Notes from a Broad abroad

Notes from a Broad Abroad, Part 2

2009-09-27T11:02:00.001+01:00

September 27, 2009 (Or if I were to write it "properly" 27 September 2009)

As of this past Friday, I have been here a year! I really can't believe it - the time has flown by SO fast! As I've said, I'm really glad I have my FB statuses and notes to refer back to, because honestly, so much has happened in this last year that I have trouble remembering it all!

A few things have changed since my last 'Note'. I have a new job starting on Monday October 5th for a local charity that supports disabled adults in their homes, or group homes. My role as a Support Worker is going to be a challenging one I think. But, Ill get to travel all over the county, get to know more new places, and again, meet new and interesting people! A definite deviation from my normal work roles: Administrative Assistant, Customer Service, secretarial. But since I've been working with the kids in my job, I have found that I really enjoy working with special needs kids, and want to pursue this area more. They will pay for all my training and the qualifications that I need, and I'll be able to take these with me when/if I decide to change companies. Invaluable!

My son came to spend 6 weeks with us this summer, and though it was a short visit (in my eyes anyway), we managed to pack a TON of stuff into such a short time. I made my first trip to London - did all the 'touristy' things: Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park (it really IS just a park - trees, grass, a gazebo - thats about it - but its HUGE, and very pretty!), Piccadilly Circus (no, its not a circus, its a roundabout - rotary for you 'yanks' hehe). Its like a very mini Times Square - very neon and busy. Also went to Trafalgar Square. We did a TON of walking, and according to my pedometer, I walked something like 12,000 steps. I calculated that to be between 3 and 4 miles. I must be a total WIMP because that much walking was BRUTAL on my feet! LOL (Ive since ordered a new pair of trainers (sneakers), since the ones I have now, Ive had for years! I don't think I could ever live there though - its one of those places that is 'nice to visit but wouldn't want to live there'. He really liked it here I think, and I would love to have him move over here.

We also took him to Cornwall. Its the very bottom of the country, on the south western tip. It was very pretty, and hilly, and had the most narrow streets I've ever seen! The narrow roads here at home are a highway compared to some of the roads I saw down there! I got to see the English Channel - it was bigger than I expected it to be. I was thinking "Channel = narrow body of water you can see across", and I had always wondered why anyone would make a big deal about swimming across it. Well, its an ocean! LOL You can't really see across it, it hits the horizon first before it hits any land on the other side (at least the part that we were on. Having not seen every inch of it, I can't say for certain).

Side Note/Sad Note: Spotted Dick is being renamed. Well sort of. This is a traditional English pudding (dessert). It is a steamed suet pudding, with dried fruit (currants usually), and served with custard. There was a big hoopla in the news a few weeks back, that because of the giggles and guffaws caused by its name. So some places are now calling it Spotted Richard..........more on this story as it develops! (No, I've never tried it - not a big currant fan. And I also don't think I could order it without turning 50 different shades of red and giggling).

Speaking of food - Im finally getting used to the differences, though still won't try the stomach churning stuff - Black Pudding for instance. We were at breakfast out not too long ago, and I saw it on someones plate. Looked innocuous enough - like a small round sausage patty, in fact thats what I thought it was, until my husband told me......and I couldn't even look at it after that. And if I had seen the guy cut it, or heaven forbid eat it?? .........yeah, not gonna go there. For those that read my last blog, Prawn Crackers and I have had a falling out. They've lost their appeal to me. Sure I have them once in a while, but its been a few months since my last prawn cracker. Cheese and Onion crisps are where its happening at the moment. Though, like the crackers, I need to watch my intake of these as well. But SO tasty. Wonder what my next 'phase' will be (wondering why my 'phases' cant be veggies - something healthy - maybe because they are BORING! LOL).

I've been taking driving lessons. These are fun (note the sarcasm Im trying to relay). I feel like I'm 16 again, and learning everything all over again. I have been allowed to drive for a year on my US license, but that year is coming to an end soon (November 10th to be exact). Since this year has flown by, I really didn't realize that it was coming so soon. So I have to get my British driving license and so I had to apply for a Learners License first. This looks just like a real license but it has a huge red "L" on it. Yes, thats for learner, not loser :P Although I have found since taking my lessons that things I THOUGHT I knew - I dont. I thought I was an excellent driver here (for having never driven on the 'wrong' side of the road before, I think I did quite well). Then I sat with my instructor for the first time, and she saw me drive. Humbling. I think if she had a ruler, she would have tapped my knuckles and broken my knee caps on my left leg for riding my clutch and keeping my hand on the gearshift. She is super nice though, and very patient, and I am learning quite alot. I have my driving test scheduled for November 3rd, and I am cramming in as many lessons as she will give me!

