Well I haven't really used this in a while...
...other than for commenting and a knitting club.
I've had some crazy years since I last updated. Most recently, I've decided to move to England - Nottingham. Perfect timing considering record job losses and union riots for employing foreigners you say? At least there's a good exchange rate.
Currently, I'm living in what seems to be about the size of a walk-in closet. I can just barely squeeze through the door as it opens inward and hits the end of my twin size bed (which takes up more than half of the width of the room). It's in the forest though, away from the city. Good enough for me. The lake down the way has frozen over and the snow just snows on top. It's quite pretty. This photo was from about 9:00 AM.
Lately, I've really been chilling out. For the last few years I've been all over the place. Working, schooling, working, working, working. I actually took a vacation this year. I've never taken one before. It felt really good. I went up to a cabin with Eddy on Quadra Island. It was right on the ocean and it snowed every second day. It's quite a wealthy place. I stuck out like a sore thumb in my car. People actually told me they were surprised I could even get from Victoria to Quadra in my Chevette. They all had HUGE SUVs. There's no purpose in the world that you would need those vehicles. They're so harmful, and I can fit more in my hatchback than they can in their SUVs. Although they have more space, they have much less usable space. I love my car.
So... jobs. Since I last posted, I've been a telephone rep at two call centres (one for soliciting used clothing for a charity and another for American mobile users). I can't believe how much money Americans spend on their cell phones. One woman once called and said she had to make a payment plan ... for her $13,000 bill! Lady, get a phone card - don't talk for 20 hours in the Bahamas! Hm, what else? I've also been a photographer, a volunteer recruiter (same charity), and an admin assistant (same charity). While I was working at the American call centre (I say American because no Canadian company would run like that one did), I met Eddy from Nottingham. Our class (in training) had an amazing, almost planned chemisty. We went out every weekend and blew our money on alcohol and taxis. It was the first time in my life that I actually partied. I'd never really partied downtown before that. It was nice to find that in myself - to know that I wasn't a complete bore. I gotta say though, I'm just not into it. I'd much rather chill at a pub than dance at a club. I really hate clubs (funny, I'm moving to Nottingham eh). My boyfriend and I broke up after a three-year relationship. It was hard because it was different, not because I missed him. He had to move out and he left an absolute mess. I was so angry. Eddy moved in after that as his roommate had bailed on him at the same time. We got to be really close friends as we had so much in common and eventually started dating. We called it off when his Visa expired but once he got back to England we kept in touch and he ended up coming back a few months later to visit.
I've been trying to get my UK Ancestry Visa lined up for the last couple years and Eddy kind of inspired me to get crackin'. I'll be living with him in Nottingham so I won't be this lost puppy in a big city (I'm a little scared of England because Canada is so vast that there aren't very many big cities).
Today, my coworkers had a party for me as a goodbye. They gave me flowers and chocolate, but the best thing was a piece of paper that said, "I will miss Jessie because..." and everyone wrote what they'll miss about me. Most of them commented on my smile or laugh (I laugh embarassingly loud and I just hope it doesn't sound obnoxious). Kelly used her talent to make me a beautiful necklace and Greg wrote a freaky poem about an Evil Santa Claus. Rhonda commented on my "tidy" workspace (sarcasm), but they don't call me Messy Jessie for nothing.
I've gotta get my Visa Card sorted. I need to figure out if I can take it without charges or should I just get another one there? I sponsor a child in Sudan and my payments go on that card. I hope Enas (that's the girl I sponsor) doesn't write to me and have the letter sent to Canada.
I've applied for a job in Nottingham as a Young Carer Support Worker. We'll see how that goes. It's the only job I've found appealing, actually. Most jobs in England seem to be management and IT positions. I just want to facilitate non-profit programs. That's what I do and that's what I like doing. No wonder England has so much youth crime, there's nothing for them! No resources! Victoria has absolutely HUNDREDS of non-profit agencies serving the public, and we only have 250,000 people!
