Being New Here

The other day I was walking to the supermarket and guess what I saw?  The milkman!  It was amazing and something that I had never seen before outside of the TV.  It reinforced this idea that there is something old timey about the UK, something that has been lost in the States. 

My husband always seems a bit annoyed when I say that the UK is a bit old fashioned.  (That might not be the best word choice and I’m open for ideas on a new descriptive word.)  The thing is this is one of the reasons why I’m so happy to be here.  Of course, I’m thrilled to be with my husband after 2.5 years of a long distance relationship as well.  However, he could have been from anywhere and I would have moved there too.  I feel lucky that I’ve ended up in the UK.

I love that we cook more often from scratch because there just aren’t as many partial made food options here.   Not having frozen oj from concentrate is very annoying though. I love that the mailman is on a bike in my neighborhood.  I do find the plugs to be large and a bit awkward, but they don’t pull out of the wall the way the American plugs do.   I love that my 60 year old house, young by UK standards, still has some of the original touches that I find lovely and quirky.    

I also love the appreciation of the past that people have here.  Old buildings are saved, long dead historical figures have name plaques on walls, and pubs fight for the oldest distinction. 

Perhaps I’m just in my immigration honeymoon phase, but I hope that when I find things frustrating or strange here, that I look outside and see the milkman and remember why I love it here so much.