One funny note about the driving tests: If you take the test in an Automatic, you are only licensed to drive an Automatic. If you take your test in a manual (standard), you will get licensed for both.

The weather.

I have found, and its been written about in the news, that one of the main topics of conversations amongst people you meet - in a pub, on the street, waiting in line at the grocery store - is the weather. It hasn't rained here in almost 2 weeks - or is it 3? - though we did have a sprinkle the other day, it wasn't really classified as 'rain'. This is unheard of for this country apparently, and very newsworthy too! If it's a nice day, they are wondering when the rain is going to come. If it's raining, they wonder when its going to stop. I suppose thats normal throughout the world, I know that when I lived at home, it was. But the weather is a major newsmaker here. I don't remember THAT from home - unless it was a hurricane or tornado etc.

Fall hit here about a month back. The leaves started to change, the nights and mornings are chilly, the days mild for the most part, though we did have a few 'hot' days. Hot to the British is anything over 70 apparently, 90 is 'sweltering'. Though here they use celsius, and Im forever doubling, then adding 30 and subtracting 4 to figure out what it would roughly be in F. Since I hate math with a passion, this is always fun.

I have found that the weather here is what it used to be like in New England when I was a kid - definite separation of Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. From what I remember from living there in recent years, we really didn't have a pronounced Fall and Spring - it just went straight to Winter and Summer (though more so Summer).

I've started my Christmas shopping already. Not going to get caught out this year. Last year, I sent home gifts for the family, one box, less than 4 kilograms (about 8ish pounds), and it cost me 66 GBP! I almost died! So Im going to do a few things differently this year. Ill still send stuff, but will mail it from Mailboxes Etc, not my local post office, and I will mail earlier (hence the shopping now). I don't have Thanksgiving to rely on anymore to tell me when to start shopping so I've got to depend on myself.......ut oh!

Speaking of kilograms - cooking here is fun! Its the metric system! Remember in school they tried to teach this to us? If I had known then, that I was going to live here years later, I would have paid more attention! There are no cups, half cups, etc. There are grams. 250 grams. 75 grams. I need a computer in my kitchen to constantly look up the conversions. Because I have measuring cups. They do say 1 cup, 1/2 cup etc.....but they also say ML (milliliters). 240 ML is approximately 1 cup, or 8 Ounces. However, the recipe calls for 200 ML of milk say.....so then I have to AGAIN, add, approximate, subtract........ARGH!!!!!!

More MATH!!!!!!!!! I miss the days of just adding 1 cup, 1/2 cup when the recipe asked for it........and here I wondered why my baking wasn't all that good. Same thing with the temperatures on the stove......180 C........if the package or recipe says that, Im all set. Heaven forbid my recipe says 450 F, or 375 F (because I do have a few American cookbooks)........more running upstairs to check the computer (or 9 times out of 10 yelling to the hubby to check it please). I'm getting better, stuff is now cooked properly, instead of undercooked or charcoal'd!

Paid our TV license the other day, 143 GBP.......still shaking my head over why that is necessary. Yes, I know, the BBC is free from advertising, and they need their funding somehow. Doesn't mean I have to like paying this fee every year.

Words. I still use my 'American words' at times, but find that Im slowly getting used to the language differences here. I don't have a cell phone, I have a 'mobile'.....thats mo-BILE, thank you. A mobile is something you hang above a baby's crib (was corrected on that the other day - thanks Mark hehe). I now say garage (pronounced like marriage). And when my husband wants to rest in the middle of the day, I can no longer say "Need a nappy".....got a funny look on that one first time I said it! Nappy = diapers! Pacifiers for babies - what Im used to calling a binky - are called dummies here. And poor elderly people! In the US, we try to be PC, and kind - they are senior citizens or the elderly. Here? They are called Old Age Pensioners! Horrible!

