That's right people.........got myself a place to live! Start sending your money.
34 Hedsor House, Ligonier Street
London, UK E2 7HG
Only took me 4 days and viewing a lot of depressing room photos/ads online. Most places I inquired about wanted a letter from my employer and a reference from my past landlord. This seemed to be a problem and I was limited in who would rent to me.
In addition, many places only had twin beds in my price range. And it appears that the housing prices are so high that no place has a living room anymore. They have converted them all to bedrooms. So much for a fun flat where roommates hang out together!
Yesterday, I first viewed a hole in the wall in Camden where I would have to share a bathroom with 5 people and live in a twin bed. The room was so small that 2 twin beds could not fit in the room side by side or end to end. No thanks. In addition, it would have cost more to ride the tube (subway) to go to work since it was in a different zone then central London. I then walked around the city for a number of hours looking at neighborhoods. It was very clear that if I wanted pretty trees and houses...way to expensive (mostly if you have no job).
A friend of a friend recommended Shoreditch, the trendy, artsy, bar packed area of town if I could afford it. I viewed a place there last night. The owner has rented the place to a friend, Michele (26 year old Italian guy) who is looking for 3 roommates. The place is a 4 story walk-up with the flat on the 4th floor (can we say exercise). After getting to the flat, I found the place in complete remodeling zone. The owner is putting in a brand new Ikea kitchen and the entire kitchen had been removed and was still laying in the center of the room. However, the kitchen was huge (bigger then my kitchen in DC! :) In addition, the place was being painted. The place had a large room ($1400 a month) and a small room for rent ($1200 a month). The large room was huge (bigger then my studio in DC) with lots of storage. The small room was about 8 feet by 14 feet with a window. It also had a brand new double bed, old dresser, and wardrobe in it. Personally, I could not justify the rent for the larger room since I only brought 107 pounds with me to London. The kicker to the place, Michele did not need me to sign a lease and just wanted a month's deposit and 1st months rent. He wanted me to stick around for about 6 months if possible.
After I left the place I started to think it was ridiculous not to take the place. Since there was no lease, if I hated the place, I could just leave. It also was on a quite street, one block from tons of shops etc. and about 8 min walk to one of the biggest central tube stations in London. And it had a double bed!
I went back and told Michele I would take it. He was not prepared, had no keys, or paperwork to make a "contract." He said he would take the deposit money from me, but I said how did I know that tomorrow he would not change his mind and keep my money. We went back and forth on how to make the deal. I asked him what he had to "trade" for my deposit since I did not have a key. During all of this, Michele, me and his friend were all joking about the situation. In the end...get this....I got Michele's Italian driver's license for collateral. Between Michele and his friend, they figured between the airfare back to Italy, the cost of the license, and the hassle to replace it, it was equal or more in value. It was also funny to see how shocked his friend was that Michele handed over his license.
I will be meeting up with Michele tomorrow to get the key and return his license! I will move in next week sometime after the place gets internet.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Got a Job......
....but I think I should keep looking! I have to say, there are just too many things to blog about, however, between the jet lag and snoring Aussie, I am too tired to write. Yet I have some funny news.
Yes, I got a job offer today. It went something like this. Kerry was sitting in the lounge doing her hours of research on the internet looking for a job when the owner of the B&B walks into the lounge and says "you looking for a job?" I said yes and she said "run along down the street and talk to Gigg."
Gigg runs a 4 star hotel 2 blocks away. The owner told me I only had about 5 minutes to get there since Gigg was leaving soon. In my jeans (yup....my job interview attire) I ran down the street to a lovely little hotel. Apparently, they were looking for a receptionist. They asked if I had any receptionist experience and I said no (I did not think a student work job in college was really work experience). I was assuming this would end the conversation and I did not know if I really wanted to be a receptionist in London. But no, they asked more questions.
