Well it turns out nearly everything I thought I knew about the ferry route to Denmark was wrong: I'm leaving on Wednesday, not Thursday, in the afternoon, not in the morning, and arriving at noon, not in the evening.
Whatever. I booked! :)
In other news it's been a cozy christmas so far, and the upcoming days look promising: tomorrow starts with a birthday, and then there's a wedding in the afternoon, and of course there's new year's eve the day after that.
Read an article about immigrants today that put things into perspective. Iceland is so small that any talk of 'foreigners' could basically be substituted for 'earthlings'. I wonder if the same can be applied to Belgium? Am I an invading foreigner, or an invading earthling?
I of course would like to think of this as the Invasion of Björn. Keep a close eye on De Gentenaar in the next few weeks, let's see if anyone else sees it this way.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Language Specialist
So I got a formal job offer today. I'm starting on the 15th of January.
What this means is that very (I mean really really very) early in the morning on the 11th I'll set off to the east coast of Iceland, some 860 km, car filled with stuff, to take the ferry to Denmark. Two days later I'll arrive in Hanstholm, and from there it's a mere 1106 km to Gent. Lovely Gent. She of the three towers. The Leie, frietjes and Augustijn. Where waffles are cheap and widely available, and chocolate drips like dew from every straw.
It's going to be some trip.
Actually I haven't decided how I'm going there, I might just take a plane, but we'll see. Taking the ferry has the benefits of having a car, and being able to bring alot more stuff. But it takes days.
In any case.
Alea iacta est.
Hurrah!
What this means is that very (I mean really really very) early in the morning on the 11th I'll set off to the east coast of Iceland, some 860 km, car filled with stuff, to take the ferry to Denmark. Two days later I'll arrive in Hanstholm, and from there it's a mere 1106 km to Gent. Lovely Gent. She of the three towers. The Leie, frietjes and Augustijn. Where waffles are cheap and widely available, and chocolate drips like dew from every straw.
It's going to be some trip.
Actually I haven't decided how I'm going there, I might just take a plane, but we'll see. Taking the ferry has the benefits of having a car, and being able to bring alot more stuff. But it takes days.
In any case.
Alea iacta est.
Hurrah!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Gleðileg jól!
Happy yuletide you people!
For various reasons (slight sickness, sudden unforseen abroadness, but mostly lazyness) I didn't send out any christmas cards this year. I'm sorry.
But this is Christmas! No time to be sorry! So instead I'm sending my most heartfelt wishes of happiness to all my friends wherever you may be, and I'm looking forward to seeing you all in the new, exciting year that's ahead. Thank you for all the wonderful moments we shared this year.
It may seem a bit insincere writing this to everyone I know (and even some people I don't know, I guess), but there really are so many of you out there who have made this year (and all the others, in fact) special, and for this I'm grateful.
Hugs to you all.
For various reasons (slight sickness, sudden unforseen abroadness, but mostly lazyness) I didn't send out any christmas cards this year. I'm sorry.
But this is Christmas! No time to be sorry! So instead I'm sending my most heartfelt wishes of happiness to all my friends wherever you may be, and I'm looking forward to seeing you all in the new, exciting year that's ahead. Thank you for all the wonderful moments we shared this year.
It may seem a bit insincere writing this to everyone I know (and even some people I don't know, I guess), but there really are so many of you out there who have made this year (and all the others, in fact) special, and for this I'm grateful.
Hugs to you all.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
"Skata"
I almost missed it this year.
"Skata" - called skate in English, looks a bit like stingray - is an extremely smelly fish that makes your eyes water and your nose runny. It is traditionally eaten on the 23rd of December.
With this in mind, I ordered a flight to Akureyri (my home town) early in the morning so I wouldn't miss it. But with the abysmal weather we've been having the flight was delayed and delayed again, so in the end I felt forced to jump into the car and drive.
I felt like crying when I had Burger King for lunch. So in a way, it made my eyes water but my nose was hardly runny at all.
5 hours later I arrived in Akureyri, and stopped by my grandmother's who, bless her, had saved a bit for me. So there we were, two of us, in her kitchen, and she watched me with some pride as I swallowed piece after piece, watery eyed with a runny nose and an ecstatic grin on my face.
"Skata" - called skate in English, looks a bit like stingray - is an extremely smelly fish that makes your eyes water and your nose runny. It is traditionally eaten on the 23rd of December.
With this in mind, I ordered a flight to Akureyri (my home town) early in the morning so I wouldn't miss it. But with the abysmal weather we've been having the flight was delayed and delayed again, so in the end I felt forced to jump into the car and drive.
I felt like crying when I had Burger King for lunch. So in a way, it made my eyes water but my nose was hardly runny at all.
5 hours later I arrived in Akureyri, and stopped by my grandmother's who, bless her, had saved a bit for me. So there we were, two of us, in her kitchen, and she watched me with some pride as I swallowed piece after piece, watery eyed with a runny nose and an ecstatic grin on my face.
Björn in a hat
Aaaand my blog is mobile-ified! So my terrifying instantly-on-the-web snap-shot photography is back on track. Tremble in fear as I aim my mobile! Shiver with doubt and uncertainty as I send via MMS!
Actually it's not completely instantly on the blog this time round. It's worse: it goes to Flickr first.
I'm staying up too late. I'm being optimistic: I'm waking up early tomorrow morning to catch the morning flight to Akureyri, even though every weatherforecast seems to indicate that the flight will be cancelled.
But hey, it's Christmas. These things work themselves out somehow. Even if I have to drive there, I'm going home tomorrow.
(The weather gods like being defied)
Actually it's not completely instantly on the blog this time round. It's worse: it goes to Flickr first.
I'm staying up too late. I'm being optimistic: I'm waking up early tomorrow morning to catch the morning flight to Akureyri, even though every weatherforecast seems to indicate that the flight will be cancelled.
But hey, it's Christmas. These things work themselves out somehow. Even if I have to drive there, I'm going home tomorrow.
(The weather gods like being defied)
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Back
Back? (you ask)
Yes. Isn't that an interesting title for a first post on a new blog?
Yes. Isn't that an interesting title for a first post on a new blog?
I'm back in a few ways:
- Back to blogging (haven't blogged for *gasp* days)
- Back to Blogger (used to run my blog from here back in the days)
- Back from Belgium
That last one is important. I popped to Belgium for a weekend to meet my friends and go to a job interview. Both went well, and after the interview I got offered a contract. My resettlement to Gent is in full swing. All that remains is getting rid of my possessions here, and taking the step. Easy peasy.
So is this your new blog? (you add)
It's probably just temporary, I'm moving on to bigger things. I want to write my own blog system. This will take a while to do though, so until then, here I am.
Feel free to say "hi" in the comments so I know you've found my new place :)
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