HREinternational’s Weblog

Today returned back to the overcast grey UK i’ve grown accustomed to – but the three or four days before that were amazing. People keep asking me if i miss home. Well, of course i do – but I’m finding my way here and i like it… that’s besides the point though. I didn’t really pay too much attention to the weather, but those couple of days sure made me appreciate those nice sunny days that i don’t see very often anymore. My Saturday was one of the very best days I’ve had since I’ve lived here… for more reasons than just the weather, but it was really amazing. yeah, i guess i miss it.

I played tourist a little bit this weekend – Kevin Kline and his wife Rachel were in town and we had made plans to do some touring while they were here, so along with my friend Mark, we all went to Windsor Castle. I’ve been there once before by myself – gotta say, it’s much more interesting seeing it with people. Then we all went to lunch at this place i like down by the river (I can’t remember the name of it). the service was really really slow, but at least we were outside and the champagne was delicious. So we missed out on feeding the swans and ducks, but it was a really nice afternoon. Then we took the train down to London to see Mama Mia. I had such a great time, i can’t even tell you. I hadn’t seen the movie yet so i didn’t really have any idea of what to expect. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. i really like musicals anyway, but this one is definitely one of my favorites.

OK, so my furniture finally got here. Any of you who read this – please remind me to never again agree to live “on the move” for 3+ months. It was so nice to have my things. it just feels a little more familiar… which is really a big deal to me because NOTHING is familiar to me here. Once i got everything in, i assessed my situation… the box spring to my bed won’t fit up the stairs, and generally speaking, my stuff is too big for this place. I’m back in a mouse house – that’s what i called my little place in Laguna Beach (and those who have been to that place know what i mean by “mouse house”). I’ve also managed to rip one of the curtain rods out of the wall trying to hang my curtains… and almost ripped a second one out too… i guess i don’t even know my own strength.

Well, all is well with me in the UK. I’m slowly getting settled and while it certainly hasn’t been a smooth ride, for a lot of reasons, i’m glad i made the decision to come over here.

So, i suck at keeping up with posting to this… so my idea for today is to just give my top 10 of my adventures and insights since i last updated.

very cool vibe in downtown vienna. lots of places like this.

10. Vienna. Went to Vienna a couple weeks ago. It was for work – we met with three partners in about a day and a half. The hotel was awful – they were doing construction right out in front of the building and started work at 6 a.m. Guess it was time to get up. I was with one of my colleagues and essentially twisted his arm until he couldn’t stand it anymore – and got him to go on a horse carriage tour with me through the city. First thing to say about Vienna – LOVE IT. It’s clean, the locals are nice, there are some great outdoor cafes and a fantastic marketplace – all these outdoor meat, cheese, fruit/vegetables, nuts, candy… you name it – where we had lunch on the second day – best mediterranean food i’ve had i think. Delish!!

dirk was a good sport... even though he doesn

this was my dinner that night - wasn

this is the outdoor marketplace.

We also went to a hotel famous for its chocolate cake. cannot remember the name of the hotel – but the cake was really good. at first i felt cheated because the piece was so small, but after that and i heavily chocolated cafe mocha, i was pretty happy it wasn’t any bigger!

Dirk and Mucca at the Marketplace entrance

9. Rain. Now, i didn’t say The Ten was going to be all lovely happy things… it rains here. and rains and rains and rains… i understand that it is well-known – this rain – but come on people! it’s August for crying out loud! And, what it may look like outside in the morning may not be what it is like that afternoon… let alone at 10a.m. even. Yeah, it rains a lot here. the natives are saying it’s been an unusually ”wet summer”… yeah, whatever. I’m not buying it. It rains here constantly. Honestly though – still not bothering me… but i’ll say it again: check back in the dead of winter when it’s dark and cold and raining at 5 p.m. and see if i feel the same. I doubt it.

8. Home Internet. Let me tell you – the feeling of helplessness i have felt the past couple months because i didn’t have Internet access at home has been excruciating. I’m always blazing out of the office to catch the shuttle at the train station… right when the US is getting to work and wanting to chat. I’ve done my best to get by using my Blackberry – i wrote a 10 page PPT in text on that little thing the other day… it took me 3 hours – so i’ve made it work the best i could, but as pathetic as it sounds to be so attached to these things, i feel like i have been freed from prison (not that i would really know what that feels like).

That’s a good thing, I think, about lifestyle in the UK. the number of people attached to their devices – and get excited about Home Internet for work reasons only – are way fewer than the US. I’ve been scolded a few times now for checking work email (and replying) during “off hours” (what are off hours really though, seriously)… sorry Max. I’m trying to extend the leash… a little anyway.