Anyway, I'll leave you with a few photos I took of all the things I'll miss, and photos I took of my home and native land:
I've had some crazy years since I last updated. Most recently, I've decided to move to England - Nottingham. Perfect timing considering record job losses and union riots for employing foreigners you say? At least there's a good exchange rate.
Currently, I'm living in what seems to be about the size of a walk-in closet. I can just barely squeeze through the door as it opens inward and hits the end of my twin size bed (which takes up more than half of the width of the room). It's in the forest though, away from the city. Good enough for me. The lake down the way has frozen over and the snow just snows on top. It's quite pretty. This photo was from about 9:00 AM.
Lately, I've really been chilling out. For the last few years I've been all over the place. Working, schooling, working, working, working. I actually took a vacation this year. I've never taken one before. It felt really good. I went up to a cabin with Eddy on Quadra Island. It was right on the ocean and it snowed every second day. It's quite a wealthy place. I stuck out like a sore thumb in my car. People actually told me they were surprised I could even get from Victoria to Quadra in my Chevette. They all had HUGE SUVs. There's no purpose in the world that you would need those vehicles. They're so harmful, and I can fit more in my hatchback than they can in their SUVs. Although they have more space, they have much less usable space. I love my car.
So... jobs. Since I last posted, I've been a telephone rep at two call centres (one for soliciting used clothing for a charity and another for American mobile users). I can't believe how much money Americans spend on their cell phones. One woman once called and said she had to make a payment plan ... for her $13,000 bill! Lady, get a phone card - don't talk for 20 hours in the Bahamas! Hm, what else? I've also been a photographer, a volunteer recruiter (same charity), and an admin assistant (same charity). While I was working at the American call centre (I say American because no Canadian company would run like that one did), I met Eddy from Nottingham. Our class (in training) had an amazing, almost planned chemisty. We went out every weekend and blew our money on alcohol and taxis. It was the first time in my life that I actually partied. I'd never really partied downtown before that. It was nice to find that in myself - to know that I wasn't a complete bore. I gotta say though, I'm just not into it. I'd much rather chill at a pub than dance at a club. I really hate clubs (funny, I'm moving to Nottingham eh). My boyfriend and I broke up after a three-year relationship. It was hard because it was different, not because I missed him. He had to move out and he left an absolute mess. I was so angry. Eddy moved in after that as his roommate had bailed on him at the same time. We got to be really close friends as we had so much in common and eventually started dating. We called it off when his Visa expired but once he got back to England we kept in touch and he ended up coming back a few months later to visit.
I've been trying to get my UK Ancestry Visa lined up for the last couple years and Eddy kind of inspired me to get crackin'. I'll be living with him in Nottingham so I won't be this lost puppy in a big city (I'm a little scared of England because Canada is so vast that there aren't very many big cities).
Today, my coworkers had a party for me as a goodbye. They gave me flowers and chocolate, but the best thing was a piece of paper that said, "I will miss Jessie because..." and everyone wrote what they'll miss about me. Most of them commented on my smile or laugh (I laugh embarassingly loud and I just hope it doesn't sound obnoxious). Kelly used her talent to make me a beautiful necklace and Greg wrote a freaky poem about an Evil Santa Claus. Rhonda commented on my "tidy" workspace (sarcasm), but they don't call me Messy Jessie for nothing.
I've gotta get my Visa Card sorted. I need to figure out if I can take it without charges or should I just get another one there? I sponsor a child in Sudan and my payments go on that card. I hope Enas (that's the girl I sponsor) doesn't write to me and have the letter sent to Canada.
I've applied for a job in Nottingham as a Young Carer Support Worker. We'll see how that goes. It's the only job I've found appealing, actually. Most jobs in England seem to be management and IT positions. I just want to facilitate non-profit programs. That's what I do and that's what I like doing. No wonder England has so much youth crime, there's nothing for them! No resources! Victoria has absolutely HUNDREDS of non-profit agencies serving the public, and we only have 250,000 people!
Anyway, I'll leave you with a few photos I took of all the things I'll miss, and photos I took of my home and native land: