Travel

I have been busy travelling these past couple of days. I spent the weekend in Rockford and then drove down to Bloomington to be with my sister and her new baby for a couple of days. Now I am back and finalizing things up for my trip to London. I seem to keep saying that, and then new things keep popping up that I need to take care of. There's a chance that I can get a temporary job as a teacher's aid (which means I would be assigned one-on-one with some sort of child with special needs) until I can find a job as a social worker, which I am very glad for. It sounds like a subbing position here, where I call each day that I want to work in order to get my assignment. If I don't call in, I don't have to work that day. It pays about 60 pounds a day, which will help until I start making the big bucks, and if I have an interview on a certain day, I don't have to go in. I contacted the place about setting up an appointment but haven't heard back from them yet. Also, I'm getting a UK mobile soon in the mail! They're sending me one from the UK-Pro agency, so I will shortly be mailing out my new phone number to all of you so you can call me. Also, all incoming calls are free, so you can call me whenever you wish to chat. : ) Don't know how expensive it is for all of you to call me, however.

I still need to find some temporary lodgings, which is making me feel kind of anxious, so I'm going to be trying to do that today. I think I'm going to go with a room in someone's house or flat, because I'm not sure I want to share a huge hostel room with 12 other people of mixed gender when I'm all alone. I got this power point on things that are different between Brittish and American culture, and I thought one point that was interesting is British employers give you much less feedback on what kind of work you are doing unless you are doing badly. So, if they don't say anything at all you can assume you're doing an okay job. Apparently, they think we are too "flowery" in America (give out too many compliments.) Apparently fanny is a word for the female genitalia, so that could be a little embarrassing. Although, I can't remember the last time I have used the word fanny. I thought Fanny was a common English name? Those English. Other interesting English words: legless means you're drunk, an iced lolly is a popsicle, courgettes are zucchini, and sultanas are raisins. I think there might be more of a culture shock living in London than I was anticipating. I'll have some interesting stories to tell, that's for sure.