I've also come to the realization that if I were to bump into a British star on the street, I would have no clue who it was, unless it was Justin Hayward, then I would probably pee myself and faint. Unless they are universally known, I really have no clue to most British famous people. On a side note, Justin lives in Cornwall, and don't think I didn't look at EVERYONE while I was there, hoping to catch a glimpse! LMAO (Sad, I know).

I am now sitting here debating whether or not to get into the whole healthcare US vs UK thing.

Still debating.

Gonna get some breakfast and contemplate this. Ill be back in a few.

Ok, going to do it.

I really think that if it's done properly, the US can benefit from the type of healthcare we have in this country. From the minute I stepped onto UK soil, I was eligible for free healthcare. My mother in law set up an appointment for me at our local surgery (doctors office), and I was seen the same week. I was given prescriptions for my diabetic medication, a new meter, everything I needed. And even though I had to pay the first couple of times (7.10 GBP per script), I was soon on a 'no pay' plan because of the diabetes. It was a qualifying condition to be eligible for free medicines. So now I don't pay anything (Though this is sort of misleading. I DO pay weekly contributions to the NHS from my paychecks. Its automatically taken out). Which leads me to my next point:

When you think of all that you pay in the US from your paychecks, having one payment to the NHS is nothing! In the US you pay: State, Federal, FICA, Social Security taxes. On top of that, if you are lucky enough to work for a company that has health insurance, you get to pay for that as well. When I was single, my health insurance was something like $10 a week. If I had added my son on to that, it would be something totally ridiculous like $50 a week. By the time all the taxes and health insurance were taken out of my check, it was a wonder I had enough for rent and food, nevermind all the rest of the bills. And if you had a family of say 4 that you wanted on insurance? You would need to work 2-3 jobs just to be able to afford to live!

Then you have to consider what you get when you have health insurance in the US: One office visit a year, some lab tests maybe? BUT, if you have to go to the ER, only a percentage is covered. Heaven forbid you need an ambulance - that's not covered. Only a percentage of certain procedures are covered. If you think about it, there is a lot of out of pocket for healthcare in the US. I pay nothing out of pocket.

The NHS is not without its drawbacks however. And though I haven't experienced any of these first hand yet, I'm sure at some point, I will. If you need an operation, the waiting time can be extremely long, depending on the necessity of it and the severity of your condition. You CAN get private insurance, and if you need the same operation, and you are on private insurance, you will get seen alot faster. Mammograms in this country are not ordered by your GP until you are 50. I think this is too late. However, if you find a lump, you are ordered for one immediately - so I think I may 'find' something, just so I can go and get one. Another drawback is the time Drs spend with their patients. Sometimes it can feel like cattle herding - in and out very quickly. Of course if you need to speak to them, they are always willing to listen. I lucked out and got a very nice set of doctors in our local surgery, and they always have time to talk.

One argument I've heard from the US is "I don't want to pay for everyone elses medical needs, its not MY responsibility". However, if you are a business owner, you are already paying something towards your employees health insurance, no? Or the taxes you pay - what do you think those are funding? Welfare, Food Stamps, Healthcare for needy people. In the US, if you are a pregnant teen, chances are you are not receiving proper prenatal care. How are you going to fund it? Sure you can go on welfare, but that takes time, and we all know the early months of pregnancy are the most important for vitamins, proper care etc. In the UK, you don't have this. You can walk into any doctors office in the country, and be seen. I was sick on holiday this year in Cornwall, 240 miles from home. I went to the local surgery, was seen the same day, given medication, and I didn't see one bill.

Ok, serious stuff over with!

So in reflecting on this past year, it has been one heck of a year! I feel like I got a second chance at my life. I screwed up my 'past life' so badly, it felt hopeless at times. Then I come here. No one knew me 'then', no one knows my mistakes, my many many mistakes, my (sometimes shady) past. They can't and don't judge me on who I was 'then'. They only know who I am NOW, and I feel that the person I am now is SO much better than the person I was then. This 'me' is responsible, law abiding, outgoing, fun, happier. I'm learning new things, taking new chances on things that I never, ever imagined I would. I feel like this is the life I should have had 20 years ago. But you know what? No regrets. If I hadn't lived that life, I never would have had this one. Everything happens for a reason. If I hadn't had that shitty relationship back in 1989, I don't think I'd be where I am now. Or even simpler: If I hadn't had that shitty relationship in 2003 (I just realized I've had alot of shitty relationships LMAO).....but if that didn't happen in 2003 - the year I was introduced to online gaming, I wouldn't have met Andi, who introduced me to my husband. So while I hated that shitty relationship, I have it to thank for my life now. It's amazing how the past shapes our future. I'm living proof of it!

