I just want to say that all of my friends have been so nice and helpful in going out of their way to try to find me a job.
My one friend who has a children's TV show even offered to let me make a guest appearance on her show. The only catch was that I had to dress like an elephant, but hey, with the offers I've been getting lately (none), how could I pass it up?
So, I made my debut as the Elefantaki (little elephant) on a show called Leoforio Kokkino (the "Red Bus") that airs on the local public tv station here. It was pretty amusing. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing because my friend was busy doing other things and everyone was giving me instructions in Greek. I finally realized that they were saying to just act out the words of the children's song that was playing. Funny, because it was also in Greek, so I still had no idea what I was doing! So basically I just danced around like a big dumb elephant and did whatever the little kids around me were doing. I'm not sure when it will be aired but I have a feeling it will end up on YouTube, so stay tuned. And yes, I'll be signing autographs in December.
While you probably think that the money I raked in from my one-time appearance on the Red Bus would make me set for life, Cyprus is an expensive place so I had to pick up another job too. Thanks to my awesome friends Eleni and Max, I am working (very) part-time at their job at a travel trade publication. Not a whole lot to say about that, other than I'm doing stuff that I used to pawn off on my interns at my job more than three years ago. But it's fun because I get to sit across from Eleni and we drink frappes, laugh about our adventures of the night before, (and about how our boss found out that I don't actually have a boyfriend at the American embassy), and take lots of balcony breaks with Max Smokealot. Oh and my Philly friends will be happy to know that Max gives me daily updates on the Eagles. So, while I'm still looking for another job, I'm grateful to have something in the meantime (while I wait for my acting career to take off).
Other good news is that our STUFF finally came! I thought it would never happen. I was getting sort of used to being a minimalist. Now we have the daunting task of unpacking everything, finding places for things, and putting a computer desk and our bikes back together with no instructions. At least the next blog I write will be on our desktop computer and not this tiny little laptop I've been using for the past 2 and half months. Til then...
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
If a mouse can do it...
Check it out. Cyprus has a new claim to fame - the Mus cypriacus!
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15233416/?GT1=8618
Shit, if a mouse can adapt to the Cypriot environment, I guess I can too. Maybe I'll even evolve. =)
"the new mouse had colonized and adapted to the Cypriot environment several thousand years before the arrival of man"
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15233416/?GT1=8618
Shit, if a mouse can adapt to the Cypriot environment, I guess I can too. Maybe I'll even evolve. =)
"the new mouse had colonized and adapted to the Cypriot environment several thousand years before the arrival of man"
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
10 things I like about Cyprus
Because my last blog was pretty negative, I feel like I want to balance it out with a more positive note. I'm living on a beautiful Mediterranean island with my wonderful girlfriend. Life isn't so bad! And really, why am I complaining that I don't have a job, anyway?
So, just a few illustrated reasons why I love it here:
1. First of all, like I said, I'm with my girlfriend.
2.I've made some really awesome friends.
3. We take fun roadtrips.
4. There are beautiful Sunsets.
5. I'm Eating awesome food.
6. The beach
7. The culture
8. The weather
9. Outdoor cafes at night
10. Seeing things you just don't see in the U.S. Like this and this.
So, just a few illustrated reasons why I love it here:
1. First of all, like I said, I'm with my girlfriend.
2.I've made some really awesome friends.
3. We take fun roadtrips.
4. There are beautiful Sunsets.
5. I'm Eating awesome food.
6. The beach
7. The culture
8. The weather
9. Outdoor cafes at night
10. Seeing things you just don't see in the U.S. Like this and this.
job interview
Yesterday I had my first real job interview. It was a PR position at a place called the Cyprus International Institute for the Environment and Public Health. It would've pretty much been the perfect job for me. They do some really awesome social-psych related research and my job would've been to basically disseminate the results of the research through events and PR. Totally would combine my two degrees. Did I mention it would've been the perfect job for me? Anyway, the interview went great for the first 45 minutes. He asked me some pretty tough, specific, questions that I answered without a problem. It was all stuff I had pretty much done at the National Center for Victims of Crime in DC, so it was easy for me. He seemed pretty impressed. But then the issue of me being an American citizen in Cyprus came up. And it was downhill from there.
