Smashing success

Yesterday morning I got to go the center of Manchester and look around a bit. I was surprised how small everything was. It’s funny how my perception of big/small has changed. I grew up and spent most of my life in a place with about 2000 people. Back then, even my closest city Tromsø with about 40000 people seemed massive. So I went out in the world, Dublin, Shanghai, Beijing and Oslo. I’m happy to have experience with all sorts of places.

From Manchester I bought myself a British sim-card and an international call card so I can call Kei cheaply. Then I took a train to Stoke where Katy picked me up for the barbecue party. After the party officially started, it was fun all the way. We started off by playing some Nintendo Wii. It was so much fun! I had never played on a Wii before. We played the Wii Sports game and I got creamed in boxing and tennis, and my arms hurt a bit today. Definitively have to think about getting a Wii.

After that we went out in the garden, had a wonderful barbecue. The sausages were burnt to coal, but they tasted ok. We also had cool furnace outside and we burnt pieces of fence. Poor Phil got most of the paint fumes; I just got most of the smoke. All in all a smashing success I would say. I Met some wonderful people who I will definitively meet again.

Wow, long distance relationships are really hard. I know someone who was in a 3 year ldr, and they are now married. We have to learn from these people. The worst thing is thinking it’s not real; we can’t touch or have a proper conversation. We just have to believe and trust each other. I know that nothing is certain in this world, but I know that I will not give up on something I really want. When I want it I go for it, and I’m determined to get it.

BBQ in Stoke!

I’m thinking about a very good friend of mine who is in trouble. That’s the backside of having friends a million miles away. You can’t really be there for them, give them a hug when needed. Luckily I’m good with words, so I am able to do something to ease their pain. Still, I wish I could do more. Tomorrow I am going to look for some international call cards, because I want to speak to Kei more often, but also talk to my international friends. It’s good to hear a friendly voice once in a while. If I can do that, then I will.

It’s Friday, and my first week at my new job is officially over. It went very well and exceeded my expectations. I can’t wait to see what the next week will bring. Friday in one weeks time I have to go to the DSS office for an interview, because I need a national insurance number to be able to work here. I don’t anticipate any problems, other than finding the place. I’m still new with buses and stuff like that, but tomorrow I get to travel a bit. I will take the bus to the center of Manchester and then a train to Stoke. There my friend Katy will pick me up and we will go to her and her boyfriend’s barbeque party! Yeay, I’m so excited about that. It will be good food, beer, some football and a lot of new people to meet. I hear about 20 people might come, none of which I know. I’ll probably sleep over there and come back home on Sunday.

Sweet Kei came online this morning just before I was going to get to work. She didn’t have much time because she was at the airport waiting for her plane to Kuala Lumpur. She just came online to tell me how much she loved me. Needless to say, I’ve been smiling as much, if not more than the employees at work today. She’s such a sweet girl. I’m so lucky to have her :).