Ascertained
Wow, check out the dates on the right, I've now been blogging for two years!
So in honor of that, today I thought I would talk a little bit about me because ever since I put that email address up I've been getting a lot of questions that I thought were explained by the sidebar on the right but apparently not. Here are answers to the top four queries:
1. I'm a student and therefore I am here on a student visa. It's the easiest and most practical way to get to this country, short of marrying someone it seems the only way.
2. Yes, London is absurdly expensive; yes I struggle to live here. As a post-grad student this year I am sponsored by a pharmaceutical company who allow me a stipend. While I appreciate not going into anymore tuition fee debt, the stipend is, in fact, about 1/5 of what I was making in the States at my proper job. To compensate I live in student housing which I find massively embarrassing at my age (29 years next month). Fire drills aside, it's very convenient as I pay 100 quid a week and have no travel expenses because I am a one minute walk from work.
3. No, I don't hate America. We were having a turbulent relationship when I left, sure. But 20 months of space have helped me realize all the great things about it, daft presidents, religious extremism, and SUVs aside.
4. Yes I do miss Americans. Definitely not always mind you but every once in a while I long for a loud, pushy, obnoxious, take-no-prisoners type of attitude; sometimes politeness and tippy-toeing just doesn’t get it done.
There you go. Please do continue to read and write to this goofy little blog.
So in honor of that, today I thought I would talk a little bit about me because ever since I put that email address up I've been getting a lot of questions that I thought were explained by the sidebar on the right but apparently not. Here are answers to the top four queries:
1. I'm a student and therefore I am here on a student visa. It's the easiest and most practical way to get to this country, short of marrying someone it seems the only way.
2. Yes, London is absurdly expensive; yes I struggle to live here. As a post-grad student this year I am sponsored by a pharmaceutical company who allow me a stipend. While I appreciate not going into anymore tuition fee debt, the stipend is, in fact, about 1/5 of what I was making in the States at my proper job. To compensate I live in student housing which I find massively embarrassing at my age (29 years next month). Fire drills aside, it's very convenient as I pay 100 quid a week and have no travel expenses because I am a one minute walk from work.
3. No, I don't hate America. We were having a turbulent relationship when I left, sure. But 20 months of space have helped me realize all the great things about it, daft presidents, religious extremism, and SUVs aside.
4. Yes I do miss Americans. Definitely not always mind you but every once in a while I long for a loud, pushy, obnoxious, take-no-prisoners type of attitude; sometimes politeness and tippy-toeing just doesn’t get it done.
There you go. Please do continue to read and write to this goofy little blog.
Here, Here for point 4. Having lived for a while in the US I have to say sometimes I really miss the straight-forward, gung-ho approach that isn't really the done thing here. Well done on 2 years of blogging.
sp_999
Posted by
Anonymous |
1:32 pm, June 09, 2006
I must admit, I had a chuckle on your first point:
"I'm a student and therefore I am here on a student visa. It's the easiest and most practical way to get to this country, short of marrying someone it seems the only way".
Amen! I was trying to gain entry into the UK to vacation with my bf, who is working there. I had EVERY intention of returning to the US in 4 months. Blech. UK immigration is a bear!
Great blog!
Posted by
Miss H. |
5:19 am, June 10, 2006
Interesting reading a summary about your life as it helps me out to catch up with your "goofy" things ;-)
Posted by
Spanish Kitchenette |
9:26 pm, June 10, 2006
Yo Yo - happy twos.
Re: 2. I'm guessing at this time of year you bade farewell to all the little ones you've been lording it over for the past 9 months. Were you sorry to see them go? Do your halls get filled with odd summer school types instead? And, most importantly, do they 'roast'* less?
*the 'roasting' exclusive you revealed to me is now my favourite 'Kings Students unofficial word on the street fact'.
Posted by
Huw |
11:34 pm, June 10, 2006
Off they go, weeeeee! Soon to be replaced with something far worse.... Hoards of AMERICAN overseas students, bleh.
Posted by
Monica |
11:53 pm, June 10, 2006
starving student struggling to live tehre who goes to tons of cities accross europe. is there a mystery benefactor involved? i still think it's funny that you live in student housing..you'll laugh when you think about this in 15 years.
Posted by
Anonymous |
3:16 pm, June 11, 2006
Oh, you're actually an American! And you're in LONDON?
Student housing isn't really that bad is it? At 29 I know that I'll be wishing I still lived in it.
Posted by
Curly |
5:24 pm, June 12, 2006