Young, Wild and Free

Another week as passed, and nothing to eventful has happened. After my last post, I received lots of lovely messages from friends telling me how proud they are of me, that they understand my decision, though they will miss me like crazy, they understand the opportunity that has been presented to me. I cannot say how fabulous those were to receive, to know I am supported from many miles away and just to have their love sent my way was incredible and made me more confident in my decision and in the thought that everything will be the same when I return to Winnipeg. It seems so far away, I hope the time passes quickly as I can't wait to get home!

When answering to one of these replies, One of my best friends, Amber told me that I have to apply for Nursing in April after one year of general studies. Since I am going to university in January, I will have an extra semester before I can apply to the Faculty of Nursing. Surprisingly, I didn't get upset by this, I just understood what I needed to do, that there wasn't a way around it. I can take an extra semester of classes, learn a little more and boost my GPA, I can take time off and work, or if I am really ambitious, do some travelling  (I am thinking one of the first two options). I replied to the message "Maybe this is showing me to slow down" and I realised, maybe that is what this whole living in England thing is teaching me. I am a pretty go-go, busy get things done and get things done quick kind of person. In reality, I plan on being a nurse, and so I will nurse for the rest of my life (hopefully) it most likely be the main aspect of my life, so why be so busy to get there? Enjoy all the things that come before, enjoy not being married to school for years on end. Slow down and see the sights.

I am always trying to figure out what I am meant to learn from this trip, though I know it is most likely something I will have to look back on and see what it has taught me. The idea of slowing down and just enjoying things for what they are is something I think I will learn from being here, and probably something that I need to grow in. I  said to my mum, I bet Nana is looking down at me, seeing the things I am struggling with  aren't just coincidences, prodding at me saying "Stay a little longer. Relax, enjoy life for what it is. Don't be in such a rush". My mum thought that was pretty accurate. What can I say, I think some things are planned and people are looking down at you smiling.

And it is strange, I am so looking forward to that few months that I can basically do whatever I want ( I may have frets like I do here, not having anything to do or not knowing what is coming ahead), I am so looking forward to whatever I decide to do in that time, as well as the time before and after. I am actually well excited to go back to school! Especially getting into the Nursing program, I am so interested in the body and how it works, and the sciences. Since trying to decide "What to be when I grow up" in high school, the first thing that came to mind was nursing. I hope this sticks with me, more so in the hard parts like cutting at cadavers and wiping strangers bums. I don't want to be in a job I am miserable in, I can't imagine living like that. Nursing is the plan, and let's hope it's the right one!

I had a really down day on Friday, I was meant to go see my au pair family but there little boy was sick, so they cancelled as there would be little point of me coming for a visit. I got really upset, sick of being bored and not doing anything, as I sometime feel I am wasting time and being pointless. I kept myself busy that day, went grocery shopping with my mum, then made a massive chocolate cake (which was also delicious!) and leek and potato soup, keeping me busy enough. I then spent the night on the Internet looking and saving craft ideas. This cheered me up a lot (as we know I love my crafts!), and I decided I am not going to be sad, I will keep myself busy crafting and making myself a scrapbook like I have planned too. I hope I can stick with this, and stay out of boredom and feelings of uselessness. I got a book for Christmas which is leather bound and has blank pages inside, it is my "Inspiration" Book, I am going to fill it with craft ideas, ideas for the future, beautiful quotes, I am so excited to get started on it now that I have found the push to get going.

Other little things that happened in the week, I went to work a little earlier, which was great, spending more time with the kids (and a little more money in my pocket as well, can't complain!). I finally told the Head Teacher about my plans to become an au pair, which I was very nervous about as I thought she would be mad having to find someone else, and whatever. Actually, she was totally supportive and really excited for me, it was wicked! She said I would be great at it and the family would love me, this made me a little more confident in myself and the idea as I am still a little unsure, that was excellent to hear. I also have the chance again to work in the half term in February, which I am hoping I am able to do as I loved doing it last half term. The nursery is great, everyone is so nice, the kids are so much fun, they are beginning to offer me more hours, I will be so sad to leave them. The big fiasco of the week, our heating hasn't been working all weekend, it has been bloody cold in the house, even with little heaters scattered around the house. It's no Winnipeg cold, but I have still been bundled up in a few layers. Oh, and I was sick again. This country hates my immune system.

