Hey Magnabosco, I just wanted to add my two cents to this. I've lived in the UK for six years now (
), and some days I still find it really hard to be here. But then again, I did things in a very strange way.
I spent four years living in Scotland, working on my thesis, and just as I was gearing up to go back to Canada, I met my husband-to-be. About seven months after that, during the same week I was preparing to submit my final draft, I found out that I was pregnant (and five months along already!). So, events sped up quite a bit. I moved to York, I redecorated a house, I planned a wedding, I gave birth (C-section!), and then I got married, all in the space of five months.
So, I had time to get used to Scotland, but not to get used to England, and there are some serious differences here! Not least in the fact that I am living in one of the worst council estates in York... though people are trying to clean it up, it is a very slow process. I have been singled out by the kids/thugs (same thing here) as the "Canadian Freak" and I am sometimes too scared to walk the 50 metres down the road to the shop just to get some snacks at night, because the kids are so aggressive. (Just to give you an example - about two months ago, I was physically attacked by a new boy on our street. He rushed at me with a long metal pole, and jabbed it in my back. While his mother was watching... who said absolutely nothing to me... no apology, no reprimand to the child. Who is four years old, by the way. And plays in the street on his own. Whom I saw playing with a lighter near the gas pipes for his own house, trying to set the casing on fire.)
But this is nothing in comparison to how much I miss home. We just got back from a visit to Canada, and my son loved spending time with his grandparents there. My husband's parents have seen my boy twice in this last year. They spend no time with him, they never call, they never ask after him, and they make no effort whatsoever to be grandparents. And I despise the fact that they are here and do not care, and my parents are 5000km away and they DO care. I wish they could see my boy grow up... my dad is getting older, and I'm afraid that he won't be around too much more, and that he's going to miss seeing Connor grow up.... It sucks, and that's why I hate being here. But that's the only reason.
So... I hope your situation is not as oppressive. It's not all bad for me though. I have made a few friends, and now that I can drive (woo-hoo!), I can do so much more. I've decided to make the stately homes of England my new hobby, and I'm going to visit as many in the area as I can, and learn as much as there is to learn about each of them. I've joined the National Trust (which is a lovely organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of the heritage of the UK, homes and gardens and coastlines included), and I am planning to get involved with their volunteer work too.
It takes time, and effort on your part too. Eventually you will find UK equivalents to the groceries you need... it only took me four months to find Kraft Dinner here.
(Just so you know, it's in a red box - not blue - and it's called, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. But it is still the neon orange cheese powder I remember from back home!) My advice: check out all the different grocery chains here - you should find egg noodles in one of them!
There will be bad days, there will be good days. And eventually, there will only be good days. Everybody here is ready and willing to help and to listen - why else would this site be here? Good luck, and see you here soon.
Morgana
