Thinking About a Second Career (an Update)

...it's almost like TFL (Transport for London-the managing company for London Underground) was reading my blogpost!

In my inbox this morning was the following email:

"I am writing to remind you that although our transport network is very safe, you should continue to be vigilant, particularly now the Christmas shopping season is upon us.

Here are some simple tips to keep your belongings safe:

• Keep your bags zipped or closed
• Small high value items are most desirable for pick‑pockets, so try to keep items like MP3 players, wallets and Smartphones out of sight
• Avoid keeping your wallet or mobile phone in your back pocket
• Try to have your ticket, pass or change ready in your hand so your purse or wallet is out of sight

For more information visit www.btp.police.uk/pickpockets"

Well timed, TFL.  Well timed. :)

Thinking about a Second Career

I've lost count of the number of times I've seen women walking around the tube stations, standing on the tube platform, or in the actual tube with their purses wide open.

If I were a predator, this would be the easiest second career I could ever consider.  Just this past week alone, I saw two women on the platform at Tottenham Court Road (different days) with purses hanging from their shoulders with large, gaping holes because they haven't zipped/snapped/clipped the top of their bag shut.  And, just last night, I sat across from a lady who got on the tube, sat down, and actually placed her purse on the ground next to her.  And then proceeded to bury her face in a book.   

I know we all have momentary lapses in awareness from time to time, but I do often wonder if some of the women I see doing this are just that absent minded-or just that irresponsible (my polite word for 'stupid').  Perhaps it's just me, but when I'm on the tube and sitting, I've got my purse in my lap with a death grip on it; if I'm standing, the starting point of the zipper always faces forward, and I keep my 2nd hand over this.  

One of the purses I love to carry has a superfluous zipper on the outside that, due to the way I carry my purse, the zipper is behind me where I can't see and easy to get to-if someone wanted to.  I've lost count of the number of times I've gotten off a crowded tube only to find the zipper had been unzipped-by clearly an intentional act of someone hoping to get lucky.

Ladies..at some point we must stop making ourselves such easy targets.  Care to start today?

Thanks to Bag Sanity for the image 

Reason Number 37 Expats are Made to Feel Like Criminals

It's rough enough going thru passport control in the UK these days.  My passport is scrutinized.  My ID Card (acting as a proxy for my Visa) is scrutinized.  I'm scrutinized.

Apparently that isn't enough for UK Immigration.   They're now starting to monitor immigrants at work.  This just landed in my work inbox.  I can't help but add my own [editorial commentary]:


"I am writing to inform you of the upcoming right to work checks that {your employer-aka YE} will be conducting. As you may be aware [no, I wasn't...], YE are required to conduct annual right to work checks on employees in order to comply with UK immigration legislation. Although we already have on file copies of the required authorizations for your right to work in the UK as a non-EU National [which should suffice...], UK legislation requires us to take certified copies of these documents on an annual basis. For more info please see the UK Border Agency guide.

We are arranging for these checks to be carried out by our specialist immigration providers.  They will need to meet with you personally to view your Passport, visa, or other relevant documentation, as appropriate. [Shall I also provide a blood sample, iris scan, or DNA string?...] It is extremely important that these checks are completed and we ask for your assistance in accommodating the request. [Like I have any choice?..]"

Relative to the US, I generally acknowledge that the UK is much more flexible on these types of things, so it's correspondence like this that makes me wonder just what Simon & I are opening ourselves up for if he ever gets a greencard & we move to the US.  'Life Admin' as an Expat is exponentially greater as an expat.  I can only imagine how much worse this will be in the US.  Good times.

I'm with the Brits

This past week, I attended my first-ever pan-European conference for work.  Over the years, I've attended numerous US conferences, and several UK conferences.  This was the first conference I've ever attended that spanned not only the UK, but the continent as well.  And, let me just say....if there were ever any doubt about identifying with the country I've been living in for the past 3 years and 8 months (!), that all evaporated this past week!
The chaos, pushing & shoving (we were a bit cramped...) and 'non-British' queuing *really* got on both my and my London-based colleagues nerves-and I can honestly say I was longing for the ways of the English. Funny.

