed to be here, but I hope everything went through properly because apparently if I need to get my visa changed or a different stamp in my passport, I actually need to leave the country then come back in through customs.  Yikes!  In any case, the woman said that I should probably be fine but I might have to reexplain myself every time I leave the country and come back.

Of course, that isn’t an issue until I find a job and a place to live, the next few tasks now that I’ve arrived.  Tomorrow morning is my BUNAC orientaion in which they give me info on taxes, banking, jobs and general living info and after that it’s time for some serious house and job hunting.  Wish me luck!

Cheers!


<a href=”http://megabroad.livejournal.com/782.html”>Listen to my phone update from the JFK Airport in New York before leaving for London</a>


Ready… Set…

On the day of my graduation from Colby College, I received an email from myself I had writen about a year and a half earlier. I wrote:

Subject: Email from the Past
Dear Future Version of Me,

Congratulations on making it to Graduation day! Right now is seems so far away (although I try not to think too much about it… it’s coming up pretty rapidly). By this point I probably have a job lined up, or at least plans for the summer. Maybe I’m traveling some where, or maybe I’m going to graduate school (although that seems a bit unlikely). Today is January 1st, 2007 and it\’s the start of a new year. I want to make this year a fresh start, I want to worry less and try to have more fun. Did I succeed?

In the coming year, I’m going to try to work on my party website (in case I never did, and I forgot about it, it’s a website that targets people aged 18-28 and helps them plan parties on small budgets in small spaces), do some investing, and generally try to enjoy myself more and be happier. Having a lighter course load should help.

Today, January 1, 2007 and I am leaving home tomorrow to go back to school. I’m going to miss my family a lot. I’ll bet none of that’s changed. I hope I am still healthy and safe, and I am surrounded by my family on this special day as I move to a new point in my life. Congratulations, I never could have made it this far without me…keep up the good work!!
Written at Mon Jan 01, 2007

Well, I may not have a job lined up, but as I predicted, I am taking some time to travel.  In fact, tomorrow, I am getting on a plane bound for London and won’t be returning for six months.  I’m just finishing the final preperation for my trip and I’m really getting down to the wire here – one more load of laundry, a few more things shoved in the suitcase, a couple of last-ditch efforts to actually find a job before I arrive (looking less and less likely) then I’m on my way.  I’ve been planning this trip for almost half a year now and I can’t believe it’s finally here.  I can’t wait to share my experiences abroad and, oh – past self? I’ve definitely been enjoying myself.