Infrastructure Update

I've been in London for two weeks now. There has been a lot going on, but a lack of blog entries by me describing it all. So, I believe a little catch-up is in order. First, the cost of living here in London (as you'll find in most major metropolitan areas) is fairly ridiculous. Food prices are fairly high, clothing prices are pretty absurd, traveling isn't cheap, and the cost of going out at night might just keep you eating in. But seeing as I'm in London, I'm still pretty determined to enjoy myself, albeit on a budget.

Holding onto history at the British Museum

So far, I've done some basic sightseeing and general tourist-y stuff. Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, seeing Royal Guards, the British Museum and fish and chips have already been checked off my list. The parks here are really well kept, very green, and great places to spend your free time. Regent's park and Russell Square are two that I've visited so far. I still would like to take a ride on the London Eye, but a ticket is £14, or a little under $30, which is a bit of a deterrent. I think I may have to get a ticket soon though because it mocks me every day when I look out the window of our flat.

Stumbled across this procession near Westminster

I've started my internship with UK Trade and Investment in the Sports Infrastructure sector. I had an interview last Monday with my supervisor, Andy. After we agreed on a schedule and discussed a little about the company, I left for the afternoon and started work the next morning. As far as I've gathered, the Sports Infrastructure division works with UK based companies and businesses and helps them find a market in international sporting events. It also encourages them to work with each other and make contacts. I was excited to get started but I've never held an office job before so I wasn't totally sure what to expect.

A sunny afternoon picnic at Russell Square

My guess was a lot of Excel worksheets and emails. I was somewhat correct in my prediction, as my first task was to update a database of contact information for UK companies involved in the London 2012 Olympics. It was an all day task, but with my expert Google skills I compiled a comprehensive list of email addresses, company websites and CEOs, all of which I'm told I will be contacting in the near future.

I've also done some research into business markets for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou. So far work is pretty interesting and I'm looking forward to what's ahead.

I may be here for an internship, but that's only for four days a week (yes, Fridays off) and there's a lot to see in London, the UK and the rest of Europe and I'm planning to experience it all. Ok, that's optimistic thinking, but we'll see how it works out.