Bonfire night, A Hockey Game, and Christmas Lights

While Mark has taken me on more than three dates since coming to England these are my a few that stick out in mind and also that I took pictures of (since some of our dates have included things like grocery shopping...not all that glamorous of a photo op...hehe). I hope that you enjoy them. I know I enjoyed the dates!

Bonfire Night. In England Halloween is just for the kids and not really anywhere near the commerical circus that it is in Canada. Instead they have Bonfire night which is a night where you light a big bonfire, watch it burn and then watch a firework display. It has roots back to Guy Fawkes and is actually on Nov 5th but to be honest bonfire night celebration go on for about 2-3 weeks and everynight fireworks can be seen and heard. So the one that Mark took me to was on Oct 31 and had a large fair/exhibition rides. It was pretty spectacular!A Hockey Game

How funny is this I went from being in Calgary with the Calgary Flames to going to a a Guildford Flames Game in Guildford (where Mark Lives). Mark wanted to treat me an try and help me celebrate my Canadian-ness. He is being awesome about helping me keep my Canadian spirit loud and proud!

Christmas lights in London
Well it was a typical winter day in London Raining but Mark and I headed out to see the lights on Oxford and Regent Streets. As well as Leister, Trafalager Square and Covent Garden. It was quite wet but not that cold so it was a fun evening.

Time flies

Well it has been amonth now here in England. Not just visiting and exploring castles and shops but REAL life! I'm exhausted! he he. I feel like I am slowly coming to terms with life here, but then today I went to the local shopping centre and was once again a little overwhelmed by it all. I mean fabulous shoping to be had!! But unfamiliar names, brands, shop layouts...etc. Infact in Mark's and Spencers I wandered around looking for the public restroom as after the 20min walk in the wind and chilly weather to get to the shops I was READY for a pit stop. I KNEW that M&S (as the locals call it) had such a facility...two shop assistants later and multiple missed turns through the Christmas area, home furnishings, a cafe, and the beauty department I finally found RELIEF! AH....

To be honest although some of you may not believe it I didn't buy anything for me...except for lunch out of my first UK paycheck. Oh wait I did I bought a planner for next year for the grand total of a pound. I instead bought Christmas cards as if I am to send them out on time I need to have them out by the end of next week! YIKES! And I bought a surprise for Mark for helping me out SO much over the past month. He has be SO helpful and generous as I am trying to get my footing here.

Work is going well. I am now flying "solo" okay not really as I am mostly working with my mentor and all the staff have been incredibly helpful. But I am no long supernumerary I am "in the numbers" YIKES. So far though it has been all good as the patients they are giving me are definitely within my scope of practice.

So what is nursing in England like. Well to be brutally honest. There are MANY differences, but I'm going to start with what is the same. People. Staff and patients alike. There are still some of the same challenges that you have to face. There are some people that you work with that no matter how hard you try they just don't like you and vise versa. Also when people get sick as a nurse what you do to get them better is NOT all that different in a different country. Yes scopes may be wider or narrower but ultimately you can do pretty much the same things to help them along a path of healing. I'll go into some of the differences over the following weeks as the become more cemented in my mind.

Sorry no pictures this week.

The new place

Yup as you have found out from my email I am in England! I have a visa, a job, and a new place. It isn't huge but it is warm and safe what more can a girl ask for. I am slowly finding my way around but I have so much to learn! hehe! the new job is going REALLY great and starting next week I'm no longer supernumerary ONE of the numbers!! hehe! I'm excited and to be honest a little nervous. BUT the staff have been SO supportive and helpful I know I'll be ok. I still have lots of training that I'll be attending and I have two mentor who I'll be working with for 80% of my shifts so I won't REALLY be on my own! Phew! Anyways this is just a short one I just wanted to sahre photos of my new place. More to come...