Soon, I will have to say goodbye to my work colleagues. I am not looking forward to that. I met some of them on my first day in Southampton and we've been together through many ups and downs since then.
I can't help but bear in mind that this move is temporary. With any luck it will be until September/October. But, my work contract is only 6 months. If I get on a clinical course to start in September/October, I will stay put and work for a temping agency if they're not able to extend it an extra couple of months. If not, I'll be on the job-seeking treadmill again. Life seems so up in the air.
However, on the bright side. We found a fantastic Thai restaurant that serves papaya salad - something I attempted to make myself a while ago and which was absolutely yummy. However, it looked nothing like the picture in my Thai recipe book so I think I did something wrong. I'm curious to see what the real thing tastes like :). We also intend to attend a new Quaker meeting. The interior of whose meeting house looks like this picture. I think I will have to try to see this as something of an adventure. I'm grateful to have partner dude moving with me. This would be a tough move to make alone as there is no obvious way to make lots of friends. We need to:
*Find an arts cinema
*Join a gym
*Find some completely random group or activity to join where we can have fun and meet some new people
*Meet an internet friend from a psychology website whose fault it is I have this job. (It was her old job and only advertised locally so she put a tip off on a psychology website - had she not, I wouldn't have seen the ad.)
Any other ideas for moving to a new place and making friends, meeting people?
11 comments:
Very best wishes for a smooth moving experience - I hope you can revel in the reorganisation possibilities and not get downhearted by the change of everything familiar in the living space. I hope your new meeting will be as friendly and supportive as High Wycombe has been.
I have moved home quite a lot, and I find the local wholefood shop is a good first connection point. Not only does it help with the yummy food essentials, they often have good adverts about what's on in the area amongst the like-minded greens.
Wholefood shop - ah-ha, cunning plan :). Excellent idea Alice! Thanks!
We're actually starting at High Wycombe meeting when we move. We're currently in Southampton.
Anyway, it will be fun. When we started at Southampton meeting, we were already established in Southampton - had lots of friends, things to do etc. So perhaps it will be an interesting opportunity to get more involved with some new activities through the meeting. ATM, we're too busy to get as involved in all the things we would like to.
It has crossed my mind to try to make it to some larger scale Quaker events over the next year. Perhaps our paths my cross at some point ;). (I can't remember if I have mentionned it before, but I do know someone who knows you - they are from Belfast and you met at Manchester uni, I believe.)
CA
Ah, som tam( papaya salad)!
To make real som tam you need a raw(green) papaya.It is chopped into small slices by being held in one hand and hit with a knife held in the other hand.The world's best som tam maker is in Bang Saen,Chonburi. Just watch her,you will see how to do it.
Also you will need some small green chillies to give it that really spicy favour.
We couldn't get green papaya - that's probably where mine went wrong. The ordinary orange papaya turned a bit mushy once you chopped it up and added it to the crushed nuts etc. It was tasty nonetheless, but I've been determined to try the real thing ever since!
So, who might you me anonymous appreciater of Thai cuisine then?
CA
You were using a ripe papaya.I think it would be difficult to find a raw (green) one in England.
A mango can be used. I've had some delicious som tam made from mango.
But of course I live in Thailand so I can get mountains of the stuff.Have you ever been to Thailand?
Wow - reading my blog from Thailand - amazing! :)
No, I've never been to Thailand, but its something I would really love to do. My aunt is a travel agent and extremely well travelled and says Thailand is one of her favourite countries.
We have thought about trying to visit Thailand in the next couple of years - when life is more settled than it is now. Is there anywhere you would recommend? The owner of our local Thai restaurant (which is a beautiful, tiny little place where the owners chat to the customers a lot) also has a resort in Chiang Mai so we had thought about visiting there.
I had never thought of using mango - I will definately give that a try. You're right - I've never seen green papaya in England! I check out the oriental supermarkets regularly and finally managed to buy some galangal a couple of weeks ago which I was very pleased about.
Are you from Thailand then?
I'm from Eastbourne but I have been living in Thailand for 25 years. I am somewhat stranded but there are a lot worse places than Thailand so it is not too bad. Today it was a nice cool day, about 80F.There are so many interesting places here it is hard to recomend what places to visit.
That sounds exciting - although having lived abroad for a short period of time, I imagine it is not without its challenges!
I take it you work in Thailand?
Can I ask how you came across my blog - it just seems rather random to have someone reading from literally the other side of the world.
CA
I chanced upon it a couple of months ago.I have an interest in Buddhism, I am a Unitarian,however.
Interesting - I used to say I was either going to become a Unitarian or a Quaker. Unfortunately, I got to the Quakers first, and never quite got round to visiting the Unitarians. :S
Thanks for visiting & for the Thai cooking tips. Hope you stick around. Do you blog?
CA
Perhaps we should make a trip out of it sometime PL?
Organise a bit of a talkback social :)? When are you next coming towards the south? Of course, I may end up closer to your part of the world if I get any interviews. I've applied to Norwich and Leeds for another uni course - how hard is it to get your your chirpey village kingdom of Matlock from there m'dear?
CA
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