My Thanks Giving

This year I spent Thanksgiving working most of the day. It really didn't feel like Thanksgiving nor did I have a Turkey dinner or sandwich. My colleague and I educated our colleagues on Black Wednesdays and Fridays, American football, and the Macy's day parade that is part of the American tradition. Thursday was the first day I actually looked online at the NBC5 website to catch up on Chicago happenings. It will be two months on Dec. 2nd since I've been here and I've been trying distance myself from Chicago happenings. I don't read Chicago newspapers and I delete most of the email blasts I receive about Chicago events. Not that I don't miss and love my friends and family. It just makes it difficult to start a new life in another country when your foot is still in another door.

After work, I headed to Belgium on the Eurostar. An hour and fifty minutes later, I was at the Midi-Du Nord train station headed to the bed and breakfast that I was sharing with my friend Sofia from Paris and my friend Vicky from Chicago. It was cool that we could reunite in Brussels for a weekend. I was a little shocked at first as the bed and breakfast was situated in an area known for prostitution. The owner, Carmelo assured us it was safe. And it really was....It just made for a more interesting trip.

On Friday morning, we headed to Bruge. It was a one hour train ride from Brussels. We were told we wouldn't need more than one day to see Bruge. Vicky was on a mission to go to the Frite museum. We learned how French fries were named as such when they came from Belgium. During the first World War, French speaking Belgium soliders offered an American solider some chips(fries) and the Americans assumed they were French thus the name was born....Leave it to the Americans...



At the end of the tour, we were treated to a batch of Belgium style frites with ketchup and mayonaise.

We finished off Bruge by walking around the stalls at the Christmas market and then heading back home.

In Brussels on Saturday, Sofia and I toured the city by bike. We signed up for a guided tour and braved the rain and cold. The first stop was the Manequin Pis (pronounced Piss). No one really knows the story around it but there are three tales. Here is the link to read more about the legends - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manneken_Pis They dress him up for special causes or holidays and we were even told he sometimes pees beer. This statue is really big in Brussels. They have fine Belgium chocolate molds made from this statue.



Towards the end of the ride, we got silly and started taking pictures while riding.

We had many other adventures including hanging out at the Christmas market and drinking hot beer, Jagermeister, eating Brats, the tranny prostitute making fun of Sofia's plastic raincoat in French, Delrium cafe, and the Sunday flea market.

Being in Europe for Thanksgiving wasn't so bad afterall. It makes me even more thankful for the opportunities that I have to explore the world and share my experiences. It was the perfect holiday.

City Break

This weekend I am going on a city break to Brussels and Bruges. This is what Europeans call a short break to a city in Europe as opposed to the 2-3 week long holidays they typically take around Christmas and Summer.

My manager told me that when Europeans go on holiday, they really go all out. It is meant to be a getaway where you relax. They don't believe in taking a day here and there unless you actually go somewhere. Nice...

Fridays on the Tube are so easy because Europeans leave on Thursdays to make the most of their city break. Typically you can get on the Tube right away, perhaps get a seat and be within a comfortable distance of a fellow passenger without feeling they are invading your personal space. (I am saving these adventures for a later blog about my morning commute and the tube system).

Travel in Europe is so easy. That is what I had always been in awe of from the first time I went to Spain and part of what drove me to relocate.

This weekend I will be travelling on the Eurostar. It is a high speed train that gets you to Paris or Brussels in about two hours. The beauty of it is that you can board the train fairly easy. You don't have to go through as many hoops as you do in the airport. There's security and the Border patrol check but you don't have to take your shoes off. It is much more relaxed.



The Eurostar leaves you in the center of the city so you don't have to waste time and money travelling by train from a major airport. You don't have to check in your luggage because there are racks in every carriage for all size luggages. The best thing about the Eurostar is that if you buy your ticket way in advance, you can get a great deal. My ticket to Brussels cost me 109 pounds and I bought it pretty late. Usually I see fares for 29 each way.

I'm excited. I have never been to Brussels. I am also excited to meet up with my friend from Chicago and my friend from Paris so we'll definately have a great weekend.

I am travelling like a European. Now if I could only pack like one (or more efficiently)...I always seem to overpack. I know I am going to suffer as I lug it up and down the stairs and get on the Tube with my things but at least I'll have options.