Notes from a Broad abroad, Part 1

2009-02-07T10:11:00.002Z

Well its almost been 6 months since I moved from the US to England, and I wanted to write my observations, thoughts etc. Its quite a change from 'home' but it feels like home, if that makes any sense.

Having never really gone anywhere besides New England (except NYC, Washington DC with 8th grade - or was it 7th? and Bermuda - each only 1 time), this was a huge step for me. My first visit for Christmas 2007 was only for a month, and in that month, I saw all the 'touristy' stuff - Warwick Castle (where I SWEAR I caught a ghost on my camera), Oxford University, and local attractions.

Now, since September 2008, Ive been living here, we moved into a new house, paying new bills, dealing with 'house' stuff. And Im LOVING IT!!! I will say one thing though....the Brits tax EVERYTHING!!!!!!!! Our TV needs a license....seriously. Its a yearly 'tax' we pay for the privilege to watch TV. If the Brits could tax AIR, I think they would. If you rent your home (as we do), you are responsible for whats called the "Council Tax".....akin to the property tax in the US. Its the renters responsibility. This was all new to me as well. I thought we were getting a great deal on the house, then all of a sudden....nope! You have to pay an additional 900 GBP extra each year! Woohoo!

Gasoline (or Petrol as its called here), is MEGA expensive! When my in-laws came for the wedding in May, in Maine, the gas prices were almost $4/gallon. They laughed their asses off! Here in the UK it was over 1 GBP a LITRE! I think we worked it out, with the conversion rate at the time, and it was something like $11 a GALLON! Thankfully, since then, its gone down. Its around .89p (pence/cents) for a litre. Diesel is more expensive. Its hovering around 1 GBP a litre now. And alot of cars in the UK are diesel - not sure why.

Food is different, and that takes getting used to as well....though thankfully, its nothing too weird (Dont ask me about Black Pudding....have never tried it, will never try it, I try to forget it even exists!) They dont have proper pickles here. Its like "piccalilli" ....pickle relish. I havent been able to find sweet pickles or "bread and butter pickles" which were my absolute favorite! Honey mustard......I love it! But not spicy hot. Which is what British mustard tends to be. Ive been told that if I want the sweet honey mustard, I need to get French mustard........./sigh Along those same lines, ham......you know the yummy spiral hams at Hannafords? Nope. Not here. You can get a large ham from a butcher, but not the spiral sliced ones Im used to (Oh noes! I have to slice my own ham now??? LMAO). Kraft Dinners dont exist here, even though we live maybe 25 minutes from the HUGE Kraft plant in Banbury. But Spam does exist. Indian food is very popular here. Curries are 'the thing'. I dont like Indian food or curry :( Chinese take aways are plentiful, and some are really good. But I havent been able to find one that does boneless spareribs yet. Ive fallen in love with Prawn Crackers! BEST THING EVER! You get them with your chinese takeaway here (Yes, Takeaway, not take out).......they are light crispy rice crackers, with a very light prawn (shrimp) flavor. Drive thrus are almost non-existent here. There are no drive thru banks, dry cleaners etc. The only place Ive seen one is at a McDonalds.

Finding a job was a little harder than I anticipated. Of course I was here in Sept, we moved into our house in Oct, and Nov/Dec/Jan were taken up with holiday preparations and wedding blessing plans. But I did have a couple of interviews. I remember one CV (resume) I sent out, with a cover letter, that I thought was very well written. It was for a 'building society'. "Great!" I thought, "My experience working for Georgia Pacific in their home building products division will come in really handy here"...........And I expounded on that in the cover letter. But I never got a call. Reason probably being, I found out a few weeks later, when I saw an ad for a Building Society.........a BANK. Its a financial institution...not a place to buy lumber. I finally found a job, and I didnt think I would like it, but hey a job is a job, right? But come to find out, that I really do enjoy it. Im working for a bus company, and right now, its part time. I am the drivers assistant. I get picked up at my house at 7:15, we drive to Rugby, pick up 10 kids around the city and take them to school. They are all special needs, and one is in a wheelchair. The kids range in age from 4 to 16, with a range of disabilities. And they are all very sweet.

