Job Hunting is fun!....NOT

So the job hunt has commenced. Starting up in London is much harder than I ever gave it credit for! It seems as though obtaining anything you need to live here is a Catch 22. Everytime you try to get ahead while you're starting up, it's like being in a maze, and everywhere you turn there's a brick wall infront of you. You need a few things to live and work in London. A flat (somewhere to live), a job (living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, you'll need to be making money while you're spending it), a National Insurance number (if you don't get one of these, you'll be taxed much more than if you do have one, visit Jobcentre Plus to find out how to get yours), and a Bank Account (you obviously need one of these to put money into when you get your job, for more info on opening up a Bank Account in the UK for Canadians visit CanuckAbroad.com). The problem is...when you start to try to get any of these things you need, you'll realize that you need one or more of another one of them in order to get the one you're trying for. It's SO frustrating!

So we have a flat, Thank God. This is one of the hardest to obtain since nobody would like to rent to a couple without jobs. So luckily we got a flat with my friend, Franco (from high school). He's been out here for the last 3 years studying Law. We've tried to obtain our National Insurance number and Bank Accounts but they've been both difficult to obtain without a proof of address. We moved into our flat on the 15th of January. Today we phoned the Gas/Electricity company and put our names on the account. They're going to send us a welcome package with our names on it, so please please please cross your fingers with us and hope that that's enough for us both to get Bank Accounts and National Insurance numbers. As for jobs, we've both been applying a lot on the internet. I've got two interviews with recruitment agencies who both want to place me in Assistant Manager positions. Oh how fun! I can be in Management again!! You know how much I love managing, don't you?! If not, scroll down, there's a nice post that explains exactly how I feel about it. But I need a job, and I need money so I really can't be picky about what comes my way. I'll keep you posted on what becomes of it. But for now, let me depart you with some wisdom. DON'T move to London...it is MUCH to hard to survive here, just don't do it!!!

That's all...will keep you updated on the magnificent lives we have found ourselves with :P

Lauren

ROOMIES!! Franco, Trevor, and Lauren

London's newest Bobby

Me in the London Underground

Good 'ol Big Ben....he sure is big...

FINALLY! In London!!

I am SO long overdue for an update. Well we're finally here....at last.....seemed like a dream before but it's definitely real now. The reality of backpacking is that it's hard....and I possibly forgot how hard it is. But I remember it being worth it, so that's good. It took every ounce of energy in Trev and I this morning to find our way to our hostel. After a flight where we both got little sleep and ate crappy food, we were both in a bit of a state when we finally got to the airport baggage, only to realize that our backpacks are really heavy...especially in combination with our heavy carry-ons. Oh well, I remember feeling the same way when my best friend, Kara, and I arrived in Amsterdam to start our backpacking trip. After awhile you get used to carrying around the pack....I just don't remember how long it takes, but I hope it happens soon :).

So the flight was crap (but I guess you get what you pay for). Air Transat is just fine for short flights to the Caribbean, and for those of you that have flown them there, imagine flying the exact same way, double the time, to here...London. It was bad...very cramped and it takes really bad food for me to say it's crap. The flight attendants weren't especially nice either. If I could do it over, I'd probably spend a bit extra to feel a lot better than I did this morning when we got here. Then trying to find your way around the London transport system with all the luggage on no sleep was a mission in itself....but we friggin' did it! Thank God! The worst is over :)

The hostel is located by Swiss Cottage Station in London. It's a pretty big hostel with a cool bunk bed setup I haven't seen before (I'll take pics), but they nickel & dime you for everything in hostels this big (usually). But other than that, it's clean, which is numero uno on my watch. And we should be getting everything we need sorted out in the next couple of days before we go to PORTUGAL - YAY!!!

I'll keep you posted :)

Lolly