For me, Monday had throughout my school years been known as the worst day of the week, a day marred by greyness and the heavy cloud of another 5 days before the weekend.
I only truly discovered Monday once i had left school and was able to live out my weeks in a different way. In fact, during my time out in Canada, Monday proved to be my favourite day of them all...
So you may ask what do i find so fascinating about Monday and why does it matter. Well Monday is the start of another week, the chance to start something fresh and do something different. It is also the day that you can leave behind the previous week. I always think that it's a good way to view Monday, to start the week off with a positive, rather than the negative we seem to associate it with.
Yesterday i had my first experience of Grace church. It was a slightly different set up than a usual service in the sense that they ran a forum. They also provide a chill out time at the end where people can socialize and enjoy snacks. Jon was the master of ceremonies, if you can say that?! He has a natural gift in his voice. It's quite incredible to look around the room and see the focus people have when he speaks....they were chatting and texting the whole time!!! im joking...
Afterward's i went out with some people to Denny's. Now for those of you that have never heard of Denny's then you have been blessed with luck. I can't even start to describe it, but i will try....think of a run down service station wimpy, crossed with a breakfast van at the side of an A-Road...I think its far to say i felt slightly disappointed to find that our end location consisted of food poisoning. But, In the end, the company were great and we had lot's of laughs... i just made sure i stuck to the coffee :)
Today i started my job as an intern. So what does an intern involve you may ask?! well as Kim and Dave (one of jon's close friends) kindly explained to me... "your basically his bi-atch"
And true to their word....i was!
He kindly asked me to fetch some milk from home so he could have a brew, edit some photo's for him, which were uploaded to picassa and speak to his family for him on skype, whilst he drew the latest news from bbc sport.com.
Tonight i'm going to a meeting, some food, fellowship and ultimate frisbie. Im slightly worried about ultimate frisbie as i've never played it before and i've seen some of the guys here, their not small!! I'm sure it will be a good laugh.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Transformers
It's early evening and its still in the 80's....this California weather is hard!! day after day of sunshine!! sorry to rub it...
Went for a walk yesterday to see whats in the local area. One thing i did notice, i was the only one walking!! nobody seems to have working legs over here because they all drive everywhere. Which is strange because within a 2mile radius i found the following:
McDonald's (about 300m from Jon's house)
Taco bell (next to McDonald's)
7/11 (the equivalent of a co-op local)
In-n-out burger (the best fast food place ever!!)
Weinerschnitzel (hot dog fast food place)
Albertsons (supermarket)
Subway
Fresh and easy (supermarket)
KFC
About 10 car garages
Starbucks
Book store
2 thrift stores
am/pm (similar to 7/11)
And that's just from what i remember...
Got invited to go to the cinema last night with some of Jon's friends from his church. We went for some food first at a place called chili's. the food was your typical American food; wings, burgers, fries etc. The waiter found my driving license hilarious upon checking it for a beer. i think he thought it was girly because it was pink.
American cinema is incredibly different from British cinema. You will find people in the audience comment throughout the whole film. In most cases i would probably find it annoying and most likely want to tell them to quietly hush their pie hole, but i actually found it quite funny. Oh and transformers 2....WOW!! Brilliant film...
Woke up today and have just chilled out at the house, catching some rays and doing some reading etc...think i needed a day to relax and re-energize the batteries.
Tomorrow Jon and Kim return and it will be my first experience at grace church. I'm quite excited to see what it's like, no doubt many people will want to meet the new guy with a strange exotic Mancunian accent :) not to forget the endless quotes of Oliver Twist that they seem to have under their belts.
Not entirely sure what plans are ahead of me just yet. i will start my volunteer work on Monday most likely and get to meet more of the church staff then. Going on a camping trip to see the giant sequoia's in a couple weeks which i honestly cant wait for. No doubt it will be a main highlight of my stay here.
Went for a walk yesterday to see whats in the local area. One thing i did notice, i was the only one walking!! nobody seems to have working legs over here because they all drive everywhere. Which is strange because within a 2mile radius i found the following:
McDonald's (about 300m from Jon's house)
Taco bell (next to McDonald's)
7/11 (the equivalent of a co-op local)
In-n-out burger (the best fast food place ever!!)
Weinerschnitzel (hot dog fast food place)
Albertsons (supermarket)
Subway
Fresh and easy (supermarket)
KFC
About 10 car garages
Starbucks
Book store
2 thrift stores
am/pm (similar to 7/11)
And that's just from what i remember...
