monday
1st day on the job! It went like this.
WAKE UP EARLY SO THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF BEING LATE! Even if it is a 10 o'clock start.
Wore black trousers as requested for work, took bus then the skytrain to workplace.
I get on the bus, but realise that I don't know the combination number to get into the building. I left the code at home. The manager "Maureen" told me it when I rang her up thankfully. Enter me looking confused about what life will be like working.
To anyone reading this thinking, 'wait. Dyl with a job? This is a joke right?'
NO, it is not, I REALLY have a JOB!
Ok, so 1st day. I was shadowing a girl called Hilary. She seemed unimpressed at having to teach a new guy. But she taught well. She has been doing this for many months. By lunch time I was using the till my own. Not exactly the hardest thing in the world.
Oh right, yea, my job. I am working up front, taking orders, making drinks (non-alcoholic), and being me. It's fast food, with some very nice sandwiches, muffins, cookies, milkshakes, coffees, teas and salads.
Things that annoyed me today:
People who don't know what they are ordering.
Me not knowing what the menu is, but still trying to enter the order!
People changing their mind about an order half way through ordering.
Things I liked:
50% off the menu, and free drinks.
Fun/cool co-workers (some new like me).
co-workers fascination with how english I am. (Why do people think I have a really posh accent? I don't do I?)
Finishing at half three, and not having a busy day. Easy does it.
That was my day at work.
Ben's day was like this apparently.
Get there early, wait an hour for bosses while talking to other temps.
Bosses talk to them, tell them to take a rather long lunch break.
They get back, more talk until about 3 (I think). Then they tell them to go home as they have no usernames, but they still get paid a full days work.
Or
Got paid for not doing any work.
Lucky, lucky, git!
Ben left the hostel today, others are moving out tomorrow. So I've decided I too will move out tomorrow, before the start of the jericho beach canada day party! That and get $23 back. Woo, no work tomorrow, and new house. All is good!
---
tues = canada day! = july 1st = awesome!
Well, started with me moving stuff to the house. Well all I had to do is pack my stuff up as Colin came and picked me up. Very nice of him, I know! From the house I decide to take the bus back to the beach. I just didn't count on not finding the bus stop. Ahh! I did eventually find a bus, just about 7 blocks further than I should have gone.
Well I made it back to the hostel, and canada day party went like this:
Food - good
Beach - brilliant. I shaded myself, others wanted a tan. An Australian named Mark went swimming in his underwear. As you do. Also, there is a rule that you cannot drink in public, including the beach. However on canada day, no one cared, even the beach patrol (guys on quad bikes, patrolling the beach) were out having a laugh, drink in hand. There was also a mini sand fight.
Boatrace (the beer kind) between countries - Austrailia lost to Japan. Japan were happy, austraila hung there heads in shame. England didn't enter! There were many irish though.
1st day on the job! It went like this.
WAKE UP EARLY SO THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF BEING LATE! Even if it is a 10 o'clock start.
Wore black trousers as requested for work, took bus then the skytrain to workplace.
I get on the bus, but realise that I don't know the combination number to get into the building. I left the code at home. The manager "Maureen" told me it when I rang her up thankfully. Enter me looking confused about what life will be like working.
To anyone reading this thinking, 'wait. Dyl with a job? This is a joke right?'
NO, it is not, I REALLY have a JOB!
Ok, so 1st day. I was shadowing a girl called Hilary. She seemed unimpressed at having to teach a new guy. But she taught well. She has been doing this for many months. By lunch time I was using the till my own. Not exactly the hardest thing in the world.
Oh right, yea, my job. I am working up front, taking orders, making drinks (non-alcoholic), and being me. It's fast food, with some very nice sandwiches, muffins, cookies, milkshakes, coffees, teas and salads.
Things that annoyed me today:
People who don't know what they are ordering.
Me not knowing what the menu is, but still trying to enter the order!
People changing their mind about an order half way through ordering.
Things I liked:
50% off the menu, and free drinks.
Fun/cool co-workers (some new like me).
co-workers fascination with how english I am. (Why do people think I have a really posh accent? I don't do I?)
