Less than two weeks in the US, I still have the sensation of 'just visiting'.
~Em
Saturday 20 July 2013
Thursday 18 July 2013
Sticker Shock
Apart from the rising price of petrol (ok, 'gasoline'), I hadn't really made room in my mind for inflation in the US.
About four years ago on a visit to California I remember grocery shopping with a friend and being stunned to see the prices. In my mind I always translated $ into £ so everything seemed reasonably affordable, until I saw the price of sea salt butter in San Francisco and nearly gasped. Then add sales tax!!
Granted, VAT in the UK is a whopping 20%, but since it's added into the sticker price it isn't noticed. We already knew we were getting 'royally' (!) ripped off.
Of course the cost of things has gone up in the past decade. You've all gradually adjusted and probably hardly noticed.
(I'll just be over here in the dairy aisle gasping...)
Tuesday 16 July 2013
My Timeline So Far
I have been lucky enough to live in some pretty amazing cities in the US and in other parts of the world. And I won't lie... I have loved every second of it. Not to say there weren't some dodgy times, but for the most part, I had a blast.
Cities I have lived in have included:
Moscow, Russia
Atlanta, GA
Harare, Zimbabwe
Washington, DC
Beijing, China
London, UK
For the most part each time I moved on, it was my choice. I was ready to leave, whether it be for work or school. And I never thought that London, or the UK, would resonate so much with me. In fact, the plan was to have a home base in the US and travel overseas for work. Then in 2002, I decided to run the Dublin marathon. Along the way I stopped in London to see some friends. I vividly recall feeling that London was going to be my home. It was remarkable. Less then a year later I was living there.
Fast forward ten years and I've relocated back to California. The difference with this move you see, is that it wasn't necessarily by choice. I am one of those expats who had to return due to visa constraints. So after ten wonderful, and complicated, years in London I am back stateside. And it feels very strange! I am now faced with having to get to know California again, to know my family again and to know my place in both. I won't lie it is a bit scary, however it can also be quite funny at times... hence this blog!
How does one cope with reverse culture shock? Hopefully this platform will help me with this dilemma, offer some humorous insights for my family and friends, and allow me to laugh a little as I navigate my acclimation back to American life!
Cities I have lived in have included:
Moscow, Russia
Atlanta, GA
Harare, Zimbabwe
Washington, DC
Beijing, China
London, UK
For the most part each time I moved on, it was my choice. I was ready to leave, whether it be for work or school. And I never thought that London, or the UK, would resonate so much with me. In fact, the plan was to have a home base in the US and travel overseas for work. Then in 2002, I decided to run the Dublin marathon. Along the way I stopped in London to see some friends. I vividly recall feeling that London was going to be my home. It was remarkable. Less then a year later I was living there.
Fast forward ten years and I've relocated back to California. The difference with this move you see, is that it wasn't necessarily by choice. I am one of those expats who had to return due to visa constraints. So after ten wonderful, and complicated, years in London I am back stateside. And it feels very strange! I am now faced with having to get to know California again, to know my family again and to know my place in both. I won't lie it is a bit scary, however it can also be quite funny at times... hence this blog!
How does one cope with reverse culture shock? Hopefully this platform will help me with this dilemma, offer some humorous insights for my family and friends, and allow me to laugh a little as I navigate my acclimation back to American life!
Where do I start?
My fellow contributor and London friend (this is funny to me because we actually went to high school together) has suggested I start writing this blog to help me with what I am going through. That I need to just start writing.
So here goes...
I knew my return back to California was always going to be difficult. In the past 18 years I have lived in California at most 18 months, and even this was a very long time ago. I don't think I really thought I would ever return. And if I'm honest that is probably why it has taken me so long to start writing. I now have to admit that I am no longer just on holiday, visiting my family, but I actually live here (well for now).
A few years ago I heard from an old college friend of mine. The first thing she said to me was, 'we always knew you would be living elsewhere.' I hadn't considered this much at the time, but I have to say that in the last 20 years I have pushed myself further and further away from California. I didn't have a reason other than I felt the need to live in different places, to experience what's out there. So much so my mother used to always tell me, 'the next time you move, live somewhere interesting so we can come visit.' I loved my life, I loved living that life of having few belongings and being able to relocate quite easily.
Then... I moved to London for graduate school, and also a guy, and I fell in love with the city, the people, the food believe it or not, and British culture. It felt like home. Finally, I felt like I became who I was meant to be. It sounds so cliche but I suppose it's true, I finally had the space to explore who I was and what I wanted out of life.
And now I am back... in California...
I do feel lost, things are so different here compared to the UK. And now for the first time in my life I am not sure what is going to happen. But as many of my friends have said change is good and not to fight it... Yeah OK, I will try but goodness, does adjusting back to US life have to be so hard?! So for now I am trying to carry on... to keep my chin up and smile... and to allow myself a little time to figure out what is next.
Surely, this is enough for tonight I think. I have finally started writing and you know what? I actually do feel a little better. Wonder what tomorrow will bring?
So here goes...
