Friends in Far off Places

Not all is as bad as it sounds here in Hastings we have managed to make some new friends…

Mutant seagulls.
Although Australia does have its fair share of seagulls nothing can prepare you for the monsters of Hastings. Roughly three to four times the size of an ordinary seagull they are probably more seagulls than people in the old town. Communication has been limited but we’ve only been crapped on once which I think is a good sign that these fearsome sentinels have accepted us. Particularly since the local nickname for “All Saints Street” is “Bomber’s Alley”.

One of the beasts in town

The Foreign Legion
We have made good friends with the 5 other Canadian teachers at the school and we go out together on Friday nights (and sometimes Saturday nights as well- although we’ve gotten old and boring now). It has been really great having people to swap stories with and keep an eye out for each other.

Tina and Paul
Our adopted parents in the UK. Tina and Paul ran the guesthouse were we stayed for our first week. They are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. As it happens one of their kids has just started his first teaching job too.

Entry to our B & B which is 500 years old- the doors are so tiny so it's perfect for Karen

Puppy Love
Strangely we seem to be the only people in Hastings who don’t own any pets. I say strangely because no one has a backyard. So instead most of the dogs can be seen trotting around the town with their obedient owner in tow. These aren’t little dog’s either! We’ve seen Alsatians, Great Danes, Whippets and some dogs that can only be described as Bear dogs. What exactly happens to these dogs while their owners go to work is a mystery as I am quite sure they wouldn’t fit into the tiny little houses here.

Our Social Secretary
We have also made friends with one of the new English teachers, who has been acting as our tour guide through the city of Hastings. At least through it’s pubs and nightclubs at any rate.