Finishing at half three, and not having a busy day. Easy does it.
That was my day at work.
Ben's day was like this apparently.
Get there early, wait an hour for bosses while talking to other temps.
Bosses talk to them, tell them to take a rather long lunch break.
They get back, more talk until about 3 (I think). Then they tell them to go home as they have no usernames, but they still get paid a full days work.
Or
Got paid for not doing any work.
Lucky, lucky, git!
Ben left the hostel today, others are moving out tomorrow. So I've decided I too will move out tomorrow, before the start of the jericho beach canada day party! That and get $23 back. Woo, no work tomorrow, and new house. All is good!
---
tues = canada day! = july 1st = awesome!
Well, started with me moving stuff to the house. Well all I had to do is pack my stuff up as Colin came and picked me up. Very nice of him, I know! From the house I decide to take the bus back to the beach. I just didn't count on not finding the bus stop. Ahh! I did eventually find a bus, just about 7 blocks further than I should have gone.
Well I made it back to the hostel, and canada day party went like this:
Food - good
Beach - brilliant. I shaded myself, others wanted a tan. An Australian named Mark went swimming in his underwear. As you do. Also, there is a rule that you cannot drink in public, including the beach. However on canada day, no one cared, even the beach patrol (guys on quad bikes, patrolling the beach) were out having a laugh, drink in hand. There was also a mini sand fight.
Boatrace (the beer kind) between countries - Austrailia lost to Japan. Japan were happy, austraila hung there heads in shame. England didn't enter! There were many irish though.
Lynda and Andrew showing just how canadian they are.
People around the table, chilling out, having fun.Football, bearfoot - Fun game. I love listening to italians talk, they sound so cool!
Canada day cake - Oh the canada day cake was very good. It was Carrot cake in fact.
Canada day cake - Oh the canada day cake was very good. It was Carrot cake in fact.
The Canada Day cake, it was very delicious!We had a mini water fight, kind of - Sabrina and Rob throwing water from bottles about. Then I helped Sabrina get her own back. I came up with the idea of filling regular balloons with water. We waited until we could fill them up secretly, however he suspected us. He found us walking with the water filled balloons. No suprises for him. But he did slap mine out of my hand. Damn. He won again.
ball tag - Exactly what it says on the tin. It's tag, but with a tennis ball. You may run about with the ball, all you have to do is throw it and hit someone. That someone may catch it though and not be 'it'. This was actaully a really fun game. If a little slippery when barefeet on the grass. We stayed out until it was a little too dark to see the ball. So then it was time for...
A running race between us guys across length of football pitch (american) - The walk to the other side to start the race was funny. Rob was saying he would win, we thought, really? The Ben and andrew thought I would win. I kept silent. Ben lets it slip that he used to do professional running. Oh crap. So who won? I know, you are all dying to know aren't you? Well Seun did the on you marks bit. and...
I slipped at the beginning. But I didn't come last! Ben won. We all agreed that the grass was somewhat slippy.
Watched fireworks - I'll be honest, they were pathetic. There was a nice atmosphere though, but that might have been from the day in general. Ben and me agreed that we have nothing like this in England. Well I suppose there is St Georges day, but nobody cares about that. I think Seun put it nicely by saying, "There's a St Georges day?".
Home! - I have one, and housemates informed me that soon there will be better fireworks. All to music and as a competition between countries. Sounds good.
Then there was sleep - it went like this: Zzzzzzzzz.
end
---
wednesday - 2nd day at work... and bike ride!
Not much to say about work, 9-2 was today, so it was pretty chill. Didn't get too busy before I left. The only concern was the morning and finding the damn bus stop. I knew exactly where to wait for the bus, for my housemate Adrienne told me. Yep, I have helpful housemates.
It was fairly busy by the time I left from the lunch madness. But I didn't care about leaving co-workers, for I was going on a bike ride. Well, it was Robert's idea but he was a 'lil busy trying to get his visa for china. long story short, he got there at 9.30, was still there at 2.30. he left at around 4ish... with no visa. Yep, so sucked to be him then. So that left me and sabrina to go bike riding around Stanley park. It was good, we cycled around the park for 2 and 3/4 hour. came to $17 on the rental bikes.
