Takin' Care of Business

"Taking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
I've been taking care of business (it's all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime
Work out"

                   - Takin' Care of Business by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO)

I haven't written a blog post in about a week and a half because I have been so busy taking care of business!

There is a lot of business to be taken care of when you are trying to start a new life in a new country!

In the last week or so I succeeded in setting up a bank account. Well, almost. I'm still waiting for my all the information to come in the mail but at I got that out of the way so I can get direct deposit payments from one of my jobs (the other one pays cash). Having a bank account will also make it easier for me to pay my rent online instead of having to walk to the far east side of the town to bring it to the right bank branch. 

I also accomplished the task of applying for my National Insurance Number. Everyone who works in the UK has to have a National Insurance Number and if you are not from the UK you have to register and attend an interview to verify that you are eligible to work in the UK. So I went to my interview that seemed kind of pointless because the man just interrogated me about my life; asking questions that didn't seem to be of any relevance to my eligibility to work. But nonetheless, that is another piece of business that is out of the way. Now I am officially allowed to work in the UK.

Which I have been doing for about a week now. But before I could do that I had to finish my training at both of the places, which is much like the Smart Serve training in Ontario. But I had to sit and fill out a 6 page written test about the alcohol licensing law of Scotland, the effects of alcohol on people, and how to deal with people in a licensed establishment. The training had to last 2 hours and it was exactly the same at both places but each bar has to have proof of every staff member's training. So, I am now able to check that off the list and officially be allowed to work in the bars I am employed at. 

All of this business that I have been taking care of has really got in the way of my social life! Well, actually, the business alongside the fact that money is getting pretty tight. The Becca that I am right now is someone that people back home would not recognize! Because I have been so focused on getting everything set up for my new life and I have been very cautious with my money-spending, I haven't really gone out and met many people or done many exciting things. My nights mostly consist of staying at home, making friendship bracelets and watching movies - trying to get to bed early to be prepared for whatever I have to do the next day. I have kind of shocked myself with all my responsible-ness! But it suits me just fine. I am completely content with spending most of my time by myself at this point because I know the time will come for getting out there and building up the more social part of my new life here. That will be a different kind of business to take care of - not so much stuff I want to get out of the way - more exciting and Becca-like business. 

Don't worry people, I will live up to my social butterfly reputation soon enough! I just gotta focusing on T.C.B for right now!