When they found out what my previous job was, they immediately said "your a professional!" This seems to be the term for anyone who has a professional job....but isn't that everyone? Being a "professional" they said I was too qualified, but they still wanted me to work for them.
Here is their offer. They wanted me to work 48 hours a week (shifts run from 7 am to 3 pm or 3 pm to 11 pm). I needed to work weekends and they would pay me 250 pounds or $500 dollars a week. At one point the owner said the job was really boring since all the tourists were not in the hotel during the day and it was really a job for a student who wanted to study all the time.
I was all smiles and let them know that I was looking for a full-time long term job to maintain my visa status. The said they really needed someone and thus asked me to call them back next week to tell them if I would take the job. I think I will sit on it and see how I feel next week. :)
Yes, I got a job offer today. It went something like this. Kerry was sitting in the lounge doing her hours of research on the internet looking for a job when the owner of the B&B walks into the lounge and says "you looking for a job?" I said yes and she said "run along down the street and talk to Gigg."
Gigg runs a 4 star hotel 2 blocks away. The owner told me I only had about 5 minutes to get there since Gigg was leaving soon. In my jeans (yup....my job interview attire) I ran down the street to a lovely little hotel. Apparently, they were looking for a receptionist. They asked if I had any receptionist experience and I said no (I did not think a student work job in college was really work experience). I was assuming this would end the conversation and I did not know if I really wanted to be a receptionist in London. But no, they asked more questions.
When they found out what my previous job was, they immediately said "your a professional!" This seems to be the term for anyone who has a professional job....but isn't that everyone? Being a "professional" they said I was too qualified, but they still wanted me to work for them.
Here is their offer. They wanted me to work 48 hours a week (shifts run from 7 am to 3 pm or 3 pm to 11 pm). I needed to work weekends and they would pay me 250 pounds or $500 dollars a week. At one point the owner said the job was really boring since all the tourists were not in the hotel during the day and it was really a job for a student who wanted to study all the time.
I was all smiles and let them know that I was looking for a full-time long term job to maintain my visa status. The said they really needed someone and thus asked me to call them back next week to tell them if I would take the job. I think I will sit on it and see how I feel next week. :)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
British Rejection
Yesterday I spent about 7 hours online searching for a place to live. I already have two places to see today so it should be interesting.
On a side note, I find British rejection, oh so nice....if only rejection sounded like this all the time.
"hi kerry the room has gone, but you sound like a lovely person and i'm sure you'll find a great place with cool people, all the best...gianpaolo"
On a side note, I find British rejection, oh so nice....if only rejection sounded like this all the time.
"hi kerry the room has gone, but you sound like a lovely person and i'm sure you'll find a great place with cool people, all the best...gianpaolo"
Sunday, April 27, 2008
I forgot I am also a tourist!
Funny, you would think after preparing for my move to the UK that I might remember I would also be a tourist. Unfortunately, just ask mom, days before I left I was more concerned about finding a grocery store then remembering London has cool stuff.
Due to my poor planning, yesterday I just wondered the streets. I was told by a Canadian to just head to the river and I would find "cool shit". After walking 4 hours or so, I did see some "cool shit". After wondering the streets, I have some impressions. 1) I am short. Where did all the tall people come from? Seriously, there are old ladies that could take me on. It is rather weird to feel short all the time when in DC I could beat up half my neighborhood since they were all from Latin American, and 2) skinny jeans tucked into ugly boots are not going to be a fashion statement for me...let all those skinny b'tches in Europe wear them with their ever not so necessary scarfs.
