I AM movin' on up (somehow)

I just got back to the hostel from my try-out shift, and somehow, I got the job. It seems like here, they train you for about an hour and then just throw you on the floor on a pretty busy night (even Teak's usually does more training than that). It was pretty intense. I was awful and quite frankly, didn't think there was any way that I was going to be coming back--I can't count how many times I screwed up. However, I did apparently do something right (though I'll be damned if I know what that was). I'm really not used to the whole fine dining thing. Also, you don't have sections at this restaurant. Everyone just walks around to all the tables and does whatever--pretty weird.

It's been a really long time since I had as bad an urge to get absolutely wasted as I do after tonight, but I'm so tired I'm just going to go to bed.

I'm movin' on up (maybe)

I had another interview today that resulted in my landing a 'try-out shift' tomorrow night. It's at Atrium, an upscale place that has twice been voted the best restaurant in Edinburgh--a bit of an adjustment from dirtwoods. I also (finally) picked up the keys for the flat, though I unfortunately had to go over there twice as no one was there the first time. Consequently, I haven't had the opportunity to move my stuff over there yet--I'll probably just wait until tomorrow.

Found a job (maybe, sorta)

Today, I finally went into this place where I've been meaning to apply for a few days, and I scored a 3 hour, unpaid 'tryout' shift on Friday. I know it sounds a little sketchy, but at this point, whatever. I 'move' into that flat tomorrow, though I'm not really looking forward to the actual moving part. It's been pretty nice not really having to pack up for for the past week and a half (though I did have to change rooms here a couple days ago). I also went ahead and booked a week in another hostel for when I have to leave the flat. That's really about it. I've had another pretty mellow day today.

Screw the busses in Edinburgh

I'm still in the process of looking for a job, having submitted well over 20 CVs to various bars around here. So far, I'm not having much luck, but I'm not too worried (yet).

The other day, I met this Spanish girl, Isaire (think that's the correct spelling), down at the computers in the hostel. She just moved here and is looking for a job and flat too. Last night, I ended up tagging along with her as she went to check out some flat, and while it didn't work for her, we ended up staying and talking to a couple of the tenants anyway. In line with the general trend I've noticed of Europeans not accepting any attempt at declining offers of hospitality, we were first treated (pretty much forced) to tea, then dinner, and finally desert. 3 hours later, we end up heading out to a pub for drinks with most of the people in the flat, and I'm seriously considering staying there for ten days while one of the guys, Lambert, visits his hometown in France.

I ended up having that first interview today, instead of yesterday, as I screwed up and hopped on the wrong bus, ending up on the wrong side of the coast. The place is 20+ minutes outside of the center of Edinburgh, which sucks, but it seemed like a pretty cool place. The interview went really well, but I need to get some paperwork filled out before I could start working there, so we'll see how that goes. Isaire came with, and we then went to look at another flat that didn't work out. We did kinda decide to start looking for a flat that we could possibly share.

We went for a walk after dinner and I was nearly run over by a bus (I'm not exaggerating). I had the green walk guy and started to cross the street when the bus went ahead and flew into the turn anyway, yelling at me in the process. That was the closest of a few close calls I had today, so I've been left a bit traumatized by the whole thing.

It's about midnight here and I'm trying to decide if I should go out tonight. Tomorrow is pretty much gong to be more of the same--searching for jobs and then heading out to look at more flats with Isaire and some other guy from her hostel.

Blah

This was going to be short anyways, but since I already wrote it out once before Explorer took a crap on me, it is going to be especially so. I've decided that I definitely did not give myself enough time to find a job, so I am going to try to reschedule my flight for the 27th at the earliest. If I don't find a job by then, I'm going to have to head home as my credit cards are not holding up all that well, especially not in the UK. I walked around New Town today, and though I only found one place to hand in my CV, I did send out at least seven through email today. Later tonight, I am going to go to what I believe to be (and have pretty much been told is) the biggest dive in Edinburgh, as they are hiring right now.

Last night, I went to the Wee Red Bar, a cool little place on the campus of the art college here for an indie night. While it was apparently unusually dead as there had been a big party on campus the night before, I did end up talking to a few locals, Mark, David, and Becca. Once the bar closed, we walked quite a way back to their place, and then Mark, David, and myself went to this party at the flat of this cool graphic designer from Canada. The place was so far out there that it wasn't even on my little map, but I somehow managed to find my way back to the hostel (after a 50+ minute walk), and got back just in time for breakfast-3 mini boxes of Frosted Flakes. Oh, how I have missed crappy American kids' cereal!

Who knew . . .

Looking for a job sucks. So far, I've turned in 4 CVs (yeah, bars here expect CVs from applicants), and am about to go back out and hand in a few more. I'm starting to think that it's going to take longer than I gave myself, so I'll have to call the airline and see what I can do about my ticket.