HONG KONG

HONG KONG... I went on a holiday and came back with a job. If all goes according to plan, I should be living and working there by the end of February.

The story? Last month I went on a holiday to Hong Kong. The place had been fascinating me for a long time, quite a fez examples of world class contemporary architecture can be found in that city. Last June a friend of mine went and seemed to enjoy the place, so when I was told at work that I had about two weeks holidays outstanding I went to have a look at the ticket prices. Wasn' bad at all (335 quid return, long live Oasis Hong Kong Airlines!) so i booked. I knew that the company I work for was opening an office there, and one of the managers involved in the project was a Dutch guy I had been dealing with over the phone and by e-mail. So I sent him a message, told him I would be there and would love to see the office (hey, curiousity, you know how it goes!)

We agreed to go for lunch on monday, the day after I arrived. There Joris told me they needed more people, and asked me whether I was interested. I did like the position, but I had been in HK for less than 24h and I first wanted to find out whether I liked it or not. After lunch we went to see the office (33th floor, great view!) and it turned out one of the directors - a woman I know from being around in the London office - was there that day. She sat me down, gave me more details about the job, and then they asked me to tell them by friday whether I wanted to do it or not.

For four days I have been walking around the city asking myself if I could live there; I called my sister and a few friends in Belgium and London for advice; I met the other guys from the company who arrived on wednesday. And then I said yes.

So now the visa application is being reviewed by the company lawyers, and will be sent out next week. I will be working in my current position until January 18th, and then I get one more month of training before I move over there.

Exciting? Very! I am really looking forward to it, but at the same time I do get nervous sometimes. There is so much to think about and so much to arganize before I leave. Need to organize some sort of party or gathering for my 30th birthday as well, not sure whether I should combine it with my leaving due or not...

HONG KONG!!! Wooohooooo!!

Spot the similarity...

Thanks Peter, for pointing this one out...

OFFICE MOVE - THE TUBE

The company I work for has moved out office from Piccadilly Circus to Tower Hill. For those amongst you who don't know these areas: the former is in busy interesting lively Soho, the latter in dull boring dead Tower Hill. Yes, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge are right next to the building. I agree, these are beautiful constructions and definitely worth a visit, but... They don't have the same impact on my happiness as a large amount of shops, supermarkets, cafe's, bars, take places and restaurants. These are the things you need close at hand during the week. Plenty of them in Soho, right on your doorstep. Almost none in Tower Hill.

And then there is the Tube. Before I could take the bus to work, nice and easy, got to see something as well. Now? The Tube. IT IS A NIGHTMARE. I get on in Kennington, where the train is already full. The only way to get on is to press myself into the crowd and then bend my head so the doors can close (these trains really were built for midgets). What follows then is a ride from hell in an extremely un-ergonomic position, pressed between other victims. Sweating is unavoidable so I arrive at my desk with my shirt sticking to my back and my coat hanging open, thus catching colds as well. I'm not yet mentioning the mood it gets me in. I hate it with a passion you can only begin to imagine. As soon as my cold is better, I will try to cycle again. Keeps me fit and at least I have a reason to sweat then. Tube at rush hour? Horrible.

MYSPACE

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am no longer a Myspace virgin. At last I created an account, and even though there isn't much to it yet I am willing to explore. You can now become my friend on www.myspace.com/kitanlondon