Friends

I'm a little late with this as usual, but it's such a great memory that I won't let it slip.

On Saturday we went down to the seaside. That is we, S, myself, his best friend and his girlfriend. And I remembered when I said not such a long time ago to S that in Transylvania the word friend is one of the most powerful words. When you have a true friend, you have a treasure. And friends respect each other, help each other out. I kind of insinuated also that it different here and I am happy that I didn't say it, but I remember thinking that he doesn't really know what real friendship is all about.

Saturday I realized I was wrong all this time. In fact, I believe I have realized it before that, but I consciously focused on it this weekend.

His best friend and him, they have a relationship that all friends would envy. The sort of care for each other, having the other's interests always at sight, having fun together is almost like an ideal case...it makes me be envious. Teaches me to be more humble next time, when I think I know something better

Feels so natural

On my third working day a guy came to my desk and asked if I wanted to have lunch with him. As I just had, I said I would the next day. And we had lunch the next day and talked about habits, my boyfriend, his girlfriend and we were buddies catching up. And then the next day I met the Transylvanian girl and had lunch with her. This being said, whenever I go down to the cafeteria, I meet familiar faces. It feels so natural that I am here and I know people, that it is almost as if it was a natural day of my life. As if I had arrived home.
Today I finally felt that myself useful, I was finally working, doing quite a lot. It felt good. I got so excited that I was drawing emails around and I actually manage to lose three emails in my mailbox somewhere, which I think is funny...or maybe not. Fortunately I remembered who had sent them so I asked them to resend them. I sort of got upset at myself for not being well balanced, but then I also felt enthusiasm in me for which I congratulated myself.
So my only concern now is the flu I'm coming down with in the middle of the summer. I mean...this is just wrong. It's really warm, even here, in the UK. And then what happens? I get the flu... Some things never change. Some things, though...

Pleasant surprises

There are times...long times when you fight for something and yet nothing happens and then you change your environment, ready to go on in your fight and someone sitting across you just says, but I give yo that. Not after long hours, weeks and months of struggling to demonstrate that you deserve a chance, but right away.
It changes so much.
So this was today experience for me, but I have also had lunch with another Transylvanian girl, which was great and then went to a horse race. Again. It feels as if I were to become an addict or something
I still know when to stop though...at least my wallet knows

Opening up

So I don't know what you've heard so far of Britain or what have you seen of it, but when I came here I was full of prejudice. Which can be normal, if you go to an unknown place (or let's just say, less known) and it also can be exaggerated.
Is it fair to draw conclusions after a week? Maybe. All I know is that, I feel good here. People treat you like an adult. That's a change.
Me, on the other hand, I'm still sitting rather quietly on my chair trying to fight my complexes and trying to open up, realizing more and more each day how my culture is different. I remember when I have learnt about expats at the university and how they try to prepare them for what is coming when they go abroad, there was a rather strange exrcise during which they became more conscious of they own culture. Cause you are rarely conscious of the values you carry with yourself. I am learning more and more about myself every day. Yet I am still a little bit away from openening up. I truly believe that I have now the key to success in my hands and I should start using it.

Practicing your own native language?

Today I've vaught myself talking Hungarian in my mind - just so that I wouldn't forget. Which is quite funny I would think. Especially if someone would have been watching me, seeing that I just stare when in fact there's a whole conversation going on in my head.
I don't think I'll forget to speak Hunarian, but if I cannot hear it from anyone else, at least I should make an effort and entertain myself.
I find it more and more fascinating the variety of food. Also the way people talk to you - with so much respect and kindness, it motivates you to help and be nice every day. I like this place

Horse race

Today I have betted on horses for the first time in my life. And not just anywhere, but in Ascot, which is apparently very posh. All I could see was a big sea wave of hats and fascinators and all sotrs of posh people wearing them.
It was a strange experience but very good one. I managed to get there for free, I've got a ticket for free - passed over from someone and won just as much to cover the investments. Days like this give me so much energy - apart from the fact that they make me sleepy as well, so I will just slip under my duvee and have a good night sleep.

Ice Melting

I am a little bit behind with my encounter as this has been my second day at work and I haven't even described my first one.
First days are always important and even though you will not remember them looking back much later but for a while they determine a lot of things and you will remember your first day at least for a week or two almost every day.
Yesterday was mine and I felt just as nervous as I did starting school or university or when moving to Budapest. I am not so good with first days, I usually feel small and insignificant, in the mean time I also feel that everyone thinks something of me or feels somehow about me or have just interpreted my acts...somehow.
Most of the times, things are not as bad as you imagine and the others have similar feelings. One day you will all laugh about it drinking a cool beer and discussing the previous weekend. Or having a girls' night thinking about everything you felt and thought about each other on the first day.
Anyway, long story short, first days are days when you forget your bike chain and then run around trying to find a place for it. You sit at your new desk and look at every single person who passes by. You get introduced to loads of people whose names you will definitely have to learn all over again with time. First days pass very slowly and you are likely to count the minutes till you can go home...that is, if you find your way home.
Bust first days are beginnings, they always lead somewhere.
Luckily I got quite comfortable today, seeing that people are friendly to me, they will not laugh at my accent or if I don't find a word. I managed to make new friends today, just by meeting the neighbour and I have also caught up with some old friends.
Looking back, I see the unnecessary fear that all beginnings carry but I guess no matter how old you are and how many times you have experienced this, it is something you cannot learn. You have to go over and over it everytime...

All begins...

Who can say when does a story really start? From what I feel, all my stories have some sort of prelude in a previous story and all characters come from a different story, sometimes even a different wolrd.
This one though, starts with me landing at Gatwick Airport with a huge luggage - for which I must say, I have paid a luggage excess so high, that I could have probably just bought myself some new stuff, but I hold on to my things (sometimes too much).
Whilst my boyfriend was back from his work - currently in Maastricht - I was in the car of his mom with her, of course driving all the way to my new home, in sunny Leighton Buzzard. Sometimes I feel like our relationship is like some sort of action in a spy movie, the kind, that has actors in it all the time saying something like: "Come and meet me in the UK this afternoon" and the following weekend "Let's meet in Lisbon". Not if we haven't had our challenges already, him being British and me Hungarian...but this has been "spiced" with the distances that constantly stand between us as well.
Anyways, at the beginning of this year we have decided to move in together...somewhere, because we wanted to spend more time with each other. There were those moments when everything seemed so natural and nice. I wanted to have that everyday, the feeling that he is around.
UK seemed like the most reasonable decision, although if it had been up to me, I would just probably went for Transylvania - cause it tastes mostly like home...mmm...
But there I was with big luggages in front of Simon's house and suddenly felt that the whole world is a stranger. I guess this is how you feel like when you start something.
We spent an evening looking at each other every now and again, trying to get used to the fact that we will share our days from now on...our days and everything else.
There's nothing about this in the Happily-ever-after-stories, but these situations are the ones which remind you that you are just ordinary human beings. Ordinary and on the same hand...unique. And just there, in moments of which you never thought of...you get by and you do it well. Is it innate? Is it instinct? Is it the labour of hard work? I think it's just the naked feeling of love that inspires you, like an invisible hand that take yours as you are trying to spell your first letters.