A Taste of Chicago

Last week I really started to crave Mexican food. My colleague went to Colorado and was really nice to ask, (especially the expats) if we wanted anything from the States...Boy did I have a list for her.

The first two weeks when I arrived I started a running list of the things that I noticed where not available in London (Neutrogena skin wash, Dove Cherry Blossom Body Wash, Miracle Whip Light, Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce, Q-tips) that I had come to love in Chicago...Number one being Mexican food and the ingredients to make it.

I did some research before my move on what items I should bring. It was recommended that take Maseca to make corn tortillas (haa..I can just imagine myself making homemade tortillas), chipotle peppers because they can get expensive if you find it here, and your spices. Well I never leave home without my Adobo and Sazon so I was sure to pack that with me. Somehow the chipotle slipped my mind in the midst of packing up my life in 4 suitcases but I did pretty good.

Anyway, back to my colleague....She returned with Miracle Whip and BBQ Sauce. I was definately grateful but I still did not have my chipotle for Mexican food. So from that point, I was on a misson to find ingredients. I googled Mexican food in London and found a little stand that sells chipotle, tortillas, pinto beans at the Borough Market - http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/ The Borough Market is one of many fresh open markets throughout London. You could call it a Farmers Market. On the weekends, they are packed with the locals and tourists buying their fresh fruit and veg. They also have specialty stands that sell cheese, olives, homemade breads, empanadas, pastries, ready made curries or paella.

Over the course of Monday and Tuesday, I made my chicken using British chicken. Now I am not really sure what other chicken there would be in England but I think they feel the need to brand their chicken or meat as British. It's hilarious....I also made Mexican rice and beans. I took my time because usually it's a 2-3 hour ordeal, start to finish and I usually get home by 7:00p.m.

So here is my final assessment of the meal. The chicken is a lot flavorful here. I'm not sure what they do to their British chickens. ...So I think the freshness of the chicken made the dish really good. The chipotle in adobo sauce I bought was good but I tasted a little splash of vinegar in it which doesn't surprise me because the Brits use vinegar on many things. It was missing the deep smoky taste that I am used to buying but it was still really good. Mari sent me a can of Chicago chipotle with Vicky so I'll it soon enough.

I used long grain rice but I think the texture is different from the States. The rice wasn't bad but the grains were really big. I'll probably try a different type of rice. The torillas tasted better when I fried them into tostadas. I guess Chicago Mexican food will always be number one in my heart.

Overall it was a good meal and my friend Jason didn't get sick! :)

It Never Rains in....

Honestly it doesn't rain too much in London. I was expecting to have rain every day, all day and that it would be gloomy. Since I've been here, the weather has been great with the exception of yesterday. The weatherman warned we would have of one of the worst rain and wind storms and he was right. I ran out early in the morning to go to the cash machine and on the way home got soaking wet....I mean really wet. My shoes are still drying out today. But today was beautiful...as if nothing happened the following day. I can't really tell you the actual temperature because I am still learning the conversions but it's pleasant compared to Chicago's standards and sunny.

Today I had my first proper afternoon tea at The Orangery in Kensington Gardens - http://maps.google.com/maps/place?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS316US316&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=the+orangery+london&fb=1&hq=the+orangery&hnear=london&cid=17365645029516330284

It was really nice. I met up with a fellow American Expat, Anna. She's the niece of my cousin's husband. We shared stories about livng and working in London and she gave me some good places to go for cupcakes, Thai food, Suishi and Korean food. Of course on the way there I got lost. I never seem to get to my destination on the first try. I walk usually walk too far or in the opposite direction or both. (Sound familiar Mari....) But I guess that's how you get to see other sites. Even though Mari and I walked by Kensington Gardens the first week I was here, I didn't realize that the Royal Albert Hall was right across the road from the park. See...a new place discovered from getting lost.

Shopping on the High Street

As I unpacked my suitcases last weekend I realized that I really didn't have that many clothes. I guess I got wrapped up in purging my things which is a good thing. Just another reason for me to go shopping and there is plenty of it here. In London, they call the main avenues the High Street.

