Tiennie asked me to write about expat life for some blog fodder for this post a day thing. I always find it really hard to explain what being an expat is like. I know a lot of people back home think that because I live in England I should have no problems, no niggling day to day worries. “You live in England,” they say. “What can you possibly have to complain about?” The funny thing about that is that people over here say the same thing about living in California. How could anything ever be bad in California? Life is life, no matter if you’re living it in your hometown or 10,000 miles away from it. And sometimes life is just a big pain.

There’s the language differences, of course. Two countries separated by a common language and all that. And it’s true. The first time I came to England I spent a train ride in a hilarious conversation about paste. I was thinking of the kind we used in kindergarden that some of the kids ate. They were on about pate-like paste that you put in sandwiches. Mr F and I have to clarify our shopping list because I’ll write chips for both french fries and crisps. Sometimes just the pronounciation is enough to get everyone confused. I say leeesure, Mr F says lesure (leisure). I get made fun of for being posh because I say pasta and taco with long As instead of short ones.

Cultural things are a bit odd too. I eat with my utensils in the wrong hands. I don’t use a knife for everything. And while this may just be a family thing, my left hand is usually firmly in my lap at the table. Tea really is refreshing. After coming out of surgery a few years ago I was offered tea and biscuits, which I accepted with vigor. There’s paper hats at Christmas and crackers that you pull and get trinkets and really bad jokes out of. Soccer is the sport everyone watches. People drink in an entirely different way than they do back home. Binge drinking is very normal here. Up until recently smoking was allowed in public places. Everyone’s got a local pub where they hang out. Mother’s Day is in March.

Then there’s the practical differences. They drive on the wrong side of the road. Sit on the wrong side of the car. England is closer to Moscow than it is to New York. I sometimes have to remind myself that I am currently on the other side of the world from where my brain’s map puts me. Everything is in celsius, metric (except for road distances, they’re still in miles) and stoves have gas marks (gas mark 6 = 400F). There are kettles to boil water. Cold water washes on washing machines are 30C (86F). When the sun comes out you find Britons in the tiniest things they own and absolutely glued to the sun. It always rains on Wimbledon. Sundays and bank holidays usually are rainy too. It rains a lot. A lot a lot. Over the last three days it was been in the upper 70s. It has rained all three days.

Food is mostly different. American chain fast food places are very popular though. That bland awful food everyone complains about is well, bland and awful. The Chinese food tastes nothing like it does back home. But the Indian food is compensation for both. I was raised eating curry but those childhood curries don’t even begin to compare with Madras, Ceylon, Dhansak or even Tikka Masala (which is an English-created dish). I spent a lifetime eating plain lentils when dahl existed in the world. Of course, there are the downsides, in terms of food. I have yet to find a good Italian restaurant. Lasagne always features bechamel sauce (ick). Once I even got it with brown gravy on it! (I should state that my lasagne is kick ass, has four cheeses and tomato based sauces. I prefer Southern Italian cuisine to Northern.) I can think of one good Mexican restaurant. ONE. And it’s in London (well, Clapham). It’s showing up in supermarkets in those awful Old El Paso kits but that’s still classed as good Mexican food. Thank goodness I can cook nicer food than I can buy!

You would think that because this is an island country, fish is the big thing to eat. But it isn’t. It’s meat based, definitely, but lamb, beef and pork are the most popular proteins. You can’t find anything sugar free in the shops. No proper pudding, no Cool Whip, no Girl Scout cookies, no entire shopping aisle devoted to ice cream. Much better chocolate though. Starbucks is the same. So is McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC and the ilk. Apparently there are Taco Bells on the American bases but I don’t know anyone who works on a base to get me in. I do miss Taco Bell.

I don’t mean for this to come across sounding negative. I love England and I love living here. I love the trains (especially the old ones with doors that slam as opposed to slide shut). I love that London is so close even if I can’t often get there. When we see the Yarn Harlot this year it will be our first time in central London for about five years. (Thank you wheelchair.) I adore Winchester. I love the cathedral, I love Midnight Mass even if I’m not Church of England. There are local steam train lines, harbors and docks of historical, military and civilian use. Portsmouth harbor = awesome if you are into military ships (like me). There’s even a submarine museum that I am dragging Mr F to. Up until recently one of the Royal Navy aircraft carriers sat in Portsmouth harbor. I LOVE aircraft carriers and have been kicking myself for putting off seeing it for so long as it has sailed off to duty now. (Yeah, not so girly now, am I?) Southampton harbor = lots of big cruise ships. We’ve seen the QE2 docked and Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas which is the biggest cruise ship in the world and currently there now. It’s where the Titanic took off from as well as innumerable classic sea voyages. In fact, if you love maritime history (like me), the south coast is the best place in the world for it. I love the stately homes’ gardens that are open in summer. In fact, both Blenheim and Wilton are on our to-do list this summer. I love British strawberries. British asparagus is so fantastically good that we don’t eat asparagus at all when it’s not in season and then have it about six times in six weeks, just to get our fill. British summer as a whole encapsulates the British mentality perfectly. It’s odd, weird, hot and showy in the best of ways. I love Trooping the Color and the Queen’s birthday. I loved seeing all the royals board a bus at Prince Charles’s wedding. I love the British sense of humor. I love all the good natured rivalries in Europe. I love that Europe is so close. I just love being here, living here and I feel incredibly lucky and grateful that I have had this opportunity to do so.

Next up, picture tour of Winchester! I would like to expand this idea and get picture tours of bunches of local cities and towns like Salisbury, Portsmouth, Southampton, as well as those further afield. It’s a fun thing to do and hopefully you all enjoy it.

Today’s Blogs:

Fairieknits: Aimee is knitting one of those mitered square sock yarn blankets.

Two Swallows Blog: Rhian knits for dolls and herself and has the best blog layout in the world.