When you're an expat you can hear an American accent across a room; you hear that twang and immediately know you're not alone and you have to find that person. My last guest post is by the lovely Erin from an American Mom in England who's originally from Oregon (but went to university in Ohio) and after an initially difficult adjustment loves living in England. This might seem a bit odd, but I have to admit that one of my favourite things about living in England is meeting other Americans who live here. It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is for Americans living abroad to connect.
There’s something almost magical about the ease with which friendships are formed among expats. All the differences that might have separated us in the states don’t matter over here. Instead we bond over the things we miss from home: macaroni & cheese, mountain dew, pop tarts, Mexican food, good sushi. I think it’s because we share a common cultural literacy with one another that simply makes friendship easy.
Unsurprisingly, my husband disagrees with me. His theory is that since there are substantially fewer Americans over here we expats substantially lower the level of oddity we’re willing to tolerate accordingly.
Yet, I know for me that’s not the true. The expats I keep in touch with are some of the most amazing women I know.
A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get to spend a day in Manchester at a BlogCamp with the lovely Melaina and Lindy.
(Please forgive the crazy frizzy hair, it had been pulled up until moments before Lindy took the photo!)
Besides the obligatory expat chat: Where are you from? How long have you been here? How did you meet your husband? This is followed by shared geographical knowledge (in this instance Dayton & Cincinnati, OH) and then the inevitable mention of Costco.
I met two strong independent women who have the self-confidence to be themselves and those are the kind of friends I like the best.
7 comments:
Looks like lots of fun! I've had so much trouble finding expats in Manchester. It seems like all the blogs I find are based in London! Apparently I'm missing something if there was a blog camp in Manchester that I didn't even know about... www.ameringlish.blogspot.com
How do you find the UK? Customs, etc? Are we quieter and more reserved than Americans??!
Customs at Heathrow are evil. i was told I couldn't go through with NBH and Blondie Boy as I had to be put through by a different customs agent. I went in a different line and then was served by the EXACT same agent they had been 10 minutes earlier.
Well there's links to two expat bloggers in Manchester :)
Hi Meg! Hopefully there will be another blog camp in Manchester in the fall! There are actually quite a few blogs based outside of London. =)
Ah, I always like a little bit of expat chat. And I get to do it with American and Chileans here in the UK. I have a nice little group of both :) Anyway, just coming by to say hello. I've been offline for a bit and loving it. Your vacation looks amazing...I could use a bit of sun too :) xx
I think it's great when a group of women with something in common get together, and I'm sure you American women have loads to talk about the Brits! I'd love to be a fly on the wall (since we don't have screens at our windows, that would be easier than in the US!)
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