Admittedly, some of that time was probably taken up by going the wrong way, and heading back to downtown! Yea, we back tracked that bit. I blamed the fact that all the maps on the boards had a tiny bit missing, showing where on the map you were! someone had ripped it off! twats.
Sabrina blamed me for guessing where we were going.
Whatever.
ball tag - Exactly what it says on the tin. It's tag, but with a tennis ball. You may run about with the ball, all you have to do is throw it and hit someone. That someone may catch it though and not be 'it'. This was actaully a really fun game. If a little slippery when barefeet on the grass. We stayed out until it was a little too dark to see the ball. So then it was time for...
A running race between us guys across length of football pitch (american) - The walk to the other side to start the race was funny. Rob was saying he would win, we thought, really? The Ben and andrew thought I would win. I kept silent. Ben lets it slip that he used to do professional running. Oh crap. So who won? I know, you are all dying to know aren't you? Well Seun did the on you marks bit. and...
I slipped at the beginning. But I didn't come last! Ben won. We all agreed that the grass was somewhat slippy.
Watched fireworks - I'll be honest, they were pathetic. There was a nice atmosphere though, but that might have been from the day in general. Ben and me agreed that we have nothing like this in England. Well I suppose there is St Georges day, but nobody cares about that. I think Seun put it nicely by saying, "There's a St Georges day?".
Home! - I have one, and housemates informed me that soon there will be better fireworks. All to music and as a competition between countries. Sounds good.
Then there was sleep - it went like this: Zzzzzzzzz.
end
---
wednesday - 2nd day at work... and bike ride!
Not much to say about work, 9-2 was today, so it was pretty chill. Didn't get too busy before I left. The only concern was the morning and finding the damn bus stop. I knew exactly where to wait for the bus, for my housemate Adrienne told me. Yep, I have helpful housemates.
It was fairly busy by the time I left from the lunch madness. But I didn't care about leaving co-workers, for I was going on a bike ride. Well, it was Robert's idea but he was a 'lil busy trying to get his visa for china. long story short, he got there at 9.30, was still there at 2.30. he left at around 4ish... with no visa. Yep, so sucked to be him then. So that left me and sabrina to go bike riding around Stanley park. It was good, we cycled around the park for 2 and 3/4 hour. came to $17 on the rental bikes.
Admittedly, some of that time was probably taken up by going the wrong way, and heading back to downtown! Yea, we back tracked that bit. I blamed the fact that all the maps on the boards had a tiny bit missing, showing where on the map you were! someone had ripped it off! twats.
Sabrina blamed me for guessing where we were going.
Whatever.
Some cool water fountains found by getting lost.
Sabrina looking at the totem poles.Going around the outside was quite beautiful, and our rental bikes came with little bells, this was great amusement for me!
When pigeons are in your way, or just nearby, ring the bell.
If stupid man is on the cycle path, ring at him, again and again, especially with bike riding buddy to make a point.
Besides from pictures, all I will say about this is that there was a tall pile of rocks. Ok, this may not seem interesting, but look at them!
When pigeons are in your way, or just nearby, ring the bell.
If stupid man is on the cycle path, ring at him, again and again, especially with bike riding buddy to make a point.
Besides from pictures, all I will say about this is that there was a tall pile of rocks. Ok, this may not seem interesting, but look at them!
Random pile of rocks.See, they are interesting, and now that you see them, don't you have the impulse to find another rock to whack it with to see if it stays standing?
I think everyone does, as both me and sabrina did, then as 2 random guys walked by, we heard them say the same thing.
So did we find out?
No
There were no random stones near by. I wonder why this was?
Anyway, riding a bike again after so many years made me realise 2 things.
1: You never forget to ride a bike... very true.
2. I want a bike!
After the bike ride we decided that we deserved ice cream. The Ice cream was 3 different flavours in a tub, and it was gooooood!
Also, on a separate note, I saw a giant dog today. I was going to get a photo, but the sabrina said she would take one, and FAILED! however we did see it again later on, just sitting down, so the dog doesn't look half as impressive.
I think everyone does, as both me and sabrina did, then as 2 random guys walked by, we heard them say the same thing.
So did we find out?
No
There were no random stones near by. I wonder why this was?
Anyway, riding a bike again after so many years made me realise 2 things.
1: You never forget to ride a bike... very true.
2. I want a bike!
After the bike ride we decided that we deserved ice cream. The Ice cream was 3 different flavours in a tub, and it was gooooood!
Also, on a separate note, I saw a giant dog today. I was going to get a photo, but the sabrina said she would take one, and FAILED! however we did see it again later on, just sitting down, so the dog doesn't look half as impressive.
Giant Dog! Lying down---
thursday
work: started off with random whipping match between me and tony (someone who has had 2 days more experience than I) with our wash cloths. While we were cleaning the counter of course. Pain was received when we were distracted, ie when listening to anyone. Work is fun. I am certainly appreciating how it has a relaxed atmosphere, and so far doesn't seem too taxing. Plus the fact the dates of work are flexible is also very good. On this morning shift I discovered that I don't like wrapping the cookies and muffins up. Why? Because they smell so good, and I want to eat them all! Then by the time my lunch break has come, they have all been eaten.
After work met up with Ben and Lynda. We went and ate some food at a place called steamrollers. It does really good burritos. They also fill you up just before you can finish it, and they are green coloured!
I tell you what though, today we discovered why some of these "homeless" people are annoying.
Ok, so we are finished, just chatting away, and this man, on a bike, cleanly shaven walks up to us claiming to be homeless. Now ok, maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. What he did is the annoying bit, He gave us a sob story about how his guitar just got stolen, and how now it is harder for him to make money to go to vancouver island... blah blah blah... So could we spare some money so he could buy some food.
Now, we had some spare food, so we offered him that, he takes it, and just rides off, without even a thank you. The whole story thing was pointless, it just makes you want to ignore him as he might be making it up. If he just said he was homeless, and hungry, and could we spare some food, as he was looking at it the whole time. We would have just given it, we weren't going to eat it.
grr
anyway, tomorrow is go to Irish girls house for house warming party. It is also a day when I finish work at 6. Fun times!
---
Friday
Work started at 3, so I missed the lunch rush... Or so I thought.
It was wave after wave of people queuing up for food. I was on the till, and making many milkshakes. Really tasty looking chocolate and strawberry milkshakes. I didn't even get to go on my lunch break until 5!
I wanted it! But instead I was serving it.
After work was straight to the bank to sort out a VOID cheque. This lets me gets paid for my work. Then on the bus to the meeting point of the house-warming (safeway), I found a Ben. Well he was at the back and saw me about a minute before I was him. Apparently I looked tired.
We were both hungry and so decided to buy food. At safeway we met Rob, Sophia and Sabrina. Rob and Sophia wanted food too, so there was one thing for it. An excessively large Pizza. We bought 2. These are the kind of pizzas that wouldn't fit a normal UK oven, but canada is HUGE, and so are its ovens! Also, as I had been making milkshakes all day, and had told Sabrina, it was decided that I should make some of that too. and for the hell of it, we bought some houmus and croissants.
House: Pizzas. Yum. With humous too, also yum. Croissants yum, with humous, errm, a bit much a thought, but ben liked it.
Milkshakes, everyone liked. I should take a picture next time. They look awesome.
We ended up playing a card game that lynda just taught us, called Scumbag. It is a simple to learn game, where after each go, you end up with a king (the winner), a queen (2nd place), a scumbag (2nd from last), and the dodgy scumbag (last place). I ended up king at the end. But admittedly, I was scum alot of the time.
Lynda also brought a housewarming present, it was fridge magnet words. After a few people left, We decided to make random stories/sentences up. Ended up with some very funny stuff. Will link some photo's up when I get them from people.
