It is a good time for reflection. Life here is similar, yet different in so many common ways. The biggest difference is definitely not having a car and walking or taking public transport everywhere. And depending on delivery services for everyday things like groceries and household supplies. We definitely have not missed the hassle and cost of having a car here. Although there have been a couple of occasions where having a car could have saved some time: like the time I had to collect Alison's guitar from a school about 1.5 miles away, but I took the tube and a bus to get there and it took nearly an hour and a half! If we had a car, it would have taken about 20 minutes. However, I always get my step goal on weekdays. And the kids rarely complain about walking anymore.
I am still amazed at the diversity and mix of people that I am surrounded with on a daily basis here. I am not at all fazed by people speaking in another language or wearing a hijab or a man wearing a robe by now. I am truly thankful that my kids are much more sensitive to and aware of others being different from them; it has made them more accepting of everyone I think. I have learned about many different holidays and also about halal meat, which refers to the way it is slaughtered.
British TV is not quite the same as US TV. I have been following all of the US dramas that I watched before, but they are a few episodes behind here. The one show we have really enjoyed here is "First Dates," which is a show where people are matched up for first dates at this one restaurant near St. Paul's. It's very interesting because they have daters who are 18 all the way up to widow/widowers in their 80's! Brad and I even had dinner at the restaurant one night, where we got the scoop from our waiter that they film on the weekends for 3 months and then they take 3 months off where the restaurant is open for regular dining. It is closed to the public during filming.
One of the things I miss about the US (other than my family and friends) is being able to go into the school more often. The schools here are so much smaller that it is not possible to go to school for lunch or for class parties or other activities. We are invited to school when our child receives the achievement award for the week, which I LOVE because it is such a treat to go to assembly and see all the kids in the main hall and support each other. I am always impressed with how quietly all the students come into the hall and sit and wait for all the other classes to come in. And all three of my kids are in assembly this year since Drew is in Year 1 now.
I know that a lot of people here complain about the NHS, but they have obviously never had to pay for healthcare! I am so pleased with the NHS because we don't have to pay out of pocket for our epi-pens or allergy testing or any of the kids prescriptions. I can understand why some people get frustrated because when you need to see the GP for a same day appointment you have to call over 40 times at 8:30 AM on the dot while you are in the middle of doing the school run, nevertheless at least it is not a £10 co-pay! I do miss taking the kids to their annual check-ups and getting their height and weight and seeing how it compares on their growth chart.
I do have to say that we are all really loving it here. I really am a city person. I remember when we moved to New Jersey from Chicago and really missed the El and the buzz in the city. There is always something going on, and it will probably take about 45-60 minutes to get there. The kids are enjoying being in a smaller school with only 2 classes on their year and they have stayed with all the same kids. Brad is thriving in his job; he works with a really great group of people where there is mutual respect. I have become involved in the school and at church and have started working at a bakery part-time, which I am really enjoying because every day is different.
It's not to say there haven't been challenges....it was really hard at first to make friends and there are still days that I feel lonely and I miss my family and the comforts of home. I miss being there to celebrate all the birthdays and the random weekends to visit friends.
I am glad there are no guns allowed in this country, and it is something that gives me pause about going back to the US where it seems guns are everywhere. There are days that I miss my big house with my basement where I could store anything and everything. And I miss my big backyard where the kids could go and run around. But I love all the green spaces here!
Since we bought the house about a year ago, we think we may be here for a while. These three years have gone by so quickly and we still have so many more countries we want to explore in Europe and further afield. So far, as a family we have visited the following cities:
Edinburgh, Scotland
Dublin, Ireland
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Valencia, Spain
Sopot, Poland (not Brad)
Rome, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Paris, France
Normandy, France (Lauren & Brad)
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Sidmouth, England
Copenhagen, Denmark
Lagos, Portugal
Barcelona, Spain
We love showing people around London, so if you are London, please let us know! It's only a 20 minute train ride from Waterloo to Wimbledon!
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