As for pictures this week, I have decided to finally show some of the many pictures of food I have taken! (really, there is a whole folder on my computer).These are few things I have cooked/baked, you can be sure I will do another blog with more!

Mushroom, Green Bean and Cashew Pasta. Okay, doesn't look great, but it sure was yummy!

Leek and Potato Soup. AKA The only soup I like. Trying to find some other I like

Salmon with Coconut Curry Veggies, this was delicious!

Cheese Scones I made this weekend. SO GOOD. Especially right out of the oven!




So, not beautiful. But, Chocolate torte. I was very proud of this, four layer cake with whipped cream and raspberry jam between each layer and chocolate frosting. Obviously it has negative calories.

 

My "unhealthy" Dinner for eating healthy during the week. Veggie burger, yam fries and roasted kale. NOM

Love from England,
Jessie

Home, Let Me Go Home

What? Actually updating my blog again? Unbelievable. Well, it's because it's been sort of a stressful week, and I have been explaining the situation to all members of my family and thought I would just share it here so I don't have to share it again (guaranteed I will have to still). I thought I had gotten things all sorted out for the next few months, I like having a plan and have general idea of where things are going and trying to achieve that this week has failed miserably. Soo, here's the story:

The family I am looking to join as an au pair, the parents are both police officers. They are going to be awfully busy during Olympics time because England/London will be complete manic, so they will definitely be needing an au pair in that time. I understand that, and did when I first starting talking to this family. What I didn't understand is that the Olympics are in July/August/September. I thought they were in June/July, FAIL. Before realising that they began in July, I spoke to my friend Hannah who is coming to England to go to college, which I am so excited about! Finally, a friend! Anyways, so she was talking about that, and visiting me and maybe going travelling like we had spoke and dreamt of in Grade.12. A shortened, very condensed version of our first idea of travelling Europe, more like a week in Ireland, Scotland or France, beautiful and something to look forward to all the same. And I was like brilliant! Au pair until June/July, then travel a little bit before heading home to Winnipeg in August to go to school (which I am so looking forward to), with plenty of time to prepare for my future endeavour of university. A perfect plan of the next few months mapped out for me, it was wonderful, for all of 5 seconds, and then my pristine plan smashed into a thousand sad pieces due to the fact that the Olympics/Paralympics are ridiculous and choose to go on for a lifetime (Okay, 3 months). And then began the stress of trying to piece back together the jigsaw that was my plan, smashed into a thousand pieces.

With much thought, and admittedly, much moping and sitting in my room by myself, a general idea has come about, but not without a substantial amount of effort and thought. Reasons of why I wanted to be home in August, I MISS MY FRIENDS, FAMILY AND BOYFRIEND LIKE NOBODY'S BUSY, I could get back into my dance classes and assisting dance classes that I am missing so much, go to my cottage as everyone knows the lake is the best spot to be,ever, and finally start that next chapter of my life called "University". All reasons I thought pretty decent and enough to call me back to the motherland. Lots of thoughts and ideas have flowed through my now fried brain, and it has simply come to this, in the long hall, a couple months really isn't a long time. It has been SO hard to come to this. Having had a plan, and having an idea of how things were going to go it was difficult to let that go and try and see things clearly for simply what they are. A couple extra months in a beautiful country. School will always be there, dance I can get into late, my family and friends will always be there for me, but this opportunity, may not. I do not want to get back to Winnipeg and say "I wish I au paired" "I should have stayed the extra couple months". A couple months in my lifetime, will not add up to much in the end, though now it will feel like ages. As much as it pains me to start to put that jigsaw back together in a new way, that's the way that it fits now. It's not a for sure plan, but it's a see how it goes. Just hope the heartache and homesickness is all worth it.