---
sat
No work! Jogged to Ben's house. Wouldn't have taken to long if I didn't get last half way. This at first seems impossible as I live on 36th Ave, and he on 35th. i.e. almost a straight line. In my defence, the road disappears half way through, but I saw a back road, went through that as I thought maybe it was a short cut. It wasn't, I ended up further away. More jogging got me there, in the rain. Fun.
We then were going to walk to Helens place for a tea party, but on closer inspection of a map, we realised that that would be stupid. Besides it was really raining now. So we bought some muffins and cupcakes and found a bus stop. Helens place is nice, and the tea party was good. Her landlord randomly walked into the living room, and says he is having dinner with some friends here tonight, and invited us all to have dinner with him. Obviously we said yes, free food!
And wow, it was gooooood food. All grown from the garden, except the chicken. Desert was also rhubarb and strawberry crumble. Loved it. Also the people were all friendly, and from different places, and made good conversation.
thursday
work: started off with random whipping match between me and tony (someone who has had 2 days more experience than I) with our wash cloths. While we were cleaning the counter of course. Pain was received when we were distracted, ie when listening to anyone. Work is fun. I am certainly appreciating how it has a relaxed atmosphere, and so far doesn't seem too taxing. Plus the fact the dates of work are flexible is also very good. On this morning shift I discovered that I don't like wrapping the cookies and muffins up. Why? Because they smell so good, and I want to eat them all! Then by the time my lunch break has come, they have all been eaten.
After work met up with Ben and Lynda. We went and ate some food at a place called steamrollers. It does really good burritos. They also fill you up just before you can finish it, and they are green coloured!
I tell you what though, today we discovered why some of these "homeless" people are annoying.
Ok, so we are finished, just chatting away, and this man, on a bike, cleanly shaven walks up to us claiming to be homeless. Now ok, maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. What he did is the annoying bit, He gave us a sob story about how his guitar just got stolen, and how now it is harder for him to make money to go to vancouver island... blah blah blah... So could we spare some money so he could buy some food.
Now, we had some spare food, so we offered him that, he takes it, and just rides off, without even a thank you. The whole story thing was pointless, it just makes you want to ignore him as he might be making it up. If he just said he was homeless, and hungry, and could we spare some food, as he was looking at it the whole time. We would have just given it, we weren't going to eat it.
grr
anyway, tomorrow is go to Irish girls house for house warming party. It is also a day when I finish work at 6. Fun times!
---
Friday
Work started at 3, so I missed the lunch rush... Or so I thought.
It was wave after wave of people queuing up for food. I was on the till, and making many milkshakes. Really tasty looking chocolate and strawberry milkshakes. I didn't even get to go on my lunch break until 5!
I wanted it! But instead I was serving it.
After work was straight to the bank to sort out a VOID cheque. This lets me gets paid for my work. Then on the bus to the meeting point of the house-warming (safeway), I found a Ben. Well he was at the back and saw me about a minute before I was him. Apparently I looked tired.
We were both hungry and so decided to buy food. At safeway we met Rob, Sophia and Sabrina. Rob and Sophia wanted food too, so there was one thing for it. An excessively large Pizza. We bought 2. These are the kind of pizzas that wouldn't fit a normal UK oven, but canada is HUGE, and so are its ovens! Also, as I had been making milkshakes all day, and had told Sabrina, it was decided that I should make some of that too. and for the hell of it, we bought some houmus and croissants.
House: Pizzas. Yum. With humous too, also yum. Croissants yum, with humous, errm, a bit much a thought, but ben liked it.
Milkshakes, everyone liked. I should take a picture next time. They look awesome.
We ended up playing a card game that lynda just taught us, called Scumbag. It is a simple to learn game, where after each go, you end up with a king (the winner), a queen (2nd place), a scumbag (2nd from last), and the dodgy scumbag (last place). I ended up king at the end. But admittedly, I was scum alot of the time.
Lynda also brought a housewarming present, it was fridge magnet words. After a few people left, We decided to make random stories/sentences up. Ended up with some very funny stuff. Will link some photo's up when I get them from people.