Ok, moving on. Here, you don't go "to the hospital" you go "to hospital", you dont go to "the doctors office" you go to "the surgery"......and operating rooms are called "theatres". Some slang, I have trouble getting used to. Never, EVER, call your bottom, your "Fanny"....its slang for female genitalia. And there is a food here, called "Faggots"...especially prepared in onion gravy. More specifically, they are pork parts (or "offal" - which is just as it sounds) - pig heart, liver and fatty belly meat or bacon minced together, with herbs added for flavouring and sometimes breadcrumbs. Went shopping with my mother in law one day, saw them in the frozen food section, and stared at them. And she says to me "Jonathan LOVES Faggots"........I may have fainted, Im not sure. (I blame idiotic American slang for this reaction).

Brits are prone to vagueness (or it could just be my husband and his friends, not sure yet). But usually when I ask a "yes or no" question, I expect a "yes or no" answer. This doesnt happen. I usually get "Not really"..........for example: "Honey, your leg is bleeding profusely almost severed and hanging by a string of muscle! Does it hurt???" "Not really"..........or more realistically "Have you talked to so and so recently?"........."Not really"........./scream! Either you have or you havent.......there is no gray area!

We DO have Walmart here, but its called ASDA, owned by the Walmart Corp. Same little smiley face logo, price cut schemes, etc.......But the stores here are A LOT smaller than in the US, though I have seen a few that come close to a "Super Walmart". But the selection is not as great.

Im still getting used to different cleaners (I know, weird).....but they dont have any of the same household cleansers that Ive been used to buying for the past 30 odd years. Ive been taken out of my 'cleaning comfort zone'. So Ive been relying on my mother in law to tell me what she likes, what works for her, and copying that. Even for something as small as laundry soap. Its all new. Speaking of soap........dishwashing liquid is NOT called dishwashing liquid..its "washing up liquid".

Other small observations: "You alright?" is NOT because I look sick! Its a greeting, and one that Im still getting used to. "Cheers" is not a toast, its a way of saying "thank you"

Learning to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road is tricky. Its like constantly passing. And its like taking Drivers Ed in high school all over again! Remember hitting the curb all the time because you were too close to it, but were afraid of people hitting you? Yep! Thats me!

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The biggest thing Ive realized is that compared to England, the United States is just a baby. Ive been in homes that parts of them were built in the 16th century. I was in Warwick Castle, which was built in 1068. I live across the street from a thatched roof "cottage" that was probably built in the 1600's. The history here is amazing, and one that I am very excited to learn more about.

My ancestors hail from Scotland (Skye), England (Titchfield, Hampshire) and Wales. Ive already found out a little about the "Hunter" side of the family. My great great grandfather was the town Dr. in Skye, and I found out that the Hunter clan is descended from Royalty. This was the information I received from a friend Ive known for a couple of yrs, who unbeknownst to me could be a distant cousin:

"It's interesting that you say you are from the Hunter clan... Since I am also a Hunter believe it or not! It's actually my middle name in honour of my maternal grandfather who was a Hunter. I also have links to the Stuarts (Stewart), Grahams and MacGregors... so I am related to not only the true monarchy of Scotland (as are you, being a Hunter) but also Rob Roy the outlaw! Clan Hunter is a minor clan called a "Sept" of the clan Stuart of Bute. So we actually have a claim on Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle. We were supporters of Sir William Wallace, and our Clan is the primary source of what are known as the Jacobites. The Jacobite uprisings were designed to return the usurped Stuart kings to the throne of the UK... Their modern incarnation is now known as the Scottish National Party... the primary party in Scotland that wishes for Scottish independence (and the current government of Scotland). The Jacobite symbol is the White Rose of York."

So I cant wait to do more research on my family histories!!! I also know that the other part of my family, Clan Urquhart, have claims on a castle in Scotland, Urquhart Castle. Its in serious disrepair, but is legend is that it is home to Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, who lives underneath it.

Well, thats it for now. My (almost) 6 month observations. Seems like just yesterday I arrived here, and I cant believe 6 months have gone by already! And despite dire warnings from other ppl about the Brits being stand offish and cold....I have not yet encountered anyone even remotely like this! I am very fortunate to have met alot of really nice people, and made several new friends!