two years
For someone who supposedly lives there, I've spent rather a lot of time lately not being in London. I've spent a month up on yet another training course in the middle of nowhere, and the last few days up in Glasgow - partly for Indian Summer (or Twee in the Park as Matt called it), and partly to swan around for a bit and have a nice relaxing time at my parents' house before going back to work. Although apparently my desk's been nicked, so I'm not sure how much work I'll be getting done when I get there.
I realised earlier today that it's exactly two years since I packed up all my stuff in dad's car and we drove down to London for me to start my first proper job. The interview was the day before I graduated, and they phoned me up the day after to offer me a position. Looking back on old entries, I was - understandably - a little tentative about it all, and was telling myself that it was just a six month contract, and there was every chance that I'd end up back in Glasgow at the end of it. This time last year, not only was I still in the same job, but too busy in it to even notice I'd been there a year.
I'm definitely a lot more comfortable in London than I was when I moved down. I still get lost in Soho, but I know my Tottenham from my Totteridge, and don't have to refer to the tube map quite so often anymore. I have more friends in the city now - when I first moved here, it was just six or so mates from uni who'd moved down before me, now more have joined them, and I've made plenty more, largely thanks to the internet, which has made a big city seem a lot smaller.
There's still a lot I miss about Glasgow, as four days back there well reminded me. I'd still love to live there again. But last week, when one of the managers at work mentioned the possibility of a placement up in Glasgow - possibly three or four months - for the first time I found myself briefly hesitating. It's a long time to be away from everyone in London.
It'll be nice to be back. Although, as ever with these things, I'm sure it won't be long before I'm back to my usual jaded self.
I realised earlier today that it's exactly two years since I packed up all my stuff in dad's car and we drove down to London for me to start my first proper job. The interview was the day before I graduated, and they phoned me up the day after to offer me a position. Looking back on old entries, I was - understandably - a little tentative about it all, and was telling myself that it was just a six month contract, and there was every chance that I'd end up back in Glasgow at the end of it. This time last year, not only was I still in the same job, but too busy in it to even notice I'd been there a year.
I'm definitely a lot more comfortable in London than I was when I moved down. I still get lost in Soho, but I know my Tottenham from my Totteridge, and don't have to refer to the tube map quite so often anymore. I have more friends in the city now - when I first moved here, it was just six or so mates from uni who'd moved down before me, now more have joined them, and I've made plenty more, largely thanks to the internet, which has made a big city seem a lot smaller.
There's still a lot I miss about Glasgow, as four days back there well reminded me. I'd still love to live there again. But last week, when one of the managers at work mentioned the possibility of a placement up in Glasgow - possibly three or four months - for the first time I found myself briefly hesitating. It's a long time to be away from everyone in London.
It'll be nice to be back. Although, as ever with these things, I'm sure it won't be long before I'm back to my usual jaded self.