March 27: Woking, Surrey

Well, I have arrived in Woking, Surrey. The good news is that the flat (apartment) was already ready to move into when I arrived. The downside is that I’m living with my (male) manager. I’m sure it will be fine, we’ll just be seeing a lot of each other during the week.

Get ready to cry me a river.

It’s a two-bedroom, two-bathroom fully furnished flat. The living room has a red leather wrap-around couch, a door that opens out onto a balcony, and a TV complete with DVD player. Anyone familiar with living in the UK will know that a tax is levied on every television set in a home, so just to have one at all is considered a luxury. The kitchen has a washer-dryer all-in-one unit, a dishwasher, and large refrigerator and freezer. There is adequate space to the side for a four-seater glass dining table. My bedroom has a double bed, small desk, bookcase, nightstand, and armoire.

I know, it’s a tough life here in Woking… But before you start getting jealous, just remember that I’m getting half my salary and that the exchange rate is killer at the moment. It cost US $30 to get into London today. The average sandwich from a convenience store (i.e. NOT a dine-in place) is ₤4 or so, which is about US $8. For a sandwich. In one of those triangle plastic cases.

But it’s worth it. I’m so happy to be in the UK. Woking is a charming little town as well, though most shops close at 6 PM and I don’t plan to spend many weekends here, so I may not get to really see much of it. There are two malls nearby, and one contains a Top Shop! Trouble. There are lots of restaurants and pubs and even a few clubs. Oh, and the McDonald’s here has an EasyInternet Café. Since my flat doesn’t have Internet (or a phone), I might have to hit that up a few times.

And to top it all off, the weather was GORGEOUS today! Bright and sunny, and at least 70˚ F with a light breeze. It probably won’t keep up, but so far it’s been a great welcome.

The update on work is that i have to leave the UK after April 7 in order to re-enter with a work permit stamped by immigration, so it looks like we're scheduling a work trip to visit one of Plan's National Offices. Right now it's looking like it might be Norway, Finland, or Germany. They're also thinking about sending us to visit a Regional Office, likely either Panama or Senegal. I should know more soon. Oh, and the UK gets two days off for Easter: April 6 and April 9. Happy Days!