Conversely, I don't think others saw me as an American at this conference either; I was quite firmly with the Brits, and identified as being 'one of them' (primarily by non-native English language people who can't discern the accent difference).

And, I was completely OK with it.

Work Differences

Thanks to Gennifer6 for the suggestion...

I don't think I've ever blogged about the differences I've observed at work between Americans & Brits-I know I've talked about the differences with my colleagues at work, but that's probably about it, so here goes!

Gennifer6 wanted me to comment on workplace differences that I've observed. I'm sure in certain industries and companies, the differences are VAST, but barring a brief stint, I've primarily worked for US-headquartered companies.  So, what I've noticed may really only scratch the surface...

1.  To Americans, the 'work week' (and even the 'work day') is a very fluid concept.  In the US, you wouldn't think twice about leaving the office mid-day to go to the doctor/dentist/car repair shop, and you wouldn't think twice about leaving work a bit early on a Friday.  Conversely, it seems like the emails don't really stop after '5pm', and I definitely recall getting emails even on weekends.
In England however, I've encountered the complete inverse:  rarely, would I leave work mid-day for a personal errand (I'd instead try to schedule it for first/last thing in the day), and I can quite literally count on 2 fingers the number of times I've left work before 5pm on a Friday in 3.5 years (sigh).  However, rarely do I receive an email from a British colleague outside of work hours during the week, and the same holds true on weekends.  Brits seem to be more protective-and prescribed-of their 'non-work' hours, whereas for Americans, it's all just seems to flow together.

2. In England, don't even think of going to the kitchen without asking everyone (and it does feel like everyone...) if they want a cup of tea/coffee/water/biscuit...whatever the kitchen stocks.  It just isn't done.

3.  Employers in England (though, perhaps this is a London-only thing), are more 'generous' with the amenities they provide in women's bathroms:  lotion, feminine hygine products, and the ubiquitious aerosol deoderant are in almost every corporate bathroom I've ever been in.  It's a nice touch.

4.  Brits aren't afraid of being open to their colleagues about what they think-about their boss, other colleagues, etc...When working in the US, I can't think of a time I ever *truly* shared with a colleague my feelings about a co-worker or boss-at least while I was working at the company.  In England, it's the complete opposite.  I remember the first time I heard a colleage slag off a superior at work (to me, not to the superior).  My jaw almost hit the floor. 
I'm really going to have to be careful about taking this trait with me whenever I go back 'across the pond.'  Though I appreciate the candor of my colleagues, I don't think this one would go down to well back in the US!

Those are the big things I've noticed.  I can't help but think I'm forgetting a few things, so if anyone else has any observations, do pipe up!

Hee..

Perhaps one of the most touristy things you can do in London, but I don't care.  I've wanted to go to the Northern Picadilly line terminus ('Cockfosters') for ages, and get a photo.

We went last Sunday-spent the better part of 2 hours round trip on the tube for just a few photos, but it was worth it!

A Great Sunday Read

Just this past week I picked up Twisted Agendas by Damian McNicholl. (In the interest of full disclosure, Damian contacted me on my blog & asked for a review.) This book intrigued me as one of the main characters was a female American expat living in London, and I naturally presumed I would identify with her.  I was wrong, but I'm OK with it! :)

I started reading the first chapter on the Tube at about 11am on Sunday, and could.not.put.the.book.down.  Before I knew it, 50 pages had flown by.  I had a few errands to run during the day which caused me to stop & start reading, but basically be 9pm Sunday night, I was finished with the book.

The gist of the story is that the two main characters, Danny and Pippa fatefully meet on a ferry from Ireland to England and end up becoming friends.  Their stories become intertwined in the here & now, and their side stories (disfunctional parents, confusing romance, general 20-something angst) also bind stories together.

Though the connection with the main character is what caused me to be interested in the book, the ultimate story, and plot development/twists & turns is what kept me turning the pages.  The last 20 pages were especially tense, as a few late developing plot twists (in my mind-perhaps I'm just daft..) really caught my attention.

Borderline drama, borderline thriller...either way, if you're looking for a great way to spend a Sunday-especially as the weather looks like it has officially turned south for the next 6 months... this is the book for you!