I knew my return back to California was always going to be difficult. In the past 18 years I have lived in California at most 18 months, and even this was a very long time ago. I don't think I really thought I would ever return. And if I'm honest that is probably why it has taken me so long to start writing. I now have to admit that I am no longer just on holiday, visiting my family, but I actually live here (well for now).
A few years ago I heard from an old college friend of mine. The first thing she said to me was, 'we always knew you would be living elsewhere.' I hadn't considered this much at the time, but I have to say that in the last 20 years I have pushed myself further and further away from California. I didn't have a reason other than I felt the need to live in different places, to experience what's out there. So much so my mother used to always tell me, 'the next time you move, live somewhere interesting so we can come visit.' I loved my life, I loved living that life of having few belongings and being able to relocate quite easily.
Then... I moved to London for graduate school, and also a guy, and I fell in love with the city, the people, the food believe it or not, and British culture. It felt like home. Finally, I felt like I became who I was meant to be. It sounds so cliche but I suppose it's true, I finally had the space to explore who I was and what I wanted out of life.
And now I am back... in California...
I do feel lost, things are so different here compared to the UK. And now for the first time in my life I am not sure what is going to happen. But as many of my friends have said change is good and not to fight it... Yeah OK, I will try but goodness, does adjusting back to US life have to be so hard?! So for now I am trying to carry on... to keep my chin up and smile... and to allow myself a little time to figure out what is next.
Surely, this is enough for tonight I think. I have finally started writing and you know what? I actually do feel a little better. Wonder what tomorrow will bring?
Tuesday 9 July 2013
My timeline in the UK (A 25 year odyssey)
For those just tuning in, my own historical timeline with the UK goes like this:
1988 - teenage French class visit to Europe, stopping in London
1992 - study abroad student at Birkbeck in London for the autumn semester (4 months)
1993 - study abroad student in Cambridge in an economics program summer (2.5 months)
2000-2003 - a few annual visits
2004 - emigrated on a fianceé visa, settled as a permanent resident (later divorced)
2004-2007 - lived in Wales (2.5 yrs)
2007-2008 - lived in Bristol and loved it (1.5 yrs)
2008 - lived in London until 2013 (5 yrs)
2013 - ready for a change, moved from London to N. California
Somewhere around 2005 I stopped saying "pants" and replaced it with "trousers".
Somewhere around 2007 I stopped saying "trash can" and replaced it with "rubbish bin".
In 2008 I got Accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
In 2009 I got my citizenship and was naturalised as British. Finally felt like I belonged.
Somewhere around 2010 I started pronouncing the letter "H" the British way.
Concurrently, friends from the US would comment that I was sounding "more British", although I always thought, and still think I sound very Californian.
(I could be in denial...)
Many of my clients said they couldn't tell where my accent was from (!)
1988 - teenage French class visit to Europe, stopping in London
1992 - study abroad student at Birkbeck in London for the autumn semester (4 months)
1993 - study abroad student in Cambridge in an economics program summer (2.5 months)
2000-2003 - a few annual visits
2004 - emigrated on a fianceé visa, settled as a permanent resident (later divorced)
2004-2007 - lived in Wales (2.5 yrs)
2007-2008 - lived in Bristol and loved it (1.5 yrs)
2008 - lived in London until 2013 (5 yrs)
2013 - ready for a change, moved from London to N. California
Somewhere around 2005 I stopped saying "pants" and replaced it with "trousers".
Somewhere around 2007 I stopped saying "trash can" and replaced it with "rubbish bin".
In 2008 I got Accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
In 2009 I got my citizenship and was naturalised as British. Finally felt like I belonged.
Somewhere around 2010 I started pronouncing the letter "H" the British way.
Concurrently, friends from the US would comment that I was sounding "more British", although I always thought, and still think I sound very Californian.
(I could be in denial...)
Many of my clients said they couldn't tell where my accent was from (!)
Monday 8 July 2013
What day is it, exactly?
Flying on 7/7 to the US makes it easy - there's no confusion about what the date is.
But now that it's the 8th of July, I have to pause while I remind myself where I am and how the date is written here. It is going to be difficult to undo the past decade of day/month and revert to month/day. Seriously, though it may seem minor, getting the date right is fundamental.
Never mind being eight hours in the past. Until yesterday I was living in Greenwich, a few meters away from the meridian line, projected in a green laser-like line across the sky over the neighborhood.
This morning the PST zone welcomes a blue sky, dogs barking and birds chirping and me waking up at 05:16.
It is 7/8/13. July 8 --- right?
But now that it's the 8th of July, I have to pause while I remind myself where I am and how the date is written here. It is going to be difficult to undo the past decade of day/month and revert to month/day. Seriously, though it may seem minor, getting the date right is fundamental.
Never mind being eight hours in the past. Until yesterday I was living in Greenwich, a few meters away from the meridian line, projected in a green laser-like line across the sky over the neighborhood.
This morning the PST zone welcomes a blue sky, dogs barking and birds chirping and me waking up at 05:16.
It is 7/8/13. July 8 --- right?
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