Come rain or shine

Well, time for a second quickie update!

I've been here little under two weeks now and it's been quite relaxed. I still don't feel like I have to work very much (Joyce has been in daycare for the past 3 days again, leaving my days open completely). I've resorted to making dinner quite often to make up for it.

The downside of so many free days (not to mention all the evenings) is that I don't really know what to do with my time. I don't know anyone to hang out with yet, and honestly, I've trudged up and down Farnham and Guildford by myself quite enough already.

In an attempt to meet some people, I've attended a "coffee social" by the Guildford Area Gay Society, or GAGS, a local gay group, whose name is either the result of a severe lack of foresight, or of that quirky British wit.

GAGS meets once a week for these socials in members' houses. The one I went to was here in Farnham, literally down the street, in the "teapot house", so called because of the rather large wooden teapot on the front lawn. According to Julian and Jutta, the house is infamous for its gay meetings. Still, despite that somewhat discouraging fact, I decided to go, as one week was already enough to give me a bit of a lonely feeling at times.

It is not easy to describe GAGS. They have existed for the past 30 years... And a lot of their founding members are still around... And they weren't all that young when they founded it... Basically, about 60% of the members could be qualified as ancient in gay years. They did have entertaining stories to tell, about the olde days of homosexuality, when it was not even legal yet, and all the wild clandestine parties they attended. Quite lovely to listen to, but maaaaybe not exactly the group of people I see myself spending my months here in England with. Maybe. Okay, if nothing more suitable comes along, I will probably.

I think the youngest person there was about 32 and I talked to him most of the time, whilst being eyed suspiciously\beningly\somewhat ennervingly by the various other attendants. He seemed nice enough and I got his email so maybe I can hang out with him and meet other people through him, who knows.

There are apparantly quite a lot of gay occassions around, like in Guildford, but the trouble is getting to these places. Or rather, getting back from these places, since the last bus to Farnham is at 18.50 and on top of that, it is outrageously expensive. The fact that I am a 24 year old that cannot drive illicits surprise all over England and I am beginning to see why: it just is quite hard to impossible to get places other than by car.

Farnham has its v ery own gay bar as well. Okay, actually, it is just the cellar of a house, the one where I attended the coffee social. Dark and cheesily lit? Check! Garden with jacuzzi? Check! Lots of dirty pictures and warnings to play safe? Very check! Every friday they have a thing and once a month on saturday a theme disco night. The next one's theme is 'Speedos'. Considering the uhm age and portly dignity of the regular costumers and my lack of a pair of Speedos, I shan't be attending.

I've also joined the gym, both to stay in shape a bit and to meet locals. So far I've only met two personal trainers, a lovely young woman named Clare, and an absolutely gorgeous man named Sam, whose trainings I am sure I will enjoy. Hopefully there'll be more of that sort of meetings, as they are both perfectly lovely people.

I have also signed myself up with this 'ex-pat' website, so far I have gotten one response, from a Latino Norwegian au pair who wishes to "meat" me. I assume it is a case of bad English, but I will keep you informed as it develops.

Speaking of meat, my unfortunate 'no masturbating in someone else's house rule' is fricking killing me, it is going to be a long six months for my loigns. I thought I'd share that with you guys, wouldn't want you to suffer "Bob shares something too intimate" withdrawal.

The weather here is still irradic and mostly bad, though today is nice, which figures, since it is the only day I'm not outside. Mathilde the cat is still quite enamoured with me, and the feeling is mutual, but I could do without the live frogs she keeps bringing as a gift. Oeh, speaking of wildlife! So far I've seen a snake and a fox! I am totally holding out for a giraffe though. Or Prince Harry. That might actually solve my problem in the above paragraph as well.

Anyho, that's it for now, should anything fascinating happen, like Prince Harry desperately falling for me (after I tripped him of course), GAGS making me their mascotte or the revelation of exactly what Norwegian beef tastes like, I shall return and share it with you all in inappropriately detailed ways.

Cheers!