So while I battle with my essay tonight and tomorrow, meet Melissa, my guest blogger today and soon to be a fellow expat. Mel will son be joining me (well, she will be joining her awesome boyfriend, not me personally) in the UK and I know many amazing adventures await her in this brand new chapter. She also has some great food entries. So read her post today and go over to her blog and say hello. Love you all.
---------
When I was a young girl around the age of 10 or 11, my mother brought home two books for me: Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. I fell in love with those books and soon moved on to Jane Austen novels. I started dreaming of someday living in England and I’ve believed ever since that that is where I belong. Skip ahead about 15 years and I met a wonderful English guy named Jack. We’ve known each other since May 2008 and have been together for over a year and a half, and we’re very happy. A transatlantic relationship is difficult at times, and separation is never easy. A few months ago we got engaged and soon my dream of living in the United Kingdom will be coming true!
My blog is entitled “An American Girl in Bristol” as this is where Jack currently lives and where we were planning on living together in a flat in the Horfield area of the city. I was supposed to be moving over to Bristol on November, but unfortunately unforeseen circumstances got in the way. However, Jack is making plans to move very soon about an hour and a half away to Wales, where his grandmother lives and we’re planning on moving me over there in March. In fact, just a couple months ago his parents also moved there to be closer to her. So I guess this American girl won’t be in Bristol after all. So I’m also in the process of re-designing my blog. Oh well, one must roll with what life throws at you. I honestly never considered Wales much before I met Jack, but I’ve since come to learn that it is a beautiful country. Blogging, working, attending University, and maintaining a long-distance relationship requires a lot of time and effort, but it’s totally worth it.
Of course, moving 3000 miles away from my family and everything I know is scary. The thought of being so far away from my parents worries me at times. I also wonder how much life will be different in another country. I also tend to worry about silly things, like going to the grocery store and finding things that I am familiar with. What kind of detergent should I use? Which brands are the healthiest or the best priced? Where the hell can I find some damn almond milk?! These are things that run through my mind on occasion. I worry about being able to drive on the other side of the road. I worry about finding a good job. I worry about being an American in another country, because I am fully aware of the stigma attached to being an American in a foreign country. At least I won’t be an obnoxious tourist! I’ll be the obnoxious American living next door and asking you annoying questions in the grocery store, like “why can’t I find any english muffins?”
If you love bbq pulled pork as I do, then also check out her recipe here. I also had this for lunch. I am sure Mel's was better. Go say hi.
---------
My blog is entitled “An American Girl in Bristol” as this is where Jack currently lives and where we were planning on living together in a flat in the Horfield area of the city. I was supposed to be moving over to Bristol on November, but unfortunately unforeseen circumstances got in the way. However, Jack is making plans to move very soon about an hour and a half away to Wales, where his grandmother lives and we’re planning on moving me over there in March. In fact, just a couple months ago his parents also moved there to be closer to her. So I guess this American girl won’t be in Bristol after all. So I’m also in the process of re-designing my blog. Oh well, one must roll with what life throws at you. I honestly never considered Wales much before I met Jack, but I’ve since come to learn that it is a beautiful country. Blogging, working, attending University, and maintaining a long-distance relationship requires a lot of time and effort, but it’s totally worth it.
Of course, moving 3000 miles away from my family and everything I know is scary. The thought of being so far away from my parents worries me at times. I also wonder how much life will be different in another country. I also tend to worry about silly things, like going to the grocery store and finding things that I am familiar with. What kind of detergent should I use? Which brands are the healthiest or the best priced? Where the hell can I find some damn almond milk?! These are things that run through my mind on occasion. I worry about being able to drive on the other side of the road. I worry about finding a good job. I worry about being an American in another country, because I am fully aware of the stigma attached to being an American in a foreign country. At least I won’t be an obnoxious tourist! I’ll be the obnoxious American living next door and asking you annoying questions in the grocery store, like “why can’t I find any english muffins?”
If you love bbq pulled pork as I do, then also check out her recipe here. I also had this for lunch. I am sure Mel's was better. Go say hi.
