I do miss my Mum. I
really do. I miss all of my family. I can’t dwell on it because if I did, I
would be unhappy and really, I don’t have a right to be unhappy when I am
living such a nice life!
Life here is good. I
am doing things I love, bringing up my boys, training to be a Childbirth Educator, setting up my photography business. I have met some fabulous people,
and some not so fabulous people. I have been to some amazing places, visited
six states, found beautiful parks, and my home feels like a home (albeit
messier than I would like…). I have struggled with cultural differences, and
laughed at cultural differences. I’ve experienced Fall and Thanksgiving and
American Hallowe’en. I’ve discovered that there are hundreds of reasons to
celebrate with candy during the school year. I’m figuring out the supermarkets
and CSAs and farmers markets. I’m running - a lot! I passed my driving test. I had an American baby! I discovered groups like Frederick Mommies, Mombook, API
of Frederick, La Leche League of Frederick, and I joined them all! You could
never accuse me of being cliquey :)
The first three months
were the loneliest I have ever had. I didn’t know how it ‘worked’ out here. I
thought I would never make any friends or be able to have a normal conversation
with anyone. I was sad. Then it all started coming together…
So, one year on. I
feel lucky. Lucky to have a husband who supports me in all the crazy things
I’ve decided to take on; who doesn’t complain when I spend all day looking
after children and all night working on photos or coursework. I am lucky to
have made some good friends who have seen me laugh and seen me cry. I wish I
could move my home nearer to my family. Better still, I wish I could move my
family nearer to me!
Spurred on by a
Facebook conversation, I decided to start making a list of all the language
differences I’ve come across this year. Bear with me, I’m sure I’m missing hundreds
of others, but these are the ones that stick in my head!
(In no particular
order)
Garden = Yard
Vegetable patch =
garden
Boot = trunk
Bonnet = hood
Rubber = eraser
Condom = rubber
Rubber = eraser
Condom = rubber
Pram = carriage
Buggy = stroller
Pushchair = stroller
Travel cot = pack n
play
Activity centre =
Excersaucer
Nappies = diapers
Aubergine = eggplant
Coriander = cilantro
Courgette = green
squash / zucchini
BBQ = grill
Clothes pegs = clothes
pins
Post = mail (people
think I’m talking about the Washington Post newspaper if I mention post)
Football = soccer
American football =
football (who’d have known!)
Cordial = doesn’t
exist!
Zed = zee
Bottom = tush
Bum = butt
Biscuit = Cookie
Dumpling-type thing =
biscuit, as in “chicken and biscuit”. I haven’t had it…
Pronunciation:
The completely
different pronunciation of certain herbs, with herb itself being ‘erb:
oregano = o-ray-ganno
basil = bay-zle
quinoa = key-noir (had
a very puzzled look from a shop assistant when I asked for ki-noah…)
Zebra = zee-bra
Nauseous = Naw-shus
Awesome ONLY sounds
cool with an American accent. Fact.
Random musings:
When we first arrived
I mentioned to David that there were a LOT of deaf people here. There really
are! It took me ten months to realise that the Maryland School for the Deaf is
in Frederick… so not just some kind of Martha’s Vineyard then…
Go to the shops /
dentist / haircut etc = ‘running errands’
The addition of ‘of’
to a sentence: “take that off of there” “you get off of route 70”
The Lube Center. No
matter how many times I drive past it, I still snigger to myself like an
adolescent schoolboy. It just sounds so rude. It’s a car shop!
What is the thing with
milk? In the UK you have whole milk, semi-skimmed milk and skimmed milk. Here you have whole milk, 2% milk, 1%
milk, some places have skimmed milk, raw milk (illegal in MD). Which one is the
same as UK skimmed milk? Probably none of them, I’ve not worked it out yet…
"Happy 1 year Anniversary!" I'm so glad you found so many groups to make this place feel more comfortable. Especially Frederick Mommies since we may have not met otherwise!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading all the language differences, and I am ashamed of "our" use of the word "of". Really, we are taught in school not to combine "off" and "of"! Sometimes we don't listen. I'll get off of my soapbox now.
Thank you! I keep thinking of more words every day, typical! Today I remembered pants/trousers and elbow pasta/macaroni... I'll get off of here now... :)
DeleteHah, good point about the lube shop. I remember moving to the UK ten years ago and being baffled by the names of office sundries: plastic wallets? Rubbers? Really?
ReplyDeleteNow I'm back in the big country and can't stop saying the British triplicate - trousers! rubbish! cheers! - no matter how I try. Garbage and 'have a nice day' just ain't got the same ring.
So watch out! If you stay long enough you're going to sound mixed up everywhere. But on the bright side: wherever you is, that's where you are.
What is a plastic wallet here? I'll have to ask someone... Cheers! I forgot about cheers! You'll figure it out, just beware of those demon bugs :) x
Deletewow it has been a year already? that seems to have flown by. it must have been so hard for you and i can understand that it still would be, but you seem to have coped admirably and having Tyler has really completed your move and your lovely family. i have enjoyed following your adventure so far and i look forward to seeing more of them too. well done on coping os well xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenny :) It's had it's up and downs but I'm really enjoying being here!! :) x
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ReplyDeleteThat first year is really had for all babies and his/her mommies...