---
sat
No work! Jogged to Ben's house. Wouldn't have taken to long if I didn't get last half way. This at first seems impossible as I live on 36th Ave, and he on 35th. i.e. almost a straight line. In my defence, the road disappears half way through, but I saw a back road, went through that as I thought maybe it was a short cut. It wasn't, I ended up further away. More jogging got me there, in the rain. Fun.
We then were going to walk to Helens place for a tea party, but on closer inspection of a map, we realised that that would be stupid. Besides it was really raining now. So we bought some muffins and cupcakes and found a bus stop. Helens place is nice, and the tea party was good. Her landlord randomly walked into the living room, and says he is having dinner with some friends here tonight, and invited us all to have dinner with him. Obviously we said yes, free food!
And wow, it was gooooood food. All grown from the garden, except the chicken. Desert was also rhubarb and strawberry crumble. Loved it. Also the people were all friendly, and from different places, and made good conversation.
Everyone on top of garage. Random people everywhere!Also a bike shop was suggested to me "our community bikes", they received donated bikes, do them up and sell them on. They are non-profit, and also let you build them up yourselves with guidance. Sounds pretty cool.
This is one thing I've really been loving about vancouver so far, the fact that everyone is friendly, meeting the random people and talking random stuff. I wish this would happen more often at home, instead of people thinking everyone is going to do something to them if they are a stranger.
Blah.
Anyway, We ate the food on the roof of the garage (there were stairs to it), and the view was quite nice. We also looked around the vegetable garden, and were given mint leaves.
This is one thing I've really been loving about vancouver so far, the fact that everyone is friendly, meeting the random people and talking random stuff. I wish this would happen more often at home, instead of people thinking everyone is going to do something to them if they are a stranger.
Blah.
Anyway, We ate the food on the roof of the garage (there were stairs to it), and the view was quite nice. We also looked around the vegetable garden, and were given mint leaves.
Helen and her landlord, apparently thinking of something good.Also, as there was spare food about, Ben and I got it to eat. Woohoo! free food, and free food to take home, good food.
food food food. I like food.
---
Sunday - Ben has house warming party.
1st however, work. Today people were trying to say stereotypical English things. NOPENOPENOPE, most of the time, it was IRISH! I do not say, "top of the morning to ya". DUMB!
I think the award winning dumb statement goes to a girl called Wanner, she said, 'do you come from British then?'
Everyone took the piss out of that. It was all good though, and I got off work early.
With this extra time, I looked for the bike shop called 'our community bikes'. I got to it, just as it was closing, but I saw a bike I liked the look of, It looked all ready to go... minus the bike seat, which was non-existent. Tomorrow, I will be there!
Ben's place.
We sat outside for a bit deciding what to eat, as someone irish forgot the pizza. However there was cake... I mean, there was no cake Helen, you missed nothing.
I think the award winning dumb statement goes to a girl called Wanner, she said, 'do you come from British then?'
Everyone took the piss out of that. It was all good though, and I got off work early.
With this extra time, I looked for the bike shop called 'our community bikes'. I got to it, just as it was closing, but I saw a bike I liked the look of, It looked all ready to go... minus the bike seat, which was non-existent. Tomorrow, I will be there!
Ben's place.
We sat outside for a bit deciding what to eat, as someone irish forgot the pizza. However there was cake... I mean, there was no cake Helen, you missed nothing.
Everyone chilling out in Ben's back gardenWe decided to get Chinese. Ben's landlord was also quite cool, finding the best Chinese food places to eat for us, and giving us chairs to sit on outside.
The food was good, well except for the one vegetarian dish, which sucked. Well, ok the rice was god, but the tofu was bleh.
Ben made us all some lovely mint tea with honey (He is a good host), while we all once again played scumbag.
The food was good, well except for the one vegetarian dish, which sucked. Well, ok the rice was god, but the tofu was bleh.
Ben made us all some lovely mint tea with honey (He is a good host), while we all once again played scumbag.
Ben making tea, being the perfect host.
SCUMBAG!Its good to relax with friends, in the lovely weather, talking random stuff, and jobs and houses etc. This is the life.
Hopefully there will be more days like this to come.
end.
Hopefully there will be more days like this to come.
end.
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