Alarm Clock
So, this makes the second morning in a row that I've been up before my alarm, but today it wasn't because of general restfulness and chipperness. I've discovered one of the first major disadvantages of living in this city (assuming you exclude the lack of free checking, the really expensive cost of some things, or if you're bothered by a couple of people here and there wearing hiking boots with dress clothes) — PAcific time zone sucks a lot when a recruiter further east decides to start calling around to check references first thing in the morning.
I couldn't help dropping the mention that I'm now on the west coast so she'd at least feel a little guilty for waking me up at 6:30am. I don't think she ever clued in, though.
At any rate, I'm awake.
I bought a prepaid phone card last night, so I can talk to the US for cheap now, so if anyone doesn't mind a late night phone call, let me know. It doesn't work from my cell, obviously — only my hotel phone. (Well, I mean, it would work from my cell, but since the problem there is my international roaming fee rather than my rate itself, it would still be just as expensive).
When buying it, it really hit me that I'm one of the outsiders here. I was huddled up in front of a little convenience store checking all the international phone card posters right along with Pakistanis, Greeks, Lithuanians, or what have you, trying to ask the Asian guy inside which was the best for my country, and he not knowing, so going back outside to look some more.
At my return visit to immigration, too, I was in the waiting area with a taxi cab driver from India, who was there to pick up a friend who was in danger of being deported. I felt a lot of kinship with him — far more than with the office workers and agents with whom we were both up against.
That sudden sense of alienation is a little strange. Even in Asia all summer I felt like a welcome visitor most of the time, rather than a suspicious outsider, so this is new.
Regardless, even all of that considered, I'm very happy here. I definitely think I've found a new home, and I think this will improve as I feel more comfortable here and have gotten all of my paperwork (and a paycheck, please) behind me.
Today, time permitting, I'll try reapplying for my SIN, and opening a bank account, and after that I'll feel a lot more settled. Michelle at work also has the name of a good apartment locator which is relatively inexpensive, and that will help, too. I'll be glad to have a home.
I couldn't help dropping the mention that I'm now on the west coast so she'd at least feel a little guilty for waking me up at 6:30am. I don't think she ever clued in, though.
At any rate, I'm awake.
I bought a prepaid phone card last night, so I can talk to the US for cheap now, so if anyone doesn't mind a late night phone call, let me know. It doesn't work from my cell, obviously — only my hotel phone. (Well, I mean, it would work from my cell, but since the problem there is my international roaming fee rather than my rate itself, it would still be just as expensive).
When buying it, it really hit me that I'm one of the outsiders here. I was huddled up in front of a little convenience store checking all the international phone card posters right along with Pakistanis, Greeks, Lithuanians, or what have you, trying to ask the Asian guy inside which was the best for my country, and he not knowing, so going back outside to look some more.
At my return visit to immigration, too, I was in the waiting area with a taxi cab driver from India, who was there to pick up a friend who was in danger of being deported. I felt a lot of kinship with him — far more than with the office workers and agents with whom we were both up against.
That sudden sense of alienation is a little strange. Even in Asia all summer I felt like a welcome visitor most of the time, rather than a suspicious outsider, so this is new.
Regardless, even all of that considered, I'm very happy here. I definitely think I've found a new home, and I think this will improve as I feel more comfortable here and have gotten all of my paperwork (and a paycheck, please) behind me.
Today, time permitting, I'll try reapplying for my SIN, and opening a bank account, and after that I'll feel a lot more settled. Michelle at work also has the name of a good apartment locator which is relatively inexpensive, and that will help, too. I'll be glad to have a home.