Same same but different

I've been thinking a lot lately about this move I've made. In some ways, it's different and new and surprising. In other ways it's completely the same as life in Toronto.

I get up, I brush my teeth, I eat my bowl of Wheetabix, I make my bed, I order a latte at Starbucks (goddamn Starbucks), I take public transit, I get drunk, I eat terrible food (both when I'm drunk and when I'm hungover). I don't have a job - but being unemployed is practically like a full time job so I do that. I'm not sure if I was really expecting everything in my life to be completely different when I came here. I guess it's just once the novelty wears off of quitting your job and booking a one way ticket to another country, you realize things are more or less the same everywhere.

However, I've only been here just over a month so I probably haven't properly absorbed all the Britishness yet. I mean there are some things that are unique to the U.K. No one dries their clothes in a dryer, everyone is retarded for football, they say toilet and loo instead of bathroom (and I feel like a complete tool asking where either of these things are when I'm at a restaurant [mainly Starbucks]). My house is like the Zoolander School for Ants. Tea is like air to them and they say things like choccie biscuits and mobile and daft.

When I was out with Martin, he ordered a baked potato with tuna and mayo and I almost barfed. I was horrified to discover that this is actually a common food staple over here.

Everything here is smaller too: cars, fridges, roads. Also, I am not embarrassed to say that I am terrified of crossing the street here because everyone in this city drives like a maniac. London is like Grand Theft Auto: drivers are purposefully attempting to run you over in their little Pinto cars at any given time. Also pedestrians have no right of way so you better watch the hell out when you're taking that leisurely stroll down the cobblestone.

The other thing is that despite its tiny size, this city is SOO packed all the time. I had to wait for two tubes this morning before I could actually get in one. And that's a good commute. People literally flood out of tube stations for their daily pilgrimage to those high rise office complexes. It's a battle getting around the city and if you find yourself trying to go anywhere during rush hour, well you're shit out of luck.

There are things I do love about this city though. Due to it's population, the place is always buzzing. There are a million things to do here all the time: markets, heatre, live music, shopping. And this city is so old and there is so much history - just being here makes me feel like I'm part of something ancient and ethereal.

It's been hard for me to see the city for what is really is lately because I've been stuck in interview hell. I counted them out and I've had 13 interviews since I've been here. Having to tell potential employers over and over again why you're so awesome and qualified and why you just love foxybingo or ancestral research or merchandizing gardening equipment is so mentally and emotionally exhausting. Explaining your strengths and bs-ing your way through the weakness question just to have them turn you down is a big old bitch slap to the ego.

I had an interview today for a receptionist job that I really don't want. The interviewer said she was really impressed with my resume but thought this job would be a step back for me. I wanted to get up and kiss this little Asian women on the head and tell her I completely agree and just run, arms flailing, out of their office. Instead lies just started spewing out of my mouth: well I want to try new things, there's a lot of overlap between editorial and admin work, I'm young and can go back to writing later in my life, bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. I was surprised how convincing I sounded too. They seemed to like the fact that I was 'creative' while the rest of them were 'financial' (if that's the opposite of creative). The thing is, if they offer me this job, I might just have to take it.

And then kill myself.

I just can't picture myself ordering stationary and getting CEOs coffee. It's not my bag, baby. But maybe at this point in the game, what my bag is is actually quite irrelevant.

Alright I have my National Insurance Number interview today. It's like your SIN but you have to apply for it and then be interviewed. This country is so strange.

Will write soon with new updates.

Cheers,

Patsy xoxo