I just keep hearing the same thing over and over from everyone I talk to. Since Cyprus joined the EU, the government is really strict about hiring EU citizens first. They've even set up a listserve type thing to make it easy (and mandatory) for companies to advertise the position in other EU countries. Basically to obtain a work permit for me, the company has to prove to the Cypriot government that they couldn't find an EU citizen who was equally qualified. Not only this, but apparently it is a very time consuming process that requires a lot of paperwork that no company would want to do, especially if they could just hire someone else. And for this particular position, they needed someone who could start immediately, and because this process could take months, I am pretty much out of the running.
So basically, if I was a multi lingual dual heart and neurosurgeon who specialized in African tribal languages and had my own secret formula for an all-in-one Cancer, HIV and AIDS vaccine, then maybe I'd have a chance. But it looks like my measly little PR and Psych degrees aren't going to get me very far.
I just keep hearing the same thing over and over from everyone I talk to. Since Cyprus joined the EU, the government is really strict about hiring EU citizens first. They've even set up a listserve type thing to make it easy (and mandatory) for companies to advertise the position in other EU countries. Basically to obtain a work permit for me, the company has to prove to the Cypriot government that they couldn't find an EU citizen who was equally qualified. Not only this, but apparently it is a very time consuming process that requires a lot of paperwork that no company would want to do, especially if they could just hire someone else. And for this particular position, they needed someone who could start immediately, and because this process could take months, I am pretty much out of the running.
So basically, if I was a multi lingual dual heart and neurosurgeon who specialized in African tribal languages and had my own secret formula for an all-in-one Cancer, HIV and AIDS vaccine, then maybe I'd have a chance. But it looks like my measly little PR and Psych degrees aren't going to get me very far.
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
I can't decide if 55 days is a long time or not.
But that's how long I've been here. I can't believe it is already October. Crazy. It definitely doesn't feel like October outside. The days are still in the mid to upper 80's. Nights are probably around 70. I'm not sure because I still haven't quite mastered the whole Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion thing. But it is definitely cooling off a bit. It isn't humid; it's just beautiful. My favorite kind of weather. Perfect for driving around in Barb's new hardtop convertible.
Let's see, since my last blog I got a job, visited all the cities in Cyprus, traveled to another country, learned Greek, became pagan, and got asked to play professional soccer.
Ok ok, none of that really happened.
Actually, I did get a job. I worked at a restaurant for one day. Three hours to be exact. I thought it would be nice to have something to do while I look for a real job. But after being there for about 6 minutes, I remembered why I quit waitressing 5 years ago. Plus my friends reminded me that not only do I have a master's degree now, but also that the job just wasn't cool enough to risk being deported for (I was sort of working illegally).
However, Barb pulled some strings at the embassy so now I'm a "registered alien." That means I don't have to leave the country every 3 months. Sorry to those I promised that I would be back to visit you every 3 months It just wasn't practical. Note that this permit has nothing to do with working OR residency; it just means that I'm allowed to "visit" for a long time. Yay.
And I did go to another country. Well, if you're Turkish and therefore consider the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" another country. We went up to the North with our Greek Cypriot friend and met her Turkish Cypriot friend for lunch. (Those of you who aren't quite up on your Cyprus history, this is sort of an odd occurrence.) But it was a really good time and Barb got to speak Turkish which surprised quite a few people. And even though we climbed the "climbing-these-stairs-is-strictly-forbidden" stairs to the top of Othello's castle (great view by the way) and then got a bit lost and were on the back dirt roads of Northern Cyprus that just sort of end when you least expect it, (in a car with a Greek Cypriot license plates no less), we made it back across the border in one piece.
Barb had a meeting for work in Pafos last Friday so I went with her and we made a mini-vacation out of it. If you're into Greek mythology it is a place you MUST visit. After all, it IS the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of "love, beauty, and sexual rapture." Then we went to Polis, another town on the coast about 20 minutes from Pafos. There was an Equinox celebration going on so Barb and I attended a drum circle on the beach and had reiki done on us. Once we were done being at one with nature and all of our negative energy was fully removed, we headed to Larnaca to fill that space with Lasagna (thanks Eleni), beer, wine, and of course, tequila shots.
