Settling in

I’ve survived my first week in Glasgow, and I’m starting to fall into a routine, which is very comforting for me.  My day starts at 7:30 (ha!) where I get up, shower, have breakfast, and head to work (short walk/subway/long walk.) My commute is about 30 minutes door-to-door, so it’s not the worst.  Work is from 9-5, with our office having a “tradition” of 30-minute lunches (but leaving early Fridays!) Another walk/subway/walk home, and sometimes I’ll run a quick errand on the way back.  My partner tends to work later than I do, so I usually have the apartment to myself while I cook dinner. I turn up some music and have really come to enjoy that hour or so to unwind.  Sometimes he makes it back in time to eat together, sometimes I eat before he gets home.  After dinner, sometimes we head out for an errand, or for a drink at the pub, and other nights we stay home.

I haven’t had a whole lot of time to play tourist just yet, but here’s a picture of Kelvinbridge, which is close to where I live.

There’s a pub just near there, basically under the bridge.  Also, from the bridge south, there’s a huge lovely park along the river with a concert area, a museum, a skate park, a bowling lawn, and probably more but that’s just what I saw in one walk.

Really the best thing in the neighborhood, though, is Lupe Pinto’s. It’s a little specialty shop selling Mexican and other ethnic foods.  THEY HAVE GREEN CHILE, you guys.  Sure it’s canned, but in Scotland, beggars can’t be choosers.  They also carry green chile sauce, but it’s got gluten in it, so I’ll have to make my own.  They also make their own tortilla chips and they are really good.  I might actually prefer these to most chips in the U.S.  Weirdly, I haven’t seen corn tortillas in the grocery stores yet, but I’ll keep looking.  They eat tacos here, right?

In the me vs. the UK battles, I’m doing pretty well.  I was able to open a bank account today in two hours (and two bank branches.) The worst part of this experience was that they wouldn’t let me use their bathroom and sent me into THE MALL to use the public ones that were on the total opposite end from where I was.  Otherwise, it was actually much easier than expected to get this done.  I also turned in the appropriate paperwork at Payroll today so they’ll be able to pay me this month.   Speaking of work, I have email, ID, a phone, and can work the copier.  I’ve been tasked with creating a newsletter in a week, which would be no problem except I haven’t received many stories yet.

Still left to conquer: a National Insurance Number (like a social security number.) Buying proper shoes for rain, and a jacket that looks decent for work (my Eddie Bauer sporty rain/wind breaker is not going to cut it for long here.)  I’m getting my hair cut on Saturday – here’s hoping that I won’t have a massive communication failure and end up with a mullet.  Apparently I’m going to Edinburgh on Thursday for a big meeting with my boss – thankfully I won’t be left to my own devices to find my way on this trip, though I’m still nervous about it anyway.  Wish me luck!