Belated Thanksgiving post

Yes I know yesterday was Thanksgiving, but obviously it is not a holiday over here so I was working.  Still, I did take some time to be thankful. I got some emails/Facebook messages/other electronic communiqués from friends and family; I am thankful for the great people in my life even if we are physically many miles apart. 

I spoke with all (yes all) members of my immediate family yesterday; in spite of differences, I am thankful I am still able to be in contact with them.

I went out with a bunch of people last night and I reconnected with the guy who was my office mate at the Uni when I was here last. We had a few drinks and a whole lot of laughs; I am thankful for friends like him; it feels like we just picked up where we left off a few years back. I am really thankful for the amount of laughter in my life.

In spite of frustrations, I am thankful for my job; I work with some amazingly great people, am doing something I love (and am pretty good at) and am able to live in a another country and explore different aspects of my life.

From the Most Surprising Thing to Happen This Year Department, I am thankful for J who makes my heart flutter.

Finally, as a person who is very visual, I am thankful that I get to see views like this in a regular basis:

Mr Sandman hates me...

Well I guess the payback for my almost-jet-lag-free trip in March is my current state of odd-sleepiness. The trip was long (with flights and with stopovers and layovers it was about 15 hours from boarding the first plane to leaving the last; no wonder the ticket was cheap!).

I got into my flat at about 4pm Wednesday afternoon, unpacked a little and forced myself to stay awake as long as possible. I went to sleep about 10:30 pm and was wide awake at 4 am.

Thursday I went into work, caught up on a lot but was exhausted by 2 pm. Went back home took a short nap, at and was in bed by 10. Wide awake at 3:3 am. Argh!

It’s been like that the last few days. Wake up at stupid o’clock, be dead tired in the afternoon. I have tried not napping, but it seems impossible to stay awake.  I am hoping that my body adjusts soon.

My experience of jet lag is rarely that I feel like it is a different time (like the one of the time zone I came from), for me more it is more like I feel like there is no time; I can look at the sun high in the sky and I have no perception of what time it could be.

Well fingers crossed that this all sorts itself out soon!

'Official' First day of work..

...after teaching for 2 days :) It is about 6:25 PM here, just got in from work

So went into the University and did a bunch of paperwork (waaaay more to come!). Ran into folks that I used to work with who seemed genuinely delighted to see me. A very nice feeling. One friend was not told I was coming and walked into the main department office and screamed (in a good way!). Interestingly, I am sharing an office with a guy who was my student when I was here last time (I even supervised his dissertation, which he plans on continuing as an MA, so we may work together even more). He is a really nice, really smart Deaf guy; so I hope my British Sign Language will improve quickly (although he wants to practice his ASL!!).

Seems like I will be getting the flat I looked at Saturday. I hope to move my stuff from Frank's to there on Friday. Since the place is furnished there really isn't a lot I need to get, but I plan on getting some household stuff, bed linens, etc.

Saturday is my birthday; the first time I am celebrating it in another country. Some of my outside-the-university friends asked if they could take me out; not sure what they have in mind, but knowing them, bail money may be required. I am actually meeting one of them in a bit for a drink; he will be the first person that I know from outside the University that I will be seeing; I hope it feels as comfortable as it has so far!

I still have this odd sense of deja vu mixed with a sense of uncertainty (regarding my new job and role, etc etc.). In some ways it feels like an incredibly vivid dream. I am using this first week or so to get my bearings around the department. My timing is pretty good, students will be on break next week so no need for lectures; I can focus on getting up to speed on the other details. Who would have thought that the teaching part would be the easy part!

I plan on taking some pictures an posting them when I am more settled in my new place.

Gonna grab some dinner now!

Ta!