new home

J and I have been looking for a new place to live when we have to move in October, and we've chosen one. It's on an Ice-sounding street (important for getting people in the States to write) and it has the MOST amazing view. I will be taking pictures of Snæfellsjökull every day from the fifth floor, watching boats bringing goods to Iceland, and keeping an eye on Akranes from afar.

Today was also my first day of work, which ironically brought a flurry of letters and emails from places I had applied months ago. By far the best was the letter from the US Embassy here. I had applied to a position there in March, and received a much-mangled letter, sent from 10 blocks away, routed through my old postcode in Boston, and sent back here (turnaround time: 2 weeks exactly) It was a sad piece of letter craftsmanship, and it made me quite happy that I wasn't working with them as they drop the periods from sentences and insert extra words. Makes me wonder at the usefulness of their services in any sort of emergency with a turn-around time this extended and the lack of editing by the "second secretary" (name withheld to protect privacy).

It's nice to know I won't be homeless in October, and the relief of starting work is allowing me to start to enjoy some of the rewards of finally being here. It's going to be good!