The blog without a name allows me to meander and stray in thought, write about anything and nothing, and not apologise for it one bit.  So, this will be an incredibly narcissistic post.

It’s a bit ironic that this post will chronicle some time that began with my flight to London from Denver.   I was in the Denver International Airport at the departure gate and CNN Headline News ran a story about Facebook and Twitter.  HLN asked, “Are Facebook and Twitter (and others, perhaps Tumblr) creating a narcissistic generation?”  The “evidence” was that now people post information about themselves expecting that people want to listen/read.  This post, though, is at the request of my family in the States that have asked me to update them on my time in London.

Wednesday

I arrived in London on Wednesday, 26 August at 7.40. The flight from DEN to IAH was uneventful.  The layover in IAH was too.  But, things got interesting on my way from IAH to LHR.  Anyone who has flown overseas knows the drill.  Take off, dinner, sleep, wake, breakfast, land.  It’s a pretty standard sequence and I was really looking forward to the sleep bit.  So, after dinner, I started The Bourne Supremacy and planned to fall asleep.  As soon as I dozed off, there was an interruption on the PA, “Is there a doctor on board?” Apparently, someone on the plane had fallen ill and this was way past the in-seat-pocket vomit bag material.  I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I started The Bourne Ultimatum.  You catch a lot more when you watch sequels in a row.

As we started our final descent, I noticed something that has always interested me on flights.  Everyone started chatting.  People around me who where quiet the entire trip decided to start up a conversation.  Someone noticed my Becker hoodie and asked, “Have you taken your exams yet?”  Someone else started talking about his marriage that will take place in the UK.  The whole plane was abuzz.  It was really interesting to me, and I started to smirk.  I hypothesized that people like talking at the end of a flight as a sort of social safeguard. “If this stranger on the plane is weird, antisocial, awkward, or just plain creepy,” one must think, “at least I have 20 minutes before we land.”  What do you think? 

I never heard what happened, but when we landed, the number of ill passengers went from one to six.  We had to disembark, slowly, from just one aisle.

Passport control was boring.  I got my luggage, and went to the desk for my shuttle, and eventually arrived at my hotel around 11.45.  I spent the rest of the day around the hotel. 

Thursday

Thursday was a day for errands.  I knowledgeably bought my Oyster Card, hopped on the Tube to Central London, and started my list of chores.  I applied for my UK bank accounts (a usually arduous task), stopped by the office for some paperwork, and went on a few flat viewings.

Everything in the UK requires a bank account.  Everything is on Direct Debit.  The bank has all my details, but the account is not yet set up.  This is a Bank Holiday weekend, so the banks are closed on Monday.  This might put a bit of a challenge in my flat search.  Also, the lettings/rental market in London is fast.  Properties go on and off the listings pages very quickly.  So, I’m hoping the stars align so that I will find a flat quickly.

Friday

Day One.  I had my induction for my new job at Ernst & Young at a cool event venue near the Barbican. As we walked into the venue, we were greeted by a man in a bowler hat (pleasantly cliché).  The programme was really fun: we went through the history of EY and were welcomed (via video) by Jim Turley, Global Chairman and CEO, and Mark Otty, Managing Partner of our area. (EY is divided into five areas.  The UK & Ireland is part of EMEIA area which includes Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa.)  I was excited to hear that one of the speakers is a man I met in 2007 when I was connected with some people in the UK through a partner in the Denver office.  I spent a half day at EY Global with Lee (the speaker) and another half day at EY London with a partner named Chad.  We connected after his talk, and he invited me to make plans for lunch once we get started.  I’m looking forward to that.

I met a few new people, but the induction included all new hires (joiners) from the UK and Ireland.  Many of the people I met are in a different office or in a different service line.  The format of joining in the UK is different from in the US.  In the UK, we don’t start internal training for another two weeks.  Come Monday, we will be at “college” for our respective professional qualifications.  So, I will be studying for the ACA through the ICAEW. That limits the people I’ll be working with/seeing next week substantially.  I think I heard there were 400 at the induction and 50 studying with the ICAEW.  Of these, one is a girl I met via Facebook when she sent a message about finding a roommate before we started.  Two more are people I interviewed with.  And I met a few more on Friday.

The training will take place near my old stomping grounds.  When I was studying in London in 2007, I lived almost equidistant between Angel and Old Street (two tube stops).  But, because of its surroundings, we went to Angel much more than Old Street.  The training location is right across the street from the Angel station.  I’m excited that (1) I’ll be able to find it and (2) I’ll know my way around the area for breaks, etc.

Weekend

This weekend is slow.  I’m still looking for a place to live, but there is not much success yet.  Today (Sunday), I woke up early to see if I could have better luck.  I forgot how late things open on Sundays in London.  I took busses and the tube around London and walked around Trafalgar Square, one of my favourite places in London.  

I’m back at the hotel now, checking out flats for rent.  Wish me luck.

Tomorrow, real work/college begins.  This is what I came to London to do.