It was a pleasant surprise to find out that many of the museums around London are free and only special exhibits require any money for entry. On my walk, I popped into the National Portrait Gallery for a look around and then wondered down to Parliament. I saw some Cavalry on horses guarding a very large building, but I can't tell you what (would be nice to have a tourist book). But I can tell you they had their swords drawn. I saw Westminster Abbey from afar and then walked across the Thames River to see the London Eye. I then sat down for about 15 minutes or so to hear Big Ben strike noon. Very cool. I then walked back across the river over the suspension bridge that you see Bridge Jones walk across in her movies. From there a walked through some random gardens and then got caught in a downpour of rain. I was told by a number of people from London that it does not really rain here, it is just cloudy all the time. I believe the British are mistaken as it has rained every day I have been here. But leave it to the British, most of the time none of them have an umbrella...they just run for cover. I would rather say that it rains often in London, but there are very quick downpours followed by a lot of spitting.
Due to my poor planning, yesterday I just wondered the streets. I was told by a Canadian to just head to the river and I would find "cool shit". After walking 4 hours or so, I did see some "cool shit". After wondering the streets, I have some impressions. 1) I am short. Where did all the tall people come from? Seriously, there are old ladies that could take me on. It is rather weird to feel short all the time when in DC I could beat up half my neighborhood since they were all from Latin American, and 2) skinny jeans tucked into ugly boots are not going to be a fashion statement for me...let all those skinny b'tches in Europe wear them with their ever not so necessary scarfs.
It was a pleasant surprise to find out that many of the museums around London are free and only special exhibits require any money for entry. On my walk, I popped into the National Portrait Gallery for a look around and then wondered down to Parliament. I saw some Cavalry on horses guarding a very large building, but I can't tell you what (would be nice to have a tourist book). But I can tell you they had their swords drawn. I saw Westminster Abbey from afar and then walked across the Thames River to see the London Eye. I then sat down for about 15 minutes or so to hear Big Ben strike noon. Very cool. I then walked back across the river over the suspension bridge that you see Bridge Jones walk across in her movies. From there a walked through some random gardens and then got caught in a downpour of rain. I was told by a number of people from London that it does not really rain here, it is just cloudy all the time. I believe the British are mistaken as it has rained every day I have been here. But leave it to the British, most of the time none of them have an umbrella...they just run for cover. I would rather say that it rains often in London, but there are very quick downpours followed by a lot of spitting.
B&B
Well, if my 13 month old niece has a blog, it only seems fitting that I join the club! Hopefully this will keep you up to date on my coming and goings (even if they are rather boring).
B&B - So I am staying in a dorm room that has 8 beds. Last night was rough as a female Australian snored like a horse the entire night. I was wearing my earplugs, but they only get you so far. I was warned before hand by my bunk mate. Apparently, the Australian keeps everyone up every night and she is not leaving. She has been living at the B&B since January! So I guess I will not have much sleep for the next 3 weeks. Being Australian I hit up the women for a conversation. Unfortunately, she is the most depressing Australian I have ever met. I asked if she had tried to locate temporary housing? She told me it was the worse housing location in the world, with accommodations worse then a jail. Okay...nice to meet you.
The B&B has a kitchen, but I find I am the only person in the entire place that uses it. Many people are here for a few days, so they just eat out. I find it a bit lonely as I cook and eat by myself.
On a good note, the B&B has a locked room for guests so I can lock up my computer when I want to. Thank goodness.
B&B - So I am staying in a dorm room that has 8 beds. Last night was rough as a female Australian snored like a horse the entire night. I was wearing my earplugs, but they only get you so far. I was warned before hand by my bunk mate. Apparently, the Australian keeps everyone up every night and she is not leaving. She has been living at the B&B since January! So I guess I will not have much sleep for the next 3 weeks. Being Australian I hit up the women for a conversation. Unfortunately, she is the most depressing Australian I have ever met. I asked if she had tried to locate temporary housing? She told me it was the worse housing location in the world, with accommodations worse then a jail. Okay...nice to meet you.
The B&B has a kitchen, but I find I am the only person in the entire place that uses it. Many people are here for a few days, so they just eat out. I find it a bit lonely as I cook and eat by myself.
On a good note, the B&B has a locked room for guests so I can lock up my computer when I want to. Thank goodness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)