So on a few occasions this week, I went shopping on the High Street! I went down to Oxford Circus aka the Michigan Avenue of Chicago. Can you believe it, Christmas decorations were already up? The big theme this year is a Christmas Carol. Brits are very much into Christmas. And it is called the Christmas holiday. There is no Happy Holidays, Happy Kwanzaa or trying to be culturally correct. That was made very clear to me by my colleagues when I started working and was trying to sort out my Christmas holiday. When I arrived in October, the restaurants were already taking reservations for Christmas. I am already invited to a handful of Christmas parties and I've selected my dinner for our company party.

Anyway....I bought some quintessential London gear: Leggings, flat boots, a sweater dress, and a T-shirt dress. I already had the tights. I just need a cute rain coat, a few more pairs of boots in black and brown and ballet flats. When I walk to work, I put on my New Balance running shoes. They are comfortable as heck but not the most stylish.

Flat shoes are a must here. Sofia warned me but I still came with 10 pairs of high heeled shoes. Not happening here in London. I ended up using only 2 pair out of the house and for short distances. You walk everywhere so you have to be comfortable. Luckily, the London chicas sport some really cute low heeled boots and you can find them pretty easily in the shops. I'll have to post my new look soon.

Happy Hour

A customary drink or two or three seems like the norm here. I often find myself IMing Vicky or Rosie saying that I have to go because it is the end of our day and my colleagues and I are having a drink after work. I'm not complaining but it's definitely something different here. A drink turns into 2 or 3 hours later and great conversation.

Today I went out with my manager and another colleague. I see the point in socializing over a drink after work. You get to know your colleagues on a different level and chat about work too.

I heard someone talking on the train about the difference between London and Paris. In Paris, you smell urine on every street. In London, you have to avoid the vomit. That was definitely the case when I visited Sofia in Paris and on Friday mornings in London, you have to watch where you walk along the pubs.

First Edition - Welcome to My Blog

Welcome! I decided to chronicle my adventures of being an expat in London as a way for me to remember and look back on all the things that I will experience living abroad. I also love to journal so it only seemed natural to start a blog that I could share with my family and friends and the world...

So here's my story on how I got to London. It might be a little long. In April 2007, I had a major life change that made me realize that you only get one life to live and I need to live it doing the things that I've always wanted to do. I had always loved to travel and always said I wanted to live somewhere different...I just didn't think it would be in London.

Fast forward to the winter of 2008....I remember it as one of the coldest, worst winters in Chicago. It was so cold that my poor little Shih Tzu Stanley (you'll hear a lot about him) refused to walk a few steps out of the door. I started thinking....What would it be like to live somewhere warm. I approached my manager in the Spring and asked to be transferred to our LA office. She was receptive to it and I had planted the seed. Once I started to say something, it was as if I was daring myself to go through with it. I went to visit a friend in San Diego...not quite LA and it was freezing for being a warm place. Now I'm sure California is a nice place to live but it really didn't have the appeal I was looking for.

Then a few months later, I started managing projects in Europe and my colleague in London said, "Oh, if you were here, you'd be able to attend the kick-off meeting in Spain or Paris." I was jealous! He dared me. I thought how cool would it be to live in London and to have all the opportunities for travel at your disposal. When I graduated from college and could actually afford travelling to Europe, I fell in love with Southern Spain - Andalucia. I coupled my trip to Spain with meeting up with a different group of friends in Paris. It was amazing. I promised myself that every year I would start taking a trip to Europe or somewhere outside the US.

Back to 2008.....One of the final factors....My friend Erica and I co-chaired a woman's event. We were researching topics when she sent across an article by a woman executive. This article said that sometimes women need to go abroad for career growth and opportunities. After 7 years with my company, this would only add to my tenure there and overall career growth. There were definitely signs everywhere telling me I had to go and pursue this dream of mine.

In August 2008, I approached my manager and said, I'd like to go to London. This is the right move for me and I gave her the business case for it. She agreed there was a need and told me that she would do everything she could to help me get there.

After a few obstacles, I'm in London! Almost a year to the date that I approached my manager....It still feels surreal.

I arrived on October 2nd so I have plenty of stories to blog about for days! Stay tuned for my adventures in London!