More interviews, Amanda gets a job, beautiful parks...

What’s interesting living in a new place is getting used to the new sounds around you. I’ve learnt to tune out from the sirens that seem to be constantly screaming. I swear the police and ambulance just put them on for fun sometimes in that they seem to well always be on. And I no longer here the church bells clanging away. I love walking through the park near our house to get home in the day time. Birds will be singing and without fail, I will see two squirrels on the very green grass – it’s just gorgeous... Oh and this photo on the right is of Battersea Park (and there's more further on).

Ok, some new music I’ve discovered while I’ve been here: The Gossip and Patti Smith – two women with amazing voices and they're not even from here. Razorlight is another great band. And there was this huge free festival that went on this weekend called the Radio 1 Big Weekend – insane line up but unfortunately all the tickets were given away months ago – so I’m forced to watch it on digital tv instead. Oh and I found out I that one of my fave bands ..and you will know us by the Trail of Dead is coming to London - yay!!!

Anyway, my bestest news ever is that I’ve scored a job – I start working at BP in 2 weeks time (on Tuesday 5th June) as a Sharepoint Admin – great job, great company, the site is amazing with onsite doctor, dentist, dry cleaner, café, restaurant, country club etc etc. Here’s what I’ve been up to this last week and this coming week – I’m hoping to do some touristy stuff like go on the red double decker open roof buses. And next week I’m heading off on a day tour to Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath. So here’s the week that was:

Tuesday 15th May

Today, I got my hair cut, coloured, highlights etc at Atlantic hair. 85 quid later – it actually looks pretty good – the highlights stand out more now – and my justification – I need to look good for interviews and my fringe was getting in my eyes and driving me nuts. After this I headed to Argos – my new favourite shop and bought an electric blanket. I’m sure the people thought I was nuts – but it’s been really cold and boy it was nice to dive into a warm bed that night.

Today I saw the BP Sharepoint job advertised on one of the job websites. I applied. I rang the agency. I finally got hold of someone. They’d already seen my CV before, but for some reason didn’t think I could get to the job at BP – which as it turns out – it only takes me one tube and one train to get there – about a half hour trip. Anyway, after speaking to them and clarifying that I *can* get there quite easily, they sent my CV off. That’s the thing with the majority of recruiters and agencies here – you have to ring THEM to get the ball rolling to get them to even look at your CV, even if you’ve already sent your CV and applied for the job already etc – it’s the opposite to what I’m used to, but that’s just how it is here generally.

Oh and today I saw the sun! I ran outside into garden to absorb some sunlight like an excited child before it quickly vanished again. That night, me and Steph had some red wine and chocolate and watch some bizarre tv – “How to look good Naked” – a show kind of like Queer Eye, but ends with a semi naked photo shoot, and a previously frumpy and now made over woman doing a strut down a catwalk in her underwear in front of 2000 people.

Strange but fascinating tv here… I’m also enjoying watching music documentaries on digital tv here such as the “The Seven Ages of Rock” series which I watched on Saturday night just gone featured Jimi Hendrix . I never realized Jimi Hendrix made it big here in London first before he went back to America. I’m so going to have to find a copy of his performance at Monterey – it’s a defining moment. Anyway British documentaries are in a class of their own (and no offence, but Australian tv leaves a lot to be desired).

Wednesday 16th May

Today, I had an interview with GTA who are a travel wholesaler. The job was working in their helpdesk maintaining and updating various websites. All was going good – I got up, cooked a big breakfast – didn’t want my tummy rumbling in the interview. Watched the morning news. Went to have a shower. No hot water. Left the tap on. Still no hot water. I couldn’t go to an interview unshowered! Then all of a sudden someone was bashing on my door and it was the electricity reader man.

That’s the other odd thing here – you have to let the gas and electricity people into your house to read the meters. It’s a bit unnerving letting a potential lunatic into your house. Anyway, I said to him – by the way – our hot water isn’t working – and he offered to look at our gas boiler and presto he adjusted some setting and yay hot water. Anyway, I got a tube to Barbican, amazingly got there on time, had the interview – the two guys who interviewed me were really friendly and reminded me a lot of the people I used to work with – but oddly they couldn’t tell me what the salary was?

As it turns out I was actually offered this job the week after, but I’d already accepted the BP job by that point (and the BP job is way better / what I want). That afternoon, I heard back from the agency about the BP job, and they wanted me to have a phone interview with them – so that was lined up for 4pm that day and it went for 20 minutes and I thought it went quite well at the time.

Thursday 17th May

The agency rang me again first thing, and said my phone interview went great and wanted me to come in that day to meet them at the agency. So I was getting ready and literally about to leave the house when the agency rang me again and said change of plans – you’re going straight to BP for your interview instead.

Yay, so I went out to BP and met with them and had my interview chat / in their giant café on the upper floor. I’m going to take some photos of this site once I start work – it’s amazing.. Anyway, caught the train and tube back to Brixton and went to Marks and Spence and picked up some fish, fetta and salad ingredients for dinner (yum). Opened a bottle of wine, Steph got home, we sat down and had dinner together and got ready and headed out to the Dogstar bar and a few other clubs. Big night.

Friday 18th May

Hangover. My head hurt in more ways than one. My phone rang and woke me up. It was the agency. I’d gotten the BP job. The agency wanted to meet me finally. I arranged to go in later that day and went back to bed but was so excited that I couldn’t actually sleep. I got myself together eventually and dragged myself on the tube and headed to Mansion House station. I got some takeaway on the way. I met the lady from the agency, got some paperwork out of the way and was on my way.

Got the tube home and what was really cool is that at Victoria Station there was a busker / guitarist and his sound echoed all the way from the tunnels to the platform – but what really made me listen and enjoy it was that all the songs he was playing were all piano songs, but played on guitar – it was strange, delicate and beautiful. Anyway, dragged myself home. And I have to say all this walking everywhere everyday – it’s good exercise and all my jeans starting to fall down as a result! Who would’ve thought I could survive without a car.

Saturday 19th May

Well, by the time my weekends have been coming around, I’ve been so busy running around during the week that I’m happy to veg out a bit, hang out at home and catch up on washing, housy stuff etc. Tonight I watched some live footage from the Radio 1 Big Weekend festival going on and the Jimi Hendrix doco. I can’t believe he was only 27 when he died. Terrible terrible shame..

Sunday 20th May

Today I went to a charity music gig held in Battersea Park. The Brits love their parks over here – so green, so huge, and so beautiful. I caught the bus there which was interesting because I had absolutely no idea when I was supposed to get off – but I actually got off at the right stop and navigated my way to the park with my A-Z (mini map book). Actually finding the gig was also interesting because the place is so huge, but I eventually found it (I headed toward the music).

I met my new friend Josh there (and his friends), sat in front of a giant pond / lake with people in sailing around in row boats and peddle boats, sat back and enjoyed the music. Really nice day – want to go back there and explore more of the park and have a picnic – but get this – barbeques are banned in most of these parks! Hmph.

That’s one thing I want to buy or build over here is a bloody barbeque, and have one with a real wood and fire and none of this coal burning stuff. And get this – they even have disposable barbeques here - it's an aluminium tray with coles and wire grill section on top.

Anyway, that's the week that was - stay tuned! - Manda :)