I am glad to say that I have recovered my emotional equilibrium after a trying Christmas and post-Christmas week. I imagine that much of the problem, besides being away from family, is due to the fact that this was the first Christmas that I have worked. Last season, my first in the hospitality industry, I didn't work the holidays because we were overstaffed. Now I am a 'seasoned' veteran.
And including today, I now have four days off! Sweet bliss. If it was warmer and the weather better I would go for a day trip to Swansea or somewhere, but the U.K. has been experiencing gale-force winds and flooding throughout much of the country in the past few days, so I will stay put, relax, and shore up the home front.
2011 was a good year for me, though trying as I settled into my first year in Wales. I face 2012 feeling much more grounded and ready to make travel plans for jaunts to Europe and Wales and a home visit to Canada/U.S. I am now under contract at the hotel, rather than 'casual', and this will help in organizing time away.
I don't believe I am alone in being a little fearful as well at what 2012 will bring us. The state of the economy on both sides of the Atlantic is precarious and in dire need of fixing, yet no one really seems to know what to do about it. What is really needed is a drastic overhaul and a readjustment of the imbalances of capitalism -- but how to accomplish that without a complete collapse of the world as we know it?
This year the U.K. is putting on at least two showcases -- the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in early June celebrating the 60th year Elizabeth II has served on the throne, including a countrywide tour by Her Majesty as well as a flotilla on the Thames -- and, of course, the 2012 Olympics. Huge, symbolic events such as these are always something to look forward to, but also always make me uneasy as Britain in particular has known terrorism on the homefront. Most of the Olympic events are in London but Cardiff is hosting some of the Olympic football (soccer) games. Only this week our hotel is host to security forces preparing for the Games in Cardiff.
I brought the New Year in at home as the weather was a little blustery and I was working on New Year's Day. Last year I attended the outdoor festivities at City Hall with a fine crowd of happy, celebratory folk. This year I watched the amazing crowds and fireworks in London on the BBC. I couldn't believe my eyes when fireworks came out of Big Ben! I have seen fantastic firework displays on the Detroit River over the years but this London celebration was the most fantastic I have ever witnessed, live or on TV. Outside my groundfloor flat my street erupted into cheers and celebration as a family party poured out of their home and ran up and down the roads, lighting fireworks and sending them with repeated bangs into the sky.
At work the next day my co-workers talked of sending and receiving calls of celebration from loved ones across the globe. I had called my brothers and stepmother at the UK midnight, only 7 p.m. their time. A co-worker with family in Thailand said his Thai relatives had brought in the New Year five to six hours before the U.K. A Polish co-worker whose Indian husband is currrently in India received a call from him at 5:30 p.m. and called her Polish relatives at 11 p.m. for their New Year.
Around the world we are all connected.
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