White Row

Well I moved into my new apartment on "White Row". It's covered in the cheep 70's fake wood walls, my room smells like cat pee, and my neighbors beat each other up. BUT! we have a sweet huge T.V and lots of comfy couch space. I live literally a 4 min walk from the hotel but I have been warned to never walk home. So I wont. taxi's 4 min away might seem silly but I'm not willing to take the chance to get jumped. I never felt more like a minority in my life. I almost feel marked here for one being a female and for two being Caucasian. Don't get me wrong I don't think all Iqaluit is out to get me or anything haha, there are a lot of very nice locals including some of which I work with. But I still can't help but feel like a target.
Anyways, I had to walk to work today up the steepest most slippery hill of life and I sliped and almost feel and zipping by me were the chuckles of a local on a skidoo..thats right, laugh at the so obvious out of towner :P I might have grown up in rural Newfoundland, but I'm such a city girl.
Right now I'm sitting at the carabrew cafe and I'm an hr early for work..(I have been deemed "keener" by my boss)..and I'm getting ready to do 70 check ins, count cigs, calling cards, and cash, change shifts, put away keys, witness cash drops, print in house by room reports, print and prepare the full house arrivals for tomorrow (blah), send confirmation letters, do wake up calls, check in house guests for payments, phone limits, room charges, and dining room reports, do bucket check(blah) and then go home and sleep sleep sleep!
I hope everyone back home is doing well and they keep me updated on the news so I'm not out of the loop all together.
I'll post some pics of my apartment soon too...it's such a peace of shit..haha

First Day

Today I woke up and went for a walk around the town and it was so small it only took me and hour. I went into the local grocery stores just to have a look at the prices of food and such and I came to the conclusion that I will never afford it. I bought a box of Nutri-Grain bars and a case of pepsi and I paid 35.00 for it! The cost of living up here is insane. So, It looks like I will be walking in the snow for free hotel food bcs I aint paying all that money for it.
When I came back I had dinner with a couple of the girls who are signing their second year contracts. They were really nice to me and one of the girls are going to be my roommate starting tomorrow. I will also be living with a girl Sarah who I havnt really gotten the chance to talk to much yet.
After Dinner I got ready for work. And let me tell you It was a very interesting night. Mike trained me all night and the work is not hard, I just have to get use to some of the paperwork and the computer system. In the hotel there are a bunch of businesses and a bar and movie theater are two of the many. It's Sat. night and the lobby was packed the whole night with teenagers and drunks. The cops were called three times. Some guy tried to smash out the windows. A woman was crying hysterically in the lobby drunk. Another guy decided he wanted to smoke inside...it was a wild night. During all this, I'm trying to make reservations with people on the phone..haha...
But tomorrow I move from the hotel into my puke green ghetto apartment with my new roomies and It's brunch day (apparently a day to look forward too) ;)....
I love it here so far...no sarcasm I actually like it.

A note left to me by a co-worker that says: "Amanda, these (scarfs) are washed and STD free" ;P
Box of bars and pepsi= 35.00!!mmm..Dinner

Expensive?? Yep!

I just paid 2.25 for this bottle of diet coke...

Home Sweet Home

So I finally arrived! The hotel in Ottawa was ok but the staff were less then that and there was a guy in the room next to me who snored soo loud. I woke up at 5:30am and got a shower, threw on some cloths and took off for the airport. I wanted to get there early and good thing, they boarded the plane early! I had to lie to the airport staff so I could get my guitar on bored THEN It wouldnt fit in the overhead because the plane is old and small. so I had to cram it in the back of the plane between the wall and a seat. Let's just say the flight attendants wernt very pleased..but whatever, I got my way:)
So when I landed in Iqaluit a French Canadian named ..umm..I forget...Martin?..I think, was holding a sign for me. He was hilarious. He grabbed all my bags and we hopped in the Frobisher Inn company van and he showed me around the town and brought me to my hotel room. I have to stay in the hotel for 4 or 5 days until they get my room ready. So then I met the staff, including my manager Paul and everyone seems really nice so far. The hotel in insanely busy. In the lobby where I will be working there is a local theater, local swimming pool, local pharmacy, the poplar bar, a cafe and a convenience store.
So, right now I'm taking the time to catch up on some relaxation so I can be wide awake and ready to work tomorrow. Breakfast on the plane

My Hotel Room

The Flights

leaving St. John's


Landing in Toronto


Leaving Toronto



Landing in Ottawa

So, the vids are sideways because I'm computer dumb and have no idea how to turn them around the right way:p

I was terrified to get on the airplanes and had myself freaked out. I got on and had the BEST time. I wasn't afraid at all and I actually fell asleep for a little while, took some pics and some vids. The turbulence was so bad at one point during landing in Ottawa the passengers were putting their arms up in the air pretending they were on a rollarcoaster.. haha usually I would have been curled up in a ball thinking I was going to die, but i was lauing my ass off. Lesley gave me a great tip on how to make reduce ear pain. If you don't mind looking like a moron (and we all know I don't), just keep your mouth wide open during take off and landing. It worked perfectly.

So now I'm at Adam's Airport Inn and I orderd a big dirty pizza and I'm washing my cloths for work tomorrow. I hope the flight to Iqaluit is as fun as these were:)

Last Two, Very Emotional Days, In Newfoundland

My retarded Family that I'll miss!

I had to say good-bye to my two best friends and It wasn't easy. I'll miss you both!

Good-bye Pumpkin <3

Your my best buddy! I'll miss you. I love you!