Glasgow bound

I haven't had a chance to get to Glasgow yet, but on Tuesday I will finally get to spend the day there! I have an interview there, so I'm heading down early to wander around a bit, go to my interview, and wander some more before heading back.

I'm excited! It will be cool to be in the city where my family emigrated from! When I was in Montreal I got to see where they landed in Canada, so getting to see where they left from will be nice.

Down to the Nitty Gritty

So. Now we're all caught up, this is where I show the bloom is off the rose, to some degree.

I am happy, over the moon, and everything is better than I ever imagined it would be. That said it's also way harder than I imagined. So much depends on having an address, which I don't have. It's hard to get anything done, from opening a bank account to getting a driver's licence. Things I need, and can't get.

Just trying to navigate the information out there, to get something like my National Insurance Number, is a pain. There's information for citizens that have lived here forever, and there's information for immigrants, there isn't information for citizens who have immigrated, which is what I am. Lather, rinse, repeat for everything you want to find information on.

I've been looking for work since I landed here. I have applied to more jobs than I can count. I've been invited to a handful of interviews. So far, no job. That's hard on the ego, for sure. I haven't had this much trouble finding a job since I entered the job market after high school. I've applied for jobs all over the country. It's not like I'm being picky about where I go, there's just more people than there are jobs right now.

It's also hard living in a hostel. I'm lucky that the hostel I'm currently in is quiet right now. It's their off season. I've found a nice routine with the manager, and we've become friends. I like the town I'm in, and it's pretty easy to get into the city if I need to go. But I'm so looking forward to being able to unpack, to have a little place that's just mine. I'm really looking forward to sending for my cats.

Everyday is hard, and tiring and trying. Despite all of the negative, I am honestly happier than I have ever been in my life. I am so glad I picked up and moved. Best thing I ever could have done.

Summer Photos

Basically it's my What I Did This Summer photo album.

Picture pages

I've gathered together, in case you wanted to see them.

Scotland!

So now we (finally) get to the part where I am finally in Scotland.

Let's get caught up to the present, shall we?

I've been here awhile now. I've been ALL over Scotland. Go open up a map of Scotland. Now, I started in Edinburgh. From there I have been to (in no particular order): Perth, For William, Inverness, Aberdeen, St. Andrews, Leven, Dundee, Glen Coe, Loch Ness, Thruso, Stromness, Kirkwall, Stirling, and Cupar. I think that's most of the places I've been. There may be more. But I've managed to see a good chunk of the country.

I still sound Canadian, though I have managed to learn how to say loch correctly, and I know how to pronounce gaelic correctly.

I'm making friends, and I'm looking for work. I've had a few interviews but nothing has stuck yet.

I've attended a live rugby match (which is a sport I LOVE to watch), I still don't like football, and I'm slowly learning about cricket (and actually enjoying it).

I can not express enough how much I love this country. I feel more at home here than I have ever felt anywhere else. I am home. I may be essentially homeless (living in a hostel at the moment), and be dirt poor, and I haven't worked in 8 months, but damn, I am so happy. The happiest I have ever been in my life. I belong here.

I miss my friends and my family. I miss the familiar. I miss really silly things, like Kraft Dinner, Lash Blast mascara from Cover Girl (I have yet to find it, I'm still holding out hope), Crest toothpaste, cornmeal, and rootbeer. But I'm so glad I'm here. I wouldn't change it for anything. Not a damn thing.