Life in London: Update 1

It has already been two weeks+ since I moved to London from Perth. I have to say that everything has fitted in really nicely with accommodation and work already sorted out within the first two weeks of being here. For the first six days, I stayed at a budget hotel near Liverpool Street which not only was in a good location, but the hotel itself was modern, clean (just a tad bit too small). Straight after checking out of the hotel last Friday, I moved into my new house-share in South Woodford with 5 other house mates. Although all my house mates are girls, they are all easy to get along with (with two of them being Aussies) so it's all good!

My bedroom

My backyard on the day I arrived! No more snow now...

 I haven't yet been around the whole suburb yet, but it is a nice suburb with tree lined streets and town houses stuck side by side. My house is only 10 minutes by foot to the nearest tube and takes around 25 minutes to the city.

So what have I been doing for the last couple of weeks? Well, for the first two weeks I did some sight seeing (as tourists would usually do) mostly by foot. I usually like having my headphones plugged in my iphone with music such as "Falling away" by Big Scary and "Boston" by Augustana and discovering new sights as I walk. Here is a quick snapshot of some places I have been:

A must see landmark if you are a tourist: Big Ben

Guess who lives behind these gates? 

Tower bridge- A really unique bridge matched with beautiful surroundings

The scenic town of Richmond, only 75 minutes from where I live

I promised my kids (ex students) that I will go on the London eye but have
yet to find  someone to go on with me yet...

A royal park in Richmond with my friend Christos in the background

The weather is a bit of a bummer though. I guess getting used to an average 30+ degree heat in Perth and coming to an average of 4 degrees in London, I do need time to adjust to it right? However, seeing snow twice since I have arrived in England is all worth it! The whole landscape and atmosphere changes when it snows!

I started my relief teaching job today and am fully booked for the rest of this week! I actually don't mind relief teaching as most teachers have everything prepared for you, and you basically go in and take over their class for the day. I'm glad that my first relief teaching today actually went well and the students I had in my grade two class were really adorable! Still trying to get used to the younger kids being so clingy though... (not good for a male teacher). Hopefully the jobs will keep coming through!

I know some people who are thinking of or will be travelling overseas. For me, I think it is the BEST decision I have ever made in my life (not exaggerating). Although I have been here for only a couple of weeks, I have seen so much and done things I would not usually do back at home. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone a couple of times and has continued to help me grow as a person. Carl if you are reading this, the message you have sent me has really gave me the courage and inspiration to do a lot! So thanks again for the encouragement :)

I'm homesick quite often, but am getting better at dealing with that as I continue to lead my life abroad. I'm thankful that having such a bad past year has helped me appreciate every single day I have now. I'll keep you all posted as time goes by. Take care!

Malaysia- Kuching

Straight after leaving Japan, I landed at my next destination: Kuching. My mission was to eat as much as possible and to attend JT and HC's wedding. Kuching was a real big contrast to Japan! Nevertheless, it was still an awesome experience especially being able to be an MC in front of 300 guests.

I remember when I first arrived, Jo and Di took me to eat something that I have been savouring for a very long time: Bak Kut Deh! What I make and what can be eaten in Perth is nothing compared to this! For those who don't know, this is a herbal soup with assorted meats. One of my favourites!

Di and her parents also took me to visit one of their family friends for Chinese New Year. Although I have celebrated CNY before, I never had the opportunity to do family visits as all our relatives are based in Hong Kong. It was interesting to see the amount of preparation one will take to make their friends and family welcome; you need to have your house decorated nicely with lanterns and other decorations, the table needs to be filled with 20 different kinds of snacks and to constantly make sure you guests are constantly eating/ drinking. I also got a bonus: my first red pocket in Malaysia!! :)

Jo and HC's wedding- This was the main reason I was in Kuching and it was definitely an unforgettable experience. The day started off with the groom and his mates having to 'play' some games so they can gain access to the bride in the house. Di has been planning for days on what sort of torture she will implement on us, but luckily we were let off easily on the day by doing things such as singing songs, drinking soy sauce and having someone doing a Korean dance move...

The second part involved a tea ceremony and lunch at both families house followed by the main reception dinner at Hilton. I have to say that the wedding reception was done really well. The decorations involved several swan ice sculptures, the entrance was beautifully done up and the whole venue was well presented. There was a band playing at the reception called "Young Once", which was made up of several men in their 50's. I have to say that  they were actually really good!

I'm not going to go in detail with my MC gig but I will say that it went well overall minus hiccups at the beginning... Thanks Jo and HC for letting me be your MC! 

Now Di, if you are reading this post, I know I still haven't covered a lot of stuff such as the amazing food I ate, the whole family (myself included) being sick and also celebrating your birthday (I felt so bad for sleeping through most of it...) but I'm gonna end it by saying that my main highlight of the trip was being able to spend time with the Ting family. They were so hospitable during my stay and I felt like I was part of their family. I'm blessed to know such great people and thanks for making my trip so memorable!

Not quite an update just yet...

I allocated myself sometime tonight to update my blog, which I haven't done for a while. To be honest, it's one of those days where there is just too much in my mind to think about. You know me, I'm a worrier/ stress-head (This is one thing that I really want to change but am struggling to). Give me a bit more time and I'll be fine.
I still need to do a post on Kuching (Even my friend Di has done all her travel posts that she has delayed for a very long time) before I'll give you a thorough update on life in London...