Got invited to go to the cinema last night with some of Jon's friends from his church. We went for some food first at a place called chili's. the food was your typical American food; wings, burgers, fries etc. The waiter found my driving license hilarious upon checking it for a beer. i think he thought it was girly because it was pink.
American cinema is incredibly different from British cinema. You will find people in the audience comment throughout the whole film. In most cases i would probably find it annoying and most likely want to tell them to quietly hush their pie hole, but i actually found it quite funny. Oh and transformers 2....WOW!! Brilliant film...
Woke up today and have just chilled out at the house, catching some rays and doing some reading etc...think i needed a day to relax and re-energize the batteries.
Tomorrow Jon and Kim return and it will be my first experience at grace church. I'm quite excited to see what it's like, no doubt many people will want to meet the new guy with a strange exotic Mancunian accent :) not to forget the endless quotes of Oliver Twist that they seem to have under their belts.
Not entirely sure what plans are ahead of me just yet. i will start my volunteer work on Monday most likely and get to meet more of the church staff then. Going on a camping trip to see the giant sequoia's in a couple weeks which i honestly cant wait for. No doubt it will be a main highlight of my stay here.
Friday, 26 June 2009
Post Numero Un.
Currently struggling to accept that I'm wide awake at 7am in the morning here. But more than happy to go to bed at 9pm....
Arrived slightly early on the Wednesday at the airport. Jon and Kim picked me up which was nice as i hadn't met Kim yet. She's a lovely girl and full of enthusiasm. I'm sure we'll have some great laughs together during my time here.
The first port of call was food. Jon knowing his cousin well took me for a burrito at Chipotle. For the uneducated, Chipotle is a Mexican burrito fast food chain. The difference is that the food is fresh and the burritos are huuuge!!
The original idea was for me to stay with a family in their self contained flat but for the first two weeks i am staying with Jon and Kim as the family entertain a guest. I feel extremely grateful to them both for the way they have welcomed me into their home and made me feel so comfortable...
Yesterday we woke up early and hit Magic mountain; By far the best theme park i have ever been!!! Let's just say, in terms of rides, Alton Towers has nothing on this place. I don't think i have ever spent so much time upside down, spinning in weird and bizarre directions, traveling at what i felt was the speed of light!
Like most Theme parks, everything was expensive so we ventured out in the car for lunch. Now, most of us know that cars over there are big but we managed to fit 8 of us comfortably in this car and drive off without anyone saying a word...so my second meal in the USA consisted of...yes that's right, another burrito.... and i promised myself that i wasn't going to get fat!! however, i do like the fact that everywhere has free refills on drinks. You get thirsty in this heat!!
All in all it was a brilliant first day over here. Today will be much more laid back, i think i might be going to the cinema later with some people i met yesterday and possibly run off my burrito belly if it's not too hot. (i have glanced at the weather forecast and I'm expecting 28, 31, 31 and 30 degree weather over the next 4 days! what a shame.... :)
Arrived slightly early on the Wednesday at the airport. Jon and Kim picked me up which was nice as i hadn't met Kim yet. She's a lovely girl and full of enthusiasm. I'm sure we'll have some great laughs together during my time here.
The first port of call was food. Jon knowing his cousin well took me for a burrito at Chipotle. For the uneducated, Chipotle is a Mexican burrito fast food chain. The difference is that the food is fresh and the burritos are huuuge!!
The original idea was for me to stay with a family in their self contained flat but for the first two weeks i am staying with Jon and Kim as the family entertain a guest. I feel extremely grateful to them both for the way they have welcomed me into their home and made me feel so comfortable...
Yesterday we woke up early and hit Magic mountain; By far the best theme park i have ever been!!! Let's just say, in terms of rides, Alton Towers has nothing on this place. I don't think i have ever spent so much time upside down, spinning in weird and bizarre directions, traveling at what i felt was the speed of light!
Like most Theme parks, everything was expensive so we ventured out in the car for lunch. Now, most of us know that cars over there are big but we managed to fit 8 of us comfortably in this car and drive off without anyone saying a word...so my second meal in the USA consisted of...yes that's right, another burrito.... and i promised myself that i wasn't going to get fat!! however, i do like the fact that everywhere has free refills on drinks. You get thirsty in this heat!!
All in all it was a brilliant first day over here. Today will be much more laid back, i think i might be going to the cinema later with some people i met yesterday and possibly run off my burrito belly if it's not too hot. (i have glanced at the weather forecast and I'm expecting 28, 31, 31 and 30 degree weather over the next 4 days! what a shame.... :)
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