When the Dust Settles...

enjoying some chips and drinks on our first night in our new apartment

It's been almost two weeks since our arrival, or should I say return, and things are moving along quite nicely. We were able to move into our apartment a week earlier than planned and we started work a week earlier than planned. Moving abroad with nothing but two suitcases has proved to be more expensive than planned. Somehow we got the crazy idea that we'd be able to afford not only to purchase the essentials such as bedsheets, cutlery and cookware, but also couches, beds and DVD players. Having to move into a furnished accomodation actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Our new neighborhood is great, however, the only negative is that if you don't feel like walking 20-30 minutes you really have to take a tram into the city. There is this great little fine foods and wine shop 2 blocks away that is reminiscent of the Barefoot Contessa. We also live two block from the supermarket and Lygon street, which is more or less Little Italy.

School is great! It's everyting I imagined, plus a bit more. My honest opinion is that many of the students in my class of 21 are not there because they have share my great love for the culinary arts, but because it's simply one of the "easier" ways to get the much coveted PR or permanent residency. I had a chat to my instructor about this and other things (mainly about my chances of getting work and other cookery schools) and his response was to just concentrate on myself, what I want to get out of the course and what it really comes down to is not where to you go to school, but where you work...