These shoes were made for walkin'

As I was walking on Sunday I realized something. I love my shoes. They are so comfortable to wear and it doesn't matter if it's winter, summer, spring or fall, these shoes will not let me down. I don't think about it, but these particular shoes have been walking through some exciting places.

They have been walking through the streets of Dublin, Ireland (which is where I bought them). Then they went on walking through the snowy streets of Liverpool, UK before they walked in the more snowy landscape of Tromso, Norway. Not long after that they were walking in the busy streets of Shanghai, China... The hills of Chaohu, China... The cold streets of Beijing, China... Now they are back in the UK, walking through the rainy streets of Manchester. They have even been walking through the airports of Copenhagen, Denmark and Paris, France. Soon they will be walking in the streets of Jakarta, Indonesia.

It's amazing isn't it? And they almost look as good as when I bought them, still as comfy as ever. Yes, I love my shoes. If there was one object I could take with me on a deserted island it would be those shoes. Keep on walking, you'll never walk alone...

Plans

Are you the kind of person that plan your days ahead, what you are going to do in the weekend? Does it work for you? I am usually not that structured, but isn’t dreams some sort of plans or is it just wishful thinking? As we grow older, we get new dreams all the time before we make our old dreams come true. I remember one dream I had when I was young. I wanted to be a professional footballer. I was playing football for my local team hoping that a talent scout would come and see what a great footballer I was. Of course that never happened, and I probably wasn’t such a great footballer anyway. Over the years I’ve probably had lots of dreams and I still do. I wonder if any of my dreams came true.

This weekend I actually had a plan and was so excited about it. On Sunday I was going to a beautiful place called Edale with my friend Katy. Unfortunately her back was a mess today and couldn’t go. So I spent today with the people I love instead, not a bad substitute I have to say. I have another plan, but it is more long term. I want to go to Indonesia for a 2 week vacation in August/September to see Kei. In order to make that happen I have to do some serious planning. The biggest issue will be money (isn’t it always). I have just started a new job, so money will have to be saved rigorously during the next months. I have the best reason in the world to do it, so motivation won’t be a problem.

Even more long term I have dreams about more regularity with me and Kei. The how and when isn’t yet planned, but things are going really well at the moment. I bought a web cam on Friday so Kei could see me “live”. She bought a webcam as well today but we had some troubles with the internet connection so I could only see her 20 seconds at a time. I’d rather have 20 seconds than nothing at all. It was fun! Her smile is just amazing.

Tomorrow is a bank holiday both in the UK and Norway so I don’t have to go to work. I have no plans, but that means there’s no chance of failure. I am looking forward to this week as my training is almost over. I have one training day on Wednesday, but then I get to do some real work. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

My last day in Norway

So this is it, goodbye snow, goodbye brown cheese, goodbye ridiculously expensive food and stuff, goodbye lutefisk (will definitively not miss you), goodbye king and queen. The weather is nice today so I took a picture showing the Norwegian scenery in the background. Beautiful is it. Will miss that.

Ah, but I am not sad, rather excited. When I woke up today I was worried, but a few words with my good friend Rina fixed me up. If she was my therapist, she would be a rich woman for sure. Also I feel a bit sick, some would say lovesick. Miss Kei a lot and I know I can’t chat with her for about a week. I missed her voice so I called her last night. Her laugh is so wonderful, the best sound in the world.

At this time tomorrow I will be in my new place in Manchester. I wish I knew how the internet situation is, not that I am addicted or anything (yeah right…). Why do I never bother to check these end-of-the-world-important things? Just lazy I guess. So the same deal applies as when I went to China. I don’t know when I will be online again and I hope it will be sooner than later. Have to keep writing and have to keep taking pictures. Mind you, I don’t need internet for that but still.

Yes, Monday will be exciting, my first day at my new job. I’ve been told the dress code is casual but smart at Shell, which is good, because that’s how I usually dress. What it really means is no sweat pants, baggy pants or clothes with holes in them. The first two weeks will be mainly training, and that’s cool. It’s great that they take time to train their employees. I mean I know how to do the job, the technical side, but I need to learn their routines and regulations.

So see you when I see you!

The decision is…

Well it has been another exciting day, especially around 3pm when they called me from England. I was really happy that they offered me the job. That meant I had two options. Option 1: Stay here in Oslo, Norway or option 2: Move to Manchester, England.

It was a really hard decision to make. I put up lists and consulted friends and family, but in the end, the decision was mine. I chose Manchester, England. Some were disappointed by my decision, and some were delighted. I think I have made the right choice. The positive thing about the job in Norway was:

- Higher wages
- Safety/Security
- Pension points
- Don’t need to move
- Job is probably more varied and exciting
- Close to family and friends

The positive things about England was:

- Location (Only 1 hour from my favorite football team Liverpool)
- Possibilities (They have a nice office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that is a possibility for me)
- Low taxes (22-25%)
- Low living cost
- Huge company (Shell has hundred thousands of employees worldwide, they’re not going bankrupt anytime soon)
- Climate (Much warmer than Oslo and also much less rain)

I think it was the climate thing that tipped it over and also because my team Liverpool won the semifinal of the Champions League yesterday. To be in Liverpool when the final is playing will be amazing. The final is in Athens, but they will probably show it outside on big screens with thousands of people.

So my new employer is Shell in Manchester, England. The new adventures of my life is starting soon. I will move there sometime within the next two weeks. I am so excited and happy right now! It’s a great decision on my part and I will love it!

England or Norway?

Yesterday after my exciting day I didn’t get to sleep until 5am this morning, and I woke up at 8am so I’m pretty tired. Today was also an exciting day. I had a phone interview at 2pm with the people from England. The interview went great and they will let me know tomorrow if I get the job or not. Personally I think it’s mine, and that puts me in quite a dilemma. Tomorrow is the deadline, and I have to make a decision. I really don’t know what I’ll do. I have changed my mind so many times since the phone call, and the day is still young.

And another thing, I have never had to turn down a job before, I have never been in that position. It’s great and scary at the same time. The choice I will make will be permanent and I have to live with it for quite some time. But I’d rather have the choice than none at all. Well, one thing doesn’t stop and that’s time, so no matter what a choice will be made tomorrow.

I have tried to put up a pros/cons list, but it doesn’t work for me, and I have seen at rent prices, living costs and so on. There are so many factors that ultimately will sway me in one way or the other. I just wish the path ahead was a little clearer, but I’ve been here before, at the crossroads. Anyway, back to my interesting dilemma of the day: Pint or Brown cheese

Happy birthday little sis!

Well today is my little sister Elin’s 20th birthday! I wish I could be there with her, but even though we are in the same country, we are still a couple of hours away by plane. So here’s to you sis! Hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Oh, another little thing happened today. I got offered a job here in Oslo! They called me this morning to let me know they are offering me a full position at their company. I think I was in shock, because I don’t remember all the details, haha. But I was clear enough to ask if I could have a couple of days to think about it because tomorrow I will have a phone interview with another job which is located in Manchester, England. If I get that job as well, I don’t know what I will do. I have to make a list of pros and cons I guess. Anyway, there’s no pressure on me for that phone interview now, because no matter what I have a great job!

I’m looking so much forward to this weekend, my birthday is May 7^th, but May 5^th I will go out and celebrate my 30^th birthday. It will be great! The funny thing is that my friend’s girlfriend is also 30 on May 7^th so it will be a double birthday party! Well if this post is overly positive, it’s because I am extremely happy right now. I’m flying over here. It’s funny, but if I hadn’t got a thought last year about going to China I would have never been so happy today. It’s a funny world, hehe.