We really aren't being ALL that unhealthy though. I've found a yoga studio that I've been going to about three times a week and I love it. I'm also taking "BodyPump" (aka PowerFlex) classes at the gym…in Greek! (I'm trying to kill two birds with one stone: work out, learn Greek.) But because the only Greek I've picked up in that class is up, down, and the numbers (which I already knew), I'm also taking a conversational Greek class twice a week. Barb and I are playing soccer, oops I mean football. Oops, I mean outdoor futsal. Whatever it is, we are playing on Monday nights (at 9 or 10 PM) with a group of Cypriot friends. The first night we played, Barb was approached afterward by a man who I hadn't even noticed watching us and asked if she wanted to play on their professional women's team. He also thought that she was about 10 years younger than she is. She ended up going to one of their practices, but joining the team would be too demanding; they practice several times a week and on the weekends. But I suppose it was a nice ego boost. I was impressed anyway.
That's about it. It's beginning to feel less like vacation and more like "home," but not quite there yet. Probably because our "stuff" still hasn't arrived yet. Apparently it is coming by canoe. But anyway, we're doing great and really love hearing from everyone via mail, email, phone, myspace, whatever. Just keep being in touch cause I miss everyone a lot.
Let's see, since my last blog I got a job, visited all the cities in Cyprus, traveled to another country, learned Greek, became pagan, and got asked to play professional soccer.
Ok ok, none of that really happened.
Actually, I did get a job. I worked at a restaurant for one day. Three hours to be exact. I thought it would be nice to have something to do while I look for a real job. But after being there for about 6 minutes, I remembered why I quit waitressing 5 years ago. Plus my friends reminded me that not only do I have a master's degree now, but also that the job just wasn't cool enough to risk being deported for (I was sort of working illegally).
However, Barb pulled some strings at the embassy so now I'm a "registered alien." That means I don't have to leave the country every 3 months. Sorry to those I promised that I would be back to visit you every 3 months It just wasn't practical. Note that this permit has nothing to do with working OR residency; it just means that I'm allowed to "visit" for a long time. Yay.
And I did go to another country. Well, if you're Turkish and therefore consider the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" another country. We went up to the North with our Greek Cypriot friend and met her Turkish Cypriot friend for lunch. (Those of you who aren't quite up on your Cyprus history, this is sort of an odd occurrence.) But it was a really good time and Barb got to speak Turkish which surprised quite a few people. And even though we climbed the "climbing-these-stairs-is-strictly-forbidden" stairs to the top of Othello's castle (great view by the way) and then got a bit lost and were on the back dirt roads of Northern Cyprus that just sort of end when you least expect it, (in a car with a Greek Cypriot license plates no less), we made it back across the border in one piece.
Barb had a meeting for work in Pafos last Friday so I went with her and we made a mini-vacation out of it. If you're into Greek mythology it is a place you MUST visit. After all, it IS the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of "love, beauty, and sexual rapture." Then we went to Polis, another town on the coast about 20 minutes from Pafos. There was an Equinox celebration going on so Barb and I attended a drum circle on the beach and had reiki done on us. Once we were done being at one with nature and all of our negative energy was fully removed, we headed to Larnaca to fill that space with Lasagna (thanks Eleni), beer, wine, and of course, tequila shots.
We really aren't being ALL that unhealthy though. I've found a yoga studio that I've been going to about three times a week and I love it. I'm also taking "BodyPump" (aka PowerFlex) classes at the gym…in Greek! (I'm trying to kill two birds with one stone: work out, learn Greek.) But because the only Greek I've picked up in that class is up, down, and the numbers (which I already knew), I'm also taking a conversational Greek class twice a week. Barb and I are playing soccer, oops I mean football. Oops, I mean outdoor futsal. Whatever it is, we are playing on Monday nights (at 9 or 10 PM) with a group of Cypriot friends. The first night we played, Barb was approached afterward by a man who I hadn't even noticed watching us and asked if she wanted to play on their professional women's team. He also thought that she was about 10 years younger than she is. She ended up going to one of their practices, but joining the team would be too demanding; they practice several times a week and on the weekends. But I suppose it was a nice ego boost. I was impressed anyway.
That's about it. It's beginning to feel less like vacation and more like "home," but not quite there yet. Probably because our "stuff" still hasn't arrived yet. Apparently it is coming by canoe. But anyway, we're doing great and really love hearing from everyone via mail, email, phone, myspace, whatever. Just keep being in touch cause I miss everyone a lot.
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