There's nothing like biting off more than you can chew, and then chewing anyway. ~Mark Burnett

So, having decided to quit my "career"  in Public Service, I let the relatives know about my impending arrival in Iceland.  My cousin Kristín, who had taken me in the last time I was there  "fixed" things and had arranged a job for me at the bank where she worked  - they needed someone in the international exchange department.  On arrival I show up for work - still unsure of the language and gjaldkeri and gjaldeyri  sound pretty much the same to me - one means cashier the other means foreign exchange -  a bit of a difference.


I start work and then later go and meet the head of HR for the bank - she was NOT impressed with the way in which my recruitment took place (ie she had no say in it).  I had a great time at the bank!  Such nice people - a great workplace and everyday was different - there were always different people coming to us - foreigners exchanging real money for Icelandic kroners, Icelanders on their way overseas getting their allocated amount (at the time there were heavy restrictions on how much foreign currency people could get).  Companies getting bank coverage for the stuff that they were importing etc etc.  Was brilliant.


I first stayed with my cousins and shared a room with one of them in the southern municipality of Seltjarnanes... on the coast with a view of the Snæfells glacier - way way in the North.   I lived with them for just over six months and then they all got jobs in the north - back home in Skagafjordur... During this time I was in a choir - me the tone deaf one - yeh, they were really really patient with me.   I ended up making a lot of changes that Christmas... I applied for a part time position at the British Embassy - and got it - managed to get the bank to give me a full time job that started at 1pm and found a really really small flat in the heart of Rvk...   one bedroom/lounge, kitchen and very small toilet - the shower was in the basement where all the other residents had their washing machines. - you had to walk outside and go around the back to get into the shower area.  Not ideal - but hey it was my place.


Mum and dad moved to Iceland in 1987 - dad packed up all my stuff from Aus and brought it with their stuff.... such cost... but it was nice to be in my place and have my stuff from Aus.  


The job at the British Embassy was as the assistant to the Consul, so I got to write in the registry of births deaths and marriages with an ink pen and ink well.... none of this new fangled stuff - no not for the brits... I met one of my bff's here - Evelyn - brilliant girl from Aberdeen, who was the Ambassadors secretary....   As part of my job I also learnt to use the telex machine..... dot dot dash dash - such fun..


I stayed in my little flat for little over 7 months, then one summer night someone decided to bash in the window... not nice... so the embassy team got together and helped me get a flat in the same building that Evelyn lived in - as I had very little furniture the Ambassador gave me free reign in his basement to take whatever I could use... Sooooo good.  


My job at the bank was in the behind the scenes data entry and "reading" cheques... it was fine.. worked from 1 to around 7 most nights - sometimes longer at the end of the month.... was really good, there was a shop across the road that I would often visit on these late shifts to get a coke or a hot dog - so got to know the owner quite well... 


So as these things progress I ended up having an extra job at the shop too... worked the late shift and closed up at 11:30 at night...   At this time I used to go swimming on the way home as well - after the bank shift I would walk home past the indoor pool so eventually it just made sense to stop in there and swim a kilometre before going home... those were the days when I had so much energy - I can not imagine being able to do this today. 


Every weekend was action packed - going out with other expats that were working at the hospital - nurses, radiographers and other medical professionals that came to  Iceland as there was plenty of work and the money was good.  So much fun - so many good times.


My job at the Embassy ended up being full time.  I took over the receptionist duties, the place was closed after lunch so really no need for a receptionist - they just needed someone to answer the phone... so I did the assistant job in the afternoon and was the receptionist in the morning... made just so much sense.


Then, it was time to think about the future - the job at the embassy made me realise that my typing skills were non existent and that it would be a good idea to add some skills to the arts degree and other life skills that I had - I knew of a glorified secretarial degree in Aus where you got a Graduate Diploma in Business - so you had to have a degree - but really it was just a school for secretaries.... learn to type, do shorthand and other stuff... made sense... I applied and got accepted... Two of my cousins were keen on going back with me to Aus, so tickets were booked... I wasn't convinced - so in a last ditch effort I came to S'krók looking for a job - I really wanted to move back home and be close to ma and pa.... I applied at the bank and was rejected... Dad said he would rather that I went back to Aus and studied more.... my sister was living in S'krók then - but she also said that she and the family would be coming back to Aus .... so reluctantly and yet happily I went back home to Perth to go back to school and try and get some skills that would make me employable...........