Picture Perfect...sort of

So I am sitting here in Barracuda, messing around on the internet, and I come to find that for some reason Skype does not work here? WHAT?!?!?!?! Are you kidding? One of the only cheap ways I have to communicate with loved ones and you are denying me? Do you value your life? Because I can take it from you. Quickly, but not painlessly! Anyhow. I finally have some pictures to post!!! Captions to follow!

This is me at the bus stop! I get on the 70 bus every morning at 7:58am so that I can get to work by 8:30am. The whole trip is only supposed to take 18 minutes, but traffic is ridiculous here in the morning. Think about the traffic to Cleveland on Route 90. Now, subtract 2 lanes, but keep the same amount of cars on the road. AIE! Where do the cars go, you ask? Well, they go further back on the road all the way outside the city, that's where! (for those of you who live below the Mason-Dickson Line...think 501 on a REALLY bad day...tourist season)

This next one is room in the dorm. It is supposed to fit 3 people. "But that is so small? Where does everything go?" Good question. We'll find out when my two roommates get back from their homelands of Poland and Romania. In general I guess the dorm is like any other dorm in the US, but crappier. Seriously. I've been in some pretty rank state school dormitories.

This is the business breakfast that I got thrown into on my first day of work. I had to take notes. It's difficult to follow speakers whose first language isn't English. It's cute though when they apologize for the gaps in their speaking abilities. :) The Mayor was especially funny. "My English...it not so good".

Here is the square that is in the part of the town centre where I work. This is actually just a few steps from my office door! The green/blue looking building is the French Embassy :)...I know that is relevant for some of you. Apparently during Christmas time the whole square was filled with lights and craftsman and little "houses" where people could sit down and have a drink and listen to live music. Eastern Europe likes its holidays. If you look at their calendar, you'll see what I mean.

These are the flights of stairs that I gladly climb a couple of times a day. For one, it's good exercise, and two, it gets me out of the office every once in awhile. It's nice. Plus, the tenants on the other floors are super nice and very generous. I was on my way to lunch the other day and the owner of Tempus Fugit (the restaurant where we had the business breakfast) invited me into his office to meet his wife! They told me to come down whenever I wanted, for tea, some company, whatever! They also gave me some vouchers so I can hang out

in their restaurant :)...Oh the perks of working for an international organization! Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Things have been going really well at work. I have enough time to finish all of my tasks (and then some...those of you who know me know how quickly I work) and then check my email when there is extra time before I have to leave. Ok. I know that's a lie. I check my email all the time during work. Human Resources is NOT going to tell Livia to fire me. She and I are the only two in the office!

She actually invited me to go to the ski weekend with her! I really want to go, but have to find ski clothes...and fast. The trip is in February, but you never know when things will be available, but hey skiing in Austria is the opportunity of a lifetime! Plus its being held in a beautiful hotel and breakfast and dinner are included! Livia said the cooking is fantastic...so obviously I am inclined to go!

Ok. I am going to post this much and then get to work on the rest. I am getting tired of having to reformat the post everything I add a new picture. I need to figure that out I guess. Silly internet.