Watching a printer 101.

Well 2 out of three aint bad hey?

I still havent found a job yet - probably the most important thing - but I have found somewhere to live, and some good beer.

I moved in on Thursday to a very large house right around the corner from Kim, and theres not an Irishman to be seen...where are they all? My four new flatmates include 2 Frenchies, a German guy and a Dutch girl. They're all very friendly, and seem like a fun bunch.

My other success of the week came when I randomly stumbled into an off licence (bottlo to those down under) and found some Coopers! Apparantly they used to get it in quite regularly, but at the moment, theres not much call for it due to not many Aussies being around, but I have convinced them to order some for the next three months or so. Of course, then theres the problem that at the moment I can't really afford to buy any of it...

While I havent been completely unemployed this week, I am starting to get a little anxious to find something very soon...

I did have a job for three days this week, but it was possibly the most boring one ever - in fact, its officially the most boring and useless job I've ever done...but I cant wait to receive the money from it..The job involved simply printing out a 30,000 page report. Thats it. Sitting there, watching a printer, and packing the endless pages into a box. Yep, I know what you're thinking, how did I handle the stress? Well for 99% of the time I read the newspaper. It was real edge of your seat stuff. The worst part is, given my current situation, I would have to accept the same position if offered...oh the life of an unemployed bum hey?!

...and just checking my email...oh another rejection...good thing I have a lot of ego to spare!

Job Hunting, Flat Hunting...Beer hunting.

I've been in Cork for a week now, and I'm not really all that much closer to finding a job. I've met with one agency (another meeting tomorrow with another) but as I have a "no call centre" policy at the moment, the job prospects have looked fairly thin on.

I rang up about a part time bar job (which I wanna do as well as an office job) and was told that as I havent poured a pint in an Irish Pub (only the UK) it wasnt worth even talking to me as its done "so very differently" over here. What bollocks! I reckon I was fobbed off for being English - with the worst part being I'm not even English!

As far as finding a place to live, it seems that the only decent places so far are for females only, or want someone for a year plus - clearly I'm neither! Looked at a couple, but so far no luck. Thankfully Kim and her flatmates havent got sick of me sleeping on their couch yet!

I have been having fun here in Cork though. Went to an improv comedy show last night which was hilarious, and went a pub to watch the Ireland V Wales match in the Rugby six nations which provided some great atmosphere. I will be happy when I get a job and somewhere to live sorted though!

So many things to get sorted when you first get here, and almost got them all done. You have to get a Garda (police) ID card within 3 months of arriving - at the bargain price of 100 euro! Why not have 2? Then you need to get a PPS number (Tax File/National insurance number) but only after you have a permanent place of address....you can end up going round in circles! The only thing left for me now is to open a bank account (and the job and a home thing) then i can return to some semblence of a normal life...