It’s now been two months since we landed and began our new
life here in Jolly Old England. It was quite rough at first. We felt out of
place. We struggled to get around. We had so. many. errands. to get sorted out
with the military. We had no sense of home. To put it plainly, we were
miserable.
But with the help of time, we are learning to adjust.
We finally have a home (although renting leaves a taint on
the place and reminds me that it’s not really home. It doesn’t have that permanent feel that real
home does, know what I mean?) We have
all of our belongings now, and our car made it here. There are still boxes here and there full of
stuff we don’t yet have a spot for. We don’t have much décor on the walls. But
slowly, it’s getting to feel like home.
We have completed all the errands of in-processing that the
military required upon our move here. There is still a thing or two every now
and then that crops up, but it’s mostly “maintenance,” if you will.
While we still struggle to get around in tight spots (like
in Canterbury this past Saturday, O.M.G.!), we don’t let it keep us inside
anymore. While parking is, and always will be a problem, Matthew and I are
confident enough in our driving and navigating the British roads that we get
out and about as much as we can. We have just learned to scout Google Maps for
car parks before we head out.
I still feel out of place in new areas, even to the point
where I won’t speak above a whisper to my family out in public because I am
afraid someone will notice my accent. Especially when we travel any great
distance away from the base (they are used to Americans in the towns near
base). And I still expect an American accent to come out when a stranger is
about to speak to me. This one has really slowed me down a few times on base,
where I expect everyone to be an American. Silly me.
But there are other areas where I know I am adjusting on my
own, such as when I watch T.V. or listen to the radio, I don’t hear the British
accents anymore. Or how I just jump in the car and go without hesitation or the
use of a Sat-Nav (that’s “GPS” in American.)
The return of “routine” has been the most helpful factor in
adjusting. Having the kids in school on set schedules, and my husband finally
settling into a set shift (for now) at work, has helped tremendously with all
the trepidations we felt in the beginning. With all the “unfamiliar” wearing
off, I know things are looking up.