7. Tea. Yeah, everyone over here drinks tea. And did you know there’s “tea”, and then there’s “proper tea”. The natives like their tea. (side note: you may notice i use the term “natives” for the British… like i’m conducting some jungle observation experiment. i have no explanation. that’s just the word that jumped out at me, and there is some consistent yet unusual behaviour i’ve witnessed, so it seems appropriate). Anyway, TEA. so, now you have your proper tea – and you need your proper cream. not that watered down crap, but the real mccoy. don’t get me wrong, it tastes fine, but the science behind a good cup of tea is overwhelming. And, i’ve gotten the nose up on my Sleepy Time tea that i so rudely brought over from the US. Again, whatever. I like my bedtime tea with honey (apparently it seems strange to them that i would think of putting honey in tea). who knew it could be this complicated?

6. The food. Got to say… everything (this can be an ego-centric pallette talking here, so no offense intended) i have eaten here, minus the fish and chips, is better in the US. Now, i love fish and chips… not the healthiest of options, but they’ve definitely mastered it. I learned last night that haddock is more flavorful than cod… and when i thought about it, i totally agree. Fish and chips always seems to come with mushy peas. I made some pokes at the peas in an earlier entry, but i admit… i like the peas. yummy. my mom would be happy i think. at least i’m eating my vegetables (i am Mom!! i swear! ). But that’s as far as it goes. The steaks are “eh”, there always a pint of creamed something on any fish dish, i don’t think i’ve had any chicken.. lamb can be all right. I’m making a sweeping generalization though. i tried Indian food for the first time and liked it, and i like Pizza Express… but let me just close this one out saying that i’ve doled out a lot of scrilla for some mediocre meals.

This entry is getting long. if you are bored, this is the intermission – you should take a break and come back later. I did.

5. Pubs. Love it. Fortunately i’ve toned down my alcohol (especially the beer) consumption considerably. I don’t know what the heck got into me. I was like one of those guys in Animal House who drink straight from the tap or something. The reason i like pubs is the atmosphere. Everyone has their local pub. I have one – i thought it was called Fuller’s, but then i found out that’s a brewing company, so i don’t REALLY know what mine is called, but i know how to get there – it’s right around the corner. I met the owner of the one by the place i was staying in before – would see him outside it every day when i walked home from the train station. He would always say hi – and then i saw him in the bakery one random morning and he remembered my name from seeing me around the pub. Strange thing – i only went to that pub twice.

todd - getting ready for our hike to the biergarten

2. Munich to vist Todd. (and, Yeah, i know i skipped 4 and 3. I’m running out of things to write and frankly, i’m tired of typing and want to go to bed.). I visited my brother in Munich a couple weeks ago. So funny that we’re both in Europe. I’m pretty impressed that he went there – site unseen – and took a job. My move, while i like to think is pretty ambitious, he wins. I chickened out on moving to non-English speaking and he just went… well, lucky for me i get to visit. He lives really close to the town center – Marienplatz (i may have spelled that wrong).

me in front of some museum that i can

We played tourist all weekend. Museum, city center, restaurants, NO SHOPPING (everything is closed on sundays… he told me that, but it didn’t sink in until it was too late ), English biergarten, channel surfing, boring glockenspiel… the highlights: I would have to say my favorite things were the English Biergarten and the surfers. The English biergarten is this massive park just outside the town center. I’m not sure what was English about it… there were some elements of a Japanese garden and some regular old city park – i didn’t see anything that screamed “English Garden”… but that’s neither here nor there. I don’t know how far we walked, but it was a really nice day and we were just exploring (this was after a very anti-climatic viewing of the glockenspiel show in Marienplatz. Real quick – the glockenspiel is this clock tower on a very cool – probably the most impressive looking one i saw in Munich – gothic looking castle-ish clock tower building. At certain times of day – i think noon, 4 p.m. and maybe 8 p.m. – it has these little merry-go-round characters that do a little thing to an abnoxious bell dinging for about 10 minutes.

the bike parking lot... there were thousands.

We made sure we were there on time and Todd (little brat knew it was going to be a letdown i think) wouldn’t stand there like an idiot with me and sat back at a cafe having a drink. I stood there with all the other tourists with my head thrown back so i could see the figurines, waiting in anticipation for the BIG SHOW. At about 12:10 (they were late!), the little figures start going around. Some of them move a little bit. But that’s IT. i don’t get it. Some of the audience cheered when one knight character was knocked back on his horse in a joust with another knight. Huh? Hardly cheer worthy. At least i can say i’ve seen it))…

yeah, that

there was even a guy without a wetsuit... brave fellow.

wait a minute, back to the English biergarten… we stumbled on this interesting site. There were about a half a dozen guys in wet suits and short boards surfing in the river. It was right at the mouth of a spot where two channels dumped into one and these guys were jumping in off the side of the channel, holding the wave as long as they could – got dumped and sent down the river and hopped back out and did it again. They had quite an audience. Once we got enough of that, we walked further and came across the biergarten. We knew it was there ahead of time.. why do you think we volunteered to walk so far? we knew there was a prize at the end!

sort of looks like he got stuck with alice in wonderland doesn

this place was great. it looked like one of the restaurant areas you’d see at disneyland. tables and people everywhere. Stands selling pretzels, ice-cream, chicken dinner… and beer.. in MASSIVE steins. You have to check out the pic. My description can’t explain it well enough. Munich was definitely a good time though and we had fun – despite us both being sick. we’re such losers.

1. I finally live in my own place. Granted, there is no furniture yet – still waiting for that to be delivered. i am currently sitting at a picnic table that i pulled in from outside, sitting in a plastic chair. i’m sleeping on a blow-up mattress and have very few necessities – barely making it work. But i don’t care. It’s mine. I think my stuff won’t even get here for about 3-4 weeks. I don’t really know what happened there… but whatever. Can’t change it, so i’m not going to complain about it. I figured out how to work the heater – and yes, i need the heater in August. See earlier entry about the rain… and it isn’t tropical rain in case you were wondering – it has a good bathtub. i got a coffeemaker and an iron, so i’m good to go. I’m not going to post pics of it until i get my stuff. i look like i’m living like a squatter right now and you all don’t need to see that.

H

All right then – a blog. This is so far removed from anything i thought i would be doing EVER, but then again, i never thought i’d really live anywhere besides California. Cheers to trying new things i guess. Billy – thank you for steering me in the right direction to get this thing going. I guarantee you i would not have figured it out myself.

So, after sending various emails to different friends and family members – i have to agree this will be easier. But, to those of you who were getting my most “colorful” emails… sorry, but i’m going to have to keep this PC.

Redundant to what most of you already know to this point, here’s a quick recap of my first week in the UK:

Saturday, May 31: I arrived last Saturday afternoon with my nearly 200lbs of luggage. When i finally got to the rental apartment i’m staying in for the first couple months i was very dismayed to see that my particular residence was on the third floor of a walkup… with very narrow steep stairs no less. I believe i lost at least 5 pounds schlepping those bags up. Note to self – no more big bags. no additional shopping.

Looked around the apartment. very cute. nice view. out the front bedroom window i can see a pub on the corner. Nice. Got cleaned up and spent a good 10 minutes looking for an electrical outlet in the bathroom. you have GOT to be kidding me! I was desperate. down on my hands and knees scouring the floorboards, behind the toilet, the ceiling (well, you never know!)… nothing. Where do the British dry their hair?… Apparently in the bedroom, far away from the closest mirror and leaning to the left as far as the hairdryer cord will extend so one can even see one’s head. The result? Let’s just say i have yet to have a good hair day. Someone i know likes to call me “Fraggle”… i’m thinking he might be right.

Sunday, June 1: woke up at 2 in the afternoon. Once i got myself together i set off to explore Windsor. It’s a really adorable little town. Tons of great shops and restaurants – if my jaw wasn’t permanently on the floor due to sticker shock, that’s where you would be able to find me from open to close! I’m afraid to buy socks, let alone anything significant.

There’s a great little park – Alexandra Gardens – that i walked around for a little while. Watched some lawn bowling, some kids playing ball. Good stuff. Stopped to eat. walked home, but not before i stopped in a public bathroom to swipe a roll of toilet paper… why did i need to do this? no TP in the apartment when i arrived and apparently the entire country shuts down at 5 p.m. on sundays and if you are on the hunt to purchase bathroom tissue like a respectable person, you’re out of luck and reduced to common thievery just to get by.

Today is also my dad’s birthday. Happy Birthday Dad!

Monday, June 2: First day to the office. OK, so i knew i needed to take a train. What i didn’t really realize was that i needed to get to the train… about 3/4 mile… get on the train… ride a little bit… get off the train and find another train…. wait for the next train… wait…. wait…. wait…. get on the second train… go… stop… go…. stop… go… stop (this is going to take FOREVER!)… get off train. Look for shuttle. (there is supposed to be a shuttle that goes straight to the Quest office. Where the heck is it? finally a taxi driver tells me. Nice fellow. the shuttle experience is not one you should consider if you have recently eaten or don’t have stellar balance. you’d think you’re in some kind of race. Well, an hour and half after i left my apartment i finally arrive at the office. I’ll be honest. i don’t know how long i’ll be able to do this (and just WAIT until you get to tomorrow!). i feel completely naked without a car.

My first day in was good until about lunch time. everyone came over to say hello – helped me get settled. all was going quite well. Then, Tony Lapuerta and i are heading out to lunch. we get outside and are walking to his car and one second i’m a fully upright, functioning adult. the next second i’m laid out like a pancake with the most awful scrape on my arm and half the palm of my hand peeled off. Bleeding like crazy. Tony says i didn’t even stumble or anything. just went down like a tree. What a moron… i don’t feel ridiculous or anything. Tony takes me inside and bandages me up. Now i look like either i got in a fight and lost or i’m early for Halloween – and hey, i’m dressing up like a mummy. Great…. well, that was how i started my first day.

Tuesday, June 3: Ah, today i’m going into the London office. Same 3/4 mile hike to the station, but now it’s pouring rain. Left my umbrella at the office so i look like a drowned rat by the time i get to the station. And, either i have lost 30 more pounds (remember, i’m claiming 5 pounds lost every time i do the stairs to my apartment) in less than 24 hours, OR…. my pants are soaked through and are now hanging on me like drapery, threatening to fall off. Anyway… back on the train – get a connection. Bad news. The train into London (about a 30 minute ride) doesn’t have any seats left. So, i’m standing there, dripping wet, doing everything i can to keep my balance… great. now i feel like i’m working out and getting all hot. I wouldn’t be surprised if steam starts coming off me. Sheesh. Well, i finally make it into Paddington station. from here i need to get on a subway – tube – BART… whatever. I just know i need the brown one. Once i find it, i claim small victory and get on… one stop, two stops… aw crap. i’m going the wrong direction. And oh yeah – still standing because all of london is going the same place as me and there ARE NO SEATS LEFT! I get off the tube, go up the stairs, across the landing, down the stairs to the opposite platfrom and get on the brown subway, heading the correct direction. One more change (and now i know to CHECK THE DIRECTION) so i arrive at my stop only 2 hours after i left the apartment. but i haven’t found the office yet. Great… i have the address. none of the construction workers i spoke with knew where it was. In the end, i found it with the help of a police man. it was only one block from the tube station, but i spent about 20 more minutes wandering around looking for it like an idiot.

Remember too, i have these two fresh massive scrapes on my left arm and hand, so i’m essentially doing everything one-handed. i don’t have a computer bag because i couldn’t fit it in my luggage, so i’m just carrying my computer and some folders out loose. This SUCKS.

Good thing we stayed for drinks after work. At around 10 p.m. (yeah, Happy Hour??  Note to self: Any time an English person says ‘let’s get a quick drink’ they really mean ‘let’s drink until we pass out and we’ll have potato chips for dinner and you’ll be just fine’) i was getting paranoid that i wouldn’t be able to find my way back to Windsor, so the party broke up around then. My colleagues that were with me were not going the same direction, so the one i like to call “Jaws”… he was introduced to me as “Jules” but even after asking him to repeat 3x, it still sounded like Jaws so Jaws it is!… he pointed me to platform 15 at a train station called “Waterloo”… let me just throw out that this is NOT the station or even the same train line that got me to london and the station it stops at in Windsor is not in the same place… so here i am on some random train at 10:30 p.m. headed to a town i’ve been in for three days ending up somewhere that i don’t know where to go when i get off the train. And, this thing stops EVERY THREE MINUTES. i think i could have walked back faster. we’re past 11:30 when i finally get off. no one is around. i have no clue where i am. ah, well. i probably look like a degenerate anyway – saggy clothes, no computer bag, fraggle hair, and a disoriented look on my face. I just started walking and eventually found someone who pointed me in the right direction and i got home around midnight.

Wednesday – today: Pretty “normal”… i guess… I seem to spend about 3 hours on average on trains or walking to trains or waiting for trains or shuttles every day. That bugs me. I’m going to have to get a little scooter or SOMETHING. The waiting, waiting, waiting… seems like a huge waste of time, and i am spending money hand over fist. Today, for example, i am in Maidenhead to get my Blackberry and then down to London in a bit to meet up with the team to talk more about marketing results for Q2 and begin planning for Q3…. and another what i’m going to start calling “happy hour” but really means going out all night.  i have spent the equivalent of $50 just on trains and taxis – and i haven’t even made it in to london yet. Ouch. People keep telling me to stop doing the pound-to-dollar conversion in my head every time i pay for something… those people are right. i am just going to get on with it!

This weekend i’m just going to look around for places to live. For all of you who are going to visit me, i think you’ll have to come in 1s – i’ve seen what my money can afford and ’spacious’ is not a word that describes it.

So far, my adventure has been fun. I’m in Germany the first part of next week, then off to the US for a week for an event. I don’t think i’ve here long enough to really figure out what i miss about home yet(aside from the people, my cats, what you get for the money and my SUV – i guess that’s a lot really), but i’ll find my way! The people here are great, everyone has been very helpful and friendly. so far, so good.

See ya,
H