This whole thing may sound super dramatic, to me it is a big deal, and having a plan and then have it slip through my fingers is tough to deal with and get around the fact that that won't work now, have to figure out something else. I do think it's all happening for a reason, and something is pushing me to stay longer and enjoy England, call me crazy.

I don't really have much else to update, it's sorta late, and that's all the thoughts I have been having this week. I will try to conjure up some new ones for the next post to keep you interested and updated on things going on.
Wait, do have somewhat of an update. I am going to see Billy Elliot with family, which I am really looking forward to, seeing stage productions in London is AMAZING. There is also a lot of talks of things we want to go see, including the Harry Potter Experience which is exploring the real sets of HP, DON'T KNOW HOW STOKED I AM FOR THAT, and going to the Royal Opera House to see around backstage and hopefully see some of the dancing, also super excited about, normally just get jealous at these things as I am not that good at dancing. And, my English family is thinking of going to Florida August 2013 to go to Disneyland and such, so there is discussion of me flying/driving down to meet them (assuming I am in Winnipeg) as I know I will be missing them lots after getting to know them more and spending time with them on my stay here. All so excited, this all cheered things up a bit after a chaotic week.

Pictures this week are a couple photos of some of the craftin' I have been doing. I may ask those that received the present to send pictures of their gifts in use, and I will show those!

Brownies in a Jar



I made Christmas cards, didn't take any pictures. But these are them in their envelopes! At least it's a cool picture...



Cinnamon smelling gingerbread men ornaments. That ended up in my drawers as they looked a little sad and not so scented

Copper Pipe Necklace for my sister and best friend Amber

A hair comb for my lovely Hannah

This was the only picture I took of my knitting, not sure what I was thinking. Part of one of the scarves I knit

I make delicious Gingersnaps, only because I have Grandma Theo's recipe

Glittery shortbread

Edible glitter, still not sure how I feel about it

The future is so unknown. I hate that.

Love from England,
Jessie

New Year, New Experiences

So, I fell of the face of the Earth for almost two months (well at least blogging Earth). Lots has been going on, and I guess I have just been putting it off. I don't even know where to start with things, as it has been such a long time. Let's start with the big news...

In November, I got a job at TGIF's, and it was alright and whatever (well, the two shifts I worked), but one day I thought "What the heck am I doing? I do not want to go back to Winnipeg to be asked what I did for a year and reply 'Worked at TGIF's!'  " No, not what I want to say. I don't want to just pass the time like I have been so far being here, I want to experience. I have always wanted to au pair (basically nannying without major qualifications) in another country, my original idea was to go to England to au pair, what the flip am I doing at a restaurant." So began the search to becoming an au pair, it has been pretty scary totally untraveled area. I guess looking back, just getting the courage to look for families to work with and meet them has been an adventure, having to travel somewhere I have never been to, avoid getting lost, meet people I have never met, all on my own. It's gone well, I am still here to tell about it and have found a family that may be the perfect fit for me. With a few days of trials, to see if we get along and all works well, next blog I may be telling you I have become part of a new family and am moving off to live with them! It is terrifying really, not being in my own home, with people I hardly know but I know I will enjoy it, it will keep me busy, help me to learn and grow and most importantly, make me happy. I so happy to finally be getting my shit together!

I guess the next event to fill everyone in about is Christmas. It was wonderful, weird, but wonderful. I spend a lot of my free time making crafty gifts for my loved ones which included making Christmas cards, knitting scarves, making necklaces, making scrapbook journals, it was brilliant. I love crafting, and it was so nice to get to share with friends and family (many of which were surprised to find out I made what they received, well pleased with that!) I also spent a large amount of time baking, as many of us do, my mum and I made treat trays for families of our favourite holiday goodies, which were gobbled up very quickly. I spent Christmas at my aunt and uncles along with my mum and two cousins, it was lovely, really relaxed and just a good couple days of eating ,drinking, playing Kinect, opening and enjoying presents and relaxing. It was different from Christmas in Canada as I was missing my dad and sister (A LOT), the snow, and eating a large meal at dinner rather then at lunch time. Father Christmas was very good to me and I got plenty of great presents. But, my best present of all was having my boyfriend, Keaston and close friend, Tedi come visit me.

