Getting Acquainted: First Week Adventures

After I arrived and got settled into my apartment it was time to start working and exploring.  The combination of being confused, lost, and far from home left me feeling a little homesick, but thanks to skype, fun roommates, and very little downtime I've started feeling better already!  I was completely disoriented the first few days I was here, but after a couple of days I began recognizing landmarks and feeling much more comfortable with my surroundings.
My roommates and I spent Monday setting up our new phones.  It will be the first time in nearly three years that I've been the owner of a phone without internet access; being in a different country isn't nearly as foreign as being without instant Facebook access!  We also visited the local grocery store, Tesco Express, and wandered around our neighborhood for a bit.
Tuesday was spent lazying around.  I took a little trip to the bank to exchange my dollars for pounds.  The exchange rate is insane.  It is almost 1:1.5, which makes shopping here a lot more expensive since most brands just change the dollar sign for the pound sign.  Frugal is a key word in my new life.  We don't get paid for the first time until the end of February.  Until that first check gets transferred into my bank account I'm going to try to be as thrifty as possible.  I don't want to miss out on any amazing experiences, but I think that cooking at home and bringing lunch with me to the office will be great ways to save a few pounds.
We also took time Tuesday to find the office so we wouldn't get lost on our first day.  The office is surprisingly close to our flat and will only require a fifteen to twenty minute walk each morning.  A lot of the full-time staff in our department are really jealous of our short commute.  Many of them live on the outskirts of the city and spend an hour to an hour and half each morning just to get into the office.
Tuesday night we were invited to dinner with several of our new colleagues.  They took us to a pub located near our flat.  We've all been trying to figure out the name of the place they took us, but none of us seem to be able to remember it; maybe we can't remember because the food was less than memorable itself.  The food may not have been stellar, but the company was great!  The two professionals with us gave us some inside info into our new working environment.  They gave us a short list of dos and don'ts, but told us not to worry because everyone in the office was really excited that we were finally in town and about to start coming into work.  I hope that we live up to everyone's expectations so that when the summer interns come in they'll have big shoes to fill!
The first day of my internship was Wednesday, January 26, 2011.  I am working as a tax intern in the US Corporate Tax Services department at Deloitte London.  Apparently we're the only group of our kind in the UK, which makes what we offer our clients truly unique.
Our first two days were spent receiving training that frankly none of us understood.  The second day was much better than the first, but I have a feeling we will be learning a lot on the job that they just can't teach us in a two day training session.
I am really excited about the clients that I am going to be working on these next few months.  I think that my job is going to be extremely challenging yet completely manageable, which has put me at ease.  I don't feel like I'm the only person who doesn't know what they're doing; a very comfortable feeling at this point in time.
The first training day we were taken to lunch at Pizza Express.  I had a Margherita pizza (a fancy name for a pretty simple cheese pizza).  The food was yummy and the atmosphere was fun.  We were really surprised that they offered us wine to drink at lunch, especially considering we would be returning to work later that day.  We may have been surprised, but we certainly didn't refuse them!  Pizza Express is definitely on my list of places to return do during the next three months.
The second I visited a local chain called EAT.  I had a fruit cup and a bottled smoothie; I was in Heaven.  If I can't find anything else I like to eat while I'm here I'll just stop by there everyday!
We've visited several pubs this first week.  The drinks are surprisingly expensive considering how much of a drinking culture the British have.  Even though the drinks weren't cheap the atmosphere was fun and relaxing.  The pubs have tons of tables to sit and talk with friends at so it isn't hard to find a comfortable spot.
We started out the weekend on a great note.  We went with several of our new colleagues to a pub on the first floor of our work building.  It was great getting to know them in a more social environment.  They seem like a great group of people who will have similar interests to our own!
Besides the cold temperature, lack of sunlight, and strong winds the only thing I have struggled to get used to is the food.  It wouldn't be a stretch to say that I was the pickiest eater in America and am now the pickiest eater in the UK.  I've never been a huge fan of meat; the texture, blood, and thoughts of the cute animal that once was are major turnoffs to me, but here eating meat has been even more of a challenge.  Everything smells funny to me and doesn't make me want to try anything.  So far it looks like cereal and peanut butter are going to be my best friends.  I'll let you know if I find anything that gets my stamp of approval, because if it like it it's almost guaranteed that you will!
A weekend blog is soon to come, which will chronicle my many adventures learning the transportation system, exploring the city, and becoming accustomed to the culture!

Cait