Fantastic Four
Written by: adekun on 22 August, 2007 2:46 pm - Filed under: blog ?
Celia from purple podded peas has tagged me with the Fantastic Four Meme. The idea is five areas with four points in each. These are not in chronological/preferential order. Apologies for skimping on the detail, but this weather is pushing unbearable.
Four jobs I’ve had in my life:
- Risk Management Consultant: Formulation of strategies to manage clients exposure to energy risk.
- Brewer: Moreover, the jobs that come with it.
- Commercial Analyst: Financial appraisal of sustainable energy projects.
- Assistant Entomologist/Crop Physiologist: My work experience whilst at school. I’ve never counted so many aphids.
Four places I have lived:
- Suffolk, England.
- Suffolk, England.
- Suffolk, England.
- Tottori-ken, Japan: We are still here.
Four places I have been on holiday:
- New Zealand: Ten months touring around in a van. I met my wife Ritsue over there.
- Yucatan Peninsula: Guatemala pipped Mexico as my favourite.
- Réunion Island: I think about there often.
- Poland: The first backpacking adventure. Mostly spent in the Tatras.
Four of my favourite foods:
- Pies: Double shortcrust or else.
- Real ale: Sadly over here keg is king.
- Curry.
- Japanese food: There are a few notable exceptions.
Four places I would rather be right now:
- In the garden.
- Down the pub.
- Somewhere a little less humid.
- Anywhere but a city.
The following four are:
Patrick
23 August, 2007 #
Thanks for tagging me!
I don’t know if I’ll actually get around to doing it, but thanks for thinking of me.
It’s also nice to learn a little about you! I did one last year, you could probably find what I wrote if you searched a little for it, if you were interested.
Meg Wolff
23 August, 2007 #
Thanks for tagging me too. Questions: Do I post this on my Web site as a blog post and tag four more people? Are there any directions? Meg
adekun
24 August, 2007 #
I’ll have a look for yours Patrick. I might find how you ended up in The Netherlands. There does seem to be quite a few Meme’s flying around. That’s why I was a bit vague. Meg, if you want a bash, please do as you suggest. Not too sure of the rules myself, but would copy and amend the first paragraph of this post. Perhaps choose some different areas (I was being lazy and went with the previous) include links to next four and post comments to inform them they have been tagged.
Patrick
25 August, 2007 #
http://www.patnsteph.net/weblog/?p=85
This is the link to last’s years meme.
I ended up in Amsterdam because I was a backpacking, Eurailing tourist in my early 20s, and liked it. I returned to the US for a few years to finish up my degree (BS Computer Science and Mathematics). After that I came back to Amsterdam with my girlfriend to look for a job, and found one. I’ve now lived in Amsterdam 17 years, longer than I’ve lived anywhere else in my life.
I still live with my girlfriend. I don’t know if I’m as fond of the city as when I first visited, but for the moment have no reason to move anywhere else.
We can’t easily have a combined US/Dutch citizenship, and don’t want to give up our US passport. Our work/residence permits restrict us to the Netherlands at the moment, but this may change. If we get the right to move around Europe, perhaps we’ll go live in a neighboring country for a while.
adekun
29 August, 2007 #
I met a few people Eurailing, something I wish I had done. Still perhaps in a few years? Always seemed to be more Canadians about than Americans though. Not really thought about the visa issues for those outside of the EU, I don’t want to give up my passport either. Had I not gone to New Zealand and met my wife, I would have probably tried to get something in Norway, Sweden or Switzerland. For some people I guess the novelty might wear off, it’s a pretty long stint.
Patrick
30 August, 2007 #
I would say we don’t feel so much like we are on extended travel as we feel stuck here. We don’t really feel like home is the US, nor do we feel at home in Holland. The Dutch certainly don’t consider us as local people. Perhaps not such a different situation as you? For us, our age also makes it difficult to find new jobs and move around. Ashleigh on Stiched in Holland recently posted on this topic too.
adekun
31 August, 2007 #
Although I’ve not been away two years, I can understand your point. Returning to the UK recently firmed up my feelings. If I live here another fifty years, I will still be looked upon firstly as an outsider. I checked out the blog you mentioned, quite a read.