Having Tedi and Keaston here was glorious! We hit London up everyday, saw loads of the famous London sites, got ripped off by restaurants because we're tourists (more then once), took TONS of pictures and enjoyed each others company. It was so great to adventure around with them, as I loved seeing the sights as well. It's amazing, you see Big Ben again and again but every time it's breath-taking. Seriously, Big Ben is massive. We visited The Maple Leaf, a Canadian  pub in London, a little taste of home, though we didn't find any Canadians. We also went to Brighton AKA the Seaside where we strolled along the beach as cold as it was. Brighton is such a fun town so much to see and do, we did a little shopping in their narrow streets filled with neat stores and markets. We did a high speed look through their museum, making sure to stop off at the gift shop to buy a couple trinkets. And finally, we ended the night with excellent pub food and gambled away all our money (okay, pennies) on a ridiculous pier game, that was totes worth it.  I cannot say how nice it was and how happy I was to have them here and have some friends to hang out with and see London with, having them leave was heart breaking. Luckily, Christmas was just a few days away so I was distracted by the mayhem before that.

That's about the most interesting things that have happened in the past few weeks apart from getting seriously sick (surprise, surprise 4 times in 4 months), getting my first pay cheque from the Nursery, and the usual work at the Nursery. One thing I haven't shared about is the fact I have become veggie! Well, I am still eating some fish, but other then that. There was no sort of start date or major reason to it, I just started eating less meat as I didn't like the idea of eating food with a face and didn't have any major urges to eat it. Then I just sorta said, Yup, I'm a vegetarian, I don't want to eat animals, it's healthy, and quite inexpensive. It is going super well so far, not really having any troubles. There are TONS of vegetarian substitutes and veggie options which help make it easier. I am now trying to actually eat more vegetable and beans/nuts/pulses rather then putting a meat substitute on my plate where meat would usually be. This will be helped along by a Vegetarian Cookbook I got for Christmas!

The last few weeks have been really tough, and I have been rather home sick. Mostly missing my friends and family as I usually spend so much time with them throughout the holiday season. I have been catching up on  Skype dates though and seeing how everyone is doing, trying to still be on the in of what's going on. As much as I miss them and desperately want to be spending time with them, I know that there will always be a space for me when I get home. It's hard to think I am missing so much, for what feels like so little. I know I will look back and that will not be the case, but sorta of the thought right now. As well as worrying about what will happen when I get home,though, I know things will just fall right back into place.

It's still weird to think I am living in England, like, I often don't register it. I just know that I am far away from my friends and that people speak funny here. I see Big Ben, The London Eye, Tower Bridge, and it doesn't seem real, you speak about a place, but do you ever actually realize you're there. That's the case for me, even in Winnipeg, I say I live there, but it's just sort of where I am, you're not totally aware of where you are in the world (geographically, not spirtually or some nonescense) . London is still a place on a map, and as much I as I say I've been there, I've lived there, it's hard to believe.  Does any of this make sense? Nope

I think that is my update for now. Sorry for the large gap of nothingness. In the New Year I will try and keep on top of things and keep updating!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (A tad late...)

Having a drink and watching the game. Canadian,eh?

Trafalgar Square with the Lions!

Westmeinster Abbey (Ithink..)

THE REAL WANDS FROM HARRY POTTER. THE COOLEST THING EVER

Oh Hai Big Ben!

Taking on London with my favourite boy

Some lovely ladies taking on Dance Central, funniest thing ever

My christmas pressies! Favourites, my ridculous slippers, Nordic leggings and digital photoframe!